Are you looking for independent work or a busy book for your preschooler or younger students in a way that is FUN and engaging? These binders are completely customizable, so you can individualize or use in group activities.
I have used these interactive busy books with my preschool buddies in a variety of different ways, and They. Are. Awesome! Here are some things I have done:
Individual Goal Work
I use these books in a couple of different ways with individual students during one-on-one goal work time. For my students with autism, they seem to really love the "hook-and-loop" books with simple matching activities. I think the sensory feel of the "pull" and the matching is satisfying to a lot of them. So, I use a general binder of activities in-between other work to keep them focused while I'm prepping materials.
I also create individual binders with learning targets or IEP goal materials. For these, I actually pay attention to what they're doing so I can track data!
Small Group
I like to use the pointing (no "hook-and-loop") version for small groups. I have the students point, or, even better, I give the students a small pile of playdough or even small candies, and as I give the instruction (e.g., "Point to the cow" or "Point to the item you sit on"), they take a piece of playdough or a candy and place it on the correct answer.
I think the favorite part of this is when I do a few on a page, and then I say, "Swipe them!" (for playdough) or "Eat them!" before we move to a new page.
This activity works best in a small group as I can keep a particular student who needs extra help near me so I can prompt easier, and we can manage the materials on the table easier.
Large Group
I don't run "large" groups as I mostly work with special education and preschool, but the same small group activity can be used for a whole-class activity. The only difference would be 1) I'd be cautious about the materials being used. Do I really want the whole class playing around with playdough or candies? :) and 2) I can't really monitor correct responses like I can in a small group or 1:1. Still completely doable, but I would keep those caveats in mind.
Using a Smart Board
I think my favorite way to use these in a group is when I can also use a Smart Board. When I put something digital up on the screen, I get really good attention to the task! So I will project the learning book up on the screen digitally (just pull it up through my Google Drive™ folder as a .pdf), and I will reference the one on the screen. Students will either not have a book at all (not required to have one for this to work) or they each have a book in their lap.
I don't have a cute picture of using the Smart Board with the busy books, but here's one using Boom Cards™! Still cute.
Movable pieces or secured?
I use both books with the moveable pieces (either with "hook-and-loop" or tacky-putty; I've even just used scotch tape before) and the ones where there are no moving pieces for different reasons. I typically like the moveable pieces for 1:1 instruction and especially with my littles with autism who have good matching skills (it's reinforcing for them), and I'll use the pointing-only version for small groups. Benefits to both!
Progress Monitoring
This last set I created, I added a couple pages at the back for progress monitoring. It's a simple form that has all the targets on it, and I just use + for correct and - for incorrect when I do a probe of skills every couple of months. Easy-to-use!
If I create an individualized binder that only has SOME of the pages / targets in it, I can just take data on those particular targets. Not a big deal to leave some of them blank. I'm sure not all the pages can be presented to a student at once! Too many options! Don't overwhelm!
Anyway, super fun, and I love using these, and my colleagues have adopted different versions and use and love them, too. Nothing better than littles being kept active and engaged during instruction!
Here is the link again to find them.
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