Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

• A copy of the story, The Most Generous Gift
• Optional: "The Most Generous Gift" coloring sheet (PDF), and crayons

Preparation for Activity

• Read the story. If you can, prepare to tell it rather than read it from the page.
• Optional: Print the coloring sheet and copy for all participants. Place coloring sheets and crayons where children can use them when invited but will not be distracted beforehand.

Description of Activity

Invite the children to get comfortable for listening to a story. Read or tell the story.

After the story, ask the children, "Why, do you think, the woman in the story gave away half of her money, when she didn't have much and she really needed it?" Allow some responses. Then ask, "Would you give half of your toys to someone who needed or wanted them?" Ask if they have ever been asked to donate anything. How did they know how much to give? How did it feel to give? What was hard about giving? What felt good?

Including All Participants

Offer children the opportunity to color the illustration provided for “The Most Generous Gift” to engage different learning styles and to help children focus on or relate to the story. A coloring activity can be a "preview" of a story. It can work as a quiet activity to help children physically settle. You might use it afterward to help the group recall and respond to the story.