Love is in the air this month, so it is the perfect time to read another sweet children’s book about hugs! This story celebrates the power of hugs, and the importance of friendship and focusing on your strengths. We had a lot of fun pairing this book with lots of family hugs and fun bird activities for kids!

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Bird Hugs was written and illustrated by Ged Adamson. Bernard is a bird who has extraordinarily long wings. As he grows, he starts to realize that he is different from his friends. His extra long wings make it impossible for him to fly, but he soon learns that they are perfect for giving big hugs to friends in need.

The story celebrates the power of friendship, and the way that friends can help you when you need it the most. The illustrations are full of adorable animal characters, and use a gentle and soothing pastel color palette.

Portable Hugs

Kids can learn from Bernard and offer hugs to those who need them. Start out by tracing your child’s hands and cutting them out. Next, have them stretch their arms out to their sides while you stretch a piece of yarn the length of their arm span. Attach a handprint to each end of the yarn. Now you can use them to give “hugs” when you aren’t near each other. This would also make a great Valentine’s day gift for grandparents or other family members who are far away.

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Flying Birds

Poor Bernard tries over and over to fly, but his long wings keep holding him back. This is a great opportunity for a bird themed invitation to play. Provide kids with a small bird toy and lots of household objects. Work together to create different types of flying contraptions to help Bernard take flight. Will craft sticks make good wings? What about half of a paper plate? How about building a paper airplane for him to fly on?

Toss your contraptions across the room to see how long they can stay in the air. What materials work the best? How long can one of your contraptions stay in the air? This is a great way to introduce little ones to aerodynamics and other STEM topics. My daughter had a lot of fun creating this “bird” out of pipe cleaners and leaves.

Hug Time!

Set up a ritual with your family that you can call for Hug Time whenever you need it. My daughter loves the adorable otters from Finding Dory, and the “cuddle parties” that they have in the movie. So she will frequently yell out “Cuddle Party!” and attack me with cuddles. This never fails to make us both smile and giggle. Implement this same idea with your own family, by calling out “Hug Time!” whenever someone needs a little cheering up.

What are your favorite children’s books about hugs and friendship? Share in the comments below!

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