Riverbeds Activity Page
Click HERE to watch the Book Trailer for Riverbeds!
Click HERE to hear Riverbeds read aloud.
Kids in Spokane, Washington, are reading River Beds along a river trail!
The kids at Saint George’s School built a Story Trail - a nature trail with unusual marking posts. As they walk along, they read a book, which is displayed – one page at a time – on wooden posts. River Beds was the first book chosen for their trail. At the opening event, the young hikers went hunting for river critters with nets.
The Spokane Story Trail is based on the StoryWalk Project, developed by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Isn’t this a great way to exercise body and brain, while enjoying the outdoors! Below are some photos from the trail.
Click HERE to hear Riverbeds read aloud.
Kids in Spokane, Washington, are reading River Beds along a river trail!
The kids at Saint George’s School built a Story Trail - a nature trail with unusual marking posts. As they walk along, they read a book, which is displayed – one page at a time – on wooden posts. River Beds was the first book chosen for their trail. At the opening event, the young hikers went hunting for river critters with nets.
The Spokane Story Trail is based on the StoryWalk Project, developed by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Isn’t this a great way to exercise body and brain, while enjoying the outdoors! Below are some photos from the trail.
Going on a River Boat Ride
This activity is based on “Going on a Bearhunt.” It’s a great way to stimulate creativity before writing for school-age children. It’s just plain fun for preschoolers.
(To make this more fun, pack a flashlight, blanket, and stuffed toys in a basket. Sit on the floor and dim the lights. As you read through River Beds; Sleeping in the World’s Rivers, have the children practice making some of the animal sounds that you will need during your riverboat ride.)
Say: "If you're going to be my helper, you'll have to learn some river sounds. So repeat after me:”
Turn on your flashlight: Click, click.
The batteries are low: Tap, tap.
Spray on insect repellant: Spritz, spritz.
Watch out for mosquitoes: Zzz, zzz. Slap, slap.
Walk through tall grass: Swish, swish.
Trudge through mud: Glurp, glurp.
Toss your gear into the boat: Plink, plunk.
Roll up your pajama legs: Roll, roll.
Pull the boat over rocks: Scrape, scrape.
Slide the boat into the river: Splish, splash.
Jump inside: Bump, thud.
Grab the oars and row: Squeak, squeak.
Listen to the river: Lap, lap.
The beaver slaps the water with his tail: Splat, splat.
It’s okay, Mr. Beaver: Wave, wave.
Otters slip and slide: Slither, slather.
Capybara’s tummy is full: Chk, chk.
River dolphin clears its blowhole: Bphffff, bphfffff.
Mink runs along the icy shore: Pitter, patter.
Hippo wakes up: Roar, roar.
I’m cold: Brr, brr.
Let’s blow on our fingers: Whffff, whffff.
That’s better, I’m warming up: Ahh, ahh.
I’m tired: Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Script:
I’m going on a river boat ride tonight. Wanna come along?
Let’s wait until it’s dark. You can wear your pajamas, if you want.
Better bring along insect repellant.
And a flashlight.
Maybe a blanket - in case it gets chilly.
Ready? Okay, here we go …
Turn on your flashlight. Click, click.
Spray on your insect repellant. Spritz, spritz.
We have to walk through tall grass to reach the river. Swish, swish.
Uh, oh, the ground is getting muddy. Glurp, glurp. (Help, my shoe is stuck in the mud!)
Here we are at the river bank. See the reflection of the moon gleaming on the water? Toss your stuff in the boat. Plink, plunk.
It’s a good idea to roll up your pajama pants, so they won’t get wet. Roll, roll.
Help me pull our boat over the rocks. Scrape, scrape.
Slide the boat into the river. Splish, splash.
Jump in! Bump, thud.
Grab your oars and row. Squeak, squeak. (Our oarlocks must be rusty!)
Oooh, listen…. Hear the water lapping against the shore? Lap, lap.
Turn off your flashlight so we can see how dark it is. Click, click.
Oh, no – a mosquito! Zzzz, zzzz. Slap, slap.
SPLAT!
What was that?!
Must’a been a fish jumping.
SPLAT!
No, that was too big for a fish! Turn on your flashlight. Click, click.
Oh, look! It’s a beaver. He’s slapping his tail on the water. Splat, splat.
That’s how he warns his family that we’re on their river. Don’t worry, Mr. Beaver, we’re not going to hurt you. Wave, wave.
