There was an Old Lady Ages 2-6

The classic rhyming story told with colourful artwork and die-cutting. The books in this series are songs which help children to remember a number of things in a series forwards and backwards. As a sound, animal, piece of clothing or number is added, its shape is cut out on the page. When singing or "telling" the song there is a visual clue to the next in the series. Remembering things in a series is a mathematical and organizational skill. Doing it through song is fun. With the visual clue to the next in the series the children will be successful in keeping up with the adult. This helps a child gain confidence and raise his self- esteem - the feeling of "I can do it". They can then do it on their own or singing to a sibling. This book is a song to help remember things in a series. As each animal is swallowed by the Old Lady, there is a cut out shape of the animal placed over the top of the one preceeding. The concept of size is physically demonstrated as each animal is larger than the previous one. The song encourages the fun of nonsense and discussion of what is real and what is imagined.

Benefits:

* promotes fine motor development as child manipulates variety of shapes on the pages
* designed for child to interact with book in a physical way
* uses vocabulary to communicate animal sounds (Old MacDonald) (sensory perception)
* involves use of rhymes and patterns which repeat throughout the books (pattern books are excellent for children as they are very easy to memorize so the child very quickly can master these books)
* incorporates music as most of these books are also songs
* provides opportunities for developing sequencing skills as child attempts to remember sequence of animals, insects and birds
* demonstrates print is meaningful as text matches illustrations

Extended Thinking:

* child plays at reading as child reads book by memory
* assemble concrete animals, insects, birds, etc. described in the books (eg. a toy dog, toy fly, etc.) Then ask child to sequence these to match the stories. (this can be done after many repeated experiences with the books).

*Type of Book - participation books and pattern books
*Art Work - colourful, humourous drawings, cut out holes on each page