Using Picture Books: I Am Peace

Using Picture Books: I Am Peace

Living in these unprecedented times can be anxiety inducing. I Am Peace by Susan Verde very simply explains the concept of mindfulness. It is a story about a boy who sometimes worries about what might happen next and what happened before. He learns that by focusing on the present - the here and the now - he is peace.

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Suggestions on how to use this book

Introducing Mindfulness

  1. Go through each of the activities the boy does with your child, e.g. connect to nature, watch the clouds make shapes against the sky, etc.

  2. Practice simple mindfulness with your child by getting them to:

    1. Tell you what they see around them

    2. Describe the sounds they hear

    3. Describe the smells they smell

Language

  1. Metaphors and similes are used throughout the book (e.g. “The thoughts in my head are rushing like water and I feel like a boat with no anchor being carried away.”): Discuss metaphors and similes with your child and get them to come up with their own for everyday experiences like eating a pizza, doing their homework, playing video games, etc.

  2. Write an alternative story based on the book’s pictures. For example, it could be a story about a boy going on an adventure in a boat, being carried away, and what happens on that journey.

Social Awareness

  1. Discuss different ways of showing kindness.

  2. Start a kindness project at home:

    1. Each member gets an envelope.

    2. They write their name at the back of the envelope.

    3. Put the envelopes up, with the side that opens faced out, for each family member in a designated area, e.g. a cork board, wall, etc.

    4. Write a message (positive messages only!) or put a little handmade gift (e.g. origami, card, etc.) for each family member in the envelope daily for a week.

    5. At the end of the week, collect the envelopes as a family.

    6. The envelopes can either be opened together as a family or in private - different children have different preferences.

Emotional Awareness & Expression

  1. What are some things that make your child worry?

  2. Do different activities to process those worries:

    1. Imagining the worries being in bubbles that float and pop

    2. Writing the worries down on a sheet of paper and shredding or burning the paper

    3. Using colour, line, and shape to represent those worries