Home Book Activity-The Kissing Hand

In a previous post I suggested some books for the start of the school year. I have a tradition that I do every year at the start of school with my daughter. The morning of the first day of school we take a few minutes together after she is all ready for her day and read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.





-In the story the raccoon is nervous for the first night of school (since he is a nocturnal animal and goes to school at night... side note: children love seeing the pictures of the animals going to school outside at night). His mother kisses his hand and says that it is a "kissing hand" and that whenever he misses her he can use his kissing hand to remember that his mommmy loves him. The illustrations in the book show a red heart in the center of the palm of his "hand".

While reading the book I kiss her hand and speak to her just like the mother speaks with her son. Then when the book is over I draw a little red heart with a marker on the palm of her left hand (since she is right handed so it doesn't rub off as fast) so she has a little reminder that her mommy loves her. Then when we say good-bye at school one of the last things she does is show me her kissing hand and the little heart on it. In this picture she was a little shy to show me in case someone in line was watching so she put it right up to the camera so no one could see.


*Also if you like The Kissing Hand there is another kissing hand/Chester book by Audrey Penn called A Pocket Full of Kisses. This is a great book about a new baby in the family. Chester learns about his mother having enough love for Chester and his little brother.