Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
What’s inside...
As everyone knows, nothing is sweeter than tiny baby fingers and chubby baby toes. This picture book celebrates baby fingers, baby toes, and the joy they bring to everyone, everywhere, all over the world. It features a rhythmic, rhyming text and luminous watercolor illustrations that depict roly-poly little ones from a variety of backgrounds with adorable and true-to-life details. The book is a gorgeously simple read for very young children, and one that will make readers want to start from the beginning and read it again after finishing.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
1-3
Length
40 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the babies feel when they are playing together in the book?
What are some ways the babies are similar and different from each other?
Why do you think the author emphasizes that all the babies have ten little fingers and ten little toes?
What did you enjoy most about the story, and why?
Can you think of a time when you felt the same way as one of the babies in the book?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive facial gestures and varying tones while reading to convey the emotions of the babies in the book.
Point out and count the fingers and toes in the illustrations to make the reading interactive.
After reading, encourage your child to draw a picture of themselves with their friends, highlighting their similarities and differences.
Discuss the themes of diversity and acceptance, emphasizing how everyone is unique yet we share common features.
Relate the story to your child’s experiences by asking them about their friends and the fun activities they do together.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Celebration of Diversity
Explanation: The book features babies from different cultural backgrounds, highlighting their unique features while emphasizing what they have in common, their ten little fingers and ten little toes.
Real-World Application: Children learn to appreciate and acknowledge the diversity among people they meet and understand the universal similarities we all share, fostering a mindset of inclusion from an early age.
Example Lesson: Counting and Early Math Skills
Explanation: As the story focuses on counting the fingers and toes of various babies, it indirectly teaches basic counting and addition.
Real-World Application: This can help children develop an interest in numbers and math, making them more comfortable with early math concepts during preschool and kindergarten.
Example Lesson: Emotional Connections
Explanation: The repetitive and rhythmic phrases about love for babies all over the world, regardless of their differences, promote emotional bonding.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by showing affection and expressing love towards friends and family members, strengthening their emotional intelligence and empathy.
Example Lesson: Language Development
Explanation: The simple, melodic, and repetitive text helps children in acquiring new vocabulary and understanding sentence structure.
Real-World Application: This can enhance children's verbal skills, aiding them in more effective communication in social interactions and academic settings.