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The concept of opposites can be challenging to teach children, but it is a concept they should know. Using books can help illustrate what you are trying to describe, especially when they have great images! We here at the Vernon Area Public Library think learning about opposites is so important that we’ve put them all together in a special book boutique location to make them easy to find!
Books to Teach Opposites
This clever little book has see-through pages so that as you and your child read through it, they can see the concept of opposites right before their very eyes! It’s magic!
Cat is big, and mouse is small … but it really depends on your perspective. And perspective is exactly what this book is helping your child learn about!
Opposites are not only about size but also cold and hot and much more! Silly kitty illustrations portray different opposites perfectly. See other Ami Rubinger books such as “I Dream of an Elephant” for more funky illustrations.
This perfect, hand-sized picture book uses simple colors and silly illustrations to teach your child about extreme opposites! The book is sturdy enough for your youngest child to handle, and the words are big enough to entertain the sense of humor of your wry third-grader.
Silly snakes slither while illustrating simple opposites in this appealing lift-the-flap book. Pile all the kiddos on your lap. The book’s flaps will fold out to reach across multiple laps!
What could be better than a book about gardening AND opposites? This cute little garden adventure book uses one word per image block, and by keeping it simple your child can easily catch on!
After reading these, play the opposite game! Ask your child what the opposite of something you come across in your daily travels is. Start simple and see if they can tell you.
Looking for some rhymes and songs about opposites? I’ve got a few for you!
- Open Them, Shut Them from Vernon Area Public Library
- Visit Super Simple Learning for an extension of the Open, Shut them rhyme to include more opposites
- Check out the Opposites Song from the Learning Station
Find your local public library here: http://bit.ly/NEILlibs
Once you have your library card, it is good at any library in Illinois! Ask a librarian for books that will get you up moving and singing!
You can get more Early Literacy picks from Heather’s Blog: Little Literacy Librarian. Connect with the Vernon Area Public Library District:
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Hi Melissa,
Great list of opposite themed books! Can’t wait to look for those at our local library. 🙂
Opposites is a fun topic to teach, but it can be a bit tricky to get the meaning across to little ones.
Thanks for mentioning our version of “Open Shut Them (And Other Opposites). After you sing the song a few times, try the instrumental version and make up your own opposite pairs and gestures. It’s super fun!
Best,
Sara