Problem-solving
A toddler anticipates what person or animal he/she may see in a book on peekaboo.
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
[Invite a toddler to read a book with you. Greet the toddler by name.]
Our book is about what a little boy sees in the morning after he wakes up.
[Show book cover. Point to the little boy peeking out.]
Here is the little boy. He is peeking out! Our story is about peekaboo. The little boy is playing peekaboo when he peeks out. .
I wonder what the little boy is peeking out from. The little boy looks like he is laughing. I think this is going to be a fun book!
Our book is called Peekaboo Morning. Let’s find out what happens.
[Open the book and hold it close to the toddler.
In the opening pages of the book, emphasize the idea that the boy in the book cannot see something at first, but then he sees it. Promote the idea that “there is something there but the boy cannot see it right away.”
Beginning with the scene in which the boy sees the back of someone wearing a hat (who turns out to be the boy’s grandma), encourage the toddler to think about what the boy in the book might see. Point to specific clues, such as the hat, and encourage the toddler to imagine whether a person or an animal might be wearing the hat. Ask this question before turning to the page that shows what the boy actually sees.
Help the toddler think carefully about the clues. Examples: a hat would be worn by a person, not an animal, and the small segment of the animal ear would be connected to an animal, not a person.
After the toddler indicates the clue(s) points to a person or an animal, ask a follow-up question that builds on the toddler’s idea (person or animal) and the illustration. Example: “What person do you think might be wearing the hat?”
In addition to the hat (grandma), you can use this two-part strategy with clues for grandpa (a man’s legs in a chair), the bunny (small portion of ear at bottom of the prior page), and the butterfly (something we often see near flowers).
After reading the entire book with the child (focusing on the peekaboo theme), return to book illustrations that might prompt conversation with the toddler. Examples:
The little boy in our book plays peekaboo. We thought about what the boy in the book might see. We looked closely at the pictures to try to figure out whether the boy might see a person or an animal. At the end of the book, the little boy saw us. Do you think the boy could really see us?
Most toddlers are familiar with the game of peekaboo. Devote some brief time to demonstrating and describing peekaboo if it appears the toddler needs a description.
The activity builds on toddlers’ understanding that something exists even when it cannot be seen (technically known as object permanence) by encouraging the toddler to consider what the boy in the book is seeing.
Look for the ease with which the toddler responds to your questions in the two-part strategy in thinking about what the boy in the book might see. The reason for using a two-part strategy for thinking about what the little boy might see is that the toddler cannot be expected to think of accurate possibilities. The clues in the book illustrations are too vague. Encouraging the toddler to think about whether the little boy will see a person or an animal offers a strong possibility of some success in using the clues. Also, the person-or-animal consideration supports the toddler’s use of two categories for thinking about clues and then considering possibilities within a category (example: the category of person includes a grandpa). If it appears the toddler is unclear about your questions, do not ask the follow-up question; remain focused on the person-or-animal options.
Extra support
Enrichment
Problem-solving
Toddlers guess what animals are hiding behind the flap of a peekaboo book.
My First Peekaboo Animals (World of Eric Carle) by Eric Carle
Invite three to four toddlers to read a peekaboo book. Explain that our book is about animals playing peekaboo. Offer a brief description and demonstration of peekaboo if it appears one or more toddlers are not familiar with peekaboo.
Explain that we will listen to words and look at pictures, and guess which animal is hiding under a flap of the book.
Begin reading the book, emphasizing and summarizing the clues offered in words and a pictures on each page. Invite toddlers to guess what animal is hiding under the flap. Example: “The words tell us this animal has a long trunk. Do you see the long trunk peeking out? What animal do you think is under the flap?” Pause for toddlers to think and share their ideas. Acknowledge each response, including those that may be incorrect. Reveal each animal under the flap with enthusiasm, starting with reading the word “peekaboo!” on the flap.
The book sharing activity should be light-hearted and fun, not about getting the right answer. Examples: “Amaya said “elephant.” She thinks an elephant is under the flap!” “Jayden is using his arm to make a long trunk. Jayden thinks the animal is an elephant!”
At the end of the book, acknowledge by name each toddler for his/her efforts in guessing the hidden animals.