Let’s keep rowing. Squeak, squeak. (We really need to oil these oarlocks.)
Oh, how cute! See – over there on the river bank? Otter pups are slipping and sliding down their mudslide. Slither, slather.
They’re so playful! I could watch the otters all night, couldn’t you? But we better hurry if we’re going to reach the Amazon River in South America tonight. C’mon, row the boat. Squeak, squeak.
Listen, do you hear the capybara? It’s been munching on swamp plants – see how its tummy is round and full. That’s the sound it makes when it’s contented. Chck, chck.
Quick – look out there! Did you see the pink shape? That was a freshwater dolphin coming up for air. Can you hear it blow water out of its blowhole? Bphfffff, bphfffff.
Better keep rowing! We have a long way to go before we get to Europe. Squeak, squeak.
I’m getting so tired. Yawn, stretch. I think I’ll take a little snooze. Snore, snore.
Huh!? What was that? Where’s my flashlight? Click, click, click, click….
Oh, no, the battery must be dead. I’m going to tap it on the boat and see if it will come back on. Tap, tap.
The batteries are completely dead. But with the moon reflecting off the snow, I can see a mink running along the bank of the Danube River. Can you? He’s got a fish in his mouth. Listen to the sound of his feet on the icy shore. Pitter, patter.
My, it’s awfully cold here. Brr, brr.
Better wrap your blanket around your shoulders.
My fingers are ice-cold. I’m going to blow on them to warm them up. Whffff, whffff.
Let’s row to Africa to warm up. Squeak, squeak.
Feel the hot air over the Nile River. I’m getting so relaxed! Let’s let our boat drift among these boulders. Ahh, ahh.
I’m drifting off to sleep. Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Wait! There aren’t any boulders in the Nile River. Those big gray things are the backs of sleeping hippos. And we just woke them up. Roar, roar.
Oh, my - hippos have gigantic mouths! Would you look at the size of those teeth. Roar, roar.
Let’s get out of here – hurry! Squeak, squeak.
Past the icy Danube River. Brr, brr. Squeak, squeak.
Past the mink running along the icy shore. Pitter, patter. Squeak, squeak.
Past the freshwater dolphin. Phfffff, phfffff . Squeak, squeak.
Past the contented capybara. Chck, chck. Squeak, squeak.
Past the playful otter pups. Slither, slather. Squeak, squeak.
Past the beaver slapping his tail to warn his family. Splat, splat. Squeak, squeak.
Past the mosquitoes. Zzzz, zzz. Slap, slap. Squeak, squeak.
We’re almost home! Pull the boat over the rocky shore. Scrape, scrape.
Trudge through the muddy ground. Glurp, glurp.
Walk through tall grass. Swish, swish.
Home at last! Into your warm, cozy bed. Curl up on your soft pillow, burrow under your dry covers. Close your eyes. Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Let the rhythmic lap, lap of water lull you to sleep, little person, as you dream of rivers far and near.
(To make this more fun, pack a flashlight, blanket, and stuffed toys in a basket. Sit on the floor and dim the lights. As you read through River Beds; Sleeping in the World’s Rivers, have the children practice making some of the animal sounds that you will need during your riverboat ride.)
Say: "If you're going to be my helper, you'll have to learn some river sounds. So repeat after me:”
Turn on your flashlight: Click, click.
The batteries are low: Tap, tap.
Spray on insect repellant: Spritz, spritz.
Watch out for mosquitoes: Zzz, zzz. Slap, slap.
Walk through tall grass: Swish, swish.
Trudge through mud: Glurp, glurp.
Toss your gear into the boat: Plink, plunk.
Roll up your pajama legs: Roll, roll.
Pull the boat over rocks: Scrape, scrape.
Slide the boat into the river: Splish, splash.
Jump inside: Bump, thud.
Grab the oars and row: Squeak, squeak.
Listen to the river: Lap, lap.
The beaver slaps the water with his tail: Splat, splat.
It’s okay, Mr. Beaver: Wave, wave.
Otters slip and slide: Slither, slather.
Capybara’s tummy is full: Chk, chk.
River dolphin clears its blowhole: Bphffff, bphfffff.
Mink runs along the icy shore: Pitter, patter.
Hippo wakes up: Roar, roar.
I’m cold: Brr, brr.
Let’s blow on our fingers: Whffff, whffff.
That’s better, I’m warming up: Ahh, ahh.
I’m tired: Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Script:
I’m going on a river boat ride tonight. Wanna come along?
