Have you ever read an entire book to your toddler or preschooler only to hear, "Read it again!"? At first, we are very excited that our little ones liked the book so much that they want it repeated. Then they request it again, and again, and again! Yes, repetition is an important part of learning, but six times in one sitting can be a bit much for grownups. As adults, we start thinking, "Isn't there something else I can do without breaking my child's love of books, yet keeping me from getting a migraine?"
There IS something else you can do - just CHANGE IT UP and KEEP IT FRESH!
Here are five easy examples for how to do just that with the book Three Little Pigs (various versions are available at the library!). Each change will help freshen up the story and fight the too-much-repetition doldrums.
If you find a book your child really, truly loves, you might invest in some puppets. There are full-size hand puppets or darling finger puppets. (Or make your own with socks and buttons!) I have used "Three Little Pigs" finger puppets outside where the children and I gathered up dried grass for straw, little twigs for sticks, and some small rocks for the bricks. The finger puppets are perfect for little fingers. This could also turn into an engineering lesson as the children try to build the little houses!
Make some magnetic characters. You can find color images by going to a search engine or app (like Google or Pinterest) on your computer. Search "Three Little Pigs printables." You will come up with loads of images. Pick one that is free and print them on cardstock, cut them out, and, if you like, laminate them. Put magnets on the back. As you retell the story, put the characters onto a magnetic board, refrigerator door, or metal cookie sheet. Then have the child tell the story while using the characters.
Sing songs at the appropriate time in the story. Just before the wolf arrives, I like to break out into the chorus of my all-time favorite, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" If you do not know that song, or need a refresher, YouTube is a big help.
Do not forget about acting out the story! Children can play all of the pig parts and you play the wolf, or vice versa. Personally, I love playing the wolf.
My final suggestion is to find books that are a take-off of the original Three Little Pigs story for an interesting change. Ask your friendly librarian for help in finding titles like this!
I hope this alleviates the adult doldrums when reading one book over, and over, and over again. Just remember to CHANGE IT UP, KEEP IT FRESH, and it will brighten the reading experience for you as well as your child!
Connie Lee Krute, Youth Associate, Pratt Library
