Where is Thumbkin? (Children's Favorite Activity Songs)
Children'S Favorite Activity Songs Series
What’s inside...
Where is Thumbkin? (Children's Favorite Activity Songs) by Roberta Collier-Morales is a collection of popular children's songs accompanied by engaging activities designed to promote learning and interaction. The book encourages young readers to sing along and perform actions related to the songs, enhancing their motor skills, memory, and language development. It features the titular song 'Where is Thumbkin?' along with other beloved tunes, each paired with instructions for related hand movements or dances. This interactive book serves as a resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers to create a fun and educational environment for children through music and play.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-6
Length
16 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Thumbkin feels when he's hiding and then found?
What other characters in the song do you like and why?
Can you think of a time when you played hide and seek? How did it make you feel?
What do you think could happen next in the song?
Why is it fun to play games like the ones in the song?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the song's characters and events. Use expressions from the song to make the conversation more relatable and engaging. Show interest in their responses and expand the dialogue by asking them to elaborate on their answers. Lastly, relate their personal experiences to the themes in the song to deepen the connection with the material.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Language Development
Explanation: Through repetitive and rhythmic songs, children can enhance their language skills and vocabulary acquisition.
Real-World Application: Children use the skills learned from these songs to better express themselves and communicate effectively in their daily interactions.
Example Lesson: Following Instructions
Explanation: The interactive songs encourage children to perform specific actions, teaching them to listen carefully and follow directions.
Real-World Application: This ability to follow instructions can be applied in classroom settings, helping children to engage more effectively with tasks and activities.
Example Lesson: Social Interaction
Explanation: The songs are usually sung in groups, fostering social skills as children participate and interact with each other.
Real-World Application: This helps children to develop teamwork and cooperation skills, important aspects in both educational environments and play.
Example Lesson: Motor Skill Development
Explanation: Activities in the songs often involve hand movements and gestures, aiding in fine motor skill development.
Real-World Application: These fine motor skills are vital for everyday activities like writing, using tools, and playing sports.
Example Lesson: Memory Enhancement
Explanation: Memorizing lyrics and movements of activity songs improves cognitive functions related to memory.
Real-World Application: Enhanced memory skills help in academic learning and retaining important information in various aspects of life.