Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

• A copy of the story, The Very Short Rule
• Optional: "The Very Short Rule" coloring sheet, 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, help children explore the frustration of the people who wanted to be good, but found it difficult with so many rules to follow and so much work to do just to survive. Some questions for discussion include:

• What were some of the difficulties people had in following the rules?
• Is it hard for you to remember many rules?
• If you could be kind all the time, what would you be like? What would a typical day be like? What kinds of things would you do?
• What would it be like if everyone was kind to you all the time?

Including All Participants

Offer children the opportunity to color the illustration provided for “The Very Short Rule” 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.