I know what you’re thinking — reading is a stationary activity.  Fortunately, that’s not always the case. 

There are a number of terrific kids books that encourage the reader to get up and move with the story!  These 10 reads are a great way to get the kids moving and introduce them to ways they can strengthen their muscles, balance and large motor skills. 

And once their done ‘reading’, they will surely settle in for some much needed rest 😉

 

 

10 Books that Get Kids Up & Moving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story by Giselle Shardlow is a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn how to relax before bedtime.  Children will calm their mind and body before bedtime by taking a journey around the world with this kids yoga storybook. Join six Kids Yoga Stories characters as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. The book includes a list of Kids Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Learn something new, explore movement, and unwind together before bedtime!

 

Just try to keep the kids still while you read Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes: And Other Action Rhymes – I really think it’s an impossible feat!  This adorable book includes more than 50 favorite action songs along with illustrations for any clapping, jumping, dancing and bending the kids can do as you sing along.  

 

     

Our next two books, Wiggle and  Bounce by Doreen Cronin encourage kids to hop, leap, wiggle and move!  Kids are just natural movers so these two stories capture that motion be asking them to “hop like a bunny” and “wiggle out of bed”.  Turn storytime into exercise time!

 

An all-time favorite in our house, the kids (and I) could never sit still when reading Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boyton. With it’s catchy phrases and sing-song text, I guarantee that you’ll want to “Bounce with the bunny, Strut with the duck”!  This is a board book so wonderful for babies and toddlers but be sure to keep it around as preschoolers and early readers will love the get-up-and-move read too.

 

Follow along with Maisy as she stretches, runs and somersaults and moves her way around in Hop, Skip, and Jump, Maisy! by Lucy Cousins.  Kids are invited to pull the tabs and get moving with this highly active and interactive book!

 

You’ll never believe how many ways there are to dance!  In How Can You Dance, kids will learn you can move like a crab, a tree and a marching band.  Each page challenges the reader to think about how they can dance — for example, “How can you dance when you can’t move your knees? Dance like a tree as it waves in the breeze.”  The kids won’t be able to resist trying!

 

 Younger kids will enjoy Hop, Hop, Jump! by Lauren Thompson.  Learn about all the ways your body can move along with the different body parts too.  Each body part is labeled and kids are invited to move along with the active kids in the book.  A fun way to learn!

 

In Llama Llama Hoppity-Hop by Anna Dewdney, kids will read along as Llama claps, taps and hops.  A fun way to get toddlers and younger kids off the couch to burn off some energy.  Once they have heard the book a few times, see if they can keep up with the movements at a faster pace (and really wear them out for a nap!)

 

* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

And because we are so crazy about books, our blog hop host Mother Daughter Book Reviews is offering a giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card (so you can purchase some amazing books 😉

 

 

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: April 8, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Giselle Shardlow and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway