“Oskar Loves…” By Britta Teckentrup
I’ll just confess: if its a book done by Britta Teckentrup, then I can’t resist! I have loved every book of hers that I have read thus far. So when I met Oskar on the cover of this book and found out it was by Britta I knew I had to have it. To no surprise, I was definitely not disappointed! Little Oskar is one of the most lovable picture book characters that I have ever come across.
The text is incredibly simply, and there really is no story. Its basically just a list of all the things that adorable Oskar loves such as fall leaves, reading, red cherries, his favorite pebble, and so forth. I love how it focuses on optimism and the beauty in the simple things around us. It is just an all around happy book that is bound to make you smile. Then at the end it poses the simple question “What do you love?” Which sparked my idea for the Beyond the Book activity.
First though, here is a peek inside the wonderful “Oskar Loves…” out October 25th. To pre-order this book through Amazon click here. *affiliate link
Beyond the Book Activity
This one is incredibly simple. As I mentioned, the last line in this book asks: “What do you love?”. So, to go beyond the book pose this question literally to your little one. Select a container, such as a paper lunch sack or a box and go on a scavenger hunt with your child to gather the things they love the most. It is a fun idea to point out to your child that not everything they love may fit in the box or may be something that is tangible. Challenge them to also think of abstract things such as puddles or going to the park with mom. These things can be represented by a small object or your child can draw a picture of it so it is included. Below is a photo of some of my 3 year olds favorite things. He loves hugs so that is represented with a paper heart and the weed represents his love for the outdoors.
This activity would also be fun in a group setting as a “show and tell” type activity. You could have each child in the group bring their favorite things in a paper lunch sack and then take turns sharing it. For a fun twist you could mix all the bags up before sharing and have the kids try and match the bags with each child after the contents are revealed by a designated person. The possibilities are endless.
If you give this Beyond the Book activity a try I’d love to hear how it goes! Share it on Instagram using hashtag #beyondthebook (I’m on Instagram as @book.nerd.mommy) or even just comment here with your thoughts. It would make my day! Or to simply save for later pin the image below.
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