Kids Listen Activity Podcast, Episode 18:
Be Calm on Ahway Island Presents Magical Chair

After moving to a new home, Winfield the wheelchair decides to help Brian find new friends. Will the magical chair find them at a colorful park? Listen to the episode here.
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After the episode, do the activity! Identify challenges and strengths, develop empathy skills, and more. Details are below.
Things have become a bit uncertain lately and we hope you are staying well. To help you and your kids relax and learn here are some activity ideas you can use in addition to our relaxing stories and meditations.
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While our stories are designed with ages 3-8 in mind, many older children and adults enjoy our episodes as a way to relax, as well. And, if your kids need to nap during the day, you will find our stories help them settle into that routine as well.
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Identify Challenges and Strengths:
After listening to the story complete the T charts - link is available here.
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What challenges do you think Brian/ Winfield face?
What strengths does Brian/ Winfield have?
What challenges do you have?
What strengths do you have? (emphasize their strengths!
Encourage them to list at least two more strengths than challenges)
Want to add movement? Try this activity.
Here are two options, depending on the number of kids involved:
Option 1:
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Limit 1 or 2 kids to the area you have marked off.
The others may move about wherever they are usually allowed.
Option 2:
Limit your kid(s) to a specific area in your home.
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Now have your kid(s) seek out answers from everyone in the house to some simple questions like:
What is your favorite color? What do you like about it?
What is your favorite book? What do you like about it?
What is your favorite vegetable? What do you like about it?
What is your favorite thing to do? What do you like about it?
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Stop after a couple of minutes and find out if the kid(s) that is limited to a certain area is having difficulty getting answers to their questions.
Ask the kid(s) what they can do to solve this challenge. Then have them switch roles and give them the opportunity to try all their suggestions.
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After the activity discuss:
What worked and what didn’t?
What did you learn?
How did you feel?
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When restricted to one area?
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When you solved the challenge?
Another activity: Use the questions listed above (or your own) and have your kids pretend to interview their favorite character.
How do they think that character would answer the questions, and why do they think that?
This activity will help them think about how other people are thinking and feeling, encouraging empathy and creativity.
And for an art break, we’re encouraging our listeners to share drawings of their listening buddies with us! With permission we’ll post the drawings on our website for everyone to enjoy! Be sure to use the tag #KidsListenActivityPod.
Enjoy, and stay well!