It’s autumn, and my energy was low today. I was also out of creative juice. But my problem was solved when I remembered I had access to a digital copy of this fun book through my Readeo.com subscription, so all I had to do was gather a few ingredients for making “Honey Apple Muffins,” and the day was planned!
- Easy Playdate
- Ages 3-7
- In-person
- Long-distance – yes with adult assistance on the other end of the call
The Book: The Beeman : By Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis
I kind of despise rhyming books. I think a lot of us who write books for kids (and those who read them) get the idea from Dr. Seuss that the way to a child’s heart is through a rhyming book. However, very few authors get rhyming right, and when they don’t nail it, the book can be super annoying to read.
So I was surprised when my 4-year-old grandson found The Beeman quite by accident in our Readeo.com list and then requested it every time he saw me. I mean every time we read together. It’s a fun story that describes the job of a beekeeper through a child’s eyes. The little boy who narrates the book has a grandfather who keeps bees and the illustrations show them enjoying a day together learning about the process of beekeeping.
The illustrations are unique. I can only call them “geometric,” but they are clear and uncluttered, and they illustrate all of the parts of the process of beekeeping in a simple, understandable way. You’ll learn all about different types of bees (drones, worker bees, and the queen). You’ll also understand the process of beekeeping from start to honey harvest.
A sample illustration from the book, The Beeman
The Activity: Apple and Honey Muffins
You’ll find this fun recipe that includes all of the flavors of fall at the back of the book. And as with all of the books from fabulous publisher, Barefoot Books, there are some terrific educational endnotes that explain some of the most fascinating facts about bees and beekeeping.
The Connection Question:
I like to ask “Connection Questions” when I’m with my grandkids. These are intended to help us connect more deeply and are usually open-ended questions that help me get to know them and help them get to know me. There are lots of options that would tie together the things we learn in The Beeman. And you can create questions that draw from your own lived experiences. Some examples:
- Can you find the queen bee in the book?
- Have you ever been stung by a bee?
- Have you ever picked a real apple out of a tree? I did. Let me tell you about it. (Then I tell them how I used to pick apples every fall on Uncle Oscar’s Farm).
- What is your favorite smell from all of the things we are putting in our muffins?
Hints for Baking with Children:
Cooking is a really great sensory experience, and I love baking with my grandkids. They really get into the process of dumping and measuring. For this recipe, we smelled each ingredient as we added it to the batter. This is a great sensory activity for pickier eaters. I’ve been able to convince grandkids to try these muffins simply by letting them enjoy the fragrance of each ingredient as we add it. They are less wary of the finished product when they help make it.
When you are baking with little people, plan for a mess. It’s easy to clean up afterward. I let them measure flour and spices, and help them crack eggs. My youngest grandkids can even manage my special “kid knife” with some help. It’s a nylon knife that won’t cut their skin but can chop ingredients fairly well. This way, they can help chop both the nuts and the apple. (You can grate the apple with a grater as the recipe suggests, which is also fun if you are cautious).
A set of nylon knives make cutting and chopping a little safer for kids with adult supervision.
While we waited for the muffins to bake, we just scribbled around with some favorite fall colors. There’s actually a tree in there I outlined for her before we started. She’s getting pretty good at keeping her colors within a boundary line, a skill that she’ll continue to develop as her dexterity gets better.
Older kids might enjoy a bee-related craft of some sort. Check Pinterest if you want to find fun ideas. 🐝
Supplies to Gather for The Beeman Playdate:
- A copy of the book (one on both ends of your call if you are reading remotely)
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- bran or whole wheat cereal
- walnuts (we used pecans, but nuts are optional)
- raisins
- apple
- 2 eggs
- honey
- milk
- vegetable oil
- paper and tempera paint sticks, or another bee craft project of your choice.
That’s all there is to this The Beeman playdate! Enjoy a fun day with fall flavors and colors and a terrific book. As with any Playdatebox Playdate, all you do is start with a book, then add an activity, and ask one Connection Question:
Gift a Copy of the Book
Research tells us that children need a minimum of 100 books in their at-home library to fully thrive as readers. So I look for opportunities to gift books often. I recommend you send a copy in advance of your long-distance playdate so the child has a book to hold and enjoy.
Here’s a YouTube version so you can preview the book. If you are playing remotely, you can also read by sharing your screen. Just turn down the volume of this video and read aloud yourself as the child follows along to see the illustrations: