Gift Guide 
Turn an entertaining That’s Silly! illustration into a full-blown adventure that puts thinking, counting, learning, and creating front and center for your child.
Here’s How to Start
- Count and play with numbers
- Point to the That’s Silly! illustration and ask your child, “How many funny monsters are in this picture? Let’s count them.”
- Then ask, “How many colorful animals are in the picture?”
- Have your sleuth-in-chief count all the monsters, animals, and people in the pictures. Did he find 17?
- Look for items that appear in multiples.
- How many spoons, water glasses, hats, plates, and plants can he find?
2. Sharpen her detective skills
Search for little details together.
- Can she find two alpacas?
- How about a three-eyed monster?
- A set of blocks on a tray?
- A waitress on a pogo stick?
- A sad astronaut and a peacock?
- A customer without a nose?
3. Stretch his imagination and let him figure out the ending
Ask your child what might happen next to the
- Waitress on the pogo stick
- Empty chairs and table
- Astronaut who looks unhappy
Bonus question: What might put a smile on the astronaut’s face?
4. Be a vocabulary builder
Ask your child to name three words that describe
- A slice of bread (Hint: soft, white, tan, brown, chewy)
- How to use a pogo stick (jump, hop, bounce)
- The coat of a furry animal (scratchy, soft, smelly!)
Extend the Fun
5. Dine out
Find a family-friendly venue for this adventure.
- Check out menus online together. (If your child can’t read, look at pics.)
- Decide what to eat before you go.
- Dress up and use your best manners.
- Once seated, point out unfamiliar sights (exotic new dishes) and sounds (waiters shouting orders). Who knows? You might see a couple of friendly three-eyed monsters sitting nearby!
6. Dine in
Let your child create a menu.
- On a blank sheet of paper, have him print the name or find or draw a picture of the breakfast dish you’re serving (scrambled eggs).
- Let him add a handmade illustration of a chicken, egg, milk, juice, or cereal.
- Provide crayons, stickers, markers, pictures, glue, glitter, and more for creative fun.
- Encourage your child to add a price for every item that you’re serving. It’s another great way to play with numbers.
7. Set a table together
The forks in the That’s Silly! picture are out of place, and the super-sized spoon the dad is holding doesn’t look that useful.
- Show your child how to set a table.
- Let her place right-sized spoons, forks, and knives in the correct position.
- Arrange plain or fancy dinner plates around the table.
- Have your child add the napkins.
- Consult the menu, serve the meal, and enjoy!
- Recruit a helper (guess who) for post-meal chores.
