Jimmy’s Big Bug Backpack
A Children’s Story About Fear, Bravery and Kindness, narrated by Kimberley Arnett-DeSimone
(Downloadable PDF documents support Visual and Fine Motor Skills)
Have your child listen to the story as they do the activities
Jimmy’s Big Bug Backpack
In a bright and busy classroom filled with laughter, games, and the constant patter of little feet, a girl named Ellie had a heart as big as her imagination. Unlike her friends, who loved kicking soccer balls and racing around like superheroes, Ellie found joy in drawing silly dragons and writing make-believe adventures. Her notebook was her treasure chest, containing all her favorite stories.
One sunny afternoon, while Ellie was lost in her sketches, drawing a snail with sneakers, Jimmy, a boy in her class known for being good at soccer and for being mean at times, peeked over her shoulder. "What's this? Are you planning a trip to fairyland, Ellie?" he joked, his voice loud enough for the others to hear. Laughter bubbled around her, and Ellie's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. She snapped her notebook shut, wishing to disappear like dragons into their magical worlds.
A few days later, during recess, Ellie sat under her favorite oak tree, its leaves whispering secrets to the wind. She was drawing a castle in the sky, imagining herself as a knight on a grand adventure, when a sudden commotion caught her attention. It was near the swings where Jimmy and some other children were playing. Jimmy was frozen, his eyes wide with fear. A giant bug, almost as big as his thumb, was making its daring journey across Jimmy's backpack.
The crowd of kids around him erupted in laughter and squeals. "Jimmy’s scared of a bug!" they chanted, echoing across the playground. Ellie remembered the sting of their laughter from the other day, but seeing Jimmy in distress stirred something inside her. She put down her pencil, her heart guiding her feet towards the gathering.
With the gentlest touch, Ellie reached out and allowed the bug to step onto her piece of paper. She then walked it over to a patch of flowers and gently set it among the petals. "There you go, little explorer," she whispered, then turned back to Jimmy, who looked at her with surprise and gratitude.
"Thank you, Ellie," he said quietly, his voice barely a whisper over the lingering chuckles.
Ellie just smiled, her eyes kind. "Everyone gets scared sometimes. Even adventurers and knights. But it's okay. Bugs are just curious about the world, like us."
Jimmy smiled back, a real smile, and something shifted on the playground that day. In the days that followed, Jimmy and Ellie talked more, discovering they loved the world's mysteries. Jimmy shared stories of his soccer heroes, while Ellie told him about great storytellers like Mark Twain.
Their newfound friendship sparked curiosity among the other kids. Slowly, the classroom became a place where everyone felt comfortable sharing what they thought was fun and cool. The boy who loved painting flowers met a new friend who liked dinosaurs.
Ellie's kindness showed everyone that it's wonderful to be different and that bravery and being scared are both okay. They learned that every person is like a puzzle piece, and together, they created a classroom picture of friendship.
Coloring Exercise
Have students color the bug character from the story.
Visual Motor Exercise
Have students draw a line within the borders to follow the story path.
Movement Play Activities
(These activities are for getting your kids moving and active)
1. Spider Up The Wall:
This activity encourages the development of upper body strength and provides strong vestibular input from the inversion. It's a great way to wake up the body and mind!
Directions:
Remove shoes - works best with clean, bare feet
Stand with back facing the wall, a few small steps from the wall
Bend at the waist and place both hands on the floor
Put one foot on the wall, then the other foot, supporting your weight with your hands
Slowly walk your feet up the wall as you walk your hands closer to the wall.
You can continue to a handstand or stop and walk your feet back down as you walk your hands away from the wall. Parents, you can support your child at the waist as needed.
2. Spider Web Hopscotch:
This activity is great for balance and motor coordination.
Directions:
Use sidewalk chalk or painter's tape to make a large spider web outline on the ground or floor, making sure the spaces between the lines are large enough for your child's foot to land.
On one side of the web, draw or tape a flower for your child to deliver the spider to after they rescue it from the center of the web.
Make one or two dots in each web space to indicate whether they need to place one or two feet in that space. Alternate the one-foot and two-foot spaces to challenge balance and motor planning, just like in a typical hopscotch game.
Use a large plastic spider for the center of the web. Once your child hops successfully to the center, they can bend and pick up the spider, then hop across the opposite side of the web to deliver the spider to the flower patch
