It Looked Like Spilt Milk: A Fun Lesson in Perspective

Do you or your kids ever need a change of perspective?  This book provides a really fun opportunity to learn to look at things in lots of different ways.  The simple text makes it fun for young kids and the message of the value of seeing differently makes it appropriate for older kids as well.  If you are lucky enough to always remember to approach things from multiple view points you'll still love the striking illustrations and it makes a great and easy to prepare art project!

Here's how to use this book:

1.  Set the Stage:  Tell your kids you'll be playing a game today to help them practice seeing.  Listen to them tell you they see just fine or wonder why you want to do that.  Then tell them they'll be learning to see things differently today.

"Seeing With New Eyes"

You'll need:

something interesting to look at (a globe, a fun vase, a favorite doll something fairly good sized with detail in or on it)

sunglasses (1 pair regular, 1 pair with the lenses painted a fun color-you can buy cheap ones in the party favor section of most stores so you don't ruin nice ones)

a magnifying glass (any size or shape will work)

a latex balloon in a fun color (different than the color of your painted glasses)

a latex balloon with writing on the pattern (happy birthday, it's a girl, etc....)

To Play:

Show your kids the object.  Let them each look at it for 10 sec. 

After everyone has looked at it talk a bit about it, think about the details of how it looked.

Then go through the above list one at a time.

First let the kids look with the sunglasses.  Then talk about how it looked.  What was the same about the object, what was different.

Repeat this with all of the supplies.  Be sure every kids gets a chance with every kind of "new eye" and be sure to talk about the differences and similarities.

When you're done ask the kids what the point was, what did they learn from this game.  Tell them that how you see something is called your perspective.  Remind them that we all have different perspectives and that stopping to think about someone else's perspective can help them learn new things and can teach them to see things they might have never seen before.

Now tell them you'll be reading a story to help them think more about this.

2.  Enjoy the book:  Read It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw out loud to your kids.  Stop to look at the pictures.  Let them share what they think the picture looked like.

Questions to go deeper:  (As you read ask these questions)

I wonder who thought it looked like a tree?  Maybe someone who likes to be outside?  Maybe someone who likes learning about nature?

I wonder what the person who saw an icecream cone's favorite flavor is?  Maybe they were hungry when they were looking?

Why are most of the things food or animals?

Have you ever looked at clouds?  What did you see?  Do you wonder why you see those things and not something else?

**Plan your time carefully, only ask the questions you have time for as you may end up with a lot of seeing and sharing!  If the kids are really wanting to share you could give them the option of coming back and talking more during a "free" time of your day or of choosing to talk about it with a friend or family member later.

3.  Experience the Book:

You'll Need:

A dark colored piece of paper for each child (I usually use blue like the book)

white paint (enough to make a blob on each paper-I like the crayola brand as it's thick enough not to leak and it cleans up really well)

Paper towels or wet wipes

Pen or marker

A Copy of the words "Sometimes it looked like_________ but it wasn't a ____________" for each child.  ( I usually print as many as possible on one page and cut them into strips for the kids)

The experience:  Before you begin, show the kids a finished project so they know what you're talking about and so you can point out the specific directions as you explain them.

Give each child a piece of paper and their strip with words on it.

Have the kids glue, tape or staple (I usually use a glue stick) the words to the bottom of their page.  (You'll need to tell them if you want the paper to go vertically or horizontally)

Then explain that you'll put a blob of paint on each piece of paper (only use a little so you don't have a huge mess).  Their job is to fold the paper in half and then to slowly open it.(remind them to handle the paper carefully)

After they fold the blob, they need to "look with their eyes" and decide on what they think it looks like.  If they struggle, remind them to think of food, animals, things they like, letters...

Once they decide on something, they need to write that word on both of the blanks in their sentence strip.

Have them finish by writing their name on the paper.

4.  Point out Perspective:

Show the kids how this simple story, fun game and art project can teach us about the importance of looking carefully and of stopping to think about how others look at things.  You can do this by:

Having the kids share their projects individually, "sharing circle" style

Collecting the projects and making a class book by punching a hole in them and putting them on a book ring (if you do this, be sure to add a cover and last page following the books pattern-you can also have them all sign the back as the "authors")

Displaying the projects on a wall or bulletin board space with a fun caption about seeing ("do you see what we see?" "what will you see?")

When you're done remind the kids that we all have unique perspective and that our friends need us to share our perspectives as well as listen to and appreciate theirs.