Book Club: Ballerina! by Peter Sis

 

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In this adorable little board book – Ballerina! – we meet Terry who loves ballet and learn about different colors as the story progresses. The book has simple illustrations of black and white with the colorful illustrations being those in the picture frame or mirror of the different ways in which Terry dances.

Physical Education

This book presents the opportunity to get up and move with your preschoolers and young children. Here are a few of the ways in which you and your children can get active after reading Ballerina:

• Stretch
• Twirl
• Leap
• Reach
• Dip
• Flutter
• Float

Music Education 

In addition to practicing your dancing moves, you and your children can listen to and watch different ballets including those mentioned in the book: 

• The Nutcracker
• Swan Lake
• Cinderella

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker 

Swan Lake Act II

Cinderella Overview 

Learning the Colors 

Whether your children know their colors or need some help, this book presents a great opportunity to review the different colors as Terry pretends to dance. If you have different colored scarves – green blue, violet, red, pink, yellow, white – you could imitate the moves of the book as you call out the colors. For example: "Leap for Red" or "White for Dip." 

Painting a Ballerina 

Bringing art into your day can be quite easy. I sketched a ballerina for our children to paint. We used Kwix Stix Tempura Paint and they turned out very colorful!

In addition to painting your own ballerina, one could study famous artists like Edgar Degas and view some of his paintings and sculptures.

painting by Degas from wpClipart.com

 

Resources

• Edgar Degas: Painting and Drawing at The Met
• Fun Facts About Ballet Dancing from Easy Science for Kids 
• A Brief History of Ballet from Atlanta Ballet 

Looking for more fun activities centering around children's books? Our children have read about flamingos and created masks, journeying into space with a Mousetronaut, and made dog puppets when reading about pugs.