*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
Ages: Preschool through First Grade
This classic children’s book was written by Bill Martin, Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle over 50 years ago and is a perfect read-aloud for preschool children through first grade. It is important that children become exposed to books with repetitive text at a young age. The repetition of text allows the child to share the reading with you. It also is an excellent book for reviewing color recognition. This is a book that should be read over and over again.
Tips for Reading:
- Read the story through the first time without interruption so that the child can hear the music of the language.
- Read the story again and have the child share in the reading by allowing them to read the repetitive text along with you.
- For children approaching school age, begin pointing to each word as you read the story together.
- Write and illustrate a book using the same repetitive pattern.
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? I see a _______looking at me. For example, use names of jungle animals or ocean creatures.
Additional Books:
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you Hear? By: Bill Martin, Jr. and pictures by Eric Carle
- Five Little Monkeys By: Eileen Christelow
- There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly By: Simms Taback
- The Napping House By: Audrey Wood Illustrated by: Don Wood
- The House That Jack Built By: Simms Taback
- A-Hunting We Will Go By: Steven Kellogg
*All of the books listed can be found on Amazon and most can be found at your local bookstore and/or library.
Cooking Time:
Teddy Bear Cinnamon Rolls
These teddy bears are a lot of fun to make and your child can help assemble the bears.
Set oven at 400 degrees. Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet. All you need is:
1 tube (12.4 ounces) cinnamon rolls
mini chocolate chips to decorate
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
To make each bear:
- Shape one cinnamon roll into an oval for the body and put on cookie sheet.
- Cut one cinnamon roll into four pieces; shape into balls for arms and legs. Place next to body.
- Cut one cinnamon roll in half, shape into a ball for the head.
- Cut the other half into three small pieces. Shape two of these for the ears. Keep the extra piece for last bear.
- Assemble two more bears.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over bears.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Place chocolate chips on head for eyes and nose while the rolls are still warm.
- Warm the icing from the cinnamon roll tube in the microwave for a few seconds and use for dipping.
- Yields 3 bears.
Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Everyone will love these delicious brownie-like cookies. Children can help with cracking the eggs (which they love to do) and can roll the chilled cookie dough in powdered sugar.
1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted 2 cups flour
2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s sugar for coating
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper
- Mix oil, melted chocolate and sugar by hand
- Blend in eggs, 1 at a time
- Add vanilla and mix well
- In a separate bowl, whisk or sift flour, baking powder and salt together
- Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture a little bit at a time
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Use a 1 inch melon scoop to form uniform balls of dough. Roll each ball in confectioner’s sugar
- Place on parchment lined baking sheets spacing 2 inches apart
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes
- Do not over bake
Cool on sheets for 10 minutes and then remove cookies to cool on rack. Makes 3 1/2 dozen delicious cookies.
