Get Trucking

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Hilary

Turn an egg carton into a dump truck, add some traffic signs and get trucking! We’ve tested the following activities on the bookmobile and received enthusiastic thumbs up.

To make the trucks:

We used DLTK’s pattern for the dump truck. We suggest you skip the paint and use markers instead. Markers allow your kiddos to custom detail their trucks. You can geek out adding specialty headlights and chrome wheels, but honestly, we got excited about drawing passengers and drivers. (One’s a hedgehog.) If you aren’t ready to hand your child markers, try stickers.

We also attached the truck bed with masking tape so that it can be raised and lowered. We think you will be impressed with this upgrade. Continue reading →

Guess the Present: A Thinking Game for Kids (and Their Grown-ups)

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Hilary

My four year old buddy Max is a BIG fan of games. BIG FAN! I found a game that only requires your leftover wrapping supplies and smallish objects from around the house. You wrap the objects in different colored paper and then guess what’s inside based on shape, size and feel. Game on!

As with anything you do with a child, the game quickly took unexpected turns when I played it with Max. Check out the original game, then see our adaptations below. We hope you enjoy them.

Stump the Adult
After Max and I played, we wrapped all of the “gifts” again. He loved picking the color of paper in which we should wrap each item. He hated taping his fingers together. Taping quickly became my job.Then, we let his parents guess the contents of the packages. They did an excellent job of modeling their deductive reasoning: “This one feels very square, so I bet it’s the window.” Props for the parental units. Continue reading →

Boredom Buster: My Little Brother Ate a Pie

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Hilary

Whether you want a silly diversion for the dinner table or need an emergency activity to pull out when the grocery store line is extra-long, try this storytelling game. Start by saying, “My little brother ate a pie.” The next person says, “My little brother ate a pie AND a _____.” Continue taking turns, adding on to the list.

If this game tickles your family’s funny bone, you can try different twists:

I went on a trip and packed a____.
We went on a hike and found____.
An elephant dreamed a silly dream about____.

And of course there are many more ideas for boredom busters at your library!

Missouri Building Blocks: “Press Here”

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Hilary

The best way to describe Hervé Tullet’s “Press Here” is as an “old school” app. The book starts with a single yellow dot and instructions to “press here and turn the page.” Magically, the one dot turns into two. By following the instructions to shake, turn and rub gently, the dots shift, multiply and even change colors. Kids will hop on the opportunity to interact with this book. As an adult, I found myself magnetically drawn to the experience (and glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching).

For more fun with “Press Here”:

Explore the French artist’s other books. They all encourage you and your child to interact with art. My favorite is “The Book With a Hole.” Appropriately named, this book has a huge hole in its center that transforms from a peek inside a pot full of whatever treats you describe to a basketball goal through which you are encouraged to throw papers. The possibilities are endless, which is exactly why I love this book. Continue reading →

Missouri Building Block Picture Book: Hugless Douglas

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Hilary

Douglas the bear needs something special to kick start his day. Instead of coffee, he heads out in search of a hug. Through a series of comical trials and errors, Douglas finds his perfect hug partner, his mother. Be sure to turn the last page for a pictorial demonstration of hugging positions (e.g. the sandwich hug, the group hug and the unrequited hug). These silly illustrations may lead your family to create a hugging combo all your own.

After sharing this read-aloud nominee with your preschooler, try these fun activities: Continue reading →