This week we’re learning all about the letter I! We’re reading Kevin Henkes’ adorable Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star. The board book edition of this story is perfect for both my little learners! Fun for MJ and sturdy enough for Sadie Bug.
Wemberly shares her ice-cream star with her little stuffed bunny, Petal, by waiting for it to melt into two bowls. MJ recreated the story through pretend and sensory play. I mixed up a new batch of rainbow rice (find recipe at the bottom of this post) and gave her a few tools to play with:
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Spoons
- Bowls
- Napkins
(About half way through little man woke up so he joined in the fun!)
After the pretend ice cream was “melted” MJ set the table to share with her bunny just like Wemberly shared with Petal. In addition to building creativity this activity reinforces fine motor, story sequence, and story recall skills- great for the foundation of a reader!
Pro tip: I wont sugar coat it, playing with rainbow rice can get messy but here’s a tip (or two) to make it all the more fun for both you and your little. Vacuum/sweep the area before beginning to play to start with a clean work space (this helps clean up too- I promise.) Also, grab a circular, plastic tablecloth from the dollar store and encourage your littles to keep the rice on the cloth. I got a big one so they could spread out some to play and when they’re done I pull up the sides, dump the rice back in the bucket, and ta-da! we’re all set for our next activity.
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