I recently got to play with a big stack of Child's Play books, and was so pleased with what I saw. I was excited to get to look at these titles, because my hubby and I grew up with Child's Play books like There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and This Old Man.
Most of the titles I looked at were concept books. They have a What Can I... series of board books for babies and toddlers that are charming! Nice, brief text, but filled with fun, descriptive words. My teacher brain and mommy brain gets going anytime I look at a book, wondering how I could get my kids involved with the book, or do an extension activity. A toddler or twos classroom could do a really fun little "senses" unit with these books, or put them in their science center with a "senses" theme. And you could obviously do the same thing as a mommy, at home with your kiddos! See if you can find similar items to what is listed in the books to see, touch, taste, smell, and hear. And then look for other things to explore beyond what's listed in the books.
These books are simple, and sturdy so your kids can play with them, tote them around, bang 'em up, and they will hold up!
I also got to look at the First Time series. These books are larger, and made out of a tough card stock material. So they're a bit different from the board books, but still plenty sturdy. What I enjoyed about these books was the text. It's not your typical "first you do _____ and then _____ happens..." etc. Instead, they're written in a conversational style: "I like your bed. Can I sleep on the top bunk? Say hello, Rabbit! Say help, Dolly!" (from First Time Sleepover).
The First Time series have dramatic play center written all over them!
My favorite was Snug by Carl Thompson. It's a sweet, sweet book that talks of all things snuggly. The cover is a bit misleading. I thought the illustrations and text inside were much more whimsical than what the cover leads you to believe. Again, the teacher brain in me is always going and I kept thinking how fun this would be on pajama day when the kids are all snuggly and get to bring in their stuffed animals!
Looking through the Child's Play catalog, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't send me some of their other titles to sample. There were more than a few in there that looked especially beautiful and fun! I marked a couple that I would like to get to use with my kiddos at home.
Do you have a favorite board book series or concept book series?
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