"The Kissing Hand" is a story about going to school, so the whole room can be part of this theme area. Your classroom’s House Area can be made into a tree house to indicate Chester’s home, a road to school can be identified by tape or other markings, and an “entrance” to school in the form of an arch of tree branches can designate the school. Make a cozy area in or near the tree house for books, paper, pencils, and other school materials.

On Day 1, let the children play the parts of Chester, Mrs. Raccoon, and the other animals going to school. Add props as the week progresses. You can first show the children the areas that are Mrs. Raccoon and Chester’s home, the path through the woods to school, and the tree school. They can then model the following script, which is modified from the book:

Chester: (Crying) I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay home with you and play.

Mrs. Raccoon: Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do. I think you will like school. You will have new friends and toys, books, and swings. And let me tell you a secret.

Chester: What secret?

Mrs. Raccoon: An old secret called the Kissing Hand.

Chester: The Kissing Hand? What’s that?

Mrs. Raccoon: I’ll show you. (She kisses Chester’s palm.) Now put your hand to your cheek whenever you feel lonely and think, “Mommy loves you!”

Chester: (Chester kisses his Mommy’s palm.) “Good-bye. I love you.” (Mrs. Raccoon puts her palm to her cheek. Chester rides the bus to school [see the Motor Area] along the path, meets some friends, and crawls into the tree school.)