אמפתיה
סְּפָרִים
Book-Related Family Activities
Family reading advice – From book to life
Books can help us cope with challenging situations: Toddlers identify with book characters and, as a result, learn about emotions, behaviors and challenges that exist both in books and in real life. In situations that are similar to those presented in the book, you can remind your toddlers of the book characters, and suggest that they be inspired by them and behave in a similar way: “Do you think we can maybe shift a little on the bench, and make room for our friends, just like the bears in the book did?”
Bears on Chairs
מה קורה בסיפור?
You can discuss what is happening in the book with your toddlers – which problem did the bears encounter? Why didn’t the bear have anywhere to sit? What did the other bears do? You can also address the feelings that emerge from the book: How did the bear feel when he had nowhere to sit? Was he happy, sad, or perhaps surprised or confused?
Bears on Chairs
Reading the illustrations
You can learn, play, and have fun using the illustrations. You can look for a different detail in them every time – can you spot the pink bear? Where’s the spotted bear? Where is the big bear and where is the little bear?
You can swap roles, and let your toddlers beckon you to search for details in the illustrations.
Bears on Chairs
Like a bear
You can turn the pages of this book and pause at a different page each time to look at the bears and try to copy their movement, sitting posture, and facial expressions so that yours are exactly like the ones depicted in the illustration.
Bears on Chairs
You can find more activities and special ideas on the Sifriyat Pijama for Toddlers Pinterest page.
Bears on Chairs
Connections
You can talk about older people you know or knew in the past: Who are they? What is your connection to them? What do you like doing with them now? What memories do you, the parents, have of older figures from your childhood?
It’s Our Birthday
Story time
Want to listen to the story? Scan the QR code and you can listen to the story together while turning the pages, at home, in the car or whenever you have time.
It’s Our Birthday
Hello Your Majesty
Amira suggests playing a game she played as a child – so can you! How do you play? One participant is the king and the rest are his children coming for a visit. They greet him with “Hello, Your Majesty”. The king replies: “Hello my dear children? Where have you been and what have you been doing?”
The children must explain where they were and what they did in mime, and the king must guess correctly. Then they switch roles.
It’s Our Birthday
It’s Our Birthday
Party time
Alma is planning a magic party with a magic hat and a magic potion, and invites witches and wizards to join. You can plan a magic party as well, with your own magical ideas. And maybe it will be a “resting” party? Or a game party? Or another themed party of your choice?
It’s Our Birthday
Real or imaginary?
Telling and listening to stories is great fun. The shared experience makes everyone feel good. Discuss and think together – when is the right time for story-telling and letting your imagination run wild. When is it best to tell the story like it is — without adding or leaving out any details? Who would you feel comfortable confiding in when you face dilemmas?
Let Me Tell You a Story
What happened to me yesterday
Who can remember what happened yesterday? Can you tell it like a story? You can use this opportunity to share experiences. You can also play: One of the participants will tell a story, while the others try to figure out what is true and which parts are made up.
Let Me Tell You a Story
Here is where we listen
Whenever Shahar wants to share or consult, she sits on the bench with Herzl, the security guard, and he always listens. Choose a spot at home where you can always speak and be heard. Whenever you need to share, sit there, tell your story, and seek advice.
Let Me Tell You a Story
More arts & crafts, songs and activities can be found on the Sifriyat Pijama Pinterest page
Let Me Tell You a Story
Let me tell you a story
Do you want to listen to Shahar’s stories too? Scan the QR code and listen away.
Let Me Tell You a Story
Family reading advice
Reading a book together can evoke thoughts, feelings and emotions in children: Like the young bird, they can feel small and fragile; like Efrat, they can feel misunderstood, or determined to go on doing what they believe is right. We recommend sitting close together, and accompanying the reading with a soothing stroke: Touch brings parents and children closer together, and strengthens children’s faith that they have someone who supports them, and is attentive to the feelings that the book evokes in them.
Little Peanut
Getting bigger
Little Peanut is getting bigger, and Efrat, who is discovering independence and responsibility, is getting bigger too. You can discuss and ask your children what makes them bigger and more responsible than they were before – are they taking care of a pet, for example? Doing things on their own? Helping their friends and around the house? We recommend always reminding children about the areas in which you, as parents, see that they have made progress and grown. Doing so makes children feel good, and bolsters their self-confidence.
