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

Activity 5: Story

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Story book

Preparation for Activity

  • Choose a story from these suggestions:
    • All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan (1994). Told in the voice of a child who lives on a farm with his parents and grandparents, the child introduces readers to the spots that each person in his family loves best.
    • Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney and Annette Cable (1998). In this playful introduction to maps and geography, step by simple step, a young girl shows readers herself on a map of her room, her room on the map of her house, her house on the map of her street-all the way to her country on a map of the world.
  • Review How to Read a Story Book, under Resources in the Introduction.

Description of Activity

Gather the children in a circle and help them get settled. Talk about what you saw on the tour. Ask:

What did you like best? What did you like least? What will you tell your family about? What places would you like to visit again?

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 that they can see and hear?

This will help 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.