The Kissing Hand, a classic children's book by Audrey Penn, is frequently used in UK primary schools to help young children, particularly those in Reception and Year 1, cope with first-day-of-school anxiety. A variety of free educational resources, often referred to as 'freebies', are available online to support teachers and parents in extending the story's themes. These free materials include printable activities, craft templates, worksheets, and lesson plans. The resources are typically designed for use in classroom settings or at home to reinforce literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning concepts introduced in the book.
Many of these free resources are distributed through online educational marketplaces and teacher-created blogs. For instance, the website KindergartenWorks provides a curated list of Kissing Hand freebies, activities, videos, and book recommendations. Similarly, TeachWithMe.com offers a range of free downloadable packets that include shape games, number activities, and literacy extensions. FirstGradeBlueSkies.com and the Teachers Pay Teachers platform also host free resource packs created by educators. These resources are generally offered at no cost, though some may be part of a larger, paid product available for purchase.
Types of Free Kissing Hand Resources Available
Educational freebies related to The Kissing Hand cover a wide range of subjects and activities. The available source material describes several categories of these no-cost resources.
Literacy and Language Activities
Free literacy companions and activity packs are designed to build comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. One free literacy companion, available on Teachers Pay Teachers, includes differentiated activities for retelling the story, vocabulary building, and written responses. It is targeted at kindergarten and first-grade students and includes printable and digital components. Another free packet from TeachWithMe.com contains a variety of reading and writing activities aligned with Common Core State Standards, including discussion prompts about the story's themes of comfort.
Numeracy and Mathematics Resources
Mathematical activities using The Kissing Hand theme are also available as free downloads. These include number recognition and sense games, such as a 'Chester Raccoon Roll and Cover' dice game available in multiple versions for differentiation. Free resources also feature number cards from 0-10, mini booklets for tracing and writing numbers, and trace-and-write worksheets for numbers up to 100. Additional freebies include math matching number games and skip counting strips for 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s.
Crafts and Hands-On Projects
Several free craft templates and hands-on activities are offered to create tangible keepsakes from the story. These include handprint poems, craft templates for creating Chester the raccoon, and a 'First Day Hershey Kisses Treat Bag Toppers' printable. Another free resource is a first-day-of-school certificate featuring Chester, which teachers can print and distribute. A free note for students to sign and take home after their first day, intended as a keepsake, is also described.
Social-Emotional and Icebreaker Activities
To address the story's core theme of comfort and first-day feelings, free social-emotional resources are available. These include an activity to discover students' feelings on the first day of school, which can serve as an icebreaker and a basis for a bulletin board display. A free writing and discussion activity prompts students to reflect on what brings them comfort, directly extending the narrative of the book. Another free resource is a 99-page unit containing card activities and an alphabet game board.
Supplementary Materials and Multimedia
Beyond worksheets and crafts, free multimedia and supplementary materials are listed. These include videos of The Kissing Hand being read aloud, which can be used as a classroom break or alternative to a live reading. A free video follow-up teaching guide is also available, offering a book summary, discussion points, and a list of 14 activity ideas. Furthermore, a curated list of alternative first-day-of-school books and audiobooks is provided as a free resource for educators seeking additional read-aloud options.
Accessing and Using These Free Resources
The free Kissing Hand materials are typically accessed through direct download links from educational websites or through platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT). On TpT, many freebies are offered as a promotional incentive, often for a limited time, to encourage educators to follow a seller's store. For example, one source mentions a free packet that will be available for an entire year before being included in a larger, paid product.
To obtain these resources, users generally need to click on the provided link, which leads to a download page. No purchase is required for the free items, but some platforms may request an email address for registration or to join a mailing list. The resources are usually provided as printable PDF documents, which can be downloaded and printed for immediate use in a classroom or home setting. The source material does not specify any geographic restrictions, so these resources are likely accessible to UK-based users, though the content is created for an international teaching audience and may reference US-centric standards like Common Core.
Considerations for UK Users
While these resources are free and widely accessible, UK-based teachers and parents should note a few points. The educational standards referenced, such as Common Core State Standards, are primarily used in the United States. However, the activities themselves—focusing on phonics, number recognition, fine motor skills, and emotional literacy—are broadly applicable to the UK curriculum, including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1. The language and spelling used in the downloadable materials may follow American English conventions (e.g., "colour" may be spelled "color"), which users may wish to adapt for UK classrooms.
Furthermore, the availability of specific freebies can change over time, as some are offered as temporary promotions. For instance, one free shape packet is noted to be free for one year before moving to a paid model. Therefore, it is advisable to download desired resources promptly. The sources provided are primarily blogs and TpT listings, which are user-generated content. While the information appears practical and is shared by educators, it is not verified by an official brand or publisher of The Kissing Hand book. Users should exercise standard caution when downloading files from the internet.
Conclusion
A substantial collection of free teaching resources for The Kissing Hand is available online, primarily through teacher-created blogs and educational marketplaces. These no-cost materials support a wide range of educational objectives, from literacy and numeracy to craft projects and social-emotional learning. They are designed to help educators and parents use the story effectively to ease the transition into school for young children. Accessing these resources typically involves a direct download from a website, with no financial cost or purchase requirement. UK users can adapt these materials for local curricula, noting potential differences in language and educational standards. The availability of specific freebies may be time-limited, so interested parties should review the source websites for current offerings.