What could your child tell you about this picture? Would she say that it is Fall? Would she predict that the family is choosing a pumpkin for Halloween?
Two of the components of a child’s reading readiness are her comprehension and her interpretation. We can assist a preschool or kindergarten child with reading readiness by providing opportunities for him to read pictures and interpret them, including understanding the sequence of events.
Reading and interpreting pictures includes noticing what is in the picture, what the characters are doing, the weather or time of day and other details (i.e. the color of a character’s clothing). A child could be asked to interpret the scene and confirm comprehension by telling or retelling the narrative.
For the first picture, we could ask questions such as what do you think these people are doing? or why do you think the man is pushing the wheelbarrow? or Why do you think these people are visiting a pumpkin patch?
How would your child interpret this picture? Would your child notice the old oil lamp?
Why does one man have gold coins in his hand? or Do you see anything that looks usual in this picture?
Wordless Picture Books Encourage Children to Interpret and Comprehend
Wordless picture books are great tools for helping children to develop good comprehension and interpretation skills. We invite you to visit our Wordless Picture Books page to discover why great wordless picture books make narratives easily understood. Once a child has ‘read’ a wordless picture book with an adult, he should be encouraged to share the book with someone else. Making an opportunity to reconstruct and retell a story is valuable for a young child because reconstructing and retelling a story is a way to confirm comprehension.
Sequencing Activities = Reading and Interpreting Pictures
Children who have learned to ‘read’ and ‘interpret’ pictures will benefit from sequencing activities. These provide children with the opportunity to ‘read’ pictures and determine the correct order of events. Here are links to three printable sequencing activities from my website and three from elsewhere on the internet.
Valentine's Day Sequencing Activity
Cut this Valentine's Day Sequencing Activity apart and have children put it together in the correct order or print two and use as a matching game.
Free Valentine’s Day printables for children, their teachers and parents. Today we’ll highlight the printables alongside some great picture books for Valentine’s Day
Young children, parents and teachers are sure to enjoy these free Valentine’s Day theme printables.
* Two kinds of free printable Valentine’s Day writing paper for kids * A Valentine’s Day picture dictionary for children who are beginning to read and write * Five Little Valentines – a rhyme that could be perfect for your Valentine’s Day preschool circle time , adapt it as a felt board story * Counting Valentines – a Valentine’s Day song, sung to a familiar tune, also great for Valentine’s Day circle time * Making a Valentine – a Valentine’s Day sequencing activity. This could also be used as a matching game. * Make New Friends – a song sheet
Five Fun Picture Books for Valentine’s Day
The Day it Rained Hearts written and illustrated by Felicia Bond Valentine’s Day picture book published by Harper Collins
You are no doubt familiar with Felicia Bond’s lively illustrations in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Here she tells the story of Cornelia Augusta, a girl who is caught in a rather unusual rainstorm.
On The Day It Rained Hearts Cornelia collected hearts of all different shapes and sizes and then set to work making Valentines for her special friends. Before setting to work, she thinks carefully about each individual and she creates cards and gifts that suit each perfectly.
She found seven that were more or less alike and strung them together with a needle and thread.”I know just the right person for this one,” she thought.
The Day it Rained Hearts encourages thoughtfulness and creativity. A lovely choice for your young Valentine or for sharing at a February storytime.
Extension activities could include a search for hidden hearts, comparing and categorizing hearts and creating Valentine’s Day cards and gifts.
Lilly’s Chocolate Heart written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes Valentine’s Day picture book published by Harper Collins
Lilly is a beloved picturebook character. Best known for Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse , she also appears in Lilly’s Big Day, Chester’s Day, Wemberly Worried and Julius The Baby of the World.
Before going to bed on Valentine’s Day, Lilly must decide what to do with her one remaining foil-wrapped Valentine’s Day chocolate.
“Lilly wanted to find the perfect place to keep the heart. She looked under her bed, but it was too dusty. She looked inside her dresser, but it was too messy.“
Those who know Lilly, will agree that she is exhuberant and sometimes just a little bit impulsive so finding the perfect place for the precious chocolate is quite a challenge.
Lilly’s Chocolate Heart will be a delicious treat for Lilly fans who will no doubt notice her purple plastic purse hanging from a dresser drawer handle and a painting of the purse that hangs on a wall.
Love is You & Me. written and illustrated by Monica Sheehan Picture book about love published by Simon and Schuster
Just in time for February 14th, Monica Sheehan’s celebration of love arrives on bookshelves. Intended for very young children, my copy is in a boardbook format. Fun, breezy illustrations introduce a handsome mouse and his dashing canine friend. They adore spending time together; driving in a convertable, sharing a milkshake, holding hands. riding a roller coaster. Whether doing something exciting or nothing at all, true friends know, “Whever we go love will always be…because…love is you and me.“
A perfect book to share for Valentine’s Day, Love is You & Me. (Monica Sheehan’s warmhearted follow-up to be happy!) delivers a reassuring message that will be enjoyed equally by young children and all those who care deeply for them.
Light and breezy, You: A Story of Love and Friendship has got it right. The world is more colourful, more musical and more exciting when shared with a true friend.
In this picture book about friendship, happy and engaging illustrations invite us to watch as a friends work together to transform a drab birdhouse into a bright and inviting home. When the work is done, they joyfully play music together and manage to endure the highs and lows that life brings.
The world is an exciting place, with ups, downs, around and arounds, and far-far-aways. But the most exciting place in my world is with… you.
Well-suited to very young children, You is a picture book about friendship and love. It would be a a great story to share before a parent or friend leaves on a trip.
Be sure to visit the author’s website (link above) and read about Stephen Michael King’s experience as a hearing impaired child and his path to becoming an author-illustrator.
Zero Kisses for Me written by Manuela Monari and illustrated by Virginie Soumagnac Picture book about affection and independence published by Tundra Books
I have the good fortune to share read alouds with children regularly in my classes. I always look for engaging stories that will hook my students. Sometimes I am lucky enough to find a book that doesn’t just hook the kids – some books have children talking about the story a week later and begging for a reread. Zero Kisses for Me is one of those delightful books that children love to see, listen to and cheer about.
Life is tough when you’re “always being kissed.” When you’re kissed before you go out in the rain and when you’re kissed and called, “Honeybunch” or “Flower Bud.” By the end of the day, you can be “tired of being everybody’s tootsy-wootsy… huggy-bear… kissy-snooks.” You might even demand, “No more mush!” And, you might exclaim, “BLEAH” – the perfect word to make a story memorable and a great word for young children to hear and relish.
Fun illustrations add to the atmosphere in Zero Kisses for Me and convey the little bear’s determination and frustration beautifully. A great read aloud for boys and girls, aged four to six, especially those who enjoy many, many kisses each and every day. Although not a Valentine’s Day book, this would be a terrific choice to reach for on February 14th.
Storytime Standouts Has Free Valentines Day Printables for Preschool, Kindergarten and Homeschool
Our early learning printables, including our Valentine’s Day theme printables for preschool, homeschool and kindergarten are in PDF format, if you don’t already use Adobe Reader, you will need to use it to access the downloads.
Valentine’s Day Circle Time Rhymes and Chants for Preschool or Kindergarten ~
Counting Valentines
Free printable fingerplay for a Valentine's Day circle time or storytime.
Free Printable Valentine’s Day Sequencing Activity
Valentine's Day Sequencing Activity
Cut this Valentine's Day Sequencing Activity apart and have children put it together in the correct order or print two and use as a matching game.
Free Valentine’s Day Printables for Older Children ~
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Wordless picture books are great tools for helping children to develop good comprehension and interpretation skills. We invite you to visit our Wordless Picture Books page to discover why great wordless picture books make narratives easily understood. Once a child has ‘read’ a wordless picture book with an adult, he should be encouraged to share the book with someone else. Making an opportunity to reconstruct and retell a story is valuable for a young child because reconstructing and retelling a story is a way to confirm comprehension.
Here are links to three printable sequencing activities from my website and three from elsewhere on the internet.
Building a Snowman Sequencing Activity
Cornelia collected hearts of all different shapes and sizes and then set to work making Valentines for her special friends. Before setting to work, she thinks carefully about each individual and she creates cards and gifts that suit each perfectly.
, she also appears in Lilly’s Big Day, Chester’s Day, Wemberly Worried and Julius The Baby of the World.
has got it right. The world is more colourful, more musical and more exciting when shared with a true friend.
is one of those delightful books that children love to see, listen to and cheer about.
