Preschool Storytime: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

As you read this book by Eric Carle with your class, the children can enjoy a simple story with a big message. This book is full of colorful collage pictures with each page featuring a new animal that does a special movement. Then the child on the next page copies the movement with a part of their body and shouts, "I Can Do It." As you read this story to your group, invite the children to copy each movement and have some fun.

How Children Can Learn From this Book

This story uses repetition - the words repeat over and over again. Encourage your group to "read" along with you as they learn the pattern. This story also teaches about basic body parts from head to toe. When the children move a body part like the animal does, they learn the name for that body part and also different animals.

The children characters in the book copy the animals and say, "I Can Do It." This is a good story for building a child's self esteem. This book also builds confidence in beginning readers because so many words and phrases are repeated so even preschool children can help you "read" the book. Children learn to listen and follow directions as they listen to your words and follow the animal's directions in order to know what body part to move and how to move it. Animals are cool, especially when they do what kids can do!

Enhance the Book With Activities

Read the story aloud, stopping after each animal says a body part and a movement. Ask the children, "What else can you do with your head? Your neck? Your shoulders? Your arms? " Continue through all the body parts mentioned in the book. Take all the body movements mentioned in the story and create a fun dance to do with the children. Play some music and move to the beat!

Invite the children to play "follow the leader." Take turns playing this game where a child points to a body part and say its name. Invite her to show a movement to the class and tell about it just like the animals in the book. "I am (name of the child) and I can (movement) with my (body part)." Have the other children copy the movement. Later during an art session, ask the children to draw a picture of themselves doing a movement and the teacher (or adult) can write this statement under the drawing - "I Can Do It."

Make your own classroom book together. Using a digital cameral take pictures of the children doing the activities in this book (and other movements as well). Glue these photos in a group book and write the children's dictation about what they are doing at the bottom of the pictures. Older children may be able to write a few words or sign their names at the bottom. Here are a few more ideas of movements for your book:

I can cut with scissors...

I can paint...

I can color with crayons...

I can hop on one foot...

I can walk around a circle...

I can count to _____.

I can recite the alphabet.

As you read From Head to Toe by Eric Carle during preschool storytime, your children will not only enjoy a fun story but also will learn about animals and body parts as well. Eric Carle has a vast collection of stories to enlighten your class that can be obtained at your local library.