Step-by step instruction manual how to bring books to life in your home!
As we transition to the conclusion of the year, January unfolds with the magical ambiance of the winter season. While Texas seldom experiences snowy weather, I orchestrated an interactive Book Day to infuse a touch of winter into the state, featuring the timeless classic, "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats.
I hope you enjoy the childlike wonder of winter in this story and glean inspiration for your own Book Day!
Decorations
Book Days starts with the backdrop. The area designated for the theatrical reading sets the tone for the whole day. Here are the two steps to create your Book Day room:
1. BACKDROP- The first thing I do, is pick the color of the backdrop based on the book. For this book, I picked red to match Peter's red outfit.
2. FOCAL POINT- The focal point for this Book Day was the snow! We had two different kinds, the snow from the snow machine and the snow on the ground. If you want to go the extra mile, add hanging snowflake decorations against the red table cloth backdrop.
Snack
Book Day snacks are the biggest hit of the day. The great thing about these snacks is you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Draw snowman faces on styrofoam cups and fill them with popcorn. It is a fresh twist on a popular snack.
Sensory
One of my favorite Book Day activities is the sensory play! Every bin introduces a larger understanding and exploration of the world around them. It is ideal for infants and toddlers, but still so beneficial for Pre-K and elementary age children. One of the biggest benefits of sensory play is how it fosters social interactions between children. (Source).
Here are the products used to make The Snowy Day sensory bin:
-1 Storage box from Walmart
- Mini Tupperware Containers
-Hot glue gun
-Red felt
-White acrylic paint
-Red acrylic paint
- Black & Orange permanent marker
-Scissors
Begin creating this sensory bin by making the fake snow as directed on the package and place in the bottom of the bin. Next make figures that resemble Peter in the book. Paint the wooden body of each figure red and let dry. Next cut mini pieces of red felt, and with the glue gun, attach it to the head of the wooden figures. Paint the tops of the sleds red, and let dry. Next paint the wooden balls white and let dry. Glue three of the balls together to create a snowman. With the permanent markers, create a cute face on each one. Once all the pieces are prepared, place them strategically in the bin, surrounded by the plastic shovels and Tupperware containers. Enjoy!
Craft
One of the beautiful things about kids crafts is that they can be simple without a thousand parts and a novel of instructions.
The themed craft of the day was an invitation to create a snowy day landscape. Each child received a sheet of blue construction paper, a Peter decal, and access to a variety of crayons, markers, stencils, and white paint. It is so interesting to see what their imaginative minds come up with!
Fine Motor
Fine motor activities are important because they strengthen children's hand grips that are essential for every day tasks, such as tying shoe laces. (Source)
The fine motor activity for this Book Day was called "Catching Snowballs." I provided each child with a red bucket. I climbed to the second story of the house and threw cotton balls over the banister. The kids had to catch the "snowballs" while they were falling or pick them up off the ground. It was an excellent fine motor task.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
I added this category to the original curriculum because I didn't want literacy to be separate from the sciences. My hope is that children doing this program, will not only have a greater love of reading, but experience a wholistic bundle of developmental activities.
This STEM activity was called "Who Can Build the Tallest Snowman?" I gave each child toothpicks and large marshmallows to engineer the tallest snowman possible. Marshmallows are such a great tool for engineering with kids. It doesn't hurt that they are edible as well. It's a nice reward after such brainwork!
Final Comments
The Snowy Day rekindles a sense of childlike wonder associated with the winter season. No matter where you live, or what season it might be, you can always recreate an iconic winter day.
I hope this post has inspired you to see the depth of wealth that is sitting on your children's book shelves! Bringing books to life at home can provide an out-of-the-box event while creating an engaging hands-on educational experience. Whether you do one activity or all five, I know the kids in your life will be invigorated to read more and approach learning with a passion. Remember, everyone has a role to play in early childhood education. Whether you are a mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or grandparent you have the ability to bring wonder through the lens of a book!
I want to challenge you to create a Book Day in your home! Let us know about it (info@bookdays.org) so you can be featured on our page "Book Days Across America."
Until next time,
Kassi