This plan runs about 45 minutes and suits preschool through second grade. It has three parts, the same three in the name. Print what you need from the printables list before you start.
What to have ready
- One of the books. Lola's Pocket Hug for a first-week-of-school group, Nolan's Pocket Hug for a mixed group, Carving Her Own Trail for winter or a "trying new things" theme.
- One pocket hug sheet per child, plus a few spares.
- Coloring pages for the characters in the book you chose. One per child, or set out a few of each and let them pick.
- Crayons, child-safe scissors, and a basket for finished hearts if you want to do the closing routine.
Read (15 minutes)
Read the whole story straight through the first time. Do not stop to ask questions on the first pass; young listeners need the shape of the story before they can talk about it. After the last page, ask two questions from the discussion list. Two is enough.
Color (15 minutes)
Hand out the coloring pages. Put the book somewhere the children can see the character while they work. This is the quiet part of the session, and it is where the shy kids talk. Walk the room and ask each child which character they picked and why.
Craft (10 minutes)
Pocket hug sheets. Each child colors one heart and cuts it out (or you pre-cut for the youngest group). Then the line: "This is your pocket hug. Love travels with you." Have every child put theirs in a pocket, right then. The physical act matters more than the explanation.
Close (5 minutes)
Ask the group to touch their pocket and take one breath together. Tell them the heart is theirs to keep. If you are doing a repeat visit, ask them to bring it back next time. Most will.