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Activity

All About Me

Practice Talking About Self and Family

Part of a CollectionOn Our Way to School

Starting school is exciting! But it might also feel a little scary. Children can start to connect with their new friends at school by talking about themselves and their families.

Audience
Caregiver
Subject
School Readiness
Age
KindergartenPre-KPreschoolToddler
Languages
Brazilian PortugueseEnglishHaitian CreoleSimplified ChineseSpanish
Materials
Washable markers, mirror, modeling clay, paper (large sheet, 12x18"), plates, stamp pads
Family reading together

Every child is unique and there are many types of families, so everyone has something special to share! Knowing who they are helps children feel confident, join in play, and have fun. That’s how school becomes a great place to learn and grow.

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Try these activities together! 

Different ways of making self-portraits 

Handprint Self-portrait
  • Draw a big circle in the middle of a large sheet of paper with a marker (an adult can do this part!), like the outline of a face. 
  • Put ink on hands using stamp pads. 
  • Add parts of the face—eyes, nose, mouth, ears, etc.—using handprints and fingerprints. 
  • If your child adds handprints randomly instead of forming facial features, that’s okay! They are still expressing themselves. 
Clay Family Portrait
  • Pretend a plate is a face. 
  • Add facial features using modeling clay. Make a portrait for each family member. 
  • If your child isn’t ready to create a face, the clay can also be used to talk about favorite colors, shapes, animals, food, etc., as you create together. 

While making the portraits, talk about features— like eye color, the shape of the nose, and the length of hair. Talk about what’s both unique and similar among family and friends. 

Favorite Mystery Objects

  • Ask your child to collect some favorite items. For example, you can ask, “Can you bring me something that is your favorite color?” or “Can you bring me your favorite squishy thing?” Sharing favorite items is another way to share about yourself. 
  • Invite your child to hide the objects they found under a blanket or box. Reveal it to them one at a time by saying “Ta-da!” It’s exciting and provides a fun surprise, while also giving your child a chance to share something they care about. 

Everyday Interactions

Looking at family photos together on a phone or tablet. Looking at pictures can help your child practice talking about themselves and their family every day! Talk about what you notice in each photo, your memories, and how the photos make you feel. 

Ways to Support Your Child

“What do you notice as you look in the mirror?”
Help your child notice what’s unique about them. This can be about how they look on the outside, or who they are on the inside—their interests or feelings.
“Tell me about your handprint art.”
Ask your child about their work, like the colors they used or how they chose the design. Be curious about the child’s process, rather than just saying, “It looks great!”
“How do the items you collected make you feel?”
Whether it’s about their special items or favorite characters, be excited to hear your child share about their feelings.

Just for the grown-ups

Do you remember your first day in school? What did you like about the school? What were some of the challenges? Your child’s experience may be similar or different, but you’ll share many new milestones together!

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