In the beginning of this story, a young child reaches for a frog that jumps away. This fun book takes your child on an amazing adventure into the life within a small pond. The colorful illustrations introduce you to animals living on the land, in the air and under the water. The text is a combination of alliteration (repetition of the beginning sound in neighboring words) and rhyme, with great opportunities for vocabulary building. Be sure to have your child search for the frog on each page!
Before, During and After Reading
Read this book when your child can be active and playful.
There are lots of action words your child can demonstrate, so choose a time of day to read this book when your child can be active and playful.
Letter Knowledge
The large print in this book is great for looking for the letters. The letter S is on the cover and almost every page in this book.
Show your child the front cover of the book, read the title, and bring attention to the letter S.
You might say: Look, as I read the title of this book In the Small, Small Pond, I see the letter S. Can you find another letter S on the front cover? As we read the story, let’s see if we can find the letter Ss in different words.
Phonological Awareness
Use the action words to introduce rhyming words to your child.
You might say:
Can you wiggle, jiggle, wiggle, jiggle, like a tadpole?
Can you swoop and scoop, swoop and scoop like a swallow?
Beginning Writing
Use the time outside in the sand to develop writing skills. Bring a stick and encourage your child to write or draw in the sand.
Look at this stick, you can use this to write in the sand. Acknowledge and praise any attempt made at writing. You made a round circle. I can see the letter T from your name!
More to Do
Go on a nature walk outside and make movements of the things you see in nature. You might move like the grass and say swish, swish, swish. Or move like an ant and say march, march, march.
Visit a pond, or create your own pond area with sand, water, sticks or long grass, toy frogs or fish.
Learn more about pre-reading milestones for two-year-olds, and find easy at-home activities to help strengthen them in your child.
