Pay attention to which of the many features of this book appeal to toddlers in your gathering so you can provide support for their interests. Possibilities include: finding the small spider in the illustrations, how the spider repeatedly goes up and down different things, how an item (fan) or animal (mouse, cat) makes the spider fall, and the web made by the spider in the tree.

Toddlers who are familiar with the itsy bitsy spider nursery rhyme will know about the spider’s experience with the waterspout but probably not the four other items the spider climbs in this book. Each one is a story in itself.

Watch for signs of toddler understanding of your descriptions of what happens in the story. Younger toddlers will likely have more interest in the story line than in the rhyming text.

Extra support

• If time and toddler interest are short, omit several of the items, such as the pail and rocking chair, but include the tree so toddlers learn about the web and the spider’s success in staying at the top of one of the items it climbs.

Enrichment

• Invite a toddler(s) who shows keen interest in the illustrations to look at and talk about the pictures with you in a separate session.

There are important language and cognitive benefits in a follow-up sharing of an interesting book. Carefully monitor toddlers’ verbal and nonverbal responses to your questions and hand/arm movement requests to determine whether more or less challenge would be appropriate. Use your observations to make accommodations during the book sharing. The scaffolding tips offer suggestions.

Toddlers are not expected to engage in the customary finger and hand actions for the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” nursery rhyme. The actions suggested in this activity option are basic and appropriate for this age. Some toddlers may prefer to watch only. Positively acknowledge different forms of participation.

Extra support

• If your open-ended questions, such as “What happened when the spider got to the top of the rocking chair?” seem too challenging for most toddlers in your gathering, use yes-or-no questions, such as “Did the spider stay on top of the pail?”
• Use the book sharing strategies suggested in Option 1 if yes-or-no recall questions are too challenging.

Enrichment

• Instead of asking a general “What happened when the spider got to the top” question, describe and then ask about a specific event related to the item. Example: “Remember, the mouse moved its tail. What happened when the mouse moved its tail?”
• Demonstrate and encourage toddlers to move their thumb and index (pointer) finger from side to side while moving their arm up an item.