Reinforcing an Active Lifestyle

My mom was a teacher who did not just teach reading but a love of reading, writing, and thinking.  She savored literature and believed that children could learn from the written word only if taught to think critically and make it their own.  She died in 2008, so I am left with her words and lessons, which I use with my son to share the adventures of the world that she loved and reinforce a life of exploration and discovery.
Some may ask how reading, a sedentary pass-time, can reinforce an active lifestyle, but for children, literature is a great way to inspires curiosity, which is a powerful force working against the couch and propelling little feet into action.  Whether using a character as a role model, discovering for themselves what they read in a book, or acting out or moving to the rhythm of the words, consider these favorites to inspire your child (and feel free to share others):

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

Mr Gumpy's Outing by John Burningham (toddler) This is a toddler favorite, if for no other reason than it culminates in a giant and hilarious SPLASH, but the story is a wonderful one of children going on an adventure in a small boat with an ever-growing collection of uniquely illustrated animal friends.

Dancing Feet! by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown (toddler) This book will have toddlers discovering animals and learning to click like a lizard and stomp like an elephant along to the simple rhythm of this colorful book.  If it is bedtime, use the illustrations, which are created using a texture-rich collection of materials, to discover shapes and colors.

Dancing Feet!

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss  This is my favorite book by Dr. Seuss, as each age will take something different away from it.  Children love the classic Seuss writing and rhyming, not to mention his made-up words, but as a parent it serves as a reminder of our responsibility to the earth.  It also makes it fun to look for Truffula trees on walks, humming fish in ponds, and talk about how children can be the Lorax.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin Great for the dirt-loving child, as it gives them a theme song and even better for the neat-nick, as they learn from Pete that a stain is just a different color to celebrate.  Make up your own tune for Pete's song and then take your child out to see how many colors that they can find around their feet.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

The Pooh Storybook/The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne These classic tales feature a child with a vivid imagination who spends his time in the woods with his friends, who he seeks to help and show kindness.  Together, they bounce, sing, march, and create games, and solve problems.  Honestly, I can think of far worse role-models.

The Children's Book Review is a great source for discovering new books, as you can find stories to inspire any adventurer from a trip on The Magic School Bus (or Inside the Human Body) with Ms Frizzle (Joanna Cole) to acting out a classic fairy tale or creating a new one.  Another great place to get inspired is a book festival; the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, Georgia is September 2-4, 2011 (Labor Day Weekend) and an amazing festival or search for one closer to you.