Mid-afternoon is the hardest time of the day for me. My 4 year old isn't napping anymore (well, on rare occasion) and my 2 year old is snoozing away. It's quiet time and it's mom time (at least a few minutes if I can). We came up with a fun idea one afternoon when Max was asking for treats and Mom wanted him to sit quietly and read books.
1. Lay out a handful of books and put a small treat on each one. We normally use chocolate chips but these pictures were taken back in October so candy corn were aplenty. m&m's, grapes, blueberries, pretzels, goldfish, etc.
2. Child chooses book and eats corresponding treat.
3. Reads Book
4. Repeat until all treats are eaten and books are read.
It's a great way to stretch a treat, stretch reading time
and stretch a few mommy minutes.
I have made a little rule at first that Max must tell me when he finished before his next treat just to make sure he understood that he couldn't eat all the treats first. Now he gets it and he doesn't have to tell me, although sometimes he still likes to tell me which one he is going to pick next.
Variations: You could switch it up and do a different little treat on each book or if you are daring, spread their lunch in bite-size pieces over all of the books. Nothing that would stain books though. or get pages messy --- well, maybe that wouldn't work.... but maybe it could? hmmmm...
5 comments:
Another great idea! My kids love both...books and treats that is. Win-win!
Sonja~ mom of 3 in az
Genius, simply genius! If only I had read it before rest time today :) I'll have to remember tomorrow.
We have a 2 and a 4 year old too so we're in the same spot.
Thanks!
Linds
Brilliant. I can't get my two-year old to read a book with me for anything. I try all the time, and she has NO interest. Last night, we read twenty books using your tried and true method. A mirace.
REbecca, I seriously do this at least 4 times a week if not every day. Max LOVES it.
Post a Comment