Mayhem, silliness, and debauchery, the perfect recipe for one of the most beloved Sandra Boynton books, Hippos Go Berserk. Sandra Boynton books are all of the things needed to withstand sticky and rough toddler hands while bringing hilarious and memorable stories to life. The hippos in this story emulate toddler energy. They are wild, they are rowdy, but they do have fun! So don’t just curl up on the couch with your little hippo, pick up the book and throw a party. You’ll laugh and love watching your toddler go berserk.
In this post, you’ll find four literacy activities related to one of the classic Sandra Boynton books. You’ll be given simple ways to connect and dive deep into the text while keeping the lighthearted nature of the story at the forefront, the heart of My Book Bud. You and your child will make lots of happy memories when you are immersed in the goofy world of Hippos Go Berserk, a favorite among Sandra Boynton books.
Table of Contents
Hippos Go Berserk!
Author and Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Published by Little, Brown and Company, 1994
Summary: This playful story centers on one lonely hippo who invites some friends over for a party. This leads to a wild gathering that lasts through the night, until the next morning, when all the hippos go home, leaving the original hippo all by his lonesome once again.
Skills to Tackle with Sandra Boynton Books: Hippos Go Berserk
Inference: Best for ages 3-5
An inference is when you use clues from the story and combine that with knowledge you already have to figure something out that isn’t directly stated. Sandra Boynton books offer a simple way to practice a skill like inferencing which can often times be confusing and complicated for kids.
Inference Example:
- Your child has chocolate all over their mouth and they are covered in crumbs. You can make the inference they broke into the snack cabinet and found their favorite snack. They didn’t have to verbally tell you this information. You were able to make that inference based on the evidence all over them and your prior knowledge of snacks they enjoy.
The hippos in this book enjoy fun hippo festivities and being together. Help your child make inferences about the hippos in one of the most cherished Sandra Boynton books.
Example Conversation:
- Parent: I noticed the hippo on the first page looked sad when he was all alone, but when he called his friends on the phone, he had a big smile on his face. Why do you think that is?
- Child: I don’t think the hippo likes being alone. He was happy when he was talking to his friend because he didn’t feel as lonely.
- Parent: Yeah! Friends can really help us feel less lonely. Has there ever been a time when you felt lonely and a friend helped you feel happy?
- Child: One time at recess, I didn’t have anyone to play with. Then Ashley came over and asked if I wanted to play tag and it was my favorite recess ever.
- Your child might not have a story like that ready to share off the top of their head. You can share an example about yourself to make them feel comfortable enough to share a story of their own. Feeling lonely can be a heavy topic so make sure you are attentive and provide a safe space so your child knows that they can share a potentially uncomfortable memory and still feel loved.
- Parent: Ashley sounds so nice! Did you smile like the hippo in the book while you were playing with her?
- Child: Yeah! I even invited two other kids to play with us! Just like the hippos in the book, more and more kids joined in on our recess fun!
- Parent: Wow! That is so awesome! I bet you were going “berserk” just like the hippos in the book!
Sandra Boynton books are a great way to open up the door to tough topics like lonesome. These books create a caring atmosphere leaving space for a child to open up.
Vocabulary: Best for ages 3-6
Using simple Sandra Boynton books are a great way to introduce new vocabulary words and build on your child’s language skills in general. Using context clues, hints from surrounding words and illustrations that help define an unfamiliar word, your child can uncover the meaning of new vocabulary and add it to their mental work bank.
“Berserk” is most likely a new word for young children. In the story, the hippos throw a huge party and “go berserk.” The illustration around this word depicts each hippo doing something wacky. Using the context clues in the illustration, you and your child can define the word together.
Example Conversation:
- Parent: Look at all the hippos at this party! It says here that the hippos go “berserk!” What do you think that means?
- Child: I’m not sure. I’ve never heard that word before.
- Parent: Hmm…let’s look at the picture. It looks like the hippos are at a big party and they’re all doing something different. What are some things you notice the hippos doing?
- Child: I see one hippo with a phone on his head! And look, another hippo is climbing on the picture on the wall!
- Parent: Yeah! And I noticed one doing a handstand on top of another hippo! So based on the picture, what do you think the word means?
