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!

I Can Be Anything

If you are like me, you are probably thinking that this is another book about all the careers a child can choose, when he or she grows up. I Can Be Anything by Jerry Spinelli and illustrated by Jimmy Liao is much more relevant to a young child's life. Some of the choices in this beautifully illustrated book are dandelion blower and puppy dog holder. Children will build a positive self concept as they come up with ideas about all the things they can be an do. In the end, the important message is that we don't have to choose to be just one thing, we can do anything. Short, simple, easy to understand, and should be a part of every classroom!

All Dolled Up

Brownie and Pearl Get Dolled Up is a story by Cynthia Rylant with pictures by Brian Biggs. This fun book is all about a little girl and her pup, who dress up, just for the fun of it. Most of us feel better when we dress up in our fancy clothes. It is a great way to spend a some time when you and the children are stuck indoors-of course it is fun to go outside and show your fancy clothes too.

While my first thought, was that this is a "girl" book, there is no reason boys couldn't relate and have fun dressing up too. In most cultures, there are special times when dressing up is the norm, but there may be some families one parent or the other may not dress up very much, so this is a great topic to discuss. Why do adults dress up and where do they go? What does dressing up look like? How do you feel when you dress up?

Pretending is such an important activity for children. I often bring up the topic of of "dressing up" when I discuss celebrations. I provide lots of different fancy outfits and encourage them to try them on. This helps them understand and act familiar situations. Pretending to leave the kids for the evening is a great social-emotional experience which helps children deal with separation. Extend it even more and help your children plan a tea party for another classroom. Encourage everyone to dress up and don't forget to discuss that people are sometimes a little nervous or excited when they have special dress up events. Another idea is to set up a photography studio in the pretend center and let children pretend they are going to have their picture taken. So many rich social-emotional and language learning opportunities. Use your own ideas, but don't forget to start with the book, Brownie and Pearl Get Dolled Up.

"Max and the Dumb Flower Picture"

This delightful book was created from a manuscript and drawings by Martha Alexander, with the help of James Rumford. It should be required reading for every early childhood teacher. Children will enjoy it too. The story is about a boy who wants to make his own picture, rather that using the coloring sheet given by his teacher. The book clearly sends the message that when each of us uses our own ideas and creativity, the results are amazing. It is also a good reminder that there is often more than one right way to do things and to appreciate the talents of others.

Even though the little boy in the story does run away from the classroom, which is not a positive model, it can also be used as a teaching tool for children to use words to say what they want.

By encouraging even young children to make their own pictures, they can learn to appreciate their own work, as well as the work of others.

"Maybe a Bear Ate It!"

My two year old grandson loves this book and so do I. This short simple book by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley is a story about losing a favorite book, imagining the worst, coming to your senses, looking for it, and eventually finding it. This series of events happens to me about once a day and I've learned to handle it, but when a child loses a prized possession, it may seem the world is ending. Read the story with 2-5 year olds, laugh together and teach a simple lesson about looking before you panic!

Looking Like Me

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Christopher Myers is a great book which will promote self esteem and build respect for others. In this book, which is more poetry than prose, we learn about a young black boy, who is looking for his identity. The boy in this story finds that he is a son, a brother, a talker, a dancer, a city kid and more. Children will quickly catch on to the rhythm of the words which will help to grab their attention and keep them interested.

This book is especially appealing because it has something for 3 year olds and up. Younger children will learn about relationships and that they can have more than one identity, while older ones will begin to see than what is apparent at first impression. The story encourages children to find out more about themselves and others. Help each child create journal about themselves. Children can add to these as their identities and relationships change. You just may start a life long habit of appreciating themselves.

Sharing

Should you make another child share? As I write that sentence, I realize what a silly phase it is to say, "make a child share." You can seldom make a child share. You can take a toy from him or her which teaches that it is OK to take things from others or you can prod, coax, and distract them until they give in to the request. Neither of which promotes the concept we want to teach. So take a moment and define what sharing means to you. Should children be made to share? Would you like it, if you had just started to build an elaborate building and someone told you to share? Do you share your favorite pen?

As a child, I remember hiding some of my prized possessions when certain children would come to visit. Why? I knew they tended to break toys and if I wanted to have my things for another day, I couldn't let these individuals, see them. Was my mother wrong to allow this? I don't think so.

While I don't have the answer to the sharing question, Bernice and the Franklin County Library System has provided us with a great book to encourage sharing. Mine, All Mine! by Claire Hawcock and Chiara Pasqualotto is the story a little squirrel who doesn't want to share his snowflake. Children will love the raised snowflakes in the book. Anyone who has trouble sharing will relate to Little squirrel's dilemma of keeping the snowflake to himself or playing with others. Use this story to get children talking about sharing. Sometimes we spend so much time creating rules, settling problems, we forget to see what thoughts the children have on the topic.