Storytime: Hugs!

by | Oct 13, 2021 | Blog, Kid's Corner, Story Time | 0 comments

“You never forget the first time you hug your child. Holding them in your arms and feeling the warmth of their body is a wonderful experience. There’s nothing like it! But did you know there are scientific benefits besides feeling all warm and fuzzy? It’s true.” To discover the science behind hugging and some great activities, click here.

Join us Monday, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room.

Ages 2-5

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

Tip

Using books and stories to help children think of their own solutions to problems helps them develop develop problem solving skills. Researchers have found that having ideas for tackling problems helps children in learning new tasks and handling social situations.

Activity

Find a book that revolves around a problem-solving situation to read with your child such as Karma Wilson’s, “Bear’s New Friend.” Introduce the book by setting up the problem. Then, when you approach the problem, ask your child what she might do to solve the situation. You can also read through the whole book and go back to the problem.

Books Presented

Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

The hug machine is available to hug anyone, any time, whether they are square or long, spiky or soft.

Hug by Jez Alborough

Bobo the chimp seeks hugs among various jungle animals and their young, but he does not get what he wants until he is reunited with his own parent.

 

Don't Hug Doug (He Doesn't Like It) by Carrie Finison

Doug doesn’t like hugs. He thinks hugs are too squeezy, too squashy, too squooshy, too smooshy. He doesn’t like hello hugs or goodbye hugs, game-winning home run hugs or dropped ice cream cone hugs, and he definitely doesn’t like birthday hugs. He’d much rather give a high five—or a low five, a side five, a double five, or a spinny five. Yup, some people love hugs; other people don’t. So how can you tell if someone likes hugs or not? There’s only one way to find out: Ask! Because everybody gets to decide for themselves whether they want a hug or not.

Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays

Looking for a Hug!

I’m looking for something warm and snug,
You open your arms and give a great big _______________!
Bug?
Rug?
Slug?
Mug?
Doug?
(Pull out each goofy answer from the magic hat until you give the right one! (a great big HUG).

I Can Hug

I can hug, hug, hug
I can hop, hop, hop
I can kiss, kiss, kiss
I can stop, stop, stop
I can nod my head for yes,
And I can shake my head no,
And I can sit down very slow.

I Have a Little Heart

I have a little heart (place hand over heart])
It goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest 3X)
It beats even faster when I jump, jump, jump (jump 3X)
I get a special feeling when I look at you (point to eyes, then audience)
It makes me want to give you a hug or two! (Hug yourself)

Crafts and Activities

Tigger and Winnie the Pooh love hugs!

A hugging craft ♥

Additional Books

One Hug by Katrina Moore

 A young boy discovers many different kinds of hugs and ways to show love as family members and friends gather to welcome his immigrant relatives from China.

If You're Groovy and You Know It, Hug a Friend! by Eric Litwin

Set to the rhythm of the classic children’s song, Groovy Joe invites the reader to laugh, sing, explore, and best of all, hug a friend.

Hug? by Charlene Chua

How many hugs is too many? This girl’s had enough! This humorous picture book explores compassion and the importance of setting boundaries. After coughing up a hairball, a girl’s cat doesn’t feel well. So the girl offers to give her cat a hug, which makes the cat — and the girl — feel better. More and more animals ask for hugs… How much more of this can she take? The story shows how important hugs can be to our happiness — even the most unlikely of creatures sometimes need one! — but that doesn’t mean they’re always welcome.

I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey

A tiny porcupine just wants a cuddle. All of the other animals turn him away because of his prickly spikes. But finally the porcupine meets an animal who’s happy to hug — a snake! 

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