Monthly Archives: September 2009

Baby Books – Goodnight Moon – What’s Your Version?

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Classic Baby Bedtime Book

Classic Baby Bedtime Book

I’ve often wondered why a book as simple as Goodnight Moon has been such a runaway hit for generations.

I know parents who’ve read it a few hundred times to their little ones. (You’re probably one of them.) I’ve seen it being mentioned in movies. I don’t know a single recommended reading list for babies that doesn’t include Goodnight Moon.

How could something so simple be so powerful?

Precisely because it is. Simple. I guess.

Long before I began reading Goodnight Moon to my daughter, we had developed a bedtime ritual that wasn’t very different from the idea in the book. We would carry our baby in our arms and take her to every room in the house, wishing every picture frame, light bulb, window, her toys and books, the moon and stars and her dear grandfather’s portrait and pretty much everything in her line of view and ear shot, a good night.

It’s not like we planned to do it.  The bedtime ritual pretty much created itself and stuck with us. Sometimes, a specific toy or new book would get a special mention in our goodnight tour. Sometimes, we’d wish her imaginary pals. Almost every night, we would recollect the names of all her cousins and wish them a good night!( even if the day was just beginning in their part of the world)

And so, a ritual that began as a bedtime game to get her into sleep mode, has become a habit. Something she has come to expect and we have come to include almost subconsciously into our routine.

And so, when you think about it, it’s not surprising that Goodnight Moon is so popular. It’s probably a ritual that many of us do with our kids, instinctively and naturally. By including familiar objects in their bedtime ritual, we help them feel more comfortable and relaxed. (Or so we think. They’re probably just buying time and having the last laugh. )

Goodnight moon is considered a classic among books for babies, not because it has a ground-breaking idea. It doesn’t. Or because the writing is dramatically different or creative. It’s not. It’s just a book about a little bunny going to bed. Or trying to stall bedtime.

It’s a timeless classic simply because it captures the essence of a simple, universal bedtime ritual in beautifully illustrated pages that your baby (and mine) can relate to.

Whenever I read Goodnight Moon to M, I realize that there are probably as many versions of Goodnight Moon out there as there are babies.

And I’m curious, what’s your version of Goodnight Moon? I’d love to know.

Activities to try with the book:

- Spot the objects mentioned in the poem

- Guess what objects appear on the next page

- Be the first to find the gray mouse on each page

- Name the objects that are not in the poem

- Make up your own Goodnight Moon poem, using the rhyme scheme or cadence as reference

When you’re not reading with your baby…

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…You could try one of these other activities that support language development, improve comprehension and enrich vocabulary. You could try these even on the busiest of days when you’re just not able to find those few quiet minutes to read. Or you could use them as ways to engage your child on the road or when you have a long wait ahead of you.

Listen to the news together.
This works best when you incorporate it into your routine. For example, our car’s radio station is almost always tuned in to NPR. So when I’m dropping my daughter off at daycare or picking her up or running errands, we listen to the news or news-related discussions or at the very least, a traffic beat. My daughter has come to enjoy these sessions almost as much as I do and has begun following the words and phrases being spoken very closely. Every time she hears a phrase or interesting word she is familiar with, she exclaims to me, ” Mommy, he said (that-phrase-I-know)” Sometimes, she asks me questions. “Why did they say that?” “Who is that talking?” I think this is a great way for kids to pick up language, pronunciation and general knowledge, even if they’re just a year old. Maybe you could switch between music and news or something else. Mix it up. Or have a schedule. The point is to encourage your baby to listen to words being spoken by different people, maybe with different accents or even in different languages. Try it at home as you fix dinner or get kids ready for school. Or turn on the radio instead of the television on alternate nights.

Read out and explain signs. As you walk or drive to a destination, point out to signs in front of you – store names, road signs, route numbers, posters on walls, advertisement hoardings – anything in print.  Depending on their age, either explain what the signs mean or give them a chance to guess.  If you have older kids just learning to read or more than one child with you, this could even turn into a non-competitive game during road trips, shopping trips or neighborhood walks. This helps keep them engaged and may help delay the inevitable “Are we there yet?” (Be sure to keep your eye on the road, of course!)