Let’s wait until it’s dark. You can wear your pajamas, if you want.
Better bring along insect repellant.
And a flashlight.
Maybe a blanket - in case it gets chilly.
Ready? Okay, here we go …
Turn on your flashlight. Click, click.
Spray on your insect repellant. Spritz, spritz.
We have to walk through tall grass to reach the river. Swish, swish.
Uh, oh, the ground is getting muddy. Glurp, glurp. (Help, my shoe is stuck in the mud!)
Here we are at the river bank. See the reflection of the moon gleaming on the water? Toss your stuff in the boat. Plink, plunk.
It’s a good idea to roll up your pajama pants, so they won’t get wet. Roll, roll.
Help me pull our boat over the rocks. Scrape, scrape.
Slide the boat into the river. Splish, splash.
Jump in! Bump, thud.
Grab your oars and row. Squeak, squeak. (Our oarlocks must be rusty!)
Oooh, listen…. Hear the water lapping against the shore? Lap, lap.
Turn off your flashlight so we can see how dark it is. Click, click.
Oh, no – a mosquito! Zzzz, zzzz. Slap, slap.
SPLAT!
What was that?!
Must’a been a fish jumping.
SPLAT!
No, that was too big for a fish! Turn on your flashlight. Click, click.
Oh, look! It’s a beaver. He’s slapping his tail on the water. Splat, splat.
That’s how he warns his family that we’re on their river. Don’t worry, Mr. Beaver, we’re not going to hurt you. Wave, wave.
Let’s keep rowing. Squeak, squeak. (We really need to oil these oarlocks.)
Oh, how cute! See – over there on the river bank? Otter pups are slipping and sliding down their mudslide. Slither, slather.
They’re so playful! I could watch the otters all night, couldn’t you? But we better hurry if we’re going to reach the Amazon River in South America tonight. C’mon, row the boat. Squeak, squeak.
Listen, do you hear the capybara? It’s been munching on swamp plants – see how its tummy is round and full. That’s the sound it makes when it’s contented. Chck, chck.
Quick – look out there! Did you see the pink shape? That was a freshwater dolphin coming up for air. Can you hear it blow water out of its blowhole? Bphfffff, bphfffff.
Better keep rowing! We have a long way to go before we get to Europe. Squeak, squeak.
I’m getting so tired. Yawn, stretch. I think I’ll take a little snooze. Snore, snore.
Huh!? What was that? Where’s my flashlight? Click, click, click, click….
Oh, no, the battery must be dead. I’m going to tap it on the boat and see if it will come back on. Tap, tap.
The batteries are completely dead. But with the moon reflecting off the snow, I can see a mink running along the bank of the Danube River. Can you? He’s got a fish in his mouth. Listen to the sound of his feet on the icy shore. Pitter, patter.
My, it’s awfully cold here. Brr, brr.
Better wrap your blanket around your shoulders.
My fingers are ice-cold. I’m going to blow on them to warm them up. Whffff, whffff.
Let’s row to Africa to warm up. Squeak, squeak.
Feel the hot air over the Nile River. I’m getting so relaxed! Let’s let our boat drift among these boulders. Ahh, ahh.
I’m drifting off to sleep. Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Wait! There aren’t any boulders in the Nile River. Those big gray things are the backs of sleeping hippos. And we just woke them up. Roar, roar.
Oh, my - hippos have gigantic mouths! Would you look at the size of those teeth. Roar, roar.
Let’s get out of here – hurry! Squeak, squeak.
Past the icy Danube River. Brr, brr. Squeak, squeak.
Past the mink running along the icy shore. Pitter, patter. Squeak, squeak.
Past the freshwater dolphin. Phfffff, phfffff . Squeak, squeak.
Past the contented capybara. Chck, chck. Squeak, squeak.
Past the playful otter pups. Slither, slather. Squeak, squeak.
Past the beaver slapping his tail to warn his family. Splat, splat. Squeak, squeak.
Past the mosquitoes. Zzzz, zzz. Slap, slap. Squeak, squeak.
We’re almost home! Pull the boat over the rocky shore. Scrape, scrape.
Trudge through the muddy ground. Glurp, glurp.
Walk through tall grass. Swish, swish.
Home at last! Into your warm, cozy bed. Curl up on your soft pillow, burrow under your dry covers. Close your eyes. Yawn, stretch. Snore, snore.
Let the rhythmic lap, lap of water lull you to sleep, little person, as you dream of rivers far and near.
