Object inquiry skills
Toddlers participate in a shared book reading focused on size and pretend to make their bodies big and small.
Invite toddlers to join you to read a book about three bears. As part of the book reading, point to and use your own words to describe illustrations that show size differences in bears, chairs, and porridge bowls. Emphasize the concepts of big and small. Consider using your arm to show differences in the height of big and small.
At the end of the book, ask “How can we move our bodies to pretend to be really big like the big bear?” Encourage toddlers to stand and stretch their arms wide. Encourage toddlers to describe their imitations of big.
Then ask “How can we move our bodies if we want to pretend to be small?” If toddlers seem unclear about how to respond, suggest that they get lower to the floor and/or partially roll themselves up. Again, encourage toddlers to describe what they are doing (or have done) with their body to make it smaller. Emphasize the concepts of big and small in relation to body positions.
Toddlers may respond differently to the two main teaching strategies used in this activity to promote awareness of big and small: (1) looking at, listening, and talking about the size of characters and objects in a book, and (2) moving their bodies into big and small positions. Some toddlers may readily engage the book segment of the activity but seem unclear about how to make their body seem bigger or smaller without a demonstration or suggestion. Toddlers who easily participate in both segments of the activity likely have a good beginning understanding of the concepts of big and small. The scaffolding tips suggest ways to respond to differences in toddlers’ participation.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
Toddlers make their bodies big and small as part of a rhyme.
Be Prepared: Secure a smaller and a larger teddy bear. Become familiar with the “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” rhyme by asking a co-worker or finding an internet source.
[Hold up one teddy bear and invite toddlers to join you for some teddy bear time. As children join the gathering, recite part of the “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” rhyme while moving the toy bear to the actions. Stand and lead toddlers in imitating your actions as you repeat the rhyme lines. Then encourage toddlers to sit.]
[Hold up the two different-sized teddy bears, one in each hand. Slightly move each bear as you describe it.]
I have two teddy bears. This is a small teddy bear.
[Pretend the small teddy bear speaks. Use a small teddy bear voice for the following:]
I am a small teddy bear!
Can you make yourselves get small like me?
[Encourage toddlers to pretend to be small by shrinking down closer to the floor. Use the small teddy bear voice to describe toddlers’ actions. Example: “Lara, you made yourself small by shrinking and getting closer to the floor!”]
This is a big teddy bear!
[Draw attention to the big teddy bear and use a big bear voice.]
I am a big teddy bear!
Can you pretend to make yourself bigger?
[Encourage toddlers to stretch up high. Use the big teddy bear’s voice to describe toddlers’ actions. Example: “Look at Justin! He is big like me! We are big!”
Invite toddlers to again pretend they are small. And then again pretend to be big.
Recite the “Teddy Bear” rhyme lines, one at a time. After each line, ask toddlers to describe or show you how to do the action with a teddy bear. Examples: “How does our small teddy bear turn around?” “How does our big teddy bear touch the ground?” Alternate between big and small bears for the four lines of the rhyme.]
We have a small teddy bear. And we have a big teddy bear. We pretended to make ourselves small. We pretended to make ourselves big. Let’s learn one more way to show big and to show small.
[Say the following with actions and then lead toddlers in the actions as you say the words.]
This is big, big, big
[Open arms wide]
This is small, small, small
[Cup hands together]
[Repeat if toddlers remain engaged.]
Toddlers will enjoy imitating your motions and telling you how to move a teddy bear as part of the rhyme. At this age, toddlers will find it a fun challenge to discriminate between small and large plus make corresponding changes with their bodies. The activity is designed to promote awareness of a basic difference in size (small, large). Some toddlers may not make the motions but are likely to become more aware of size differences by looking at the two bears and watching their peers pretend to be small and big. Repeat the words “big” and “small” as you describe various actions. Some toddlers may show interest in repeating parts of the activity.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
A toddler matches toy bears and bowls by size as part of a shared book reading focused on size.
Be Prepared: Select toy bears and bowls that represent small, medium, and big sizes.
Invite one toddler to sit with you to talk about big and small things. If the toddler is familiar with The Three Bears book, begin the activity by inviting the toddler to match the bowls to the corresponding bear. Begin by reading the book if it is unfamiliar to the toddler.
During the bear and bowl matching segment, describe the items (three bears of different sizes, three bowls of different sizes) and then invite the toddler to do the matching. Provide verbal assistance only if necessary. Example: “You are holding a big bear. What bowl would a big bear use? A big bowl or a small bowl?” Point to bowls as you describe their size. Emphasize the big bear gets the big bowl, and the small bear gets the small bowl, regardless of whether the toddler successfully matches the two. Extend the activity by separating the bowls from their bears and then pretending to feed one of the bears from its corresponding bowl. Encourage the toddler to select the bear and then select an appropriate-sized bowl for the bear. Offer assistance by asking questions and pointing to options.
Follow the toddler’s pace for looking at and talking about the book illustrations. If appropriate, encourage the toddler to point to illustration features that you identify.
Your informal knowledge of the toddler’s familiarity with the book or story of the three bears is key to determining the starting point for the activity. Begin with the book if you are uncertain. If the toddler shows familiarity, engage him/her in helping you tell the story. Set aside the toy bears and bowls if you begin with the book unless you wish to incorporate these items into telling the story and you do not anticipate the bear and bowl items would distract the toddler from focusing on the book.
This option involves less caregiver guidance than Options 1 and 2, which are more appropriate for toddlers becoming aware of big and small concepts.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: The Three Bears by Byron Barton, teddy bears of different sizes, three different-sized nesting cups, several different-sized blocks
Place picture-rich books about size in a book basket placed on a low table or surface. Example: The Three Bears by Byron Barton. Also, provide teddy bears of different sizes for toddlers to play with. Mention size (small or big) when you refer to a bear. On another day, encourage play with the bears by placing three different-sized nesting cups or several different-sized blocks nearby. Observe toddlers’ play and, when appropriate, point to basic differences in size. Example: “You put the small bear on a big block.”
Materials Needed: teddy bears of different sizes, three different-sized nesting cups, several different-sized blocks
Infants will enjoy holding toys used in Option 1 and suggested for the Interest Area. Preschool-age children may eagerly pursue your suggestion that they arrange a collection of similar play materials by size, such as a group of small toy cars and a group of big toy cars. Make up and offer a little rhyme called “When I Was a Baby” and encourage children to imitate your actions.
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