“The greatest pleasures of reading consist in re-reading.” (
Vernon Lee) Today you and your child went home with a brand new book, This Little Piggy Played the Fiddle. I am sure that you will be reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading this book all week! For adults, re-reading brings the opportunity to ponder, catch nuances and remember details. Children, although at a different level and pace, also benefit from re-reading. Their “need” to re-read is evidenced by requests to “read it again.” Although their need is a subconscious one, it is important because it takes repetition to solidify learning. So as you re-read This Little Piggy Played the Fiddle, try these interesting variations:
- Make sounds for each of the instruments mentioned.
– Fiddle – zin, zing, or ziggle, ziggle
– Drum – boom-bam, rum-pum-pum, bomp, rat-a-tat-tat
– Whistle – pick a favorite tune to “tweet” (a young child’s whistle)
– Hum – ask them to hum their favorite tune, then guess what it is
- Help your child name each little piggy.
– Can name them by colors, or names that rhyme with their musical-ness
- Make up a tune to go along with the words.
– I like the melody from Joe Scruggs, “The Last Little Piggy” ***
- Encourage your child to use her finger to “follow” the bee !!!!!
– Great for eye hand coordination
– Also builds awareness of moving through space in specific ways
- Read the book while doing the traditional “toe wiggle.”
- Make up five more “this little piggy” ideas for five more toes.
- Talk about what the other animals might be doing, and how the piggy’s are going through their day. Make up your own story about the piggy’s day, by filling in details about: who, where, why, what, when, and how.
- Or… create your own variations.
I hope you enjoy your book!