Matching Pairs – Inspired by The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

This months Virtual Book Club for Kids featured author is Margaret Wise Brown author of books like Goodnight Moon, The Important Book, The Runaway Bunny[affiliate links]. Like many authors we feature in the virtual book club for kids this is a new to me author and the children and I have really enjoyed discovering her books. Of the three books we have enjoyed The Runaway Bunny the most especially as we’re starting to get the first I’m running away from our eldest.

I love the idea of the matching pairs used in the book – like I’ll become to fish to get away and the mother bunny saying I’ll become the fisherman to catch you. Inspired by this I sat down and quickly made up a variation of the matching pairs games we play regularly but aimed at my eldest who is in year 1/grade 1 and a confident reader. This could easily be adapted to use with younger children using images instead of words.

Materials Needed

Cardstock
Marker Pen
Scisssors

Preparation

Cut up the card into small cards that will fit on a one or 2 words for your child to read.

To the cards add matching words pairs – Day/Night, Pot/Oven, Winter/Snow, Acorn/Oak

Here’s the full list of the pairs that we used in our game you can use which every words you wish

• Day/Night
• Winter/Snow
• Flower/Petal
• Acorn/Oak
• Winter/Snow
• Fish/Fisherman
• Pot/Oven
• Beach/Sand
• Ocean/Water
• Frog/Tadpole
• Table/Chair

Playing the game

One of my objectives was to get my son reading out the words either out loud by segmenting and blending or in his head so I set up the mix of the matching pairs and then explained that he had to find the pairs that go together giving him the example of Fish/Fisherman like in the book to start him off.

As he played he picked up each pair reading the words and then searching for something that would match with it in the pile of words on the table.

As we worked through it became easier for him and took less time to match up the pairs.

True to form he left Frog and Tadpole to last as his favourite animal.

Adaptation for younger and older kids

Younger kids –

Use images and pairs that they would be familiar with – opposites are a good starting point.

Older kids –

Add in extra processing by turning it into a memory game as well as matching pairs, extending their reading skills by adding in the component of remembering where the words are on the table.

Virtual Book Club for Kids Margaret Wise Brown

Check out the other fabulous activities that members of the Virtual Book Club have created to bring alive Goodnight Moon, The Important Book and The Runaway Bunny[affiliate links] to help you connect and create supporting literacy with children.

Good Night Moon Sensory Bottle by The Pleasantest Thing

The Important Book: Making An All About Me Book by Growing Book by Book

Goodnight Moon I Spy Game by Inspiration Laboratories

Goodnight Moon Book Words Printable Activity by Lalymom

Storytelling Necklace Inspired by Goodnight Moon by The Educators’ Spin On It

Goodnight Moon Gross Motor by 3 Dinosaurs

Soothing Scented Goodnight Moon Inspired Sensory Play by Still Playing School

Big Red Barn Preschool Vocabulary Activities by Playdough to Plato

M&M Bunny Patterning Activity for Kids by Toddler Approved

My own Important Book by Mama Miss

Author

Cerys Parker

Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, teacher, mum, and home educator from the UK. She loves getting creative, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or delicious recipes that you and your kids can cook together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.