Reading Tip in Practice: Ask Open-Ended Questions

A fun, easy way to get a discussion started about a book you have read...

Reading Aloud Tip: Ask Open-Ended Questions!

Specifically, ask questions that initiate a conversation with your child. Through this sort of question and answer session, your child will gain important language & expression skills, comprehension skills, critical thinking skills, and memory skills - all the while using his imagination!

In Practice

I keep open-ended questions for stories on index cards - which gets baby bookworm excited to do them, because she thinks they are a "story game". I generally use the open-ended questions on the cards after we've finished reading the book, but I try to ask additional questions at the beginning of the story, as well as points throughout my read aloud that I feel are appropriate.

Here is an example of a read aloud we did today using open-ended questions with the book Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. It's a cute story about a little girl named Trixie who loses her favorite stuffed animal while at the laundromat with her daddy.

Prior to the story...I asked baby bookworm to remember what this book was about (we hadn't read it in awhile), and to try and predict what might happen in the story based on the front cover. During the book, I asked questions like: "What do you think will happen next?"

Once we were done reading, I let baby bookworm hold her story cards. She would select one, hand it to me, and I read it. Then we discussed! Here's the questions we used (and her answers).

1. How did the main character [Trixie] feel in the story?

"She felt sad because she lost her Knuffle Bunny."

2. What was your favorite part of the story?

"When she was sad and lost Knuffle Bunny."

Me: "Why was that your favorite part?"

"Because she said all those baby words, and that was funny."

3. Turning to the last page of the book..."What happened at the end of the story?"

"She didn't lose Knuffle Bunny anymore because she loved her." 

4. Keeping on the last page of the book..."What do you think might happen next in the story?"

"They are going to run all the way home."

5. "What character was your favorite?"

"I liked the mommy because she didn't lose anything."

6. "What new word did you learn from the book?"

She didn't really have a response for this one, but it led to a discussion about the word 'errand' which was in the book.

7. "What will you remember about this story tomorrow?"

"That they said aggle flaggle goggle - that was funny."

Of course I elaborated on her initial responses so that we were having a real discussion about the story! These questions are great way to get a conversation started with your child, and here are a few others you might want to try:

What about the story made you feel [insert an emotion]?  

What would you do if you [were that character or in the story]?

If you could make up an ending to the story, what would it be?

Lakeshore Learning has "story wands" with open-ended questions such as these, too, or you could make your own.

Whether you are using fancy story wands, ones that are homemade, or even index cards like we do - asking open-ended questions before, during, and after a story is one easy way to enhance the read aloud experience!

Math and Science Learning with Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

It's still summer, but Fall is in the air. For the past 3 weeks baby bookworm has been continuously asking, "Is it Fall yet?" She's been excitedly awaiting going back to music class and ballet - things that I told her would come in the Fall.

To get us in a Fall mood this week, we did a few learning activities inspired by the book Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert.

This book teaches children about the life cycle of a tree and introduces science-related vocabulary and concepts in a very kid-friendly way. 

The activities to go along with this book it seems were endless, so we did a few that reviewed important early math concepts such as counting, sorting, and size. We also made a graph, which was an activity we did for the first time. Of course, science & craftiness were also a part of this lesson!

Take a look:

We headed outside to collect our leaves first.

We selected a variety of leaves - not only on the ground but from bushes, too.

We classified leaves by color, and then counted the number of leaves in each pile.

We made a graph (color by number) based on the leaves we had found, sorted, and counted.

She identified which color had the "most" leaves and which had the "fewest".

We ordered our leaves by size, and she identified which was "biggest" and which was "smallest".

We "investigated" our leaves with a magnifying glass, and identified parts of a leaf we learned about

in the book such as stem. 

We also talked about why some of the leaves were green as opposed to 

yellow or brown.

Last but not least, we made some leaf rubbings and counted the number of points on each leaf. 

We noticed we only found leaves with an odd number of points!

Here's a summary of the Math & Science Concepts and Vocabulary in this Lesson:

Math 

Concepts: Counting, Sorting, Size

Vocabulary: Biggest/Smallest, Most/Fewest, Graph

Science 

Concepts: life cycle of a tree, Photosynthesis

Vocabulary: Stem, Photosynthesis, Deciduous, Bark, Vein, Investigate, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Pigment

*Don't forget to make connections during this lesson (or any book-based lesson). In addition to making connections from text to activities, you can make connections from text to self, text to text, or text to world. It's an easy strategy to aid in comprehension!*

Bring on Fall!!!

When the First Born Becomes the Older Sibling: Children's Books to Help with the Transition

Baby bookworm is in for a big change come January - she's becoming a big sister.

