Fancy Nancy
Don’t tell Marvel Girl, but I think I’ve pre-chosen a theme for her 4 year old birthday next fall: Fancy Nancy. So far, my daughter could take or leave this adorable “sophisticated” pre-debutante. But me? Not so much.
This might surprise you based on Marvel Girl’s posh picture last week. Like most preschoolers, she enjoys herself a nice dress up. But she usually just wants to wear the same red pants and shirt as always. And don’t even bother trying to put a comb to her hair.
I was first introduced to Fancy Nancy on Christmas Day, when eating dinner at our friend’s home. Their two youngest girls had received Fancy Nancy tutus, purses and sunglasses for dinner. They let Marvel Girl wear a tutu throughout Christmas dinner. They let me read a new Fancy Nancy book– a book about vocabulary words! By the end of the meal, I was smitten.
Meet Nancy. A girl who likes to dress fancy, talk fancy, act fancy. She cannot comprehend her family’s lack of “poshness” and decides to educate them how they too can be tres fancy. The pictures are adorable and full of details. The vocabulary is exquisite. You should also check out Fancy Nancy dictionary (Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Fancy Dictionary), which is currently on my wishlist.
Speech Therapy Ideas:
1. Define “fancy”. What do you think is fancy? What fancy things do you like? Use complete sentences.
2. Compare and contrast the “fancy” and the “plain” words and items in the book. This is a great language activities for higher level thinking and vocabulary.
3. Ask more difficult “wh” questions. Where do you think Nancy is when she gets her brilliant idea (you can see a shopping cart, and must extrapolate that she is in a store). Why does Nancy trip and fall? Why do you think Nancy wants her family to be fancy?
4. Articulation practice: This story is perfect for children working on /s/ in the middle sounds. Make sure that tongue doesn’t poke out.
5. Practice /f/ sounds. /f/ is one of the easiest sounds to teach a child because it is so visual. I say, “gently bite your lip and blow”. Use a mirror if necessary. Poof!
(how do you like my fancy scarf?)
6. Practice acting fancy with your language skills. Use new fancy vocabulary to reinforce learning.
Other ideas:
1. Check out these great ideas for throwing a Fancy Nancy party (at the end of the short article are several great links).
2. See the Fancy Nancy online games including a “fancy style” hangman game (nope, I’m not going to explain!)
3. A few Fancy Nancy printables and coloring pages can be found here.
I wonder what my little guy might think about Fancy Nancy. His newest invisible friend is Wilma, perhaps she might like a little Fancy?!I’ll have to give it a try…
His newest “crush” is Word Girl on PBS…have you seen that one?
My boys think Fancy Nancy is hysterical! Almost as funny as Olivia!
The Tongginator ADORES Fancy Nancy, as she is SOPHISTICATED and STUPENDOUS. This comes as a huge surprise, I know.
We know a few friends who LOVE this book! However, afterward they demanded to look “fancy” everyday and wear frilly outfits 🙂
sounds like a must have!
Well, since my son watched all of Kiss Me Kate AND had a tea party yesterday, these books might be right up his alley! LOL
my daughter LOVES this book – but never tries to dress like her!! cute
I don’t know Fancy Nancy, but my boys do like Stone Soup! 🙂
Would it be odd if I got my son into Fancy Nancy?
My son DOES wear his SuperHero cape almost everyday after all.
How fun! I bet my niece would love Fancy Nancy. She’s pretty fancy herself!
Man, I’ve tried to get C interested & she turned up her nose & said, “No way Mom. I’m not fancy, I’m a regular girl.”
LOL
Great pic! It is one of my faves! Which House is it? Wasn’t the one I had DVR’d.
We LOVE Fancy Nancy … our current favorite is the ‘Poison Ivy Expert’ one! Great idea to do a party around that theme. And, thanks for the link to the coloring pages … for my daughter, of course … not me … maybe! 🙂
I love Fancy Nancy!! I have started buying the books and tutus and dress up items for Sarah!!
Lisa
My nieces adore FN.
My boys, well, they’d rather paint their nails.
What a cute book! I’m going to introduce your blog to my mommy..not sure why I haven’t yet..she’s a children’s literature professor at our local university! Come over to my blog…I’m doing a giveaway on something that would be great for a classroom! 🙂
It’s books like this that make me miss my girl being little. Somehow I’m not sure the boys would be that into Fancy Nancy. It’s all about The World’s Grossest… or Snakes.
Fancy Nancy is great and sounds perfect!
I am definitely going to get that book – I think my little Claire would LOVE it!
OK…you had me at the book cover. How flippin’ adorable is THAT?!? Gotta go check it out!
we l o v e Fancy Nancy!!!
My niece basically IS fancy nancy in real life. Needless to say, fancy nancy is by far her favorite book series!
Last year my sister and family and my parents had a fancy nancy party – my niece got to pick all of the clothes and my mom was even considering renting a candelabra from a wedding supply place (my sister nixed that plan because it seemed too over-the-top!)
My niece Masen is also deaf and has a cochlear implant – books like these I’m sure have helped her vocabulary and speech!
I need to get that. My boys might like it especially when I let them know that Grandma and Grandpa used to call ME Fancy Nancy! lol
P.S. As you know my littlest guy is in speech therapy and I have yet to get him to say an “F” word (I mean like Fire truck!). Maybe this will get him to!
“fancy nancy bonjour butterfly” is one of my favorites and sits on my shelf
As you know — love Fancy Nancy around here! 🙂 And the tutu’s M & E got for Christmas make many a girl “fancy” when they come over! 🙂 LOVE IT!! 🙂