Hattie and the Fox
by Mem Fox
0-12
12-24
MONTHS MONTHS
Play is the most powerful way toddlers learn.
E
very time you play, sing or read to toddlers they are
learning about language.
By sharing this book and play activities with them they will
have the opportunity to:
•
Use books as a starting point for language experiences
•
Learn about farm animals through stories and rhymes
•
Become aware of parts of their body
We hope these activities will provide you with a starting
point for fun play with babies.
Engaging with Language
and Literacy
Hattie and
the Fox
by Mem Fox
Turn the book corner into a Book Barn!
•
Provide a variety of fiction and non-fiction books about
farm animals for the children to look at.
•
Toddlers love simple board books that they can “read”
themselves.
•
Display children’s artwork, pictures and posters of farm
animals.
•
Add some soft cushions and cuddly farm animal toys to
make an inviting area that the children will want to read
in.
Farm Animal Lift the Flap
•
Let the toddlers help you make a farm animal lift the
flap book for them to enjoy.
•
Collect pictures of farm animals from calendars, books,
cards or computer clipart.
•
Stick one animal on each page.
•
Cut a piece of coloured card large enough to cover the
animal. Use sticky tape and stick down one side of the
card to make a flap.
Notes
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Page 1 of 5
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au
2S 12-24
MONTHS
Hattie and the Fox
by Mem Fox
Notes
•
Make up your own words to go with the book, eg,
• “Who is hiding?”
• “It’s cow!”
• “Who is hiding?”
• “It’s sheep!”
•
Using simple words and repetitive phrases will give the
children confidence to join in reading with you.
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Enjoying Imaginative Play
Farm Animal Play
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There are many ways you can incorporate farm animals
into your play.
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Play dough cutters
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•
Puzzles
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•
Lotto and memory games
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Puppets
•
Toy farm animals in the sand tray or block corner
•
Sing songs about farms, eg, Baa, Baa, Black Sheep and
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
•
Providing children with these experiences will give them
the opportunity to retell the story in their own way and
practice new ideas and new vocabulary in a nonthreatening situation.
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Discovering Sensory Play
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Tissue Paper Collage
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•
Draw an outline of each of the animals that are in the
book.
•
Provide the toddlers with tissue paper and give them
the opportunity to tear, scrunch and cut it.
•
Refer to the illustrations in the book and talk to the
children about what colour each animal should be.
•
Working in small groups, let the children use their tissue
paper to cover the animal.
•
When the collages are finished display them in the
room with speech bubbles and the words that the
animals said in the story.
•
Spend time with the children “reading” their artwork.
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Page 2 of 5
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au
0-12
12-24
MONTHS MONTHS
Exploring Our World
Farm Animal Hide and Seek
Notes
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•
This game works best with a small group of children so
that everyone has the opportunity to find an animal.
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•
Hide some farm animals in an area of the outside
environment. Take a small group of children out to find
them.
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Help develop their vocabulary by giving directional
clues, eg, “Look in the sandpit… behind the yellow
bucket”.
Having Fun With
Music and Movement
Finger plays and action rhymes:
• Encourage verbal participation
• Develop listening skills
• Teach concepts such as numbers, sequence and
rhyme
• Develop fine motor control
• Broaden vocabulary
• Increase attention span
• Are lots of fun to share with toddlers!
You might like to try some of the following:
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Giddy Up
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This Little Piggy
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The Dingle Dangle Scarecrow
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Play Animal Peek-A-Boo
•
Sing the song Peek-A-Boo while hiding a toy farm
animal under a small cloth.
•
At the end of the song, lift the cloth and surprise the
toddler with the animal.
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Encourage the children to lift up the cloth themselves.
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Talk about the animals name and make the animal
sound.
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Let the toddler hold the toy while you hide the next
animal.
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Page 3 of 5
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au
2S 12-24
MONTHS
Hattie and the Fox
by Mem Fox
Notes
Other books to try:
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Oh Dear by Rod Campbell
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Farm Babies by Rod Campbell
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Farm 1 2 3 by Rod Campbell
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Head To Toes : My First Body Book
by Zita Newcome
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Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!
And Other Action Rhymes
by Zita Newcome
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Baby Touch Playbook by Fiona Land
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Eyes, Nose, Fingers, Toes
by Judy Hindley
Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton
Let’s Go Walking by Julie Vivas
Farm by Mary Novick
Does A Cow Say Boo? by Judy Hindley
Animal Hide-and-Seek by Jenny Taylor
Farm Animals by Nicola Tuxworth
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Songs & Rhymes:
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Baa Baa Black Sheep
Peek – A – Boo
Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir yes sir
Three bags full
One for the master
One for the dame
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane
Hide a farm animal.
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Old MacDonald Had A Farm
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Old MacDonald had a farm
E–i–e–i–o
And on that farm he had a cow
E–i–e–i–o
With a moo moo here
And a moo moo there
Here a moo
There a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
E–i–e–i–o
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Peek – a – boo, Peek – a – boo
Who is hiding there?
Peek – a – boo, Peek – a – boo
It’s (rooster etc) hiding there.
Show the animal as you sing the last
line.
Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes
Heads shoulders knees and toes
Knees and toes
Heads shoulders knees and toes
Knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Heads shoulders knees and toes
Knees and toes
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Page 4 of 5
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au
0-12
12-24
MONTHS MONTHS
Giddy Up
Open, Shut Them
Notes
Giddy up giddy up
Giddy up horsey
Giddy up giddy up
Go go go
Giddy up giddy up
Giddy up horsey
Giddy up giddy up
Whoa
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
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This Little Piggy
Gently wiggle the baby’s toes while
singing…
This little piggy went to market (big toe)
This little piggy stayed home (second toe)
This little piggy had roast beef (third toe)
This little piggy had none (fourth toe)
And…this little piggy cried wee, wee,
wee all the way home (little toe)
As you sing “wee, wee, wee,” tickle the
baby up their legs and tummy to their
chin.
Hokey Pokey
You put your right hand in
You put your right hand out
You put your right hand in
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
…left hand
… right foot
… left foot
… head
… whole self
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap
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Creep them, creep them
Creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin
Open wide your little mouth
But do not let them in
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Shake them, shake them
Shake them, shake them
Shake them just like this
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Roll them, roll them
Roll them, roll them
Blow a little kiss
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow
When all the cows were sleeping
And the sun had gone to bed
Up jumped the scarecrow
And this is what he said
I’m a dingle, dangle scarecrow
With a flippy floppy hat
I can shake my hands like this
And shake my feet like that
When all the hens were roosting
And the moon behind the cloud
Up jumped the scarecrow
And shouted very loud
Chorus
When the dogs were in the kennels
And the doves were in the loft
Up jumped the scarecrow
And whispered very soft
Chorus
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Page 5 of 5
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au