books, books, books and more books! High-quality children’s books are packed with amazing learning opportunities, including vocabulary exposure, language development, and of course, a love of reading! These children’s book activities are perfect for any time of the year.
You’ll find 16 activities of all kinds, designed especially for the preschool theme of a children’s book, bundled together in one neat free download of preschool lesson plans at the end of this post.
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picture book activities for beloved children’s books
I have always been somewhat of a book hoarder. Mostly children’s picture books…I know, it’s a problem.
There’s something amazing about having the perfect book for the perfect lesson at your fingertips. or reading those same favorites year after year and knowing that their little faces will light up like all the previous students who fell in love with hysterical or silly stories.
My 4 year old son has become a “book man” (as he defines it) just like me. he can’t go to the library without trying to put every book that looks remotely interesting in the checkout bag, and he asks for a new story from our home library every night.
and it excites me. I want him to grow as a reader and love all the magic and mystery that great authors weave into their stories. I’m so impressed by his vocabulary, his constant questioning (we’re definitely in the why phase) of the world around him, his curiosity about sharks, and his love of pete the cat. but above all, what excites me the most is that one day he will lose himself in a long series or in a favorite book that will stay with him for years.
That’s why this preschool theme is my absolute favorite to teach. I love using books as a springboard for all the fun learning ahead.
Learn how to make the most of reading books with your toddler here:>>> Must Read Picture Books for Toddlers <<<
frequently asked questions about using picture book activities to teach preschoolers
Hands-on Preschool Activities for Favorite Children’s Books
See Also: Best Books About the War of 1812 – History of Massachusetts Blog
learn through favorite children’s books invites you to connect texts with hands-on fun and learning. Here are some popular activities to follow along with your favorite children’s book lesson plans.
literacy activities for a favorite children’s book topic
rhyming time: after reading “stand back” said the elephant, “i’m going to sneeze” by patricia thomas, talk with your preschooler about the rhyming words in the story . This is a great story to introduce fun rhymes and practice a simple rhyming game. print these cards and start with a few pairs. Use this silly sentence starter to help gain interest and fun in the game: “Have you ever seen the moon using a spoon?” After some practice, encourage your child to match the rhyming pairs he already knows. then present the next set!
reading our colors – after reading pete the cat i love my white shoes by eric litwin talk about the fantastic lesson of this story: go with the flow and not be bothered by the little things . Now is the time to retell the story. print this pop-up reader, cut and staple. It’s time to color the shoes to match the story and retell it!
don’t forget these children’s books
It’s definitely hard to choose picture books for any preschool theme…there are so many amazing books. here are some favorites that are a little lesser known, but just as great.
math and science activities for a favorite children’s book topic
Math Crumb Board Game: Using the book This House Needs a Mouse by Jeffrey Nunnally, create this clever math game. draw four rooms on a sheet of paper, take a dice and take as many crumbs (pom poms) as possible! use clothespins for extra fine motor work! this fun game encourages imagination and develops number sense as you play primary colors. encourage your preschooler to mix colors beyond the primary colors and make predictions about what new color he or she will create.
Oobleck Science Sensory Game: After listening to Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. seuss, it’s time to make your own! oobleck is made from cornstarch and water and is a wonderful sensory game. just add a mixture of about 1.5 cups of cornstarch to 1 cup of water. mix them up and watch the oobleck magic happen. this sensory experiment creates an amazing result; It’s not a liquid and it’s not a solid either, this “goo” is really fascinating!
Don’t Forget Writing and Books Go Hand-in-Hand
There is a strong correlation between reading and writing, so be sure to create some fun in the writing center. These are some of the things I always have on hand.
playful learning activities for a favorite children’s book topic
Number Matching Paper Cups: Practice number recognition with this fun and easy activity. simply write numbers on the cups and then match them to the corresponding dots. a great indoor activity to bust boredom! stack them in order, line them up, place them on counters or snacks below… the options with this activity are endless! letters in your preschooler’s name. write their name on a card and ask them to stamp the letters of their name in order on the clay. step on it you can also turn it into paint and paint bubbles with it! use it for stress relief or for some much-needed quiet time.
social-emotional activities for a favorite children’s book topic
See Also: 30 Best Vampire Romance Books to Sink Your Teeth Into – She Reads Romance Books
“everything is fine” : reread pete the cat, i love my white eric litwin shoes. Talk about the fantastic lesson of this story: go with the flow and not get too upset about the little things. Talk to your preschooler about the difference between a big problem and a small one. make a list of things that could be big or small problems. how would they handle this kind of problem in real life? What choices would they make if they felt angry, sad, or frustrated?
being “you” unique: go to youtube and listen to the book elmer by david mckee. Discuss with your preschooler why Elmer wanted to change into a typical gray elephant. Print out an elephant coloring page from the internet and grab a colored tissue paper. invite your preschooler to cut out squares to make her own patchwork elephant. As you work on gluing and cutting, talk about the important lessons of acceptance, diversity, and friendship. Remind your preschooler that it’s exactly what it’s meant to be!
Just Plain Fun Activities for a Favorite Children’s Books Theme
Dragons Love Tacos – Read the fun book Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin. make your own tacos with ingredients fit for a dragon! Tacos real or fictional, this book is sure to get a laugh!
red pajamas llama llama – why not spend the day in pajamas like llama llama? snuggle up with some classic reads like llama llama red pajamas, grizzly bear, grizzly bear, what do you see? and the very hungry caterpillar. invite your preschooler to vote for her favorite story. crazy wednesday – read crazy wednesday by dr. seuss and find the weird things in the picture that just don’t belong. What the word crazy means Invite your preschooler to draw a simple picture and add some quirky drawings or magazine cutouts.
get online activities on the theme of a favorite children’s book
grumpy monkey story: Listen to suzanne lang’s grumpy monkey story. After reading, discuss with her preschooler how Jim said he had to be in a bad mood. what does that mean? is it okay to be grumpy? Invite your preschooler to draw a grumpy face on a different animal.
Animated Goodnight Moon Story – A timeless story brought to life with animation and music. It’s a must read at bedtime or anytime!
my day no no no – watch my day no no no by rebecca patterson on youtube. this important story models a glimpse into a difficult day for a young boy. bad days happen, but there’s always a chance to start over!
get your favorite children’s book lesson plans for free here
Want to include these favorite children’s book activities in your lesson plans? No problem. I have made a printable for you. just click on the image below.
Looking for more free preschool lesson plans?
Looking for more free preschool lesson plans? Try all the preschool topics included in my collection of preschool lesson plans to learn at home. new sets of activities are implemented weekly. themes include everything from apples, spring, and bugs & butterflies at 1st week of school, family & amp; pets, and now…fire safety preschool lesson plans! , see here:>>> collection of preschool lesson plans for learning at home <<<in total i will have more than 40 sets of free preschool lesson plans (which can be easily used for preschool at home or in the classroom) for the end of the school year. Seriously, make sure you’ve subscribed so you don’t miss a week of free lesson plans!
See Also: The Nine Best Books on or by William James – The Daily Idea