Stories by Storie

Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?

  • Stories by Storie
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Book Activities
    • Book Lists by Topic
    • Classroom Management
    • Freebies
    • Math
    • Reading Tips
  • Free
  • Shop
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amazon
    • Bookshop
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

I Have Ants in My Pants Activities

August 24, 2020

How long can you sit still before you feel the urge to move? Chances are it’s longer than most kids can. And some children just can’t sit still no matter how hard they try. So how can we help those kids? Whenever I can, I like to share a book that kids can relate to AND learn from.

Julia Cook writes some of the best books for school-aged children! She has just released her newest book, I Have Ants in My Pants! This book has some great tips for helping kids who get the wiggles and can’t sit still. I want to share more about this book as well as a few activities you can pair with it.

I Have Ants in My Pants by Julia Cook is about a boy who can't sit still no matter how hard he tries. This book includes helpful tips for teachers and parents. I have a few activities you can pair with this book, too!

 

About the Book

Written by: Julia Cook
Illustrated by: Carrie Hartman

Julia Cook writes some of the best books for school-aged children! She has just released her newest book, I Have Ants in My Pants! This book has some great tips for helping kids who get the wiggles and can't sit still.

Some children just can’t sit still no matter how hard they try. And Louis is no exception. He accidentally kicks his friend during story time. He can’t stand still in the lunch line. And he wiggles in his seat at the movie theater.

Everyone keeps telling him he has ants in his pants, but Louis doesn’t see any ants! Louis’ mom explains that this means he wiggles a lot, and she teaches him a special tool, the Wiggle Dance.

With a little practice and a few helpful tools, Louis learns that he can calm his wiggles and become the boss of the ants in his pants!

Here's a little peek inside Julia Cook's latest book, I Have Ants in My Pants!

As a teacher and a mom, I know that it is normal for kids to get the wiggles. I also know that some kids have a hard time sitting still no matter how hard they try. That’s why I think many kids will relate to Louis and his need to move. I love that this story shares several helpful tips that kids can try right away to manage their own wiggles. These tips are not only practical, but realistic for classroom use, too.

In addition to the story, Julia Cook has also included a helpful page with tips for teaching kids how to sit still. These tips would be helpful for both parents and teachers!

 

I Have Ants in My Pants Activities

Here are several activities you can use before, during, and after reading I Have Ants in My Pants! by Julia Cook.

Here are several activities you can use before, during, and after reading I Have Ants in My Pants! by Julia Cook.

        • Questions: These 8 questions can help guide your discussion as you read the book.
        • Wiggle, Wiggle!: After reading the story, students will use the tips Mom gave Louis to label each picture.
        • Ants in My Pants: Do your kids know what it means to have ants in your pants? This page helps them draw and write what the phrase sounds like and what it really means.
        • What Do You Mean?: Students explain what each of the common phrases really mean.
        • Written Response: Students can use these pages to answer a discussion question, to write about a time they had ants in their pants, strategies for getting the wiggles out, and more!

 

You can download these I Have Ants in My Pants! activities here.

 

Where to Find the Book

You can purchase I Have Ants in My Pants through Amazon or the National Center for Youth Issues (NCYI).

we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, at home, or through a computer screen, don’t forget to build in some wiggle time! I love these brain break activities!

If you enjoy this resource, you might also like these book activities.

Happy Reading!

I Have Ants in My Pants by Julia Cook is about a boy who can't sit still no matter how hard he tries. This book includes helpful tips for teachers and parents. I have a few activities you can pair with this book, too!

 

signature

Related posts:

Marcy’s Having All the Feels Activities A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook Bully B.E.A.N.S. by Julia Cook I’m Stretched by Julia Cook There’s No Dream Too Tall Activities
«
»

Filed Under: book activities, freebies, reading Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe Via Email