Introduce your child to different languages. If you speak more than one language at home or if you have family members coming from different cultures, now is the best time to expose your baby to those. Show her books that are written in a different language. Play music from other cultures. Listen to plays or the news in a different language. Encourage grandparents, uncles and aunts on both sides of your family tree to speak in their native tongue around your baby. While too many fragments of languages may confuse a baby, if you consistently speak in two languages at home, then in all likelihood your baby will pick them up with equal fluency and ease.

Have conversations. Baby talk is fine. And comes naturally to most of us when we’re around babies. It seems to delight babies and is a great way to get their attention. But, don’t limit your interactions with your baby to baby talk. Especially as she grows older. When your baby is a few months old, engage her in real conversations every once in a while. You could ask her which dress she’d like to wear or how her day at daycare was in a normal tone. Tell her about your day or where you’re going, who you’ll be meeting, what you’ll do at the park today…just everyday stuff that you might say to another adult. Use the same language and tone as you would when talking to a friend.

Discuss books and stories. You don’t have to be reading to enjoy a favorite story. As you’re doing chores, driving, giving your baby a bath or going for a stroll in the park, recollect her favorite stories by narrating them yourself or by jogging her memory with questions or by making up songs. When you see a spotted dog on the street, you could exclaim, “Look there’s a dog that looks just like Spot in your book!” Or, if you happen to see a train, recollect a few lines or words from Freight Train or The Goodnight Train. Making associations with familiar objects helps reinforce concepts, words and stories.

Baby Book Review – Where’s Spot?

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Where's Spot“No!!” “No!” “No!”

The nightmare no parent can escape. The day their child learns to say and use ‘No’. Repeatedly.

But, there is actually one instance when it’s kind of cute (!!) to hear your little one say ‘No’ over and over. And that is when you read Where’s Spot with him. This classic board book about a Mommy dog looking for her son Spot at dinner time is a great choice for infants, older babies and toddlers alike. That’s because it has enjoyable elements that they don’t outgrow for a long time.

When your baby is really young, you’ll probably have to do all the lifting and turning in this lift the flap board book. On each page, you and your baby will help Spot’s Mom look for Spot inside the clock, under the bed, under the stairs and rug. As you lift each flap and ask the question ‘ Is he (here)?’, your baby will be delighted to hear you say ‘ No!”. The suspense builds as you look for him in various places, discovering other hidden animals along the way, before finally finding Spot just in time for supper.

As your baby grows, he’ll be excited to lift the flaps himself and say “No” as you turn each page together. (Don’t be surprised if a few flaps go missing after some time. There’s only so much patience and gentle handling you can expect from a toddler! Use your hands to cover Spot’s probable hiding places instead to make it all the more fun for your little one to lift your palm and look for Spot.)

Soon your toddler will probably be able to ‘read’ the sentences from memory and answer the question himself. “Is he behind the door?” ” No! “. This is a fun phase. Because, you don’t really have to do much except sit back and watch him do all the reading, lifting and discovering. And although you both know that he knows where Spot really is, it’s fun to watch him wonder if he’s behind the door or under the bed.

My little girl received Where’s Spot as a gift when she was about 5 months old. She enjoyed it through her first and second year. Although she is 3 now and has probably outgrown it, and although the now tattered book has seen better days….I still don’t have the heart to discard it…just yet. Every time I look at the familiar blue and yellow cover, I’m reminded of the countless times my daughter and I have looked for and found Spot together. There’s just something about that memory that I haven’t still outgrown myself.

Also,

- It’s a compact sized book – light and easy to carry, may fit in your bag. So is a good choice for a road trip or long flight.
- If supper time is a struggle with your child, you could use the simple hide and seek concept in this book to get your kid to eat. Play a mock hide and seek game and every time you ‘find’ him, he has to come back and eat a bite or a spoonful.