Storybook Week 5: Curious George Rides a Bike

Curious George Rides a Bike was written and illustrated by H. A. Rey and published in 1952.

1. Read the Story

Language Arts

Read the story Curious George Rides a Bike and/or watch the Storybook DVD.

2. Ride a Bike

Gross Motor Skills/Outdoor Activity

If your child has a bike, go for a bike ride together. If your child is too young for a bike but has another riding toy, use that instead. If your child does not have any riding toy, show him or her how to bicycle your legs in the air while lying on your back. Do pretend pop-a-wheelies this way. See who can "jump the bike" the highest.

3. Get Your Headlines Here

Story Interest/Money

Do you get a newspaper delivered to your house? Start a conversation with your child about how that newspaper gets to your house. Or if you get a magazine subscription, talk about how that magazine gets to your house. If you don't get newspapers or magazines, go to a local store to buy one. Talk about the person who sold the paper or magazine to you.

Pick one of these jobs (newspaper delivery, mail carrier, cashier) and research it with your child. You can simply describe the job and be on the lookout for the person who has that job in your neighborhood, or you can go as deeply into the research as you like. This is a link to the Bureau of Labor Statistics page about United States Postal Service mail carriers.

This may be a good time for a money lesson. Let your child know what your family pays for (home, groceries, clothes, electricity, TV service, etc.). If possible, let your child see the bills and see you paying them. Explain where your family's money comes from. Introduce the concept of having a job and being paid for it. If your child is old enough to ask for or desire money to buy something he or she wants, consider paying a wage for a job that is more than what they are normally expected to do around the house.

4. Make a Boat

Story Interest/Arts and Crafts/Science

Mathematische Basteleien has clear instructions for folding a boat out of paper.

For a baby: Draw a bath or a bowl full of water and float toy boats in it. Let baby play if possible (supervised extremely closely, of course).

For a toddler: Let your toddler watch you fold a boat for as long as it holds the toddler's interest. You may need to fold it later if interest wanes. When the boat is completed, draw a bath for the toddler and both of you can watch while the boat floats. Very soon, it will sink (due to getting wet) and need to be rescued. Have plastic bath boats on hand to replace it.

You may want to do the baby activity instead if that is a better fit for your toddler. Or do both!

For a preschooler: Both of you work on folding a paper boat at the same time. Don't forget to see if they float when you're finished.

For an older child: Show the instructions and demonstrate once by folding a paper boat. Then let your child try as many times as he or she wishes.

5. Make a Circus

Story Interest/Dramatizing

Depending on the age and interests of your child, do this activity either with small figures and doll-type decorations or in real-life size with stuffed animals, larger props, and yourselves as actors.

Small or large items (depending on your scale) that would make a fun circus:

Animals
Tents (toy tents, draped blankets, real tents, or dolls' or figures' umbrellas)
Musical instruments
Music playing in the background
Circus ringmaster and microphone (Here are some ideas for making a ringmaster costume, by Andrea Hermitt.)
Rope, yarn, or string (laid on the ground for a pretend tightrope)
Dancer or acrobat costume (think tights, leotards, and makeup)
Yoga mat for doing somersaults and other acrobatics
Mini trampoline
For dolls or figures, a colorful circular blanket or mat on which to arrange the circus
Clown costume or clown dolls
Popcorn, cotton candy, peanuts (for children who are old enough to safely eat these treats)
Bicycles, chariots, carts
Capes, crowns, scepters, wands
Magic implements, top hat

Now have fun!