Social interaction skills
Toddlers participate in a book sharing focused on the different activities of members of a bear family.
[Invite several toddlers to join you to read a book about a busy family. Show the cover as you introduce the book.]
Our book is about a bear family.
[Point to the family on the cover.]
The cover of our book shows some of the people in the bear family. Let’s look at who is in the picture.
[Point to and name the five persons shown on the cover: Baby Bear, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Sister Bear, and Brother Bear.]
Each of the bears on the cover of our book is doing something. We are busy when we do something.
The bears in our book are busy doing different things. Let’s open our book and find out what the bears are doing!
[Use the following strategies as you read the text with enthusiasm:
We learned about a busy family of bears! The bears were doing different things. The people in your family do different things, too.
The book can support toddlers’ early awareness of how people are different in their interests and the things they do. Awareness of individual differences can help children eventually appreciate how each person is unique. Look for opportunities in the current book sharing to emphasize that each bear is mostly doing something different than the other bears. The shared activities in the book are the cousins playing drums, and family members celebrating a birthday.
Toddlers will differ in their familiarity with some of the activities described in the book and words used to describe family members, such as cousins and auntie. Some toddlers may have limited experience with a traditional family as featured in the book, including extended family members. Look carefully for signs of confusion or uncertainty about the text and offer brief explanations where appropriate (see Extra Support tips).
The pages that show a family tree can be useful for helping toddlers recall book characters, but young children are not expected to comprehend the cognitively challenging concept of a family tree.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
Toddlers participate in a book sharing focused on the different activities of members of a bear family, with opportunities to engage in pretend play related to the story.
Invite two toddlers to join you in reading a book and then playing together. Use the strategies suggested in Option 1 for sharing the book. Look closely at toddlers’ reactions to different activities described in the book. An activity that seems to be of particular interest may be a good launch for pretend play after the book sharing.
At the end of the story, invite the two toddlers to play together in the housekeeping area. Suggest a play focus, such as any activity interest you noticed during the book sharing. Example: “The little bear in our book had a birthday party. Maybe you would like to do things for a birthday party.” Draw attention to available items, including items related to an activity that seems to be of interest to the toddlers.
Stay near the play area to provide occasional verbal support for engagement and interaction without directing the toddlers’ play. Describe a toddler’s actions. Example: “You are holding a baby, Tomas. You have a bottle. I think you are going to feed your baby!” Ask questions that encourage a toddler to describe his/her plans, and perhaps expand play ideas. Example: “You have a pot on the stove, Catalina. What are you cooking in the pot?”
The book may provide a play theme for the toddlers or they may choose to engage with the materials, and each other, in different ways. Some toddlers will have ideas and intentions with the materials, whereas others who are new to pretend play may be unsure how to interact in the housekeeping area. Parallel play is likely at this age. A toddler may prefer to watch and may imitate the play of a peer. Watching and imitating a peer is a beginning step in learning how to play with others. Recognize and acknowledge all play efforts.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: items for a pretend birthday party
Use the birthday party for a baby bear described in the Bear’s Busy Family book (Options 1 and 2) as the focus of an Interest Area. Provide materials for baking a pretend cake and other items similar to those shown in the book. Encourage toddlers to make a pretend cake and organize other things for a birthday party. Offer suggestions for getting ready for a party.
Materials Needed: Bear’s Busy Family by Stella Blackstone, items for a pretend birthday party (including food)
Share the book with preschool-age children in your setting. Emphasize the birthday party. Invite preschool-age and older interested children to join Interest Area activities focused on preparations for a birthday party for a baby. Toddlers will enjoy watching, imitating, and joining in the play of the older children. Babies may enjoy being included by holding a baby doll or playing with a toy plate and cup.
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