Little Peanut
Helping animals
You can also help the animals in your surroundings: You can make a feeding station for birds containing crumbs; place a water bowl for cats; make a sign protecting an anthill, or think of your own ways of helping the animals in your surroundings.
Little Peanut
Where are the animals?
The illustrations in this book depict various animals – some are stuffed, drawn or playthings, some are real, while others appear in the children’s thoughts. Can you find them?
Little Peanut
Jumping, skipping, flying
Do you like to move? Look at the page on which Little Peanut learns how to fly, and try to move along with the story: You can grow wings, hop, skip, or even try to pretend to fly.
Little Peanut
More arts & crafts, songs and other activities can be found on the Sifriyat Pijama Pinterest page
Little Peanut
Pinterest – Crafts, songs and other activities on the “Elik Belik” book page in Sifriyat Pijama on Pinterest
Elik Belik
Reading Together
Do you also have little friends visiting your home? Are they imaginary friends, or maybe a beloved doll? It is worthwhile to talk about it with the toddlers and hear what do they like doing with the little friend. You can “bring in” the little friend to join and read the story.
Elik Belik
How to Read the Story?
The story is slightly longer than usual, and in order to arouse interest and curiosity it is recommended telling it in a variety of voices: a voice for Dad, a voice for Yaeli and a different voice for Mom and for Elik Belik. You can look together at the illustrations and invite the toddlers to participate in the identification of details and repeat the words “Elik Belik”.
Elik Belik
Hide and Seek
Where’s the doll? On the table? maybe underneath it? And where’s the ball? You can hide various objects, look for them and then say: “The ball is on the chair”, “The ball is under the bed”. You can also hide yourselves and look for each other.
Elik Belik
From Small to Big
Dad has big shoes, Mom’s shoes – they are less big, Yaeli has little shoes, and Elik Belik’s? Tiny shoes! Go on a journey throughout the house, collect items of the same type and arrange them from the smallest to the biggest.
Elik Belik
Discussion
Unpleasant things happen to all of us – but do they only ever happen to us? You may want to discuss the feelings that emerge when something unpleasant happens, and help each other think of people who can help, as well as how to cheer each other and ourselves up.
Winston was Worried
Illustrations tell a story
The illustrations in this book tell us what happened to Winston’s friends without using words. Only Winston doesn’t notice. Pick one illustration, look closely at Winston’s friend, and tell their story as if you were them: What are they feeling? What are they thinking? What about this particular illustration caught your attention?
Winston was Worried
Lucky it happened to me!
You may want to try looking on the bright side! At the end of each day, share something good that’s happened to you with your family – make sure that both parents and children share news about their day.
Winston was Worried
Who amuses me? And who surprises me?
Look at the illustrations together and search for details that amuse you – what did each of you find amusing? Did any of the details surprise you?
Winston was Worried
Winston was Worried
Discussion – A story worth gold
The brave stork’s reward was… a story worth gold. Do you have such a family story? You could tell it to your children, and search for other family stories by asking your grandparents and other family members.
The Lion and the Bone
What did the stork say?
Imagine you were the stork – what would your thoughts be? What would you have said to the lion, and how would you have told the story? Try to tell it from the stork’s perspective. You may also enjoy drawing the story, or making costumes with which to act the story out. How about taking photos of your short play, and printing them out to create a book worth gold.
The Lion and the Bone
Brave as a stork or hardworking as an ant?
Animals in fables have human characteristics: the stork is brave, the lion is strong, and the ant is hardworking. Which animal best symbolizes you? Try to think and discover which animal is most similar to you, and write down sentences that characterize you, such as: “I’m as smart as a …”, “I solve problems like a …”, or “I love singing like a …”
The Lion and the Bone
A feast
Is the meal prepared by the lion appetizing? It’s time for a feast. You may want to prepare your family’s favorite food, draw animal characters on paper napkins, make a crown for each person sitting at the table, and eat together.
The Lion and the Bone
The Same but Different
Reading the illustrations
Randomly open the book and look at the illustrations together:
Which character is similar to you? Which character are you different than?
What makes you similar to or different than the character you have chosen?
Which is your favorite character in the book?
Note – these questions may be asked every time the book is read. There are days, for example, when we prefer to be alone, whereas on others we choose to spend time together.
The Same but Different
Playing – What can we see in the mirror?
The mirror game presents an opportunity to look at one another as well as ourselves, notice similarities and differences, and laugh.
