Book Reviews for Over in the Forest

This story follows the rhythm and rhyme scheme of “Over in the Meadow” as mothers teach their babies life skills. “Over in the forest/where the clean waters run/Lived a busy mother beaver/and her little kit one./’Build,’ said the mother/’I build,’ said the one./So they helped build a lodge/where the clean waters run.” All 10 babies are called by their names: “fawns,” “joeys,” “hatchlings,” “poults,” and “chicks,” which is educational (although several young animals are called “kits”). Beautiful cut-paper collages, embellished with pencil, pastels, and ink, are filled with soothing, woodsy colors and many textures. This book would be a great read-aloud, followed with a call-and-response song-the music is provided at the end. Questions about what is fact and what is fictionalized (e.g., the numbers of babies) in the story, information about the animals, and tips and activities from the author and the illustrator are appended. With its many curricular extensions and wonderful springboard to art classes, this book is a terrific addition to most collections.

— School Library Journal (July 2012)

Having already explored the ocean and jungle, planets, the Arctic and Australia, Berkes this time focuses her “Over in the Meadow”–derived lyrics on a temperate deciduous forest.

Readers are treated to a look at a forest habitat and its more familiar denizens, including beaver, turkey, woodpecker and ’possum. As in her previous titles, there is a nice balance between math and the animal information. Berkes introduces children to the names given to baby forest animals, indicating them with italics—fawns, joeys, hatchlings, poults, chicks and kits. The number is set in a different color type, while the numeral is featured prominently at the bottom of the page. Dubin gives readers several opportunities to practice, illustrating both the baby animals and their tracks, both of which can be easily identified and counted. In addition, she hides another forest dweller on each page. Her paper-collage, colored-pencil and pastel artwork is filled with gorgeous textures that echo the natural world of the forest. Berkes rounds out the text with educational backmatter: a list of the hidden animals and a few facts, a section that reveals her artistic license, some forest facts, detailed paragraphs about each of the featured animals, the music and lyrics, notes from both the author and illustrator, activities to extend the book and resources for more information.

Formulaic? Perhaps, but none can argue with the educational value, nor the fun—what will she tackle next? (Informational picture book.3-8)

— Kirkus Reviews (January 4, 2012)

As in Over in Australia (2011) and Over in the Arctic (2008), this picture book reworks the traditional rhyme “Over in the Meadow” to introduce the animals in a habitat, here a temperate forest. The verses flow smoothly, observing 10 animal parents as they instruct their little ones: squirrels learn to leap, skunks to spray, and so on. The attractive collage illustrations offer plenty of opportunities for counting as well as observing woodland animals. The extensive back matter includes tips for using the book, notes on the animals, and music for the song.

– Booklist (American Library Assn.) (May 2012)

Readers will learn how to count and rhyme using forest animals in this clever book. With its cut-out paper illustrations and hidden animals on each page, children will delight in trying to find these camouflaged animals. Each page introduces a new forest animal using numbers and rhymes to describe the animals activities in the forest. Facts detailing the “hidden” animals as well as the animals featured in the book are included. Anotehr special section has tips for being a wildlife detective. There is a song in the back and a section that tells how the illustrator makes her pictures using paper, texture, and colors so that the collages on each page represents the habitats of the animal. Plenty of additional information is included.

– Library Media Connection – Tricia Grady (October 2012)

How would you recommend using this book in the classroom? (Read aloud? Independent reading?
Whole class teaching unit? Reference material?) Please explain:

This book was very good for a read aloud. I also put it out in a bin for the students to be able to read on their own when they had extra time. I would recommend this book for independent reading. there are opportunities to search for hidden pictures. I love using this type of book as a read aloud because it draws the children in for choral reading. They quickly catch on and are able to participate in the reading. I also include it in whole class teaching unit as it contains very valuable information about the animals in the book as well as useful activities. I love the suggestions for follow up activities and websites.
I used it to teach the children about animals that live in the forest. I read it aloud at story time. The hildren learned about animal habits and where they live in the forest. I would also suggest letting the children explore this book on their own. It does make a great whole class teaching unit. I would recommend using this book as a read aloud and whole class teaching unit in math and science. This book can be integrated into math, writing, science and art. Students could use their imagination and create their own story similar to this story. I would use it in math to focus on number recognition to 10 and sequencing. This product allows multiple activities to be used with this story. It allows teachers the freedom to use their natural teaching abilities and create fantastic and engaging lessons. I would use this book as a read aloud for a science unit on animals and their habitats.

