Who says that stories must be read at bedtime? Maybe you prefer reading them in the afternoon? Or lying together on the rug, or having a stuffed toy join you while reading? Every toddler has his or her own personality and needs, and grownups, of course, have their own preferences too. You can look for the best reading time and method for you and your toddler, and create your own special story hour.
While you read, you can shoo the fly away together with your toddler, just like the child in this story: You can clap, jump with your entire body, or move only your hand, or sneeze ever so loudly, and then look right and left for the fly that flew away.
Would you like to sing with the fly that got lost? Scan the code and listen to the song the “Fly That Got Lost”. You can dance, fly, and make buzzing sounds together.
Your finger can become a fly too: Make buzzing sounds and wiggle your finger in the air as if it were a fly. You can see your toddler following the “flying” finger. You can place your finger on another area of your toddler’s body each time: his or her nose, cheek, arm or ear. You can say: “Buzz on the forehead” out loud, while going over the names of their body parts and laughing together. Once your toddler has become familiar with this game, you could invite him or her to make a finger a fly too.
Telling and listening to stories is great fun. The shared experience makes everyone feel good. Discuss and think together – when is the right time for story-telling and letting your imagination run wild. When is it best to tell the story like it is — without adding or leaving out any details? Who would you feel comfortable confiding in when you face dilemmas?
Who can remember what happened yesterday? Can you tell it like a story? You can use this opportunity to share experiences. You can also play: One of the participants will tell a story, while the others try to figure out what is true and which parts are made up.
Whenever Shahar wants to share or consult, she sits on the bench with Herzl, the security guard, and he always listens. Choose a spot at home where you can always speak and be heard. Whenever you need to share, sit there, tell your story, and seek advice.
Reading books is a wonderful way to get to know a child’s world. When 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 childhood.
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?
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?
How do we turn books into friends? Reading from a young age contributes greatly to toddlers’ development. We suggest starting slowly, gradually, and age-appropriately: Some toddlers will want to touch the book, open and close it, or even “taste” it. You can then read a little, patiently and enjoyably. You can start by reading one page, and, as you get used to it, add more pages, until, hey – books have become friends!
While reading, you can emphasize the words good morning using a special voice and welcoming gesture. Invite toddlers to join in, follow the story, and take an active part in the reading. You can create your own good morning greetings: “Good morning kitchen chair!” “Good morning tree on our street!”, “Good morning, Bobby the dog!”
For toddlers, everything can be a teachable moment. Time spent together going to or from daycare provides an opportunity to observe what attracts toddlers’ attention: Is it ants walking in a row? A large truck? Or perhaps a flock of birds?
This book allows toddlers to take an active part in its reading, for each page ends with an intriguing question, to be answered on the following page. You may enjoy allowing your toddler to turn the pages and find the answer.
The Pear is Extra Sweet invites readers to go outside and discover the wonders of the world close to their homes: you could rest under a tree in your neighborhood, have a snack there, and play with fallen leaves. Perhaps you would enjoy taking this opportunity to introduce your toddler to magnifying glasses: look through the magnifying lens, and see what the world looks like close up.
Various items found in our immediate surroundings are shown on the final page of the book. You may want to examine what the back yard holds with your toddler, and where in the book each item is found. You could even use the final page to recall your day together, and sum it up with your toddler: where were you today? Who did you meet, and what did you do?
Even if it isn’t raining, you could create a small puddle in the back yard or in a large bowl, sail paper boats on it, feel how wet the water is, and add fallen leaves and branches into it. Wondering how to make a paper boat? Log onto the book’s webpage or the PJLibrary Pinterest page for easy paper boat making suggestions.
You may enjoy looking out of your window together to see what moves and what remains static. Can you hear any sounds? Have you discovered anything surprising? Perhaps you would like to look out of your window during the day, and again in the evening, after nightfall. Did you discover different things by day and by night?
The Fly That Got Lost 
Let Me Tell You a Story 
BIG OR SMALL 
Good Morning! 
21,600The Pear is Extra Sweet 
קְרִיאָה
מִשְׂחָק
סִרְטוֹנִים
מִשְׂחָק
שִׂיחָה
מִשְׂחָק
מִשְׂחָק
הַשְׁרָאָה
סִרְטוֹנִים
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
סִרְטוֹנִים
מִשְׂחָק
מִשְׂחָק
הַשְׁרָאָה
קְרִיאָה
קְרִיאָה
חֵקֶר
הַשְׁרָאָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
קְרִיאָה
לָצֵאת הַחוּצָה
מִשְׂחָק
הַשְׁרָאָה
כְּלָלִי
