Early Childhood Round Table

Frolicking Frogs!

Children are in the business of having fun and if we want them to learn to read, we need to make books and reading fun.  If children associate reading time with negative feelings - such as being forced to sit through a book at circle time when they aren’t interested - their motivation to learn to read gets sabotaged. We know that children who like to be read to, are more motivated to learn how to read themselves.

So what can we do?

• Get excited and model the fun of reading!  (Don’t be afraid to get silly!)
• Practice reading books before sharing them aloud with the children so you can be less tied to the words and have more fun with the story.
• Not all children can sit well during whole group experiences,  so read to children individually and in small groups, too.
• Invite children to join in at appropriate parts in the book. The more involved they are in the reading, the more fun it will be for them!
• Have books available throughout the room, not just in a quiet library area.
• Make sure there is at least one comfortable area where children and adults can enjoy books together
• Have high-quality children’s books available.
• Select age-appropriate books so children can successfully read through the entire book with you.
• Don’t force reading to a child if he/she isn’t interested.
• Let children have opportunities to decide what books will be read.
• Choose books that you enjoy! Children will pick up on your feelings.

Our lending library tote, Frolicking Frogs, is designed to be a box of pure fun.  Children love to jump and ribbit like frogs, so it doesn’t take much to get them interested in frog books. 

For instance, the book, “Frogs,” by Critters Up Close, has fantastic photos and drawings of frogs, with words that encourage the children to participate.  We’ve included these engaging beanbag frogs to expand on the story.  For a lesson plan idea on using these materials, click here.  

 Also included in the tote is the book, “Five Green and Speckled Frogs,” by Priscilla Burris and some felt frogs to go along with the story.  This book is also interactive because it encourages children to sing  along with the repetitious rhyme. These frog characters put a new spin on a favorite preschool song.  For a lesson plan that goes with this book, click here. 

Here are some more of the frog books included in the tote – and they all encourage children to join in the reading through great illustrations, songs, silly endings and engaging stories.

The tote also has extension activities you can use in your freeplay and center times including this peg and frog sizing puzzle.

 This fun poster, matching game and frog finger puppets.

And another frog sizing puzzle

Looking for a list of fun picture books to add to your library?  Goodreads has a list of their top 100 Favorite Funny Story Time Picture Books here. 

Thought for the day: Reading books with children should be fun for everyone, because learning happens best when everyone is having fun!

What are your favorite books to read?  What were your favorite books as a child?