Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? BFIAR Activities

Such an adorable story! I love how it is such a simple story yet holds so much opportunity for conversation, imagination, and observation. The pictures alone open doors for observing the day and the changes each day brings as it passes by from sun up to sun down. We discussed the morning sun and breakfast, noon time and lunch, evening and stars and daddy coming home from work, bath time, bed time, and the silence and stillness of the moon. 

Here are the things we got into to bring the story to life!

To start, we read the book at breakfast time and after our bible time. The bible verse we studied to go with the story was Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart makes no medicine."

During, after, and all week long, Ellie enjoyed pulling out her puzzle at the breakfast table by Melissa & Doug of the three bears. This puzzle allows you to choose their clothes and the emotion of their face. This puzzle alone produces incredible conversation. Ellie made up stories of the bear family and we called baby bear, Jesse Bear. 

One morning, we made "Jesse Bear pancakes" for breakfast. Ellie helped me measure, mix, and cook. We made all of the pancakes then on a platter, we fashioned Jesse Bear and dressed his pancake clothes (cut to resemble a shirt and pants), and Ellie decorated the clothes with gel food colors, a spatula, and sprinkles. Then she ate the pancake breakfast! Oh she so loved this project! She got to do it all and do a lot of decision making as well.

We went to an apple orchard where Ellie got to play in a massive sand box with other kids. It was so cute because on her own she pretended there were ants in her pants like Jesse Bear had. She ate her "Jesse Bear lunch" while on our field trip of apple, pear, celery with sprouts (she had Brussel sprouts because my husband didn't know there was a difference when he ran to the store for me and it worked!) Rice, carrots, and peas as well. She really loved her lunch all except the celery. She played hard outside getting good and dirty like Jesse Bear. 

We did some math with her apples when we got home by sorting size, color, and counting as we prepared to make applesauce. 

After we made apple sauce, we used the apples to make stamps and study shapes like the star within the apple. We studied circular and linear lines as she painted and stamped her apples. Then she was allowed to be really free with it and she made the most beautiful paintings! 

That night after many crafts and such following the apple orchard, she got a bath! A very special bath. Shaving cream with food coloring in a muffin tin and paintbrushes for her to play with in the tub, bubbles, and her toy boat, she was just like Jesse Bear! She loved the shaving cream paint and painted the tub a bit then mostly her own self which was hilarious. This bath was 35 minutes long, colorful, and sudsy and I had to make her get out she was having such a wonderful time! 

We also took time to play games together this week. We play games often but I was more intentional with it during this story. We played peek a boo with her Jesse Bear book actually...she found that hilarious. He played peek a boo with his blue blanket, but Ellie told me her pink blanket doesn't do that. So I told her I think her book did, and I hid behind it, the "Peek a Boo!!" And this made her laugh; even at 3 she finds this game fun. We also played other classic games, ring around the rosey, pop goes the weasel, and London bridge is falling down. The little nursery rhymes rhythms in the songs are also so good for her language development. 

We also chased butterflies with a net as Jesse Bear did. 

We observed the weather every day and this was a great week to really pay attention as we prepared to figure out what "Ellie Bear" would wear. It is October in South Carolina---it could be 50F or it could be 85F. Some mornings were misty, others were cool and crisp, most this week were hot and stuffy. So we were able to really pay attention to diligently choosing our clothes for the day..."What will you wear today?" We also considered the circumstances of our day ahead and how we need to dress for our activities. Ellie has play clothes, dress up clothes, warm clothes (jackets and rain suits), church clothes, Art class clothes, and Music class clothes. Mostly she is in play clothes...clothes that can get as messy, mismatched, and painted as she wants. 

To go with that, we also have a felt board we do story enhancement with occasionally, and we also have a weather bear Ellie gets to dress. Actually, there is a weather bear boy and girl. So Ellie got to ask the bears what they would wear, observe the weather, and then dress them! 

This book has been quite relevant as Ellie changes clothes like 4 times a day by her own desire to fit her current mood or desire of what she wants to do. She has her own special style and it is so cute! We also have such similar days to Jesse Bear with all the play and activity and routine. (Assuming we are home and not on a field trip!) The book just played so well into our natural every day life. Ellie also took to dressing her favorite baby doll in different outfits and telling me about her choices for her baby's clothes. So sweet. 

Here are go along books: