Reading the Parent's Choice Award winning book, "A Dog Needs a Bone" is sure to delight and entertain preschoolers. In the book the dog promises himself that he won't act like a dog, yet he just can't resist his doggy instincts and dreams of a dog bone. Preschoolers will relate to the dog's need for his favorite doggy bone when his owner tries to feed him carrots, broccoli and peas. The artwork in the book is clear and uncluttered with hidden pictures of bones through out. Have the preschoolers look for bone shaped clouds, bone shaped shoe buckles, doggy bones on a quilt and all the other hidden bones in the book.
After reading the book, "A Dog Needs a Bone," preschoolers will understand the significance of the game "Doggy Doggy Where's Your Bone?" This game teaches children how to say a simple rhyme, take turns, be observant and keep a secret. Have the preschoolers sit on the floor. Choose one child to be the dog. Cover his eyes with a blindfold while you hand a small dog bone to another child who will sit on the bone to hide it. Have all the children put their hands behind their backs as if they are hiding the dog bone. Uncover the "dog's" eyes and have the children say the following rhyme.
Doggy, doggy, where's your bone?
Somebody stole it from your home.
Guess who! Maybe you . . .
Maybe the monkeys from the zoo.
Wake up doggy, find your bone.
The "doggy" has three guesses to find out which child really has his bone. Teach the children to keep it a secret and let the doggy guess. The child sitting on the bone is the next "doggy" and the game starts over.
Choose one preschooler to be the "dog" and have him go stand outside the classroom door (with adult supervision). The rest of the children will hide a paper dog bone somewhere in the classroom. When the "doggy" comes back into the classroom they say the rhyme from section one. The "dog" goes around the room and tries to find his hidden bone. The children can say he is getting hot when he is close to the bone or cold when he walks away from it to give clues about it's hiding place.
Simon is a dog trainer in this game and all the preschoolers are little dogs. The trainer gives the command, "Simon says sit" and all the "dogs" sit. The trainer can have his "dogs" roll over, beg, bark, wag tails, lie down or whatever he can think of that dogs like to do. All the "dogs" must obey just like the dog in the book, "A Dog Needs a Bone."
Teach the preschoolers the letter "D" after reading the book, "A Dog Needs a Bone." Give each child a coloring page with a dog on it and an outline of the letter "D." Practice the sound that "D" makes and spell out dog. The children can color their dog.
Give each child a plain white piece of paper and a flat dog bone treat. Tell the kids the dog bones are not cookies and they should not eat them. Put out some paint on paper plates. The preschoolers can dip their dog bone in the paint and then press it onto their paper and make a dog bone print.
Plan snacks and food based upon the book "A Dog Needs A Bone." Provide carrots, broccoli and dip for the preschoolers. Talk about nutrition and healthy food choices. Make small dog bone cookies and let the children decorate them as a treat.