Rub-a-dub Read
Create a special book for bathtime.
Splish splash with a book in the bath
What you need:
• airtight sandwich bags
• scissors
• needle and thread
• family photographs
• several sheets of construction paper cut to fit inside the sandwich bags
• crayon or marker
What to do:
1. Show your toddler some family photographs and help him name the people and objects in each shot. (You can also cut out interesting pictures from catalogs or magazines that depict things used at bath time.) Glue the pictures he likes best onto sheets of construction paper (precut to fit into an airtight sandwich bag).
2. Demonstrate how to insert the pictures back-to-back (to create two-sided pages) into the bags and assist your child while he completes the task. He can make a cover for the book with a precut sheet of paper and crayons. Print his name on the book's cover, naming each letter as you write, and then put this sheet into a bag.
3. Your toddler will enjoy learning how to zip close each plastic bag. Explain that you will sew the bags together to make a book that he can look at in the bathtub. Using sturdy thread and a small needle, sew along the inner side of the zip lock. Now the book will be watertight and ready for your child to enjoy at bathtime.
4. You can use colorful wrapping paper or fabric scraps, interesting pictures, or small objects to create more bathtime books for your toddler. Consider creating theme books such as "things we wear," "animals," "transportation," "food," "toys," or "bedtime."
Learning benefits:
• labeling and identifying objects
• strengthening eye-hand coordination
• developing fine-motor skills