Instructions:
Sit in front of the mirror with your child, look at each other, and find similarities and differences between you:
Are your eyebrows arched the same way as your child’s?
Do you both have freckles? Or curly hair?
Pulling Faces – one of you could pull a funny face, while the other tries to mimic it. Were you able to make each other laugh? Was it the same funny face that made you both laugh, or different ones?
The Same but Different
Doing some arts & crafts – Similar but different
You could make a family picture together, and add your similarities and differences to it:
Take photographs of yourselves together or separately. If you prefer, you could draw self-portraits instead of taking pictures. Print the photos out, paste them on some cardboard, and paint them. Add drawings or newspaper scraps to your pictures with details representing the similarities and differences between you. Do you enjoy playing the same games? How about adding it, then? You could add the different games that each of you like to play. Perhaps one of you prefers quiet, while the other prefers noise. Are you fast or slow? Do you find the same jokes funny? What else would you add to your family photo?
The Same but Different
Moving similarly – Moving differently
Would you like to be active? Here are some suggestions for physical exercises that consist of both similar and different movements.
In each round, one of your family members moves their body: eaves their hand, jumps, turns around, or touches their ears.
The person next to them then moves too: if they like the gesture made by the previous participant, they can move in a similar way. If not, they can choose a different movement they like better.
What did you enjoy? Repeating the same movement, or choosing your own?
Scan this code to download a family game we have prepared especially for you.
The Same but Different
פינטרסט
suggestions for game cards and arts & crafts can be found on the PJLibrary Pinterest page.
The Same but Different
Proposed Family Activities
- You may want to pause as you read and ask your child: Where do you think the cat is rushing off to? Why is Mr. Goat blocking the way? Will the vixen eat all the raspberries that she has picked herself?
- Perhaps you would enjoy taking a look at the illustrations in this book together: Have you noticed Duck’s and Porcupine’s special eyebrows? Can you discern who is angry and upset, and who is happy and relaxed judging by their eyebrows alone? You may want to sit one opposite the other and take turns to cover your face, leaving nothing but your eyebrows visible. Now, pull a face – happy, surprised, angry, or sad – and ask the other to guess which emotion you were trying to express by your eyebrows alone.
- You could make a finger theater using eyeliners and lipsticks: draw needles on the back of your finger, and a nose and mouth on the front – and you have got yourself a porcupine; paint the thumb and forefinger of your other hand red with some lipstick, so that their tips form a bill – and you have got yourself a duck. Use both hands to perform a show based on this book. Which hand is quick to judge? Which hand gives others the benefit of the doubt?
- Perhaps you could share a story with your child about a time when, like the duck in this book, you were quick to jump to conclusions about others’ actions. When something unpleasant happens, we can try to adopt the “porcupine” approach, and repeat the phrase “maybe, possibly, perhaps” together.
Maybe, Possibly, Perhaps
Family Activities
- Perhaps you would like to look at Daniella Dekel London’s amusing illustrations, and use them to follow the plot. What do the animals like doing together? Did you find the three ants running away? Have you managed to identify the various animals concealed in Good Mood Bear?
- You may enjoy acting this story out together. Who can be the bear, and how will you disguise yourselves? And who will play the part of the other animals? At the end of the show, you could make some sandwiches and eat them together in a special friendly picnic.
- Many things can put you in a good mood: playing with friends, singing and dancing, or hugging. Perhaps you would like to discuss the various things that make you happy, and choose one that fills your heart with delight – like singing and dancing together, going for a walk in the neighborhood, or reading your favorite books together!
- The bear in the book makes new friends, and the group has a great time together. Following this story, you may want to invite a new friend home, and try out new things together. Have you made a new friend? Did spending time together put you in a good mood?
- “I’m bored and have no one to play with!” Just like the bear, we have all felt sad or bored at times, and do not always have friends around. You may enjoy preparing a “good mood kit” together: decorate a shoebox, and put little prizes in it, such as stickers, crayons, or small games. Keep the box hidden, and take it out when you’re lonely or bored.
- Perhaps you could make little bears from various items. What could you use for round ears? And how will you give it a chubby belly?
- You and your child can also dress up as bears, other animals, and even various family members. You may want to create a costume and prop basket, filled with various materials, hats, glasses, and household items. Dress up, guess each other’s costumes, and get in a good mood!
Good Mood Bear