Book and Gift Pairings for the Holidays

Books make great gifts any time of year. But what's even better? Books paired with a items meant to extend the enjoyment of the story! This Read, Discuss, Do! Gift Guide pairs some of our favorite books with other gifts meant to help extend the fun of the story beyond the last page and maybe even encourage some new experiences. We hope you find some good ideas for readers and doers in your life on this list. For Babies and Toddlers Hey, Bruce! by Ryan T. Higgins. Pair this super fun (and funny) interactive picture book with a black bear plush, such as this First and Main 10-inch Bear .  Stomp, Wiggle, Clap, and Tap: My First Book of Dance  by Rachel Burk and illustrated by Alyssa De Asis, a book that encourages imaginative play. Pair this book with a musical gift such as a music box or instrument. Or maybe a dance costume! More books for active babies and toddlers For Little Makers The Thingity-Jig by Kathleen Doherty and illustrated by Kristyna Litten will be a sure hit with lit

Story Time Activity: WHEN YOUR LLAMA NEEDS A HAIRCUT

by Rebecca J. Gomez

When Your Llama Needs a Haircut by Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman, is a delightfully silly board book about a llama (who needs a haircut, but doesn't want one), an insistent boy, and a pair of scissors. Not the best combination for a great hair cut, but it is a great combination for some fun reading! And when you pair it with a wacky hairstyle activity (with yarn, not real hair), it doubles the fun!

READ: When Your Llama Needs a Haircut

DISCUSS: Have you ever had a haircut you didn't like? How do you feel about getting your hair cut or styled? Why?

DO: Create a wacky hairstyle collage like the one pictured below.

You will need:
  • a printed photograph (or one cut from a magazine)
  • glue
  • scissors
  • construction paper or card stock
  • collage items such as yarn, fabric scraps, washi tape, torn paper--whatever you have lying around!
  • pencil (optional)
  • crayons or markers (optional)
Directions:

Gather your supplies. Cut around the photo of the person so that only the head and shoulders are showing. Glue it onto a sheet of paper, leaving plenty of space above it for the hair collage.

Note: I used a glue stick for the photo and white glue for the yarn and fabric.

Imagine what you want the finished hairstyle to look like, then design it using your chosen collage pieces. If it helps, draw your design with pencil before filling it in. In the sample pictured, I cut out a photo of my husband (he gave me permission to share it with you), then used yarn for the hair, a fabric strip for the bow, and washi tape along the hairline. Be as creative and wacky as possible!

Having trouble thinking of an idea? Use the images from When Your Llama Needs a Haircut for inspiration!

This craft originally appeared in a post on www.rebeccajgomez.com.









Comments

Mindy Baker said…
I love this! I am going to look for this. book!
Rebecca Gomez said…
It's a fun one, as is the whole series. This activity would go well with other hair-themed books too!