Read Along Book Activity with DOG

Matthew Van Fleet is the name behind numerous books that introduce kids to opposites, textures, colors, and basic biology. He uses animals to demonstrate the different concepts, giving them playful depictions and 3-D details. DOG is the perfect book for young dog lovers, the author employs liftable flaps, shaggy textures, and cleverly designed pull tabs to bring the doggy world to life.

This book is very interactive and presents multiple concepts making it easy to think up fun games to play along as we read.

Begin by asking your child a few probing questions to get them thinking about how this book relates to their life.

• Which dog name do you like? Which name is the silliest?
• Which breed do you like? Which most resembles your own dog?
• Which behaviors do you see your dog do?
• Who do we know that has these breeds of dog?

There are many opportunities to learn about the word DOG. I asked a few questions as we read along. What does it look like? How do you spell it? What are the sounds of each letter? What is the difference between dog and dogs?

Treasure Hunt with Matthew Van Fleet’s DOG

Excited by the many different descriptive adjectives presented in DOG, kids will have a great time searching their home for items that correspond with those found in the book. Armed with a basket, my little tot went around scouting for something to match the word I called out while reading.

Her exploration was fueled by simple questioning like:

• Do you have something drooly?
• Do you have something smooth?
• Do you have something sticky?

Here is our comparison of sizes! Teeny, little, medium and big.

More Read Along Games with Matthew Van Fleet’s DOG

• Make a memory game with the different names listed in the last pages
• Make a memory game with the various breeds named in the back
• Compare and contrast the differences and similarities in behavior for puppies and adult dogs, compare babies and adult humans

Not a dog lover? Read Van Fleet’s CAT instead!

Check out the author page for a complete selection for all Van Fleet’s bright, educational books.

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