Activities to go along with the book The Kissing Hand.

Materials:

Put the following items in a book bag or backpack or shoebox:

• Book:The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• Heart shaped stickers
• Hand cut outs
• Journal book
• Pencils or crayons

Plan:

Read the book at either your orientation, your first day of school, or send home the back pack the first week. Make sure you have 3 or 4 backpacks or book bags made up so the children don't have to wait too long for a turn.

When reading the story be very sensitive to your child's custodial needs. If you have a child with an absent parent adjust your story to be generic. Say: "And someone who loved Chester said give me your hand," instead of his Mother.

Alternative if you're not comfortable reading story to parents or sending home -- Do this at circle time and give your students a kiss on their hand and a heart sticker. Have laminated hand name tags for comfort. Put a picture of your student with parent on bulletin board.