Wake Up, Mama by Hope Vestergaard
Illustrations by Thierry Courtin
It may seem a bit early to be developing your child’s comprehension of texts, but the truth is: it isn’t! Of course, don’t turn these questions into a quiz show, just have fun searching for the answers together, and looker deeper than you might otherwise!
Knowledge:
- Where is Mama?
- What room in the house is she probably in?
Comprehension:
- Who does baby look more like: Mama or Daddy?
- What is baby going to do to Mama?
Application:
- How do you like to wake up your Mommy?
- What are your favorite things to climb?
Analysis:
- What is the first thing baby crawls over?
- What is the last thing baby does?
Synthesis:
- Why does it say, “ Pass her piggies- please don’t tickle!” What would happen if baby tickled?
- Do you like to climb in bed with your Mommy?
Evaluation:
- Which picture is your favorite?
- What’s your favorite part of the story? Why? Does it match the picture?
Multiple Intelligence Projects for
Wake Up, Mama! by Hope Vestergaard
Illustrations by Thierry Courtin
Verbal/ Linguistic
One of the best ways to promote literacy in children is to read and reread and reread again the same story over and over. While it can get a bit monotonous for parents, it is only in this repetition that children build the blocks for reading. SO, give yourself over to reading Wake Up Mama at least three times in a row!
Teach your child the classic Mother May I. Remember it? Have one child be the mother. This child stands at the end of the room. The other children stand opposite of the "mother". The children must take turns asking "Mother may I take ____ (number) ______ ." (May stand for baby steps, giant steps, frog leaps etc.) The mother grants the wish only if the child has said mother may I. The first one to mother becomes "mother". Then it starts all over again.
Mathematical/ Logical
Cut out large squares of two-color construction paper. (It could be the same colors as Mama’s quilt in Wake Up Mama, to make the game more fun!) Then, set up patterns with the color. Pink, orange, pink, orange, and then ask child to put down the color that would come next. Increase complexity with age! (From A, B, A, B…. to A, A, B, A, A, B and so on.)
-or-
Cut up a variety of color of squares (or just snag pairs of socks of a variety of colors from family members) and practice matching colors!
Visual/ Spatial
Focus on Colors:
Look through the book one final time, and talk about the colors on each page. After several days of this, start asking child to point to one color throughout the whole book. Multiple opportunities for success will help them remember! A fun way to follow up is to make a color collage. Find scraps and items from all over the house of the focus color and collect them together to make a color sculpture. Once one color is established, move on to the others!
Make a gift for mom:
Take a small snack size cereal box and cut all but the bottom two inches away on three sides. Leave one side on (but not the top), and paint the inside of the box to look like a window. Paint the outside of the rectangle to look like a flower box. Then, put some play doh or other clay into the bottom, and push in some silk or dried flowers. Give mom her miniature window box planter… perhaps with some breakfast in bed?
Body/ Kinesthetic
Read Wake Up Mama aloud and “act out” the book as it is being read. Then, for fun, change roles! A big sib can read or play Mama. Also fun to play this with stuffed animals!
Musical/ Rhythmic
Put baby on your lap and as you read the text to Wake Up Mama clap out the syllables with baby’s hands between yours. This will help them hear the changes in sound, and help develop their phonemic awareness- an important pre-reading skill!
-or-
Sing to the tune: Here We go Round the Mulberry Bush
Here I go over the Mama Mountain
the Mama Mountain
the Mama Mountain
Here I go over the Mama Mountain
so early in the morning!
Sing to the tune: Frere Jacques
Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
My Mama?
My Mama?
I am going to wake you!
I am going to wake you!
My Mama.
My Mama.
Interpersonal
Ownership is important to toddlers! Take a basket and collect items around the house from various members. Then, put a picture out of each family member and help baby sort the items to whom they belong. You’ll be surprised how well they can do it without prompting!
Intrapersonal
Play emotional charades. Have each family member take turns acting as if they are: tired, sad, hurt, excited, and mad. Help baby to recognize these important feelings, and “show” the actor how much you care!
-or-
Give baby a plain paper plate to decorate with whatever art supplies you choose. Then, tape a family picture in the middle of the frame, and hang above baby’s bed.
