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Bookbug Session Plan: Kindness
To complement Fair Saturday Scotland(this link will open in a new window)’s Kindness of Words Festival, we have a session that celebrates Bookbug being welcoming and inclusive to all. These songs and rhymes will support families to strengthen relationships and help little ones understand and practice kindness in their daily lives.
Introduction song
Benefits
Makes everyone feel welcome and singing or saying ‘Hello’ can make others feel happy. Singing ‘The Hello song’ can improve mood and promote a sense of community and can also help children learn social skills.
Tips
Shake hands, clap, jump or tap along. If you have a small group personalise the song by including the children’s names.
Action rhymes
Benefits
Discuss how the king's men tried tо help Humpty, showing kindness even when a task seems impossible. When someone is feeling sad, just like Humpty Dumpty, we can be kind by helping them feel better. What can we say to cheer someone up?
Tips
Sit your baby on your knee facing you. Bounce them gently and for the great fall, gently tip your baby backwards. Just make sure you support their head and neck. Put a teddy or Humpty Dumpty Puppet on Lycra or a piece of fabric like a pillowcase, and gently bounce him up and down. You can also throw Humpty in the air so he falls down onto the Lycra. Stand up and clap hands to the first half of the rhyme. When it’s time to fall, touch the floor. Then jump up and march on the spot. You could do this round in a circle too.
Benefits
Miss Muffet was scared when the spider came and sat beside her. Sometimes, people (or even animals!) might make us feel scared оr unsure. But we can show kindness by helping them feel safe. Being kind can help others feel better, just like Miss Muffet could have made friends with the spider. Can we be kind tо those who are afraid, even іf we don't share their fears?
Tips
Introduce some simple actions and encourage your child to join in with you. You could take it in turns to be Miss Muffett and the spider. Make up your own actions, acting out the words. Try playing a circle game based on the rhyme. Choose a child to be the spider while the others sit in a circle. As everyone says the rhyme, the ‘spider’ goes round the outside of the group making tickling movements with his/her hands. When everyone says ‘and sat down beside her’, the spider taps or tickles one of the children who then runs around the outside of the circle whilst everyone says ‘and frightened Miss Muffet away’. That child then takes a turn at being the spider.
Action song
Benefits
Old MacDonald takes care of all his animals, just like we take care оf our friends. How can we show kindness tо animals оr tо people? Maybe by feeding them, оr helping them when they need it! What other animals should Old MacDonald take care of?
Tips
Encourage children to make the animal sounds. Clap along to the rhythm, stomp feet to the beat or pretend to drive a tractor for Old MacDonald. Have children form a circle and choose one child tо be іn the middle as Old MacDonald. Let children take turns suggesting animals and leading the corresponding actions.
Transition song
I wonder what's in my bag today?
Benefits
Builds anticipation and captures the attention of the children.
Tips
Use Bookbug to help engage the children in singing the ‘I wonder what’s in my bag today?’ song. Use Makaton to support different communication needs. Sing the song to the tune of ‘Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush’, i.e.:
‘I wonder what’s in my bag today, bag today, bag today I wonder what’s in my bag today, come and take a look. . . At Bookbug’s favourite book.’
Book
The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
Benefits
Poor hedgehog can't find a hug anywhere. And neither can tortoise! Everyone seems to have an excuse to avoid the tricky prickles or bony shell. But just when the two creatures are about to give up, along comes the other to show that there's always someone to share a special moment of connection with. Gorgeous, sparse illustrations – and the option to 'flip' the book and share either hedgehog or tortoises's story - add to the book's charm, but most heartwarming is the core message about resilience and friendship.
Tips
Show the cover and ask what the child thinks the story might be about. Read the book from both directions - Hedgehog's perspective and Tortoise's perspective. Discuss why the other animals won't hug Hedgehog and Tortoise. Make it interactive by asking the child to predict what will happen next. Use different voices for Hedgehog, Tortoise, and the other animals. Most of all, have fun!
Action songs
Benefits
Rig a Jig encourages families and children to engage with each other, fostering a sense of friendship and togetherness.
Tips
Toddlers can bounce on your lap, tap on their knees or clap along to the song. Older children can jump up and down and dance around or find a partner to dance with. Children can walk around the space and can greet one another with a handshake or wave.
Benefits
The mouse was moving quickly! Sometimes, when we’re іn a hurry, we might forget tо be kind. But even when we’re busy, it’s always nice tо stop and help others.
Tips
Gently walk your fingers up your baby’s arms or legs as the mouse runs up the clock, and back down as the mouse runs down. Toddlers love action songs; they can use one hand as the mouse and walk it up their own arm as the mouse runs up – or give you a tickle! There are lots of variations on this song – what other actions can you think up for each number? Have fun making up your own version and verses.
Familiar rhyme
Benefits The little dog laughed and had fun with friends. Playing and laughing together іs a kind way tо show others we care about them. What’s your favourite game tо play with friends? The dish and spoon running away together can represent friendship. This can lead tо a discussion about how being a good friend іs an important way tо show kindness.
Tips
‘Hey Diddle Diddle’ Action: Wave your hands side to side as if calling out ‘Hey!’ ‘The cat and the fiddle’ Action: Pretend to play a small violin or fiddle with your hands. ‘The cow jumped over the moon’ Action: Jump up high or pretend to leap like the cow and make the sound, Moo! ‘The little dog laughed to see such fun’ Action: Put your hands on your belly and pretend to laugh heartily like the dog. ‘And the dish ran away with the spoon’ Action: Pretend to run in place or hold hands with another and run around together!
Familiar song
Benefits
Talk about how, like stars brighten the night sky, acts of kindness brighten people's days.
Tips
Use the traditional actions. This helps your baby or toddler learn what the words mean. Wiggle your fingers and keep your hands close to your face so your baby can easily see. Sing nice and slowly to give your toddler a chance to sing with you and follow the actions. Place a teddy on a piece of Lycra or a blanket and rock them gently to sleep while singing the song.
Final song
Benefits
Tells everyone the session is coming to an end.
Tips
Wave, smile and use names if you know them. If you know Makaton you can support this song with signs.
Permissions
Please read our guide on permission to read books aloud online.