For Adults!
Teachers, parents, caregivers, librarians, faith-based organizations…anyone can use these tools for sparking a conversation!
Kindness starts with you.
While The Polka-Dotted Penguin is a cute story, it is also a conversation-starter. I hope these discussion questions can assist you in opening discussions with your children about topics such as celebrating differences, inclusion, and kindness.
Amy
Evie shares her favorite part of the book
Conversation Starters
For Young Kids:
Why do you think the daddy penguins were looking at and talking about the polka-dotted egg? (His egg looked significantly different from the other eggs, and they wondered if the baby would also be very different.)
How do you think the daddy of the polka-dotted egg felt when the other daddies were talking about his egg? (He probably wasn’t happy about it!)
What makes you different from everyone else, just like Dottie was different in some ways with her polka dots?
If you were Dottie, how would you want the other penguins to treat you at school? Were they nice to her? (Some were, and others were hesitant or stayed away because they didn’t know how to act around her.)
Dottie had trouble talking, and other penguins noticed. But do you think she was still smart? (Yes! She knew all the words by heart to her favorite songs, and just needed more time to speak.)
Have you ever been teased? How did it feel? Have you ever made fun of someone else?
What did Dottie’s parents teach new friends about what to say to Dottie if they didn’t know what to say? (Just say” hi!” and ask for a high five flipper!)
What are some ways that you lend a “helping flipper” or helping hand to someone who needs it?
Can you think of anyone at school or who might like to have a friend who helps them when they need it?
Dr. Moy shows off a penguin craft after reading the book to elementary students at Highrock Church.
For Older Kids:
Why do you think the other daddy penguins were wondering what kind of baby would hatch from the polka-dotted egg? (They saw how different the polka-dotted egg was, and expected the baby to look just as different. They were curious.)
How do you feel about the polka-dot daddy penguin’s reaction to the other daddies pointing out how different his egg was? Was he angry? Was he sad?
What do you think the other daddy penguins were thinking when they came to see how the polka-dotted egg hatchling turned out? (They were looking for differences, and not celebrating them—instead, they were looking to set the baby apart from the others from birth.)
What would you say if someone said to you that you look different from everyone else in a negative way?
What are some of the “polka dots” you’ve noticed in yourself and in other people? How do you view your own qualities that set you apart?
Have you ever been teased? How did it make you feel?
What are some activities that you’ve noticed not everyone can participate in? (Some possible answers: gym class, dancing, roller skating, sports, singing, playground)
“Everyone needs an extra flipper sometimes”: what are some ways you’ve needed a helping hand to participate in something?
What are some ways that you lend a helping hand to others at home or school when they might not have a natural ability to do something at first?
Sometimes we assume someone needs help, but they may also want to learn how to do it themselves. What are some ways to be supportive, but also giving them ways to succeed themselves?
