My kids love when I tell them a story, especially when it’s their favorite story. Sometimes, my son will tell me his own version during story time. It’s really awesome to see how much he remembers!
He doesn’t know how to read yet (that will come with practice); but, he asks to hold the book to flip through the pages and tell me the story.
Story time is special at our house. I try to carve out a good 30 minutes for that everyday. Sometimes that 30 minutes is broken up into two 15-minute story times.
Why is Story Time Important
Story time is important for your child’s imagination. It helps your child picture places and things and people. It helps them develop language and listening skills and later understand written words. Reading also develops a closer relationship between you and your child.
Read: 10 Reasons Why You Should Read to Your Kids
You can make story time even more special by adding activities that go along with the story or having a Book Box with items that help them retell the story to you.
What is a Book Box
I love the idea of a Book Box. My friend Beth from Days with Grey says “introducing your little one to a book box helps your preschooler retell a familiar story.”
A Book Box doesn’t have to be complicated at all. All it needs is your preschooler’s favorite book and some fun supplies to help your child retell the story (all stored in a box). Keep it where your child can grab it and practice. I will be keeping ours on our library shelf near our activity corner.
Beth tells you why it’s important to do this activity in her post: Retell Mouse Count with Book Boxes.
I thought it would be so fun to do a craft to go along with Beth’s Mouse Count Book Box! So, I am making Counting Mouse Rocks! Beth and I thought it would be a great idea to team up together to bring you a well-rounded activity to do with your preschooler.
So, watch this video on how to make Counting Mouse Rocks, make your mouse rocks and head on over to Days with Grey to put together your Book Box and find out how to do the activity.
**You can use these mouse rocks in place of the lacing beads in Beth’s activity.
How to Make Counting Mouse Rocks
Items to make Counting Mouse Rocks
- 10 rocks (I used garden rocks I had. You can do that too or go for a hunt for rocks around your neighborhood)
- twine
- blue, white, black, and orange/pink acrylic paint
- paint brush
- hot glue and gun
- scissors
**Other Counting Mouse Rock Activities soon to be up on the blog! Stay tuned!
Tag @themamaworkshop and @dayswithgrey on Instagram showing the fun you had with the Mouse Count Book Box Activity and the Counting Mouse Rocks!
Please note, I am not a credentialed teacher. This is simply what we do at home. Please use what works for you and to help supplement your child’s learning.
This is such a fun activity! We are going to do this activity soon! I think we’ll go for a rock hunt around the yard and see what we can find 🙂
Yes! A rock hunt would be great for this! We just happened to have a bucket of garden rocks left by the previous owner. I think you can only get them in 30lb. bags. So, a rock hunt would be much better.