Read Alouds

Looking to make a preschooler or even a school-aged child laugh?  Try Big Chickens Fly the Coop!   (When I was first writing up this post, I learned that this is part of a series.  We borrowed Big Chickens from the library, but I definitely prefer Fly the Coop!)

Big Chickens Fly the Coop is funny, though especially hilarious to children.  Four big chickens sit in their coop wishing to see the farmhouse, but it's safe inside the farmhouse.  They repeatedly have the following conversation:
"We should always stay home."
"We could always stay home."
"We would always stay home....except...we've always wanted to see the farmhouse."  


Then the chickens fly the coop and find trouble because they mistaken a doghouse, a tractor, and a barn for the farmhouse.  (Don't laugh...or do!  Ha!  It's reasonable.  You know...the doghouse has a roof and door, just like a farmhouse!)

In addition to the English lesson with the should/could/woulds that are repeated throughout Big Chickens Fly the Coop, there is some rather colorful language that cracks kids up.

..."It's a doghouse!"
The chickens flounced, trounced, and body-bounced.  The dogs pounced.  Drooling muzzles dribbled.  Frightened yard birds quibbled.  Sharp teeth crashed.  Pointed beaks smashed.  Snouts snapped.  Wings flapped.  Until...
...four slobbery chickens ran all the way back to the coop.


Does that make you smile?  My kids love it, especially my two year old son.  He often requests Big Chickens Fly (the) Coop.  He also will fill in words of the story.  It is a definite favorite!

When I taught first and third grade, this would have been a hit when discussing the should/could/would family as well as descriptive writing...and even rhyming.  Now it's just fun to read aloud to my kids.  Even if we sometimes read it MANY times most weeks.

We've been reading a lot of I Can Read books, too, featuring the Rainforest Friends and Bible stories.  I wrote a post on those that you can check out if you wish.