Did you find this book interesting or motivating for students to read? Yes. No. (For instance is the
topic kid-friendly? Are the chapters short for the reluctant or young reader? Does it contain
realistic conversation?

The students enjoyed the book when I read it out loud to them, and they wanted to read it on their own afterwards–a good sign!
The storyline of this book is very basic and doesn’t contain any plot. I found it to be very engaging. The children love participating in the reading. The topic is kid-friendly and fun as well as educational. Being able to have a follow up discussion based on the information included after the story is excellent andreally helps them children get something more form the book. From the “hidden” animals section to the Tips from the Author and Illustrator, this book offers so much for both the teacher and the students.
Yes. The children loved finding the hidden animals. The enjoyed learning the names of each baby animal. They loved learning about the skunk. They also enjoyed participating by counting the number of babies each animal had.This book is very interesting for kindergarten and first grade students as they love to read/learn about animals because they can make a self-to-text connection. The story is kid friendly and the illustrations draw students attention to the story. The vocabulary is engaging and allows teachers to introduce excellent vocabulary. The students found the book interesting and like the great illustrations that went along with the rhyming text. I really just used this for reading time. The students enjoyed it, and they read it on their own. I also used it as group time reading. This product speak of the forest and could be used in a social studies curriculum. I think this book offers opportunities to cover all areas of the curriculum. There are endless lessons from counting and number recognition for math to locating the places these animals dwell for social studies. Science is covered as the animals habitats are described. For language arts, the children can create their own additional animal pages/books using
the verse/text style from the book. I used it for math. Counting all of the baby animals was a great math lesson. I also used it to help the children identify verbs in each sentence. I liked the end of the book which explained the behavior of all the animals. It is interesting how the animals find their food and this lends itself to a great lesson on comparing and contrasting. Another great lesson is on animal tracks.
The factual information that students learn from this story is very strong and correlates with the science curriculum. Students could work in cooperative groups and create a forest diorama which includes animals from the story. You could use this book to teach language arts and science. You can teach rhyming, concepts about prints and compare how animals are similar and different.

If funds were available, would you recommend this product to a teacher at the appropriate grade /
age level? Please explain why or why not.

I would recommend the book. The students not only enjoyed my reading it to them, but they wanted to read it on their own. It kept them interested. Yes. This book is engaging for student and captures their attention. There are additional activities for the students to complete once they have finished the book.
Yes. This is that unique book that offers so much more. Fun to read and teach from. Yes. There are many different avenues to pursue for use in any curriculum. You can read the book all at once or break it
up to teach specific lessons. I would recommend this product to teachers with kindergarten, first and second grade students. This product would allow students to use their imagination skills and work in cooperative groups in order to create projects. It is difficult to find products of this superior content, simplicity in pictures and kid friendly topic! I would purchase this book because it was a great read aloud. It was very appropriate for kindergarten because of the rhyming text and great illustrations. It really kept the students engaged during the read aloud. What kinds of curriculum skills could you teach using its content? (Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science, Character Education) Please be specific in your suggestions

– Learning Magazine Teacher’s Choice Award – Teacher’s comments (October 2012)

Through her adaptations of a popular folk song, author/educator Marianne Berkes has introduced youngsters to creatures of the ocean, jungle, Arctic and Australia. Over in the Forest, the fifth book in the eco-friendly series, brings children into the woodsy world of squirrels, deer, woodpeckers and box turtles. As they sing, little ones can examine Jill Dubin’s richly textured cut-paper illustrations for the tracks of the mother animals, count the offspring, and learn about a specific activity for each species. For example, the mother deer and her two fawns graze, the mother skunk and her nine kits spray and—playful gender switch—the father fox and his ten kits pounce. Additional facts about each animal and tips on being a wildlife detective assist parents and educators interested in expanding the adventure for their kids.

– Children’s Literature – Mary Quattlebaum (July 2012)

Through her adaptations of a popular folk song, author/educator Marianne Berkes has introduced youngsters to creatures of the ocean, jungle, Arctic and Australia. Over in the Forest, the fifth book in the eco-friendly series, brings children into the woodsy world of squirrels, deer, woodpeckers and box turtles. As they sing, little ones can examine Jill Dubin’s richly textured cut-paper illustrations for the tracks of the mother animals, count the offspring and learn about a specific activity for each species. For example, the mother deer and her two fawns graze, the mother skunk and her nine kits spray and—playful gender switch—the father fox and his ten kits pounce. Additional facts about each animal and tips on being a wildlife detective assist parents and educators interested in expanding the adventure for their kids.

– Washington Parent – Mary Quattlebaum (April 2012)

Every page has a surprise in this clever rhyming book about animals in a woodland habitat. From grazing fawns to dunking raccoon kits, young readers will learn the names for each woodland baby and a fun fact about it, as they count the young animals in each inventive illustration. The end of the book gives a few more facts about forest creatures and challenges readers to learn more about all woodland creatures by becoming wildlife detectives.

— Kern County Family – Tracie Grimes (March 2012)

The critters of the forest have their own sights and sounds for those who seek them. Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek is a children’s picture book from Marianne Berkes with art from Jill Dubin, as the pair create a rhythmical exploration of the forest and its critters, sure to entertain any young reader with a love of animals. Over in the Forest is a must for children’s picture book collections, recommended.

— Midwest Book Review – Childrens Bookwatch (June 2012)

This book introduces children to forest animals! It’s also a counting book, as children learn about one little beaver kit (baby), two little fawns, three little possum joeys, four little box turtle hatchlings, and so on. In rhyming verse, kids learn what each little animal likes to do in the forest! The end of the book includes information from the author and illustrator on forest wildlife and being a wildlife detective! There’s even a song that you can sing with your kids or in the classroom.

These delightful books are just a few of the many available from Dawn Publications. Visit them at www.dawnpub.com to see their other books that help children to explore our fascinating world!

— Susan Heim on Parenting Blog (Chicken Soup for the Soul editor) (April 22, 2012)

While listening to this story children are encouraged to count the young animals from one to ten and sing along with the traditional melody of “Over in the Meadow”. Each illustration also includes the tracks of the animal and other animals hiding somewhere in the picture. All of the animals are forest dwellers and the text introduces the young reader/listener to interesting facts about the animals. The last 7 pages provide more information for the adult who is sharing this wonderful rhyming book. This book is part of a series of books featuring animals from different habitats around the world.

— Izaak Walton League of America – Liz Roy (July 2012)

Over in the Forest-Come and Take a Peek is one of those books that should be included in every second grade classroom library because it entertains, while presenting facts.

This text gives facts about the forest that will stimulate 2nd graders’ curiosity, while the lyrical verse adds fun. It’s a great read-aloud or a book that can be read over and over as the second grader improves his/her reading skills. The pictures encourage vocabulary development, reinforce counting practice, and increase student’s comprehension skills by associating the pictures with the new words.

Other advantages of this book include discussion questions and a musical score. Music teachers can include this verse to music reinforcing the reading skills being used in the classroom.

“Hidden” animals that are not part of the text but are listed for the student to find–lots of fun for a second-grader. And finally, the author includes more facts about the animals, along with tips on how to use this information to keep second grade students engaged in learning about the environment.

I highly recommend this book for all second grade readers. It is appropriate for their age and offers information and activities that will encourage them to advance their reading skills and appreciate nature.

— 2nd Grade Reading – Ann Norris (September 14, 2012)

Cut paper, paper collage and colored pencil illustrations create beautiful textures that support the text, nicely representing the forest. This book, which is part of the Over in series, teaches about forest animals to the rhythm of favorite ditty “over in the meadow”. Animals such as deer, possum, squirrels, raccoons, and others frolic with their babies, which are named. (Did you know a beaver baby is called a kit?) Great rhymes and counting, make this a terrific storytime book. The book also includes an “About the Animals” section, “Tips from the Author” (including how to be a wildlife detective and discover more in books) and “Tips from the Illustrator,” including info on collage. Lots of value in this book, which is available in both paperback and hardcover. Indeed, Kirkus Reviews says “none can argue with the educational value.”

— HRLC Book Evaluation – Felicia Ballard (May 11, 2012)

Over in the Forest: Come Take a Peek by Marianne Berkes is such delightful book that all kids will enjoy. You can sing it with the melody provided in the back of the book to the tune of “Over in the Meadow” or just ready it however you like. I love that it teaches children counting, tips on how to be an outdoor detective, and lots of interesting facts about forest animals. You can even read about how the illustrator made her illustrations from cut paper and try it out as an art project with your kids. My kids want me to read this story over and over again, and they enjoy it every single time!

