Notes for adults

Age 1 · 5 min · Easy

Look for a duckling on the farm in a short story with repeated questions, big pictures, and animal sounds.

Learning objectives

• Look at or point to a picture named by an adult.
• Take part in the story with a gesture, look, sound, or word.
• Listen to repeated words and animal sounds.

What you need

• Printed story page

Safety notes

Stay with your child throughout the activity. Keep the paper out of their mouth and remove it if it begins to tear.

How to do it

1. Sit with your child and place the page where they can see it.
2. Show them the pictures and say, “Let's look for the duckling!”
3. Read the first question and point to the cow.
4. Continue the story, pausing so your child can look, point, or respond.
5. Show them the duckling and say “quack, quack” together.
6. Finish by waving to the duckling.

Teaching suggestions

• Give your child time to respond with a look, gesture, or sound.
• If they need help, point to the picture and name it.
• Read just one part again if your child would enjoy a shorter story.
• When you see an animal in a book or on a walk, recall the sounds from the story.

Variations

• Make it easier: Show one picture at a time and name each one.
• Add a challenge: Ask your child to find the cow and then the duckling without pointing first.
• Keep playing: Hide your hands behind your back, then show them and say, “Found them!”

Talk about it

• Where is the cow?
• Where is the barn?
• Where is the duckling?
• What does the duckling say?

What to look for

• Notice whether your child looks at or points to a picture you name.
• Notice whether they join in with a look, gesture, sound, or word during the repeated parts.
• Notice whether they respond to the sound “quack, quack.”