Despite the fact that she REALLY (and I mean REALLY) wanted a little sister, a little brother is on his way whether she likes it or not! I've gotten a few remarks from her like, "but I'm getting a sister, too" since breaking the news (um....that's a big nope), but she's slowly warming up to the idea.

Introducing a new baby into a family can be an exciting time for parents, although a first born child may not see it that way. New baby news can signal lots of mixed emotions which can often result in a display of not-so-pleasant behaviors (e.g., tantrums, clinginess, or regression such as potty accidents or thumb sucking). We have gotten a little bit of this in our household, already - and still have a few months to go.

Books, however, are a fantastic way to help children with life changes and events such as this one. I wanted to find some books to read with baby bookworm that not only focused on the "I'm a proud big sister" theme, but that incorporated these important ideas:

• It's OK not to be happy that a new baby is coming.
• (I wanted baby bookworm to know that it's "normal" to feel jealous or sad or mad that she will be sharing my attention with another child.)
• Newborns and babies do a lot of crying, sleeping, and eating - and sometimes that's it!
• (I wanted baby bookworm to realize that a baby isn't an automatic playmate in the beginning and needs lots of attention from adults.)
• Big sisters (or big brothers) have a very special role in a family.
• (I wanted baby bookworm to realize that being a big sister can be fun, and that she'd have the new responsibility of helping to care for the baby, and that doing so would make us proud of her.) 
• Mommies go to a hospital (at least in my case) for a few days to have a baby. 
• (I wanted baby bookworm to know that I couldn't take care of her while I was in the hospital with the baby, but someone else who loves her would.)
• It takes time for a baby to grow (in Mommy's belly).
• (I wanted baby bookworm to know that a baby doesn't arrive immediately. We waited until the first trimester was over to break the news to her, but wanted her to realize having a baby is a process.)

I managed to find some really cute books that encompassed all of these ideas. Check them out (click on the images for more info from Amazon):

Brand-New Baby Blues by Kathi Appelt & illustrated by Kelly Murphy

A story of a big sister who is not so thrilled about the baby brother in the house. It's a good book to help a child relate to the negative emotions that may come along with the arrival of a new sibling. This book could be read before or after the baby is born, and hopefully will initiate an important discussion about feelings.



We Have a Baby by Cathryn Falwell shows all the things a family does with a new baby, with the most important being "to love" him. It's a simply worded book that would resonate with a young toddler who is eagerly awaiting little sis or brother. The book also shows a child that a baby needs to be taken care of by everyone.

A book by David Elliott and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, Finn Throws a Fit! isn't your typical "big sibling" book, but it portrays the "joy" of having a little one. What it will show to a soon-to-be big sister or brother is that often times babies cry...A LOT...and for no reason. But eventually, everything goes back to normal. Finn Throws a Fit is a humorous and enjoyable look at baby behavior.

Baby Knows Best by Emily Henderson and illustrated by Brita Granstrom is a book that will show an older sibling how babies act - which is peculiar at times! Babies eat the newspaper, play with daddy's keys, and like to be naked. But most of all, babies like to snuggle. This book is a cute way to let big sister or brother know what to expect from babies.



Waiting for Baby shows the experiences a sibling-to-be will have while "waiting for baby"...from watching mommy's growing belly, to check-ups for the baby, to picking out new clothes. It shows how a big sister or brother will be involved in the process, and that there's lots to do before baby arrives.



Arthur's Baby by Marc Brown is about Arthur's experience when his new sister baby Kate arrives. This book provides a great opportunity to discuss with your child what will be happening as the date approaches for the baby to be born, and how things might change once the baby is here. It shows how Arthur's parents announce the pregnancy to the family, how they prepare, how Arthur's grandmother comes to help out while his mother is in the hospital, and how baby Kate behaves (and Arthur deals) once she's home. An all around great portrayal of what a family might be going through during this exciting time.

I'm also going to check out these books which have been recommended to me by friends and readers:

I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole
On Mother's Lap by Ann Herbert Scott
Baby On the Way by Dr. Sears
What Baby Needs by Dr. Sears
My Heart is a Magic House by Julie Jacobs

Aside from reading books we are going to try out these ideas too to help with the transition:

• Watch videos or view pictures of when your first born was a baby to help your child feel special and know that they are loved.
• Visit a friend or relative who has a newborn baby.
• Allow your child to act out their emotions through play such as with puppets, dolls, or play dough.
• Buy a baby doll for your child (boy or girl!) and let him or her role play.

I have a feeling that just like anything in life, especially with change and transition, there will be ups and downs, good days and bad ones, but in the end we'll all be blessed with becoming stronger!