— Your World Natural – Cara Nitz (February 17, 2012)

Ever since we began our 365 Days Outdoors challenge, you have been fascinated with animal and bird watching! We’ve made bird nesting kits, taken several nature walks, and even went to see some beautiful animals at the zoo. Each time you pass a window in our house or are strolling on the nature trails you are constantly on the look-out for any type of wildlife that you can find. That’s why I knew your would enjoy the book, Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek by Marianne Berkes. Not only is it chalk full of critters from the forest, but it is also read like a song – a wonderful song from Mama’s youth.

As a little girl, I always used to sing Over in the Meadow with my mother. This book brings that childhood favorite back to life with some furry animals that live in the forest. Most of these creatures you were very familiar with and a couple were fun to introduce you to!

I love reading this book when we sit down for some mother/son storytime, not only because I get to watch you dance to the beat of it, but also because it exposes you learning at the turn of each page. As you venture deeper and deeper into the forest while reading this book, the author introduces a new mother (or father) animal and then number of babies that joins her. Perfect for learning what each animal is called as a baby!

Each “verse” of the story contains animated verbs that show what every critter does in their own area of the forest…which you love to act out as we read! You have so much energy right now, that whever we can get you moving during storytime, it’s an added bonus!

We loved looking at the different animal tracks that were shown throughout the story, so we decided to make some after reading the book with paint! I picked the Woodpecker footprints to focus on because birds are your favorite right now. After seeing a couple of painting techniques recently that I thought you would love, I set out to get the materials needed for our artwork!

— Famiglia & Seoul – Gina Kimmel (June 29, 2012)

Over in the Forest: Come Take a Peek teaches readers about the most common animals one would find in the forest. Written by Marianne Berkes in rhyme, each page features a different animal, revealing where that species typically lives in the forest and what the offspring are called. For example, did you know that a baby possum is called a joey? The story is wonderfully complemented by unique paper cut collage illustrations by artist, Jill Dubin. What I really like about this book is all the educational information included in the back. Here you’ll find more details about the animals you can clearly see in the forest and those that are often hidden. There are tips from the author about how to be a wildlife detective, suggested indoor activities to help young readers learn more about the forest and tips from the illustrator about how to do a collage. There are even lyrics to a song, written by Berkes, set to the tune of “Over in the Meadow.”

— Good Reads with Ronna – Debbie Glade (February 27, 2012)

n each two page spread of Over in the Forest, an animal parent and their children are featured. The first four line stanza introduces the parent, the children, and their habitat. Stanza two starts off with a verb related to actions of the animal. The children follow the lead of the mother. Look at the example of raccoons below:

“Dunk,” said the mother.
“We dunk” said the eight.
So they dunked and dabbled
As they ate very late.

This is a counting book, so the number of animals increases from 1-10 as you read. Jill Dubin’s collage illustrations are very engaging and will be great models if you want to try an art activity based on the book. I love that she has hidden other animals in each illustration and challenges readers to find them. Information about the hidden animals is located in the back matter.

Over in the Forest is such a smart book! Marianne Berkes covers a ton of bases with each set of two stanzas. You get information about the names of different animal babies, feeding habits, and a good lesson on using vivid verbs or writing dialogue in the space of eight verses. These poems would be great for shared reading lessons in kindergarten. I really like that each poem follows a predictable pattern which is helpful for beginning readers. I think the publisher should make this available in a big book format. In addition to all of this, the back matter contains a paragraph about each featured animal, tips from the author about looking for animals outside and a list of activities that can be done inside. Jill Dubin adds a terrific step-by-step account of how she created the illustrations. Over in the Forest would be an excellent addition to the nonfiction collection of a primary grade classroom.

The other books in the Over in the … series have PDF activities on the Dawn Publications website, so I suspect that you will see a similar set of activities in the near future for Over in the Forest.

— STEM Friday (January 6, 2012)

Much like Jo MacDonald Had a Garden and generously provided in review form from the same publisher, Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek is patterned after a well known childhood song, “Over in the Meadow.” Counting, nature, animal families, and animal tracks all come into play as the song progresses, illustrated by Jill Dubin and written by Marianne Berkes. Starting from one, we see mother animals with their babies. For example for the number five involves a turkey family:

Over in the forest
Where wild berries thrive
Lived an old mother turkey
And her little poults five.

“Scratch,” said the mother.
“We scratch,” said the five.
So they scratched on the ground
Where the wild berries thrive.

The animals featured are beavers, deer, possums, turtles, turkeys, squirrels, woodpeckers, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. My favorite extra in the book were the animal tracks on each page that matched the subject animals. Cultivating an interest in the natural world, as well as animals in their natural habitats, makes this a great choice for veg families. A number of pages at the end of the book act as a teaching guide useful for expanding on the lessons of the book. I know my three year old daughter was especially excited about footprints after we read this together.

