It’s one of my favorite times of the month when I get to share books for kids in the Virtual Book Club for Kids! This month’s featured author is Laura Numeroff. We chose Numeroff’s book, If You Give a Pig a Pancake!
My boys love so many of Numeroff’s books that it was hard to settle on just one to feature. But, they have a thing for pigs and pancakes too so this seemed like the one that was calling to us the most.
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If You Give a Pig a Pancake: The Story
If You Give a Pig a Pancake is a circular story meaning that it starts and ends in the same place. Pig gets a pancake and then asks for syrup to go with it. The syrup makes the pig sticky so then she wants a bath. At the end we come full circle with the pig being sticky from wallpaper glue which reminds her of syrup and pancakes! It’s a simple story, but very entertaining. It also helps that my youngest is obsessed with lawnmowers and there is a picture of one in the book too.
If You Give a Pig a Pancake: Follow-Up Literacy Activities
We decided to make a day out of the story reenacting some of the scenes from the book!
1. We started our morning with Homegrown Friends’ recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes. Toppings (blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips and almonds) were set out for the kids to decorate their own pancake. While they were eating, I read the boys the story again.
2. Next we had a dance party in the living room and sang songs just like the pig in the story. Dressing up in play clothes was optional! Singing is a great literacy skill to build fluency and expression.
3. The pig in the story builds a treehouse. We opted for a reading fort and enjoyed some more of Laura Numeroff’s books.
A few of our other favorites from Numeroff are: If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give…)
and Laura Numeroff’s 10-Step Guide to Living with Your Monster
.
4. Later in the day, we drew pictures and got them ready to mail to grandma and grandpa. A fun and meaningful writing activity!
5. For the boys evening bath, we had a pancake sound sort bath.
- Cut out ten circles for pancakes from colored foam sheets. I didn’t have a good color for pancakes so I had to use yellow (tan foam sheet
would have looked a little better)!
- On five of the pancakes draw pictures of things that start with the /p/ sound (pan, pizza, puzzle, paint and plate). I picked easy things to draw! Use a permanent marker to do your drawing and writing.
- On the other five pancakes draw pictures that start with the /s/ sound (sock, sun, saw, six and submarine).
Note: You can select any letter sounds that you are working on for your pancakes.
- Take two plastic disposable plates. Write the letter p on one and the letter s on the other.
- Just add a spatula to the bath.
Now your kids are ready to flip pancakes. Have them name the picture on each pancake. Say the beginning sound of each picture and place the pancake on the correct plate.
We had so much fun acting like pig in the story. And, best of all, we built a lot of memories and literacy skills!
Check out some other amazing ideas to compliment the work of Laura Numeroff by following the links below!
Toddler Approved– The Educators’ Spin On It– Rainy Day Mum– 3 Dinosaurs– Learn~Play~Imagine– Crafty Moms Share– Reading Confetti– Inspiration Laboratories– Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas– Kids Yoga Stories– Enchanted Homeschooling Mom– Ready-Set-Read– Boy Mama Teacher Mama– PlayDrMom– Fantastic Fun and Learning– Growing Book by Book– Royal Baloo– The Outlaw Mom® Blog– Kitchen Counter Chronicles– Teach Preschool
Kim Vij @ The Educators' Spin On It says
Jodie thank you so much for hosting the Virtual Book Club for Kids the month featuring Laura Numeroff. I adore the pancake flipping activity and need to get one started for my littlest one who’s learning her letters and sounds.
maryanne @ mama smiles says
Such fun activities! I love that decorated pancake!
Jill says
We haven’t read this book yet… but we really want to! I am adding it to our list for the month of February.
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
Catherine says
What a fun bathtime and such a great idea to practise letter recognition 🙂
Eva @ The Multitasking Mummy says
What a cute little book and I love how you have reenacted the book through the day. This is something I must remember for when my son is older and more engaged in books.
Lauren says
My kids love pancakes and pigs too! What a great reading fort, perfect idea for winter months.
PragmaticMom says
Voted! Good luck!
Natalie says
This is a fun theme day! Thanks for sharing with Afterschool.
otilia says
thank you so much for sharing this with the #pinitparty