The Kissing Hand (Critical Issues)

The Kissing Hand

Penn, A. (1993). The kissing hand. Washington, DC: Child & Family Press.

ISBN: 9780878685851

“The Kissing Hand” is about separation anxiety. A little raccoon, named Chester, was very sad because he didn’t want to go to school. His mother tried to reassure him that he will be ok, by telling him a secret about the kissing hand. So when he feels sad at school and feels like he misses home, Chester is to place the palm of his hand, which his mommy kissed, against his face, so that he can feel her warm kiss wherever he is. He is so happy and excited about his family tradition, that before he goes to school he gives his mom a kiss in the palm of her hand so that she has a kissing hand too.

I would use it for 3-5 year olds as many of them are still going through separation anxiety when leaving their family to go to school or daycare.
The illustrations are calm and soothing, and the colours used are warm colours to evoke a sense of a reassuring, soothing emotion.

You can provoke interest in the story by putting a picture (blown up to poster size) of the cover page (the mommy raccoon kissing baby Chester raccoon’s hand) somewhere on the wall, in the classroom, where the children would notice it. Don’t say anything about it; just let the children talk with themselves about it. Then during circle time begin reading the book, but with the cover page covered.

Ways to read this book:

1. You can use felt (a felt mommy and baby raccoon, a felt tree, felt grass, other felt animals, like a rabbit, a tortoise, an owl, a mouse, and a fox, and a moon). You can make the pieces yourself or you can see if it is readymade at 3H Craftworks.

2. You can use puppets (one for mommy, one for baby), either make them out of stuffed raccoons yourself or you can see if 3H Craftworks has them already pre-made.

3. You can also tell the story with the children, by letting each child be an animal from the book. With masks for each animal, seen in the book, and 2 sticky foam hearts for the palms of hands of the child that is the mommy raccoon and the child that is the baby raccoon, you can let children act out the story as you say it. Most of these crafts can be found in most craft stores like Michaels, or the Dollar store.

Extensions:

1. You can get all the parents or family members that drop their children off at school to kiss the palm of their hand and to get the children to kiss the parents or family members palm of their hand. And anytime the child feels like they miss their family, you can get them to hold their hand up to their cheek. Make sure before you do this, that it is ok with the family as some religions or cultures might not be ok with it.

2. Just like the raccoons hand had a heart shape in the middle of it, you can get the children to trace their hand on a piece of paper, get them to cut it out with safe scissors, and then get them to stick a heart shape (which you can either get them to make themselves or have them pre-cut) in the palm of their pre-cut hand so that they have their very own kissing hands to play with and to give their parents.

3. You can ask the children if they know anything about raccoons. Then you can bring in some books about raccoons, as well as discussing what nocturnal means, as there will probably be a few children who will ask why the raccoon is going to school at night. You can also talk about which other animals are also nocturnal.

4. Here are some pages with plenty more ideas on how to either provoke, read, or extend “The Kissing Hand”
www.teachingheart.net/kissinghandideas.html
www.vickiblackwell.com/kissinghand/index.htm
www.kinderteacher.com/Kissing-hand-activities.htm