Well crafted books are a treat and this definitely falls into that category. The stated age range is 3 to 8 but I imagine at each age and stage different aspects of this book will be of interest, even if your singing voice (like mine) is not always up to the task. My favorite sung version of “Over in the Meadow,” if you are looking for the song, is by Raffi.

— Vegbooks – Homa Woodrum (February 22, 2012)

Over in the Forest is definitely my favorite. I must admit that I read it to my 5-year-old and he LOVED it. The story line is consistent and age-level appropriate. It’s also very fun to find the hidden animals and look at the tracks. This is a great way to introduce animals and animal families with Pre-K-1st grade readers. I also love the artwork–this is something that could be carried over into a classroom assignment. More importantly, from a teacher perspective, this is the kind of book that you would feel good about purchasing for your classroom–one that could be used for many years.

— National Gardening Association – Rose Judd Murray (Feb. 21, 2012)

Do you know what baby opossums are called? Based on the rhythm of the folk song “Over in the Meadow,” author Marianne Berkes’s latest counting book in rhyme presents various forest animals and their offspring, from a mother beaver and her “little kit one” to a father red fox and his “little kits ten,” including a shy mother ‘possum and “her little joeys three,” all beautifully portrayed by Jull Dubin’s cut-paper illustrations. In addition to the reinforcement of learning how to count, children are introduced to the different creatures and their babies. Following the tracks of these ten woodland animals, young readers will become acquainted with how to leap like a squirrel and dunk like a raccoon. And, of course, you know what the nine little skunk kits do, don’t you?

To help make the book interactive, there is a hidden animal at each opening for youngsters to hunt and find. And to provide even more educational value, there are pages in the back with further information about the temperate forest ecosystem, the hidden animals, and the main animals pictured, along with tips from the author and the illustrator, and finally the complete song with both music and words. Over in the Forest will be a delight for young and not-so-young nature lovers. Other Dawn Publications books in the “Over” series by Berkes include Over in Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under; Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme; Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef, all three of which I have previously reviewed; and Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow.

— Home School Book Review – Wayne Walker (March 5, 2012)

As much as we liked the last book, I think we liked Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Jill Dubin even more. This picture book might be aimed at a slightly higher age range, so that could be the reason; however, I think it’s because this book did such a wonderful job of combining fun and learning.

OVER IN THE FOREST can be read to the tune of Over in the Meadow. In fact, the book includes the entire song with music and lyrics. The story shows a variety of woodland animals with cute cut paper illustrations. I loved how this book teaches children not only about woodland animals, but also the names of their young. In addition, the book counts the animals up from one to ten; and it also shows the different animals’ tracks.

The book was very cute but I was most pleasantly surprised by the ending. Each page of the book includes some surprise creatures. Booking Son loved going back and finding these hidden animals. Thankfully, there is a key in the back of the book with illustrations and explanations for each animal. I admit that I couldn’t always find the creature, but he didn’t seem to have the same issues I did.

In addition to the hidden animals, there are other great sections at the back of Over in the Forest. Once again, it’s the educational section that really makes this book outstanding. There is an explanation of what a forest is as well as details about all ten of the animals featured in the book/song. There are also some tips from the author about being a wildlife detective and there is a list of additional resources (both books and online) that will help children discover more about forest animals. Another interesting section is titled Tips from the Illustrator where she details how she went about creating the pages of this book.

I can’t stress how perfect Over in the Forest is for classrooms. It is also available in hardcover or paperback and I think both are reasonably priced. The book is fun and educational and sure to be a hit. (Booking Son said that he was afraid to take it in to his classroom because the kids might fight over the book!) The publisher has provided a few downloadable activities to supplement the book including a bookmarks and some classroom ideas.

I was extremely impressed with Over in the Forest and I highly recommend it as a fun way to learn about the forest.

— Booking Mama – Julie Peterson (February 11, 2012)

One of those books that should be included in every second grade classroom library because it entertains, while presenting facts.

Other advantages of this book include discussion questions and a musical score. Music teachers can include this verse to music reinforcing the reading skills being used in the classroom.

— Grade Reading – Ann Norris (August 21, 2012)

If you know the song “Over in the Meadow” and like its rhythm, you will be ahead of the game when you read “Over in the Forest” by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin. If you buy it for someone who is learning to count, he or she will thank you.