- Child: Well it seems like they’re all doing something wacky or crazy!
- Parent: Good ideas! After looking at the picture, I think it means wild and insane!
When I did this with my oldest, Gracie, her answer surprised me. She told me she thought the word meant “party.” This caught me off guard as I thought the illustration made the meaning of the word quite obvious. It dawned on me that this was the first time I had asked her to define a word and use context clues. I realized that she didn’t actually know how to use context clues and I had to guide her to look more closely at the picture and then we were able to come up with a definition together.
Other Words to Practice
Other words from the story to work on this skill: overdressed, delight, and distressed.
Even though most Sandra Boynton books are simple, you can still practice identifying new words. Sometimes simpler is better because your child will know most of the words already, which will build their confidence to try to find and define new words. Don’t underestimate the power of Sandra Boynton books!
Counting: Best for ages 3-5
Counting is a fundamental skill that can be easily worked on using many Sandra Boynton books, including Hippos Go Berserk.
One-to-one correspondence is a core counting skill for a toddler to learn. This is when you match one item to another item so nothing is left. This book is a great way to start introducing one-to-one correspondence.
- For example: If your child has five baby dolls and five bottles, each baby doll will get a bottle.
The story starts with one hippo calling two hippos. Those two invite three more, who bring four hippos with them, and so on up to nine hippos. In total, 44 hippos arrived for the big party. The next morning the pattern is reversed starting with nine and decreasing back to the original single hippo.
One-to-One Correspondence – Addition
Apply one-to-one correspondence to one of the treasured Sandra Boynton books, Hippos Go Berserk. Find some small items around your house that you can use to “cover” the hippos up as you’re reading. This can be anything, coins, counting bears, or even just small ripped up pieces of paper. As you read, cover each hippo on the page with a “cover” to help your child effectively count using one-to-one correspondence while interacting with and having fun with the story.
One-to-One Correspondence – Subtraction
Once your child is comfortable covering the hippos with their “covers,” you can step it up into a subtraction activity. After placing a “cover” on each hippo, remove a few and ask your child, “How many hippos are left?” They will then have to count the remaining covers to see how many are left. This hands-on activity lets toddlers practice subtraction in a playful way, right in the middle of the story. You can even add hippos back in to sneak in some addition practice too!
Sandra Boynton books are a great way to practice even the simplest skills. Kids will sometimes recount or skip an item while they are counting, so using the one-to-one correspondence activity is extremely helpful. Using a method like this helps a child understand what numbers actually mean and represent.
Free Printable!
Use the free printable linked below to easily count along with the hippos in the book! As you read, count the number of hippos on each page. Then, place or glue that same number of hippos on the matching page number below. Try doing the activity in reverse when it starts counting backwards!
Expansion Activity: Best for ages: 2-5
Make one of your new favorite Sandra Boynton books come to life! Using tangible and tactile objects, your child can create a hippo party right in your very own home.
Create a “hippo house” by using an old shoe box or small container. Then gather your “hippos.” These can be any small toys you have lying around your house, just make sure you have a lot of them. Counting bears, small blocks, little animal figures, even cars can represent the hippos. If you don’t have anything like this, simply tear a piece of paper up and roll them into small balls!
“Hippo House” Steps
- Reread the story with your child.
- Place a “hippo” in the “house” in correspondence with the number of hippos on the page.
- This will encourage your child to count out the correct number of objects and place them in the house. By the time they get to 44, they will see what a large number that really is.
- Have a little fun and shake that “house” up when the hippos go berserk!
- Reverse the activity by having your child remove the “hippos” from the “house” in correspondence with the hippos on each page.
This activity will encourage one-to-one correspondence, adding, and subtracting all while having a little bit of fun.
If your child loved this activity, have them decorate the “hippo house” for future “parties.” Making Sandra Boynton books come alive will have your child light up right in front of your eyes!
To Wrap Things Up:
Reading Sandra Boynton books with your child is a beautiful way to introduce big topics like inference, vocabulary, and counting. They are the best way to practice skills while having fun. Sandra Boynton books are built for connection, so don’t miss out!
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