Be Prepared: Review each illustration in this wordless book to determine what you will say about the story’s various events. The activity plan invites toddlers to identify and talk about what the main character (Daisy) might feel in response to each event you describe.

Invite 3–5 toddlers to read and talk about a book with you. Show the book cover and explain that our book is about a dog named Daisy. Draw attention to Daisy’s red ball. Explain that the book is special because it has no words. The pictures in our book tell us what happens with Daisy and her red ball.

Point generously as you describe illustrations. Explain specific events, including events that may not be obvious to toddlers. Example: The air came out of the ball when the larger dog picked up the ball with its mouth. Some toddlers may be familiar with air coming out of a balloon when it is popped.

Focus on major events or situations, especially the following:

• Daisy playing with favorite red ball
• lying on couch with red ball
• bigger dog taking Daisy’s favorite ball
• favorite ball losing its air
• Daisy getting a new ball
• Daisy and larger dog playing together again at end of story

For each major event, ask toddlers what Daisy might be feeling. Draw attention to Daisy’s facial expression and body posture. Example: “The other dog took Daisy’s red ball. Look at Daisy’s face. What do you think Daisy is feeling?” Pause for toddlers’ comments. If no comments are offered, draw attention to additional information in the picture. Example: “Look at how Daisy’s head is down. Daisy is looking to the ground.” If this information and another pause do not prompt a response, offer two possible ways Daisy might be feeling. Example: “Do you think Daisy might be feeling happy or sad?”

Conclude the session by explaining that Daisy had different feelings during the story. Name the feelings mentioned by toddlers during the session and remind toddlers what happened when Daisy had a specific feeling. Example: “Daisy was happy when she played with her ball and rested with her ball. Daisy felt happy when she got a new ball. She was happy when she played with the larger dog.”

Be Prepared: This activity is for a toddler who participated in Option 1 or is familiar with the A Ball for Daisy story through a similar book sharing.

Invite a toddler to look at A Ball for Daisy with you. Engage the toddler in one of two possible ways with the book:

1. Support the toddler in using the pictures to recall what happened in the story, including what Daisy may have felt in each event or situation.
2. Support the toddler in discussing events and situations associated with Daisy feeling happy and then with Daisy feeling sad. Examples: “Let’s look at pictures that tell us about times Daisy was feeling happy.” “Now let’s look at pictures that tell us about times when Daisy was feeling sad.”

The first possibility follows the order of events in the story. The second possibility is more appropriate for a toddler who has a good grasp of the story and is ready to consider events selectively and somewhat out of order. Both approaches emphasize the toddler as storyteller and connections between events/situations and Daisy’s feelings.

Conclude the session with positive acknowledgment of the toddler’s efforts to tell a story and help us remember what Daisy felt and why.