Search

Categories

Latest on Instagram

A new month means new books to fill the shelf. Her A new month means new books to fill the shelf. Here’s what we have on display right now. We still haven’t seen any snow ❄️, but we plan to curl up and read all about it. Maybe that will help! Do you spy some of your winter favorites? ⁣
⁣
#winterbookshelf⁣
#seasonalbookshelf⁣
#januarybookshelf⁣
Happy New Year! 🎉⁣ ⁣ If you’re starting 2 Happy New Year! 🎉⁣
⁣
If you’re starting 2021 by making resolutions and setting goals with your students, I suggest sharing Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller. This book follows Squirrel around the forest as she learns what a resolution is and helps her friends get started on theirs. Swipe to see a kid craft you can pair with this story. I also have comprehension and vocabulary activities for this book. Just follow the link in my bio for more information.⁣
⁣
#squirrelsnewyearsresolution
As 2020 comes to an end, it has been fun to look b As 2020 comes to an end, it has been fun to look back at all of the books I’ve shared this year. It was so hard to narrow it down to a Top 9 list, so you’re getting 20 instead. Do you see some of your favorites?⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
#raisingreaders #bookshare #bookpusher #classroombookaday #picturebooks #picturebookaddict #bookstagram #storiesbystorie #readersofinstagram #kidsbookswelove #kidlit #readalouds #iteach2nd #teachermom #picturebooksofinstagram #childrensbooks
Winter is officially here! Have you had snow yet w Winter is officially here! Have you had snow yet where you live? We haven’t, but my kids are anxiously waiting. While we wait, it’s been fun to revisit our favorite snow day memories while reading Ten Ways to Hear Snow.⁣
⁣
In this story, Lina wakes up to a blanket of snow outside,  but she is supposed to help her grandma cook that day. Since Sitta is losing her eyesight, Lina rushes to bundle up and get over to her home. Lina wants to make sure her grandma is okay and knows about the snow outside. On the way, Lina explores the city muffled by snow and discovers ten different ways to hear snow. ❄️⁣
⁣
What is your favorite (or least favorite) thing about snow?⁣
⁣
#tenwaystohearsnow⁣
#winterpicturebooks⁣
#booksaboutsnow⁣
#snowbooksforkids⁣
#winterbooksforkids⁣
#cathycamper⁣
#kenardpak⁣
@kokilabooks⁣
@kenardpak⁣
@cfastwolf ⁣
@penguinkids
If you could make a wish on a snow globe, what wou If you could make a wish on a snow globe, what would you wish for? ⁣
⁣
During one of the worst snow storms of the year, a little girl and her family settle in for the night. They build a fort by the fire and enjoy a picnic-style dinner. Later that night, the little girl makes a wish on her snow globe. The next morning the family wakes up to a winter wonderland outside. ⁣
⁣
“What if, ⁣
dear friends, ⁣
on this snow globe day⁣
EVERYONE comes out to play?”⁣
⁣
Snow Globe Wishes has a great message about slowing down, enjoying the simple things, and bringing a community together. It would be perfect to share while getting cozy on cold, winter day!⁣
⁣
⁣
#snowglobewishes⁣
#winterpicturebooks⁣
#childrensbooks⁣
#kidlit⁣
#readingismagic⁣
#picturebooksaremyjam⁣
#picturebooksofinstagram⁣
@sleepingbearpress⁣
If you’ve been around here for awhile, you’re If you’ve been around here for awhile, you’re probably a big fan of books. Whether you’re shopping for the holidays, a birthday, or celebrating a milestone, books make great gifts. If you still need convincing (or justifying your recent book purchases 😉), I recently shared 10 reasons why books make the best gifts on my blog. Follow the link in my bio.
Danny’s back in an all-new adventure!⁣ ⁣ In Danny’s back in an all-new adventure!⁣
⁣
In this latest book, Danny’s headed to the water park with his family. Throughout the day, he’s faced with a lot of important decisions to make. Will he be fair and kind, show empathy towards others, keep himself safe, and take responsibility for his actions? That’s up to the reader to help Danny decide! ⁣
⁣
Growing up, I loved reading choose-your-own-adventure books because it was so much fun getting to decide how the story ended. Now my own kids get to experience that same reading magic with these Power to Choose books from Ganit and Adir Levy. My kids are bound and determined to read every single one of the 9 different endings.⁣
⁣
Have you read any of the Danny or Darla books yet? If so, do you have a favorite?⁣
⁣
⁣
#whatshoulddannydo⁣
#whatshoulddannydoonvacation⁣
#thepowertochoose⁣
@ganitandadir 
#raisingreaders⁣
#picturebooksforkids⁣
#bookpusher⁣
#clasroombookaday⁣
#kidsbookstagram

Copyright © 2021 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs