Librarians
Librarians use the books for family story hours and preschool story times, especially on themes of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, the Christmas season, National Poetry Month in April, Children’s Book Week in May, Mother Goose Day May 1st, family life, and bedtime. Discussions include activities and traditions you enjoy with your family, what you would wish for if you could make any wish, how to say “I Love You” in several languages. Activities include teddy bear picnics and pajama story times. “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” is used to celebrate Mother Goose Day May 1st. The book can be paired with other variations of traditional Mother Goose rhymes. Children are asked to make their own adaptations from traditional Mother Goose verses, and can color alternate endings or alternate characters to Mother Goose rhymes. Arts and crafts include making Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas cards, coloring teddy bears, and writing “dandelion wishes.” Decorating paper cookies and Christmas trees and sheep can be used as ornaments during the Christmas season. During the rest of the year decorating these shapes from the book can be used as crafts and as window light catchers. Print some bookmarks to give as handouts. Schedule an author visit.
Check out more Maryann Love Children’s Book activities here
Preachers
Preachers use the books as a meditation on finding God in each other and family life, for children’s liturgies, services for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and the Christmas season, and teaching families how to appreciate life’s daily joys and how to pray together. The books have been read and preached on from the pulpit, and work particularly well on the topics of God the Father (if God is truly a loving parent, what exactly does that mean?), “love one another as I have loved you,” “little children come to me,” finding God in all things, God and love in family life, and God as the Good Shepherd. Activities include coloring and decorating the sheep, making prayer cards (“What do the bears pray for? What do you pray for?), making “Miracle” cards (What miracles are you thankful for?), making and illustrating bedtime prayers, and making Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas cards.
Check out more Maryann Love Children’s Book activities here
Book Clubs
Book Clubs, such as Jason King’s “Turning the Page” in Washington, DC, use the book to encourage parents to read to their children, thus promoting literacy across generations. Activities include using the book to talk about good parenting skills, the importance of spending quiet, quality, family time, and the emotional as well as educational benefits of reading with your children at least twenty minutes every day. The simple, repeating rhymes and rhythms help parents who are non-readers or reluctant readers to feel greater confidence in reading and talking about these stories with their children. Arts and crafts include making Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas cards, coloring teddy bears, and writing “dandelion wishes.” Decorating paper cookies and Christmas trees and sheep can be used as ornaments during the Christmas season. During the rest of the year decorating these shapes from the book can be used as crafts and as window light catchers. Print some bookmarks to give as handouts.