Buddy and Bunnies in: Don't Play with Your Food! by: Bob Shea
Dinosaur vs. School by: Bob Shea
Leonardo the Terrible Monster by: Mo Willems
I really like this activity since it allows students to be a little creative with their creation and it helps them develop fine motor skills as they are cutting various shapes. They have the option of me drawing the body parts for them to cut or they can do it themselves. I can informally assess whether or not they are able to cut with precision or need practice holding the scissor grip properly.
Read a great book with your child. Focus on one character for the activity after the reading. You can determine the basic shapes that make up the character and draw them for your child to cut out. Afterwards, they can put the parts together with glue (I recommend glue stick). If your child is having difficulty holding the scissor, model it for them and help them with the proper grip. Any additional features such as eyes, nose, mouth can be drawn on or cut out as well.
As you work with your child, ask them questions to give them opportunity to think and communicate. Instead of telling them what they need, you can ask questions for them to answer such as,
"What do we need to make the dinosaur?"
"What shape do we need for his head?"
"What are we missing?"