Remember the Following When Reading a Book with Your Child

GUIDE SHEET: BOOK

TITLE: FIESTA!

BY: Ginger Foglesong Guy

Program Year: 1

Supporting Your Child’s Development: This joyous bilingual (English and Spanish) book is a good introduction to counting, one of the foundational components of early numeracy. In addition, the book’s illustrations tell the story of planning a party and making a piñata, with many details to look at on each page. By asking your child questions about the illustrations, your child will piece together the story. The ability to tell the story in his/her own words is an important component of early literacy. Just telling the story of what is happening on one page is fine. This ability, to put together a narrative, is an essential part of your child’s cognitive development and school readiness. In addition, this story shows a group of children cooperating and planning together, which will support your child’s social-emotional development.

Remember the following when reading a book with your child:

· Have a good time with this book and the child!

· Invite the child to look and listen.

· Try to sit the child beside you or between you and your PCHP Home Visitor.

· Show and read the title page to the child.

· Show and describe to the child how to turn the pages and treat the book.

· Read to the child in a clear, easy voice. Don’t go too fast. Allow time for the child to think about the story.

· Stop at most illustrations to talk about them. Ask the child questions about the illustrations to help the child reason things out.

Encourage the child to point out and name:

· Colors: Red shirt; green grass; blue hat; orange, red, blue, purple, white streamers

· Shapes and Sizes: Long, thin streamers; large, round piñata; small pieces of candy

· Numbers: One basket, two horns, three animals, four airplanes, etc.

· Relationships: The prizes are inside the piñata; the piñata is hanging down from the tree; the children are next to each other

Invite the child to tell about experiences related to the story and pictures:

· Have you ever seen a piñata? What did it look like?

· Have you been to a party? What did you do there?

· Look at all the fruits and vegetables. Which ones do you like to eat?

· Have you ever blown a horn? Worn a ring? Spun a top? Eaten candy? (etc.) Tell me about it.

Have the child reason things out and make choices:

· What prizes do you like the best? Why?

· What is most fun about this party?

· What would you put into a piñata?

· What would you buy in this market?

· Why is it difficult to hit the piñata when you are blindfolded?

Remember throughout the home visit to:

ENCOURAGE the child to talk. PRAISE the child for doing well.

ASK the child questions. HELP the child when needed.

LISTEN to the child’s answers. RESPOND to the child’s answers.

Fun activities:

· Make your own piñata – With your child, decorate a brown paper bag and stuff it with strips of newspaper. Put a few prizes into the “piñata.” Tie up the open end of the bag and decorate with some streamers. In a safe place, and under supervision, your child can try hitting the piñata with a stick or a ruler, until the bag opens and the prizes fall out. Be sure there are no other children nearby and that nothing can break when your child starts swinging the stick!