If You Give A Moose A Muffin

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Although I lived in Southern New England for 8 years, I only had the opportunity to visit Maine twice. Once was to go shopping in their famous outlet stores ( I scored a jacket. Thanks for asking! ). The other time was on our crazy, round-about move across the country. Yes, we drove north to Maine as the beginning of our trip to the West coast.

Actually, my first ever camping experience with Professor X was in Maine. It went about as well as our recent camping trip, minus the kids. I cannot read If You Give A Moose A Muffin without thinking of Maine, and longing to return to this place that I barely know.

I decided that If You Give A Moose A Muffin would be an appropriate post for today, as I reflect back on summer, jam, and muffins (recipe tomorrow!). For today is T-1. In other words, work starts up again tomorrow.

Like it’s cousin, the mouse book, If You Give A Moose A Muffin goes through a series of scenarios and “if…then” statements. It could also be called a book of warnings about inviting a moose into your home. Because if you give a moose a muffin, of course, you will eventually be playing sock puppets with a large antlered mammal in your living room while hiding from your mom. Absurd and hilarious, this is another great book by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond.

Speech Therapy Ideas:
1. Create stories using “if…then”. Draw pictures for each statement and make them into a little picture book. Try to make them somewhat logical, yet fun and entertaining.

2. For very young children, practice /m/ sounds. For older children, make them aware of their bodies by talking about how your lips purse together for the /m/ sound and air escapes through your nose. Try making the sound while holding your nose. Can’t do it, eh?!

3. For children working on /s/ sounds, practice final /s/ in “moose”. Make sure to keep the tongue inside the mouth and do not let any air escape from the sides of the mouth.

4. Practice talking about multiples of moose. This word is one of those odd irregular plurals that stays the same in singular and plural. The only way to learn it is to practice and repeat over and over. So practice!

5. Make some sock puppets together. Talk about the steps involved using good sequencing skills. Have your child retell the steps in their own words.

6. Make muffins together (my recipe will be posted tomorrow). Talk about volume and measurements. Have your child retell the directions in their own words.