Receptive language, Expressive language
Toddlers participate in a book sharing about young children in a pretend rowboat.
[Invite 3–4 toddlers to sit with you to read a book about some young children having fun in a pretend boat.]
[Show provided picture of a rowboat.]
[Point to oars in picture when described.]
This is a picture of a rowboat. A rowboat goes through the water when the oars are moved. Here is an oar. Here is another oar.
Moving the oars is called rowing. We use our arms to row. Let’s pretend we are rowing a boat.
[Demonstrate and then lead toddlers in rowing movements. Use exaggerated circle movements of your arms. Move your upper torso slightly back and forth as you move your arms.]
The children in our book row their pretend rowboat with a friend. The cover of our book shows a child pretending to row with an animal friend.
[Show and describe book cover. Demonstrate again with your upper body how we can lean back and forth while rowing.]
Let’s find out what happens to the children while they row their pretend boat. Our book is called Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
[Use the following strategies to share the book:
The children in our story had a fun time in a rowboat. What did they do?
This simple book is well suited for expanding and strengthening toddlers’ understanding of frequently used words and phrases, including lean, forward, and back. It also is a useful book for talking about how pictures show what the book’s words say.
Toddlers will differ in their familiarity with boats, especially a rowboat. The provided picture of a rowboat is important to discuss because there are no illustrations of a boat in the book.
In addition to showing and describing the picture of a rowboat, look for opportunities to help toddlers comprehend a short story that uses words many toddlers are unlikely to know. Even toddlers who can recite this traditional nursery rhyme from memory may not know what some of its words and phases mean, such as “merrily” and “life is but a dream.”
The activity description suggests reading an entire sentence (verse) before talking about what it means and how the pictures connect to the words. Watch toddlers’ reactions carefully to determine whether they might prefer to read the book in its entirety before talking about specific words, phrases, and pictures.
The suggested conclusion of the activity supports toddlers’ recall skills. The short book provides useful practice with this important cognitive ability.
Extra support
Enrichment
Receptive language, Expressive language
Toddlers sing and act out key parts of a book about young children in a pretend rowboat.
Invite 3–4 toddlers to join you in singing and acting out the story of young children having fun in a pretend rowboat. Show and describe the provided picture of a rowboat, drawing attention to its oars and how the oars are used to move the boat on water. Read aloud the book as a reminder of the story. Point to words as you read them. Remind toddlers that our book has words and pictures. Point to examples of each.
Explain that we can move our bodies and say words included in the book. The words and pictures in the book tell us what to do. Read again the first sentence (verse) of the book, this time slowly, and lead toddlers in doing rowing actions. Use exaggerated circle movements of your arms, as if rowing a boat, and move your upper torso slightly back and forth as you move your arms.
At the conclusion of the first verse, briefly describe what happened. Emphasize how we leaned forward and back.
Explain that we can sing the words. Then repeat the first sentence in song while engaging in pretend rowing. Encourage toddlers to sing and row with you. Remember to sing slowly and enunciate clearly.
Demonstrate and describe a rocking action (moving from side to side) before leading toddlers in acting out the second verse (“rock, rock, rock your boat”). Encourage toddlers to scream about seeing a crocodile. Also, encourage toddlers to “roar” when they see a lion.
Acknowledge and expand on toddlers’ comments.
Conclude the session by reminding toddlers that we leaned back, forward, and to the side. The words and pictures in the book told us how to pretend we are rowing a boat. We can say words, and we can sing words.
This brief, straightforward activity has four potential benefits for toddlers:
Many toddlers are likely to sing the first verse of this popular nursery rhyme. The scream and roar opportunities in the second and third verses will appeal to most toddlers. Some toddlers may find it challenging to sing and do movements at the same time. Assure toddlers that it is fine to participate in ways they wish.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials needed: water table with several toy boats, preferably in different sizes
As a follow-up to Options 1 or 2, invite toddlers to move a boat forward and back, and gently rock it from side to side. Remind toddlers that “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” includes these movements. Toddlers may wish to move the boats at faster and slower speeds in the pretend lake. Encourage toddlers to talk about where their boat is going and what is happening.
Materials needed: Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Annie Kubler
Preshool-age children may enjoy participating in Option 2 with toddlers. Babies may enjoy rowing and rocking on your lap as you sing the song. You may wish to offer an additional song/rhyme that children can act out, such as “Wheels on the Bus.”
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