Polar bear habits contrasted with cupcake consumption patterns
Hey there! Let me tell you about one of my little ones' all-time favorite books - Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr., ya feel me? This bad boy is pretty much a preschooler's dream come true! With its catchy rhymes and animal sounds, it's a total hit!
And guess what? We just had to pick it for this month's round of Virtual Book Club for Kids! If you ain't familiar, this book club is all about sharing kid-friendly book-inspired crafts, activities, recipes, and more. Just check out our Pinterest board for a boatload of ideas!
So, back to the book. It's like a kid-friendly version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? but instead of looking, you're listening! Our preschooler can't get enough of it, making the animal sounds each time we turn a page. It's seriously the best, and you know you can read it over and over again without getting bored.
After we've finished reading, we like to play Animal Sound Charades! It's a simple game where we each take a turn making an animal sound, and our little ones have to guess which animal it is. It's harder and funnier than you'd think, especially when we have to make up sounds for some of the animals, like those fluting flamingos! These kind of games help your kiddo practice their story comprehension and recall skills.
Then, of course, it's time for some treats! Themed snacks are the bomb, and polar bear cupcakes were the perfect choice for this book. To make them, we just frosted our cupcakes with white frosting, cut marshmallows into ears, and used M&Ms for the eyes and nose. It's so easy, even your littles can help out!
Want to check out the book for yourself? Click here to learn more!
So, what's your take on this book? Share your favorite Bill Martin Jr. book here, and link up your blog post if you've written about it! And don’t forget to join our Virtual Book Club Newsletter for more bookish fun!
Now, here are a few creative activities and games to spice up your Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? experience:
- Story Sequencing: Cut out characters from the book and have kids sequence the story's events.
- Flannel Board Stories: Use flannel board pieces to retell the story, with colorful visuals for the kiddos.
- Retelling Packs: Create retelling packs with book characters, encouraging kids to retell the story in their own words.
- DIY Book Creation: Encourage kids to make their own book, featuring different animals and sounds.
- Polar Bear Crafts and Activities: Get crafty with polar bear masks, Arctic landscapes, and more!
Check out our Pinterest board for more Virtual Book Club ideas and sign up for our newsletter for updates on upcoming book clubs! Join the Virtual Book Club for Kids blog and connect with participating bloggers like Toddler Approved, The Educators' Spin On It, and many more!
- Engaging in a home-and-garden activity, we often reproduce the polar bear theme from the book by creating polar bear-inspired recipes, such as polar bear cupcakes, as a fun treat to complement our storytime.
- To further enhance the lifestyle experience, we suggest incorporating book-themed activities like story sequencing, flannel board stories, DIY book creation, and even Polar Bear crafts, which can all be found on our Pinterest board.
