Push Button

We can always count on Aliki to write quality literature. In her new book, Push Button, the Push Button Kid spends his time pushing the many buttons in his world, but then his finger gets sore and he turns to books. As he reads, his creativity comes to life and he decides to do some of the things he read about. The book will come to life and capture children's interest when you get the children involved in making the sounds and doing the actions.

Children love to push buttons and see what happens. It is part of investigating the world, but it is only one part. The book helps children extend what is read and put it into action.

In the classroom, there are a number of ways to use the book to teach social emotional skills, depending on your objective. Sometimes I have children who can't seem to settle into an activity. They go from center to center touching this or that, but never really engage in play. This would be a good teaching tool, to help them make a plan of what they would like to do at center time. I would ask children to pick an activity they would like to try and then help them become engaged in the activity, possibly with another child. Sometimes children don't know how to play together. If an adult identifies another child who wants to do a similar activity, the children have a better chance at successful interaction. At circle time, I might note that billy wants to build in blocks. I would ask him what he plans to build and then ask if others wanted to do the same. When the children arrive at the block center, they have a common goal.

I might also use the book to encourage children who seem stuck in one activity to use the ideas from the book, to try out something new.

At other times, I might just use the book to help the children see the wonder of themselves and all the things they can do and the sounds they can make!

Enjoy!