Atlanta artist Dubin shows great imagination in her blend of textures and colors and tiny bits of material that bring to life squirrels, opossums, deer, box turtles and other wildlife. Berkes has fashioned lyrical text that matches the familiar rhythm and introduces young readers ( or listeners) to woodland creatures and numbers.

The book is recommeded for children, ages 3-8. Even after they learn how to count and instantly recognize the animals, more information about the animals and their habitat is included.

The experience of Over in the Forest is an enjoyment for folks of any age. Adult readers will fall in love with it as quickly as the young listener. Don’t sell it short! Look close. You’ll see more than you first expected.

— Waycross Journal-Herald – John Scott Cooper (February 16, 2012)

Marianne’s book allows children to move from passive to active learning as they count and sing and share in the excitement of each new forest animal discovery. Young readers will be delighted with every turn of the page.

— David Alexander, author, Hop Into Action, The Amphibian Curriculum for Grades K-4 (September 2011)

I’ve found a new favorite gift to give to all the young (and not-so-young) nature lovers in my life! Kids will love the catchy rhymes and colorful collages. Teachers will appreciate the accurate science, fun vocabulary and additional resources. This book is a wonderful example of using science content to enhance literacy instruction.

– Shawna Crocker, Colorado Coordinator, Project Learning Tree (September 2011)

What a darling book! Children of all ages will enjoy the delightful rhythm and engaging artwork. The hidden animals and wildlife tracks will sharpen little ones’ observation skills, getting them ready for even bigger discoveries outdoors! And the newsy wildlife information and suggested activities will transform a fun read into a learning adventure.

— Nancy Herron, Senior Associate, Children & Nature Network (September 2011)

Ever since we began our 365 Days Outdoors challenge, you have been fascinated with animal and bird watching! We’ve made bird nesting kits, taken several nature walks, and even went to see some beautiful animals at the zoo. Each time you pass a window in our house or are strolling on the nature trails you are constantly on the look-out for any type of wildlife that you can find. That’s why I knew your would enjoy the book, “Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek” by Marianne Berkes. Not only is it chalk full of critters from the forest, but it is also read like a song – a wonderful song from Mama’s youth.

The first layer of our picture is the forest floor covered in grass. I saw this fun activity on Smiling Like Sunshine for painting with marbles, and thought you would have fun swirling them around on the paper. Here’s what we needed for the first part:

White construction paper ~ marbles ~ green paint ~
a shoebox ~ a paper plate ~ wipes

You dipped the marbles into the paint while I placed the paper into the shoebox. Then you tossed them in and shook the box up to make “grass.”

We let that dry for a good part of the day and then gathered the items needed for the second step…Woodpecker Footprints! Recently, one of my favorite blogs that I go to for “artsy inspiration” (Red Ted Art) began a series called Daily Creativity. Her first tip for “nurturing creativity” was potato printing – so that’s just what we used for our prints. I cut the potato to make a bird-like footprint and then we started stamping!

(Materials: potato ~ knife ~ brown paint ~ original picture ~
paper plate ~ sponge brush for your toes)

Before we began the woodpecker prints, we talked about how your foot can make a print outside when you are walking. To actually show you what I was talking about, we let your feet do a little stamping of their own.

After we made your prints, we talked about how a bird can make footprints too. You looked around the yard trying to find a bird and pointed a couple out when I mentioned them. Me and Daddy showed you how to use the potato stamper and then let you try it out yourself!

You had so much fun making prints, that I know we’ll try some out again. There are so many different animals that we could use for our next one.

Additional Activities:
~ Vocabulary Reinforcement: Create a matching game with mother and baby animals similar to the one created by Rainy Day Mum’s son.

~ Outdoor Fun: Head out to the forest to see what animals you can spy along the way. Don’t forget to look for animal tracks!

~ Movement: Play charades by acting out the animals from the forest!

~ Science discovery: There are 10 additional “hidden” animals throughout the book. Find them and discuss their actions and baby names.

~ Early Numeracy skills: Break out the playdough along with some number shaped cookie cutters and practice making impressions.

~ Using your senses: Talk about and practice the sounds that each animal makes. If you have any type of toy animals lying around, use them to make an Outdoor Sound Sort.

Thank you so much for stopping by! If you enjoyed this activity, please join us on Facebook. You can even explore our boards on Pinterest if you are looking for more inspiration for play, learning, and nurturing little global citizens of the world.

— Famiglia & Seoul – Gina Kimmel (June 29, 2012)