As part of the Virtual Book Club for Kids, my co-hosts and I share activity ideas for preschoolers to help extend beloved books. While reading aloud is absolutely enough, kids often enjoy crafts and learning activities based on their favorite books. Below are some ideas if you want to extend some of your favorite ocean read alouds. Want exclusive content, like free chapters, news, and sweepstakes? Register for the newsletter here!

This book also asks the important question of what role purpose plays in having a meaningful life and whether a purpose needs to be meaningful or not. Some may believe that the Pout-Pout fish’s life seems to go from having no meaning to being meaningful after finding his purpose. Others may disagree and claim that his purpose is meaningless. This debate asks the important question of whether it is up to you or someone else to decide if your purpose is meaningful or worthwhile. Many activities can seem like a waste of time if one focuses on it, but perhaps it is a matter of perspective and how it affects people’s lives differently. For example, a man who spends his life counting all the blades of grass on his lawn may seem like he has a pointless purpose, but it may be completely meaningful to him or maybe even some others who know him to count all the blades of grass on his lawn. Considering this, we can begin to think about what makes a purpose worthwhile and meaningful. Does his purpose even need to have meaning? Hopefully, through this book, we can produce a productive conversation about purpose and meaningfulness. Questions for Philosophical Discussion Happiness It is a wonderful story about a beautiful, shiny fish who doesn’t like to share. He does however want friends. One day he shares just a single rainbow fin and with another fish and discovers the wonderful joy that comes from giving to others. Flowing, watery illustrations and developmentally appropriate concepts, it isn’t hard to see why this book has become a classic. This creative multi-step activity features a free printable of sight words for kids to dig up and find. It's an excellent way to develop word recognition skills. In the story The Pout Pout Fish, the main character is described as quite glum until another fish surprises him with a kiss. It is a sweet story that brings up different ways that might cheer someone up.

I chose The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School for the “First Week of Kindergarten” text set because Pout-Pout fish expresses many of the same worries students will have about school. A positive theme is reiterated throughout the book: You are smart, you can get it, you belong, so don’t forget it! This is a message I want my class to embrace as we begin to build classroom community in the first week of school. Deborah Diesen is an American children's book author. Her book The Pout-Pout Fish was chosen by Time magazine as a Top 10 Children's Book of 2008. [1] It was also selected for the Michigan Reads! literacy program. [2]

This fun song will have kids laughing all throughout. It's a musical way to learn about all sorts of under the sea creatures while developing oral language skills and boosting speaking confidence.This book encompasses anxiety in children who experience doubt and fear in their abilities and the pessimism that comes with it. This is amplified in the school environment where there is usually an emphasis on grades and performance, thus Mr. Fish's troubled mantras of self-deprecation. But through support and positive reinforcement from teachers and/or adult figures, it can drastically change the views of how children, and in this case fish, perceive themselves. This children's favorite Pout-Pout Fishis the inspiration behind this educational compound word activity. It's a great way to build core grammar skills while developing reading fluency.