Some toddlers will enjoy guessing each animal based on the word and picture clues. Others will prefer to watch and listen. Some toddlers may act out the animal they think is hiding under the flap. Positively acknowledge each response, even if it is incorrect. Encourage toddlers to pay attention to pictures and words while also supporting a lighthearted approach to the book sharing.
Extra support
To reduce toddlers’ possible concern about being “right” about what is hiding under a book flap, offer a silly suggestion. Example: for the large elephant with the long trunk, suggest it may be a tiny mouse. Correct your silly statement after the animal is revealed. Example: “The elephant is large and has a long trunk. It could not be a tiny mouse!”
Enrichment
Give attention to one or more of the following concepts included in the book: big, little, long, slow, on, in, loudest, swing, gallop, hop, flutter, colors.
Problem-solving
Toddlers participate in a shared reading of a peekaboo book and then use clues about an animal featured in the book to guess what toy animal is hidden in a paper bag.
Be Prepared: Gather animal figures for several of the animals featured in the book: elephant, tiger, turtle, monkey, horse, butterfly, frog, lion.
Invite several toddlers to play a guessing game with the My First Peekaboo Animals (World of Eric Carle) book. Encourage toddlers to guess the animal under each flap as you read the book.
After the book sharing, explain that we will guess which animal in our book is hiding in the paper bag! Emphasize that each of us will take a turn to guess what is in the bag. Behind your back, choose one animal and place it in the bag. Describe the animal, using some of the clues offered in the book. Examples of clues: color, size, movement (such as gallop), physical characteristics (such as big floppy ears), habitat (such as water), and sounds (such as a roar).
Emphasize that this is a fun guessing game. Give each toddler time to think about and guess the animal, even if the “correct” animal is already guessed. Positively acknowledge each response.
Positively acknowledge and extend the words of each response. Examples: If a child says “roar!,” a suggested response is, “You said ‘roar,’ Brayden! What animal says ‘roar’?” If a child says “lion!,” a suggested response is, “Brayden thinks there is a lion in the bag! Let’s look and see!” If a toddler jumps up and down, a caregiver could say “You are jumping up and down like a frog. You remember that frogs jump!”
After all toddlers have had opportunities to guess, invite one toddler to reach into the bag and pull the animal out to show the group.
Continue the guessing game until each toddler has had a chance to pull an animal out of the bag. If toddlers are positively engaged in the activity, continue for another round, using the rest of the animals.
The follow-up activity (hiding and guessing animal figures in the bag) is an opportunity for toddlers to connect two sets of information—the peekaboo descriptions in the book and your descriptions of animals hidden in the bag—to guess what is hiding. When toddlers are guessing, it may be helpful to remind them to think about animals in the book in addition to your descriptions. Drawing on the book information supports short-term recall.
During the follow-up to the book reading, monitor toddlers’ behaviors to determine whether you need to offer supportive reminders about (a) each toddler taking a turn and (b) waiting patiently for everyone to take a turn. Some toddlers may want prompt feedback on whether their guess is “right” and find it challenging to wait for everyone to make a guess.
Avoid a focus on “who was right” in guessing an animal in the bag. The activity is not intended as a competition. Maintain a lighthearted approach to the book reading and follow-up activity.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: My First Peekaboo Animals (World of Eric Carle) book, scarf or piece of cloth, animal figures of the animals in the book (elephant, tiger, turtle, monkey, horse, butterfly, frog, lion)
Place book and animal figures on low table with the scarf or piece of cloth. Invite toddlers to choose an animal to “hide” under the scarf/cloth. Ask the toddler questions about the animal and guess which animal it might be. Encourage toddlers to help each other guess the animals. Toddlers may also enjoy playing with the figures in the block area.
Materials Needed: My First Peekaboo Animals (World of Eric Carle) book, animal figures of the animals in the book (elephant, tiger, turtle, monkey, horse, butterfly, frog, lion)
Read the book and encourage the older children to guess the animal under the flap. Younger toddlers and babies may enjoy holding an animal figure from the book during the reading and activity. Ensure the animal figures are large enough for a baby to hold. After the book, line up the remaining figures to play a game of I Spy. Give details of an animal that you are looking at. Provide both challenging and simple details for all ages to participate. Example: “I spy with my little eye . . . an animal that is gray.” Give all children time to think and respond before giving a second clue. Acknowledge and affirm each response. Older children may enjoy taking turns being the person to provide clues.
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