Books in my classroom: Messy Jessy by Jayne Peters

The Book:  Messy Jessy

The Class:  Art Through Stories

*I designed this class to bring books alive in the classroom.  I wanted to read a story and do several art projects with the kids based on the book.  It has been a great hit and I really love teaching it!

Ages of Kids:  2-3 years

The Projects: 

• mismatched socks on the clothes line 
• sock puppets

Why did I choose the projects for the book?

In the book I loved the quote: 

Looking down at my toes,

mismatched socks are what I see.

I think, "I'm not Messy Jessy;

I just love being me!"

I just loved the idea of the creating mismatched socks and who doesn't love a sock puppet!!  Both just really seemed to mesh with the ages of the kids and their abilities. Due to the ages of the kids I had to prepare many aspects of the projects ahead of time.  But based on age you could allow them to do a lot more.

Other ideas for the lessons based on the book:

• sock fight
• matching paper socks (could do this for colors, numbers, alphabet...ect)
• sock memory game
• muffin mix as a sensory item
• filling cups with colored liquid
• paper dolls 
• dress up 
• water table with bath time items in it 
• coloring with toothpaste/toothbrushes 

Everyone knows a Messy Jessy. She's messy at 9:00am, she's messy at noon. Jessy is messy all day!!

Author Jayne Peters' first children's book Messy Jessy is an energetic picture book for ages 3-8. With a delightful rhyming scheme and bright, fun illustrations, children can follow Jessy through her messy day. From spills, crashes and jelly faces to bruises, scratches and mismatched socks, Jessy's day is filled with laughter, spirit and mess - parents will instantly relate!!


Kids at work......

Coloring the socks

This child was very proud of his socks

Some of the completed sock puppets

Messy Jessy and the sock art projects

I absoulely loved this very charming book about loving oneself despite the mess that comes with being a kid!  I thoroughly enjoyed creating a lesson around the book and look forward to using this amazingly illustrated and wonderfully fun book in future classes!  I also, as a mother, loved that my son walked around the house say "I love just being me" all day after reading this book!  Both my boys really loved this book and loved the projects we created to go with it. 5 stars!

The socks both my boys made!

Our sock puppets: The middle sock is a hockey rink man...my little 4 year old is obsessed with all things hockey!

Buy the book:

The Bryler Publications website is http://www.brylerpublications.com/archives/category/childrens-books
It is also available at Tattletales 
http://www.bookmanager.com/1173642/?q=h
Just search for Messy Jessy