Oral Language

Read the title of the book to your toddler and encourage him to clap his hands. Point out the characters on the cover of the book. You might say:

“Look how much fun those friends are having clapping their hands together! What kinds of animals is the little girl playing with? She’s clapping with a bear, a dog, a mole and a prairie dog! What a silly group of friends.”

This book is full of activities for you and your toddler to do together. As you read, encourage your toddler to try to do each activity. The first few times, you may need to model the activity for him. For example, show him how to “Reach for the sky, wiggle your toes. Stick out your tongue, touch your nose.”

Oral Language

The book is filled with fun and silly illustrations of children playing with different types of animals. Talk to your toddler about the pictures and ask him questions. You might say:

“Do you see that big hippopotamus wearing overalls and a striped shirt? And that bear is wearing a tie! Can you find the kitty cat on this page?”

Phonological Awareness

Each page contains rhyming lines. Emphasize the words that rhyme, drawing attention to the way their endings sound the same.

Oral Language

Incorporate the activities and the concepts your toddler learned at other times in the day. You might say:

“Remember when we read our book and we purred like a kitten? What did that sound like? We also barked like a dog! Woof woof! Can you moo like a cow? Let’s cluck like a chicken!”

“It was fun when we found something yellow and something red in our book. Let’s find something yellow in this room! I know! Your toy dump truck is yellow! Great job! Now let’s find something red.”

Find more at-home activities designed to promote oral language skills in toddlers 18 to 23 months or browse more recommended children’s books to read together.