Check On Me
Andrew Daddo and Jonathan Bentley
Play is the most powerful way young children learn.
Every time you play, sing or read with young children they are learning about
language.
The following activities have been designed as a starting point for Child Care
Centres however, they can easily be adapted to use in the home or other setting.
Don’t forget to visit our website www.thelittlebigbookblub.com for more fun printable
activities.
It’s Bed time
This month The Little Big Book Club is focussing on the importance of bedtime
routines .
Engaging with Language and Literacy
Check On Me
Andrew Daddo and
Jonathan Bentley
Children are learning all the time.
They do not wait until they start school to develop
their language and literacy skills.
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Look at the cover of the book with the children and ask them what they
think the story might be about.
Let the children share stories about their bed times before you begin
reading the book.
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Let the children draw a picture about their best bed time. Ask them to tell
you about their picture and write down their ideas.
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Other bed time stories that you can read include:
o Ten In The Bed by Penny Dale
o Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox
o I Don’t Want To Go To Bed by Tony Ross
o I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed by Lauren Child
o Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
o Tucking Mum In by Morag Loh
o How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen
Make a list of the children’s favourite bed time stories and share it with
parents and caregivers.
At the end of each day share your favourite part of the day with the children
and let them share theirs.
You may want to record your ideas in a scrapbook with a page for each
day.
If you keep it simple and start each day the same, for example, On
Tuesday we...... the children will soon become familiar with the repetition
and join in the reading and writing process with you.
Notes
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Page 1 of 2
For more book suggestions, information and activity sheets visit www.thelittlebigbookclub.com.au
Book Title
Author
Discovering Through Play
It’s Bed Time
 Create an area where the children can put toys (or each other) to bed.
 Shoeboxes make great beds for baby dolls.
 Provide some pillows and blankets and don’t forget some cuddly toys and
books for bedtime stories!
 Encourage the children to sing their babies to sleep with familiar lullabies:
 Talk about the bedtime routine in the story and ask the children about their
bedtime routines.
 Write up a routine and ask the children to illustrate it.
 Display the routine in the bed time area.
Did you know that boys enjoy dolls just as much as girls?
All children can benefit from the social skills, role play and
nurturing that playing with dolls can help develop
Exploring Our World
Good Night
 How many ways can you say good night?
 Learn how to say good night in different languages.
 Send your translations home to parents so they can use them at home
with their children.
 Are there children in your care who speak a language other than
English?
 Find out different greetings in their language and use them during the
day with all children.
Notes
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What’s The Time
 Make a display with clocks that shows important times during the day, for
example, waking up, breakfast time, childcare, kindy or school starts,
lunchtime, home time, dinner time and bedtime.
 Collect a variety of different clocks for the children to observe.
 Let the children create their own clocks. They can:
 Draw them, using a real clock as a guide.
 Use a paper plate and a split pin to create movable clock hands.
 Make one out of recycled materials.
Day and Night
 Follow the link to make a great day and night poster with the children
http://www.thelittlebigbookclub.com.au/siteFiles/gen_day%20&%20night.pdf
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Find out about night time with the children. You may want to explore:
 The moon and stars.
 Nocturnal animals
 People who work at night
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Page 2 of 2
For more book suggestions, information and activity sheets visit www.thelittlebigbookclub.com.au