Doodles’ is my 4 ½ year old boy and a serious book lover. His book of choice this week surprised me a little. Not that it’s not a great book as it truly is but because he loved this book when he was younger but seemed to have grown out of it. However, over the last week or so his preschool class have been working on this book, going on their own bear hunts, creating small worlds, painting and drawing their favourite parts of the story etc. So this probably explains his renewed interest in this book.
I’m sure that you are familiar with this book but in case you are not it is basically a rhyme about a family going on an adventure through fields and forests, snowstorms and rivers, caves and mud. It is the onomatopoeic language of this story that makes it so much fun – splash splosh, squelch squerch, stumble trip, etc. It is a perfect story for putting actions to and moving about – really great fun!
This book is illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. The book is full of beautiful watercolours and charcoal drawings. It is a very attractive and attention grabbing book.
What makes this a great choice for pre-schoolers?
- Repetitive phrases and language
- Great for getting children moving and acting out the adventure and imaginative play
- Fantastic use of alliteration and onomatopoeia – super for language development
- Conjures up all sorts of fun, adventurous, even scary pictures – expanding the imagination
- Relevant to the world of a pre-schooler or toddler – illustrations of young children out on an adventure
- Minimal text per page
- Stunning illustrations
- Sense of excitement, tension and suspense built up throughout!
We have done lots of fun activities related to this story in the past. I have created a Pinterest Board of some the great ideas we have tried out from around the web which you can check out and follow here.
Tip for choosing books for preschoolers: Pick a book that provides lots of inspiration for dramatic or imaginary play!
Have fun!
Ciara x
Our Little House in the Country 