Something That Makes You Different Can Be A Good Thing | Help Your Child To Embrace What Makes HIm Different

March 24, 2015 by lbp Leave a Comment

Kids do not want to be different

The last thing a kid wants to be is different. To be different means attention and it is not always good attention. You could be a different in a whole lot ways. You could have a lisp, like Cindy Brady had. You could be the last one picked for the sports team. You could always get the lowest grade in the class or the highest grade for that matter. You could stay back a year instead of moving forward with your classmates or you could be asked to skip a grade. Whatever the difference, we are programmed to believe that different is bad. Wouldn’t it be great to convince our kids and for them to actually believe that different is good?

How a difference can be a good thing

In the Lima Bear Press series book, How Back-Back Got His Name, one of Lima Bear’s friends, Plumpton, has an emergency and sends for Lima Bear for help. Plumpton is an opossum, you see, and somehow his back was missing. When all his buddies come to his aid to help him find his back, they all find themselves in danger from the kids playing in the Big Meadow. Plumton must use his special skill, his difference of playing dead, to get past the kids and save his friends. Plumpton’s difference is what enables him to save his friends!

Reading a story like How Back-Back Got His Name with your child is a great way to illustrate how a difference can be an advantage, something can be embraced, even valued! Share what made you different when you were a kid.

Children Can Learn More Through Reading Than You May Think

December 28, 2014 by lbp Leave a Comment

Learning While Reading Is Easy Once You Get Started

The key to learning while reading is to include your child in the reading process. You are not simply reading to your child, you are reading with your child. Enjoy watching your child’s excitement as he/she figures out the answers to your questions. For example, after reading the whole book through one time, go back a re-read the book, asking your child to reason out how a picture on the page relates to the story. On the very first page of How Back-Back Got His Name, Lima Bear is shown asleep with a candle next to his bed. The wax has dripped down the sides of his end table (a thimble – too cute, I know). You could ask your child, “why do you think the candle wax is drooping?” Could it be that before it was blown out that it was burning for a long time?

Additional Activities Stem From the Questions that Pop Up While You Read

While you are talking about candles, why not create a little project where you both research how the first candles were made. You could try to make your own candle or visit a candle making shop. See how easy it is? We’ve read just one page of one book and we’ve come up with several great questions and activities already! You can do it too!

Lima Bear Resources to Keep the Learning Going

“Extend the learning” pages, found in the back of each Lima Bear Book, are available to give you a jump start! Interactive reading ideas are also for you in the back of each book. With a little practice, you and your child will be coming up with your own great ideas for additional learning. Feel free to share your own tricks to help your child learn as he reads.

Read Interactively With Your Child | Take Reading to the Next Level

December 19, 2014 by lbp 2 Comments

Reading to Your Child Interactively

Reading a book to your child is a great way to help your child to learn. Sometimes, though, simply reading the words on the page may not be stimulating enough for your little one. Sometimes your child might be perfectly content to sit and listen but on other days, he may not be able to keep one foot still! Do not fret. Your child can still learn and keep his energy at a high level, too.

The trick is to read to your child interactively.

How to Begin Reading to Your Child interactively

Start by going with the old standby. Find a cozy corner, grab a blanket and start to read. Once the story has begun to unfold, come up with some questions before moving to the next page. Use questions that will encourage interaction. For example:

Point to some of the pictures on the page and see if your child can describe what the illustrations are. In How Back-Back Got His Name, for example, the 1^st page has some terrific illustrations. You could ask, “Why do YOU think the dime in the picture is so big?” If stumped, you could point out to your child that maybe the dime is so big because Lima Bear is so small?

Are you getting a sense for how easy reading interactively can be?

Lima Bear Resources to Keep the Learning Going

If you are ever stuck, remember that in The Lima Bear Series, interactive reading ideas have been provided for you in the back of each book to get you started. “Extend the learning” pages ideas are available to give you a jump start!

We will have more ideas for you as well in the next post. Please share any interactive ideas that have worked for you and your child as well.