Rhyming Prompt: December 22
All the world’s a stage!
So let’s take a page
From theatrical types and act out a scene.
Imagine what you’d do if someone were mean
To a friend you adore, for no reason at all.
Would you comfort your friend in the wake of the brawl?
What would you do to stand up to the hater?
By imagining now what you might do later
You’ll know the right move if the moment arrives
To help everyone best get on with their lives.
Download the prompts for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. You may have already printed these—I’m just reposting for convenience.
A close-up of the December 22 prompt. It is printed on cream cardstock with a green border and a green wax impression of a frog. It is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.
Other Materials:
You may want to have some empathy scenarios on hand for this one, although I’ve built one into the prompt. I love the Eeboo I Heard Your Feelings Cards, and I’ll be using those. Teaching in Room 6 also has a great exercise on this, and a helpful printout with a variety of empathy-building scenarios.
Suggested Pose:
Frantz is being a real ham! He’s monologuing on a windowsill stage before a rapt audience of plush pals.
Frantz is sitting on a windowsill with the curtains drawn like, well, curtains (but the kind in a theater). He has an audience of several stuffed animals watching his performance. The December 22 prompt is on his lap.
Activity:
With your child, act out or simply talk through a variety of hypothetical scenarios.
Rationale:
This is a chance to help your child think through the most empathetic way to respond to specific, plausible scenarios without the pressure of having to do it in real time. The preparation makes it much more likely that your child will be prepared to handle these situations effectively when they arise.
Book Recommendation:
I really like Silly Goose’s Big Story by Keiko Kasza for this. It involves imaginative play and figuring out creative ways to stand up for our friends. You can watch a read aloud here.
An image of the cover of Silly Goose’s Big Story by Keiko Kasza.