Ava's Storybook Pick

2 or 3 times a month, I will share a book that Ava has really enjoyed. I will also post any activities (for toddlers around her age) that I found that could go along with the book. Let me know if your child has a favorite book that you would like to see posted!


What the Ladybug Heard
by Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Lydia Monks

This book is about a ladybug who is very quite even though her fellow farm friends are not. She overhears some thieves making a plan to steal the prize cow from the farm. It's up to her to make a plan to stop them! I really loved the rhyme, rhythm, and overall flow of this book. Also, the pics are so vibrant and appealing!

Math Activity: Count the Ladybug Spots
Materials:
cardboard (from cereal box or similar material), red and black crayons, scissors, black ink
How To:
1.I traced a cup onto cardboard to create 6 circles (for #0-5)
2. Cut out circles
3.Draw/color the ladybug body
4.Stamp fingerprints onto ladybug as spots (do a different amount of spots for each bug)
5.Have fun counting the spots!







Art Activity: Pet Lady-Rock (even our cats liked this activity)
Materials: smooth, round rock, red and black paint, paint brush, q-tip
How To:
1.Find a smooth, oval shape rock
2.Paint it red and add black spots (we used q-tips to make the spots)
3.Let dry and enjoy!





Songs:
Ladybug Fly Tune of Three Blind Mice

Fly, fly, fly
Ladybugs fly
Fly over here
Fly over there
They fly up high and they fly down low
Around and around and around they go
They fly fast and they fly slow
Oh, ladybugs fly
(We made a ladybug finger puppet out of felt but you can pretend that your finger is the ladybug and move it around to the different places in the song)

Five Little Ladybugs
Five little ladybugs climbing up a door
One flew away then there were four
Four little ladybugs sitting on a tree
One flew away then there were three
Three little ladybugs landed on a shoe
One flew away then there were two
Two little ladybugs looking for some fun
One flew away then there was one
One little ladybug sitting in the sun
She flew away and then there were none

Thanks http://www.preschooleducation.com






Food Activity: Edible ladybugs
Materials: red apple, knife, peanut butter, raisins, pretzel sticks
How To:
1.Slice red apple in half (remove core and seeds)-adults only please!
2.Use peanut butter to adhere raisins onto the apple (the spots)
3.Use peanut butter to attach licorice or pretzel sticks to the underside (legs)
4. Enjoy!


Joke: What bug isn't allowed in the men's restroom?
Answer: A ladybug!

I See you Ladybug
There is a ladybug on each page in this book (and some of them are very small). Ava really enjoyed locating all of them every time we read it!

Moo, Quack, Baa
Since this story takes place on the farm, what would be more appropraite then singing Old McDonald had a Farm or simply making different animal sounds with your child!