Receptive language, Expressive language
Toddlers participate in a book sharing focused on bedtime illustrations of construction trucks with human-like characteristics.
Be Prepared: In this session, you use your own words to describe the book’s detailed illustrations rather than read the book text. Prior to sharing the book with toddlers, determine how you will talk about each illustration. General suggestions are offered in the activity description below (see ACT). You may wish to include some key phrases in the book’s text, although this is not necessary. The rich illustrations provide lots to talk about.
[Invite several toddlers to join you to look at pictures of trucks.]
Our book is about trucks at bedtime. Bedtime is when we get ready to go to sleep. The book tells us about different kinds of trucks. The trucks help build things or move things like dirt. The trucks have worked hard all day. It is time for the trucks to rest.
[Show cover of book and describe the illustration. Point to the moon when you name it.]
Look at the dark sky. Let’s find the moon. We can all point to the moon!
We see a moon and dark sky because it is nighttime. The truck in our picture is getting ready to sleep.
We know how to say “Shhh,” so people and things can be quiet at bedtime. Remember the mommy who said “Shhhh!” to the noisy farm animals so her baby could sleep?
[Demonstrate and encourage toddlers to put a finger by their mouth and say “Shhh!”
Point again to the moon. Point to the eyes on the truck.]
Look at how the moon is sitting in part of the truck. This is a silly place for the moon! Usually we see a moon up in the sky.
Look at how the truck has eyes that are looking at the moon! Trucks do not have eyes like we do!
I wonder if this is going to be a silly book. Let’s open the book to find out.
[Use the following strategies to help toddlers focus on the illustrations:
It is not necessary to describe each illustration or truck. Wrap up the session if toddlers seem to be losing interest.]
The trucks shown in our book worked hard all day. The trucks were tired and getting ready for bed. The trucks did some things we do at bedtime. Do you think this is a silly book?
Most toddlers will easily connect with the bedtime theme of the book, including the opportunity to say goodnight to each truck and look for the moon. The rich illustrations will appeal to many toddlers but your descriptions of each picture probably will be necessary for toddlers to notice some details. Toddlers’ familiarity with trucks will likely influence whether they think the facial expressions and human-like bedtime routines are humorous. This is a relatively long book and some toddlers may leave the session before it ends.
Extra support
Enrichment
Receptive language, Expressive language
Toddlers explore toy trucks as part of a book sharing focused on different types of trucks.
Be Prepared: This activity is designed for toddlers who are familiar with the book through participation in Option 1 or a similar book sharing. Secure toy trucks that are similar to some of the trucks featured in the book; such as crane truck, cement mixer, bulldozer, and excavator. The activity description suggests you use your own words, rather than reading the book text, to describe illustrations. Determine how you plan to describe illustrations, including information on what a specific truck does.
Invite several toddlers to look at our book about trucks at bedtime. Show the book cover to help toddlers remember the book. Mention aspects of the book that were of particular interest to toddlers in the Option 1 offering. Example: “Remember, one of the trucks in our book took a bath. Another truck slept with a teddy bear. We had fun finding the moon in the pictures of the trucks.”
Show and describe illustrations for which you have a corresponding toy truck. You also may wish to revisit illustrations that attracted toddlers’ attention in Option 1. For each illustration you select, point to and describe what the illustrated truck does. Then show the corresponding toy truck, if available, and point to (or ask toddlers to point to) the part of the truck emphasized in your description. Example: “Here is our toy dump truck. A dump truck carries things like dirt. Where would dirt go in our toy truck?”
You also may wish to describe again some of the human-like characteristics of the illustrations featured in Option 1 if this seems to be of interest to toddlers. Example: If a toddler points to the water in the illustration of the cement mixer, talk about how the truck takes a bath at bedtime.
This activity emphasizes the jobs done by different types of trucks. It is not necessary or appropriate to introduce technical information, but look carefully at toddlers’ reactions to your descriptions to determine whether more information would help toddlers better understand an illustration. The book sharing can promote the idea that different types of trucks do different types of things. Connecting a toy truck to a book illustration can have cognitive benefits, especially if you help toddlers connect parts of the illustration to the toy that sits before them. Pay attention to visual focus, pointing, smiles, or utterances that suggest a toddler would like to again focus on information offered in Option 1. Example: Toddlers may like to again repeat the phrase, “Shhh. Goodnight, truck, goodnight.” This time, include the name of the truck type if you introduced the name during your description of the truck. Example: “Shhh. Goodnight, cement truck, goodnight.”
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld, other books that show pictures of trucks and/or toy trucks represented in the books
Place the books and toy trucks in the block area. Invite toddlers to look at book pictures and to use the trucks to create buildings or roads with the blocks. Toddlers may choose to interact with the materials in different ways, including building with blocks or driving the trucks. Look for opportunities to connect a toddler’s action or creation to a picture.
Materials Needed: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
In addition to offering Options 1 and 2 for young toddlers, read the book text with preschool-age children. Preschool-age children also may enjoy participating in the suggested Interest Area. Infants may enjoy holding a toy truck or car when you share the story.
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