Sitting on the Farm
What’s inside...
Sitting on the Farm is a children's book by Bob King that follows the story of an individual who sits on a farm enjoying a book. As the story progresses, various farm animals, including a cow, horse, chicken, and pig, join the person, each asking to sit with them to listen to the story. This creates a humorous and crowded situation. The book employs rhymes and vibrant illustrations while imparting lessons on sharing, inclusivity, and the pleasure derived from reading together. In addition to this central narrative, there is a subplot where a girl tries to remove a bug from her knee with the assistance of a sequence of progressively larger animals, adding another layer of humor and problem-solving.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
2-4
Length
1 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think the farm animals felt when they joined the boy sitting on the farm?
If you were on the farm with the boy, which animal would you want to sit with and why?
How do you think the story would change if it was set in a different place, like a forest or a beach?
What other ways could the boy have solved his problem of fitting all the animals?
If you could add another character to the story, who would it be and what would they do?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive voices for different animals in the book to make the reading session more interactive and fun.
Ask your child to draw their favorite scene from the book. Discuss why they chose that particular scene and what they liked about it.
Encourage your child to predict what might happen next at several points in the book to enhance their analytical thinking skills.
After reading, connect the story to real life by discussing a time when your child needed to make room or share space with others.
Create a small project, like building a farm from toy blocks or crafting animal masks, to deepen the connection with the book’s setting and characters.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding
Explanation: In 'Sitting on the Farm', the child interacts with various animals, each expressing its own needs and feelings. This interaction fosters an understanding of empathy.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this understanding of empathy by recognizing and respecting the feelings and needs of others around them, whether it be family, friends, or pets.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving skills
Explanation: Throughout the story, the child solves problems to create space for all the animals that join him. This highlights effective problem-solving approaches.
Real-World Application: Kids learn to think creatively and develop solutions when faced with challenges in school or during play.
Example Lesson: Importance of sharing
Explanation: As more animals join the child, they all share the limited space on the blanket. This part of the story teaches the value of sharing with others.
Real-World Application: Children can apply the lesson of sharing in real-life scenarios such as sharing toys or space during group activities at school or at home.
Example Lesson: Enjoyment of nature
Explanation: The setting of the farm and the interaction with animals emphasizes the beauty and joy of spending time in nature.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to explore and appreciate the outdoors, fostering a lifelong respect for the environment.