Reading books is a wonderful way by which to get to know a child’s world. While reading, you may want to pause every once in a while, and allow your child to respond to the events depicted in the book: How do the characters feel? How do we, as readers, feel? Has something similar ever happened to you?
Have you ever helped to make a salad? Have you ever fallen and hurt yourself? You may enjoy recollecting together, parents and children, moments when you felt big, and managed to do something all on your own, and other incidents when all you wanted was to be hugged and comforted. This may be a good opportunity to get to know your child’s experiences, while sharing special moments with them from your own childhoods.
Pick up two objects and compare them – which of them is small and which is big? Now, replace one of the objects with another, and check again: Is the teaspoon big or small when compared to a bottle cap? And what happens when it is next to a broom? You can use yourselves as one of the objects and check whether you are big or small. And what happens when you stand next to other family members?
While reading, you may enjoy looking at the illustrations and searching for interesting details: What is Matan doing? How many animals can you spot? Who is large and who is small? Where can you see a cat? And which of the illustrations is your personal favorite?
Do you also have little friends visiting your home? Are they imaginary friends, or maybe a beloved doll? It is worthwhile to talk about it with the toddlers and hear what do they like doing with the little friend. You can “bring in” the little friend to join and read the story.
The story is slightly longer than usual, and in order to arouse interest and curiosity it is recommended telling it in a variety of voices: a voice for Dad, a voice for Yaeli and a different voice for Mom and for Elik Belik. You can look together at the illustrations and invite the toddlers to participate in the identification of details and repeat the words “Elik Belik”.
Where’s the doll? On the table? maybe underneath it? And where’s the ball? You can hide various objects, look for them and then say: “The ball is on the chair”, “The ball is under the bed”. You can also hide yourselves and look for each other.
Dad has big shoes, Mom’s shoes – they are less big, Yaeli has little shoes, and Elik Belik’s? Tiny shoes! Go on a journey throughout the house, collect items of the same type and arrange them from the smallest to the biggest.
And the Cat 
Sometimes Big, Sometimes Small 
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
סִרְטוֹנִים
מִשְׂחָק
קְרִיאָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
קְרִיאָה
קְרִיאָה
מִשְׂחָק
כְּלָלִי
