Since the 1970s, a large percentage of children have grown up with Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo and other beloved Sesame Street characters. What better way to not only introduce children to their ABCs and 123s but to also show them that learning can be fun than to incorporate those friendly faces? This is a great way to teach kids about the alphabet and counting before sending them to preschool. Since each letter page is also filled with an assortment of drawings and words representing the featured letter, it's also a great way to build vocabulary. For example, the "P" page shows an assortment of fruits and vegetables, including the easy-to-guess pineapple and pumpkin, but it also has lesser known produce, such as parsnips and papayas.
If you're looking for a book that encourages interactive learning nestled within colorful illustrations of characters your children adore, then this is the perfect book for you. Kids can practice their ABCs and counting 1-10, plus by tens up to one hundred. There are numerous pages that offer the chance at a mini-game, such as follow the kite string to see which kite belongs to each character on the letter "K" page. Children will also relate to many of the scenarios, ranging from a tea party to a day at the park. Plus, since the book does not have a set story, parents or children can use their imagination to create their own adventure with Bert and Ernie and the rest of the group.
As is the case with many three-year-olds, Emily, the three-year-old that I babysit, loves Sesame Street. She was excited to flip each page and see which characters would be introducing her to the next letter. Since she's just learning the alphabet now, we flipped through the book to point out all six letters of her name. This book offers so many chances to incorporate fun into the important building blocks of education and I bet you can find even more as you browse the pages with your child.
--Abby