Boxes (revised)
The 2017 summer reading/learning program themes of “Build a Better World,” from CSLP, and “Reading by Design,” from iREAD and the California State Library, both focus on building, construction, and design. Over the previous few months, BayNews and our blog featured storytime plans that fit those themes while still being appropriate for preschoolers. This is our final entry for this theme. Of course, you can use these building themes any time of year, since preschoolers enjoy the idea of how buildings are made, construction equipment, etc.
Boxes are a great method of demonstrating building to a preschooler. Make these dollhouses: http://planetpals.com/craft_recycle_doll_house.html
Best, Cari. If I Could Drive, Mama. A little boy makes a car out of a cardboard box, and imagines what it would be like to drive his mama around town.
Flyte, Min. Box. Four children play with boxes in this brief story with flap pages.
Foley, Greg. Thank You Bear. Bear finds the perfect box to give to his mouse friend.
Hamilton, Tim. The Big Fib. Two boys play with boxes left on the curb by their grumpy neighbor.
Lillegard, Dee. Sitting In My Box. In this cumulative tale, several animals crowd into a box, when a hungry flea comes along.
Portis, Antoinette. Not a Box. A bunny uses his imagination to transform a box into a rocket ship and more.
Roche, P.K. Webster and Arnold and the Giant Box. Two friends imagine their giant box is a cave, a train, and more.
Russo, Marisabina. The Big Brown Box. Sam doesn’t invite little brother Ben to join him in playing in a large cardboard box.
Slack, Michael. Shorty & Clem. Shorty (a dinosaur) can’t wait for his roommate Clem (a quail) to get home to open a box that came in the mail.
Yolen, Jane. What to Do with a Box. A short rhyming text and illustrations done with paint on cardboard demonstrate the many things one can do with a box.