Tapestry of Faith: Chalice Children: A Program about Our Unitarian Universalist Community for Preschoolers

Activity 4: Story

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Story book

Preparation for Activity

  • Choose a story from the following suggestions:

    • Moonbear's Shadow by Frank Asch, 2000. Moonbear tries to outwit his troublesome shadow in this beloved classic.
    • Whoo's There: A Bedtime Shadow Book by Heather Zschock, 2005. Gentle rhymes about six nighttime creatures, including an owl, fireflies, and a raccoon. You can shine the beam of your own flashlight through the transparent "windows" to cast silhouettes on the wall as you read with your child-a fun and comforting way to end the day and experience a book together
    • I'm Not Scared by Todd Parr, 2011. With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the subject of all things scary and assures readers that all of us are afraid sometimes.
    • Not Afraid of Dogs by Susanna Pitzer, illustrated by Larry Day, 2006. Daniel is the bravest boy of all! Daniel isn't afraid of spiders, or snakes, or even thunderstorms. And no matter what his sister says, he's certainly not afraid of dogs-he just doesn't like them.
  • Review How to Read a Story Book, under Resources in the Introduction.

Description of Activity

Hold up the book and say, in these words or your own:

Here's how I am going to read the story. Does anyone need to move so they can see and hear?

This will help the children move if they need to and then get settled before the story is started, so they don't interrupt the reading. It also serves as a reminder that if they stand or sit right in front of the pages, no one else can see. Invite them to find a place to settle so that everyone can see. When all are ready, read the story.

When you finish reading, ask if anyone has thoughts about the story that they would like to share.

Including All Participants

Seat a child with hearing or sight difficulties near the reader.