Problem-solving
A toddler participates in a book sharing about finding a puppy that is hiding.
[Invite a young toddler to sit next to you to share a book about a puppy.]
[Show the book cover. Point to pictures you describe.]
This is a mama dog. She is looking for her baby. The baby is a puppy. The puppy’s name is Spot. The mama dog says, “Where’s Spot?”
Let’s look inside our book and find out what happened to Spot.
[Read the text and describe the pictures. Point to images you describe. Use the following strategies to help the toddler focus on finding the missing puppy.
Our book told us how the mama dog found her baby dog. The baby dog is a puppy named Spot. We looked at pictures of many places where Spot might be hiding. We opened the flaps and found different animals. Spot was hiding in a basket!
Some toddlers may be so eager to open a flap that they quickly move to the flap-opening task without listening to the question. If this occurs, gently place your hand over the flap and remind the toddler that we think about a question before we open the flap. If the toddler seems confused by the concept of “before,” explain that first we ask a question, and next we open the flap. Opening the flap gives us an answer to the question.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
A toddler participates in a game of finding a toy dog that hides in different containers.
This is a follow-up activity for a toddler who is familiar with the Where’s Spot? book from participation in Option 1 or a similar book sharing. Offer this game soon after reading (or rereading) Where’s Spot? Open the activity by explaining that we have our own dog named Spot that likes to hide. We will try to find Spot.
Use two containers (each a different color) for the first round of the game. Be sure the toddler is watching as you place the toy dog (Spot) in a container. Encourage the toddler to find Spot. Repeat by hiding the toy dog again, either in the same container or the other container, while the toddler watches. Invite the toddler to find Spot.
If the toddler easily finds the toy and remains interested, use three containers (again, each a different color). Hide the toy while the toddler is watching and invite the toddler to find Spot. Repeat if the toddler remains interested. Put the toy into the same colored container each time and rearrange the placement of the containers. Keep the hiding pattern consistent by putting the toy in the same colored container.
It is easy to increase the challenge of this activity by adding a third container and moving around the containers. There is cognitive benefit for the toddler in watching you hide (and then find) the toy. Ensure the toddler has his/her eyes on the dog before you put it in a container. Avoid turning the activity into a “don’t look while Spot hides” guessing game.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
Toddlers participate together in a game of finding a toy dog that jumps around and hides in different containers.
This is a follow-up activity to the Option 1 book sharing. Invite 2–3 toddlers to play a game of finding Spot (toy dog). Add fun and interest to the game by animating the toy dog. While toddlers are watching, place the toy in a container and encourage toddlers to find it. Repeat the hiding game with a consistent hiding pattern until the toddlers can easily find the toy. Encourage toddlers to take turns removing the “found” toy from the container. Praise toddlers’ focus and persistence.
Change the hiding strategy when you observe the toddlers can visually follow the toy and remember where it is hidden. Describe the change. Example: “Now our puppy dog is going to jump to a different hiding place.” While the toddlers are watching, put the toy into one container and then move the toy to a second container. After the toy is found, describe what happened. Example: “Spot was hiding in the orange container. Then Spot jumped to the blue container. Watch the puppy jump again!” The activity is intended to be a fun experience for toddlers. Use the same pattern for hiding the toy until the game ends.
The involvement of peers and potentially more complex hiding arrangements makes this activity option more challenging than Option 2. The suggested descriptions of the toy’s location also add language challenge. Careful monitoring of toddlers’ participation and comprehension of your words is essential to a positive experience.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: soft toy animals
Organize an arrangement of soft animals. Encourage toddlers to hide the animals in the room. Join in the search for the hidden animals. Describe the process of looking. Example: “I wonder if the bear is hiding on the mat. I will look on the mat. No, the bear is not on the mat. I will look in more places.”
Materials Needed: toy dog, basket, toy turtle, cloth, paper, drawing tools
Play a brief book-related game with toddlers to promote their skills in focusing and remembering. Place a toy dog (Spot) in a basket and toy turtle (or similar type of toy animal) under a cloth. Encourage toddlers to find Spot the dog. Switch the animal-hiding places as the toddlers watch.
Older children who are familiar with the Where’s Spot? book may enjoy creating small drawings behind flaps that open. You can make flaps from paper that is taped to a plain sheet of paper. Encourage children to describe what they are drawing.
© 2024 The Trustees of Purdue University | All Rights Reserved