The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners

by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Why we liked this book:  I liked how this book pointed out bad manners first of all, and how grouchy a household can be with bad manners.  Then it emphasized the importance of good manners and how much more pleasant things can be when we are polite!

Activity:  Talk to your kids about some bad manners that may be going on in your family.  Make sure you generalize this and not point anyone out specifically.  Then talk about how you can have good manners.  Have your kids try it all day and praise them when they are showing good manners.  When a bad manner slips out make sure you tell them and ask them how they can turn it around.  After a day, try it for a week and at the end of the week reward them with a treat or some other prize!  This helps to show them how much more rewarding good manners can be!  My kids had a blast with this and would point out, "Mom!  Was that good manners?!"  or "Mom, that was good manners wasn't it?!"  Try it out!  A polite home is a happy home!

The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings

by: Stan and Jan Berenstain

 

Why we liked this book:  It was a good book to help my kids understand what it means to be grateful for what they have. 

Activity:  To help make sure they understood what blessings are I had them come up with as many things they were grateful for that they could.  It was hard for them to write out sentences for first I had them draw pictures of things they were grateful for.  When they were done I had them come show me and we wrote down what they were grateful for and I made them tell me why.  Then I talked to them about several other things we should be grateful for and why.  It was a really good lesson!

We did this when my daughter was 3 so you really can do this with young kids!!!

Joseph had a Little Overcoat

by: Simms Taback

Why we liked this book:  I had never read this book before and I thought it was SO CUTE.  It teaches kids how you can always make something from something old or even something from nothing at all!

Activity:  We did overcoat puzzles.  I made my own template and had the kids pick out a pattern of scrapbook paper to make it fun.  However, I did find this template that you could use!

Overcoat Puzzle

At the end of the book there is also a little song.  My kids wanted to know how it went and I found this video on youtube.  Watch out though because this song gets stuck in your head!!!

I Had a Little Overcoat

Ira Sleeps Over

by Bernard Waber

Why we liked this book:  Ok, so I was hesitant to put this book up here because this it is about a girl sleeping over at a neighbor boys house.  I didn't want people getting offended...but guess what.  This book was written in the 70's and it really does have a good message.  Ira is hesitant to take her teddy bear that she ALWAYS sleeps with to her friends house for a sleepover because she is worried about being made fun of.  It taught my kids that it is important to just be who you are and not to worry so much what other people think of you.  My kids really liked it :)

Activity:  My son wanted to make teddy bears with this activity.  I remember making mosaic type teddy bears in Kindergarten and thought this would be fun for the kids.  All you need is some colorful paper or scrapbook paper.  Let the kids rip it in to tiny pieces and then glue them on your bear.  Googly eyes are fun to add as well.  Easy!

All you do is print out the bear on a piece of paper.  Let your kids glue all their papers on BEFORE you cut it out.  That way you make sure you maintain the shape of a bear with all their crazy gluing :)  (It is helpful to print the bear on both sides of the paper so you know where to cut when they are all done.  Just make sure the ends match up so you don't cut out the feet where the head is supposed to be!)

 Teddy Bear Template

April Books 2014

Green Eggs and Ham 

by Dr. Seuss

Why we liked this book:  This book is a classic!  Who doesn't love Green Eggs and Ham?  The kids have so much fun rhyming with this book.  My 4 year old has fun guessing what the next rhyme word is.  My 6 year old is able to read most of the pages to us on his own.  It makes him feel so proud!

Activity:  What else would you do with this book but make your own green eggs and ham?!  I have to admit it's a little unsettling to see green eggs on your plate, but why not give it a try?

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, 
No Good, Very Bad Day 
by Judith Viorst

Why we liked this book: EVERYONE has a bad day once in awhile no matter where or who you are.

Activity: Write your very own "bad day" book.  My kids thought this was so fun!  They drew all the pictures and then I helped them with the writing as they explained to me what they had drawn.

1) First we made the cover.  I just googled images of characters that looked like they were having a bad day.  This one looked the most like my daughter so we picked this one.
Grumpy Girl
Grumpy Boy (you can color this one however you want)
Grumpy Girl 2 (you can also color this one however you want)

2) Next we added the pages.  Have kids pick three things that might mean they are having a bad day.  One thing for the morning, afternoon and night time.  After each "bad day" page I had them come up with how they could have acted to make it a "good day".  Example: instead of doing....I could have done...

3) The last page I had them pick their favorite place they like to go to (my daughter picked Wisconsin) and wrote "some days are like that even in Wisconsin".  They loved making their own books and were so proud of them!

The Carrot Seed 
by Ruth Krauss

Why we liked this book:  This is a very short, simple book.  It was great for my 4 year old to read because she could memorize it.  Then she would turn the pages and "read" it to us.

Activity:  The kids planted their own carrot seeds!  They filled an old pop bottle full of dirt and then planted their seeds. We chose a pop bottle that was clear so they could watch their carrots grow.  They also decorated their bottles with stickers. Then they were responsible for watering and caring for their carrots.