Toddler Book Club - session 4 "Paddington"

I've recently started a "book club" for toddlers in our home (you can read more about how it works here - but the schedule has changed since!) and would love other bloggers to join in - so if you fancy reading the book and then doing a related activity (either what we do or something different), let me know. If you'd like to join in without blogging just leave a comment, or if you blog about it, give me your URL and I'll update the post to include your link :)

Here's a link to our first two sessions:
Elmer by David McKee
The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

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PADDINGTON

Ever since D first saw a trailer for the Paddington movie he's been obsessed by this little bear so we definitely couldn't not have him for a book club :) 

Paddington is a bear who arrives in London from deepest darkest Peru and is adopted by the Brown family. The books have been around forever (I read them as a child) but lots have been re-released because of the movie and you can get the stories in board books which is perfect when you have a baby with grabby little hands who would rip paper pages!!

Costumes essential!

Love them reading together :)

Snack: Bear toast

We made "Paddington faces" by cutting a circle out of toast, spreading it with peanut butter and then adding banana and raisins to make a face.

D is really into working out emotions at the moment and had lots of fun making Paddington "happy" or "sad" by changing the arrangement of raisins on his face :)

Activity 1: Mini Paddingtons

As soon as I saw these on Red Ted Art's blog I knew we had to try making them. You can read the full instructions here (and there's also a great YouTube video). Because I wanted D to be able to make his own I made it even more simple (e.g. by using sticky-backed felt for the coat) and made one alongside him so he could copy what I was doing. 

Drawing on the face

Sticking on his coat

Playing the trumpet?!

Gluing on the pegs

Putting on the hat

And the sign of a fun crafting activity? Every time he sees a loo roll now he asks to make another Paddington :)

I think D's one is amazing!

Activity 2: Marmalade and ice

I wanted Iz to be able to start joining in with book club so am also introducing some sort of messy/sensory play into each session from now on. This obviously wasn't really marmalade but instead I coloured some cooked spaghetti orange (see here for how) in homage to Paddington's favourite snack and also froze a few large ice blocks (coloured blue with food colouring). Both D and Iz really enjoyed this sensory bin so am definitely going to make them a regular feature of book club :)

 

How did it work?

I loved how much Iz could join in with the second activity and am going to try and incorporate as many "joint" activities as possible in future. This book is always a firm favourite with D and he loves dressing up in his Paddington outfit so we had a really fun day :)

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At our next book club we're reading "Lost and Found". If you've done any Paddington-related activities I'd love to hear below. Or if you're planning to join in next time it'd also be great to hear from you :)