MSU Extension Child & Family Development

Where the Wild Things Are

By Maurice Sendak

This book is about a little boy who gets into trouble and is sent to his room without dinner. While he is there, he imagines what it would be like to sail away to a land where he is the king.

BEFORE READING:

• Show the children the front of the book. Ask them to guess what the book is about.
• Ask the children what kind of animal is on the cover.

WHILE READING:

• Stop at any time if there is something you or the children would like to talk about.
• Ask them questions so that they can connect what is happening in the book to things they already know about. Try some of these ideas:
  • Why did Max get in trouble?
  • How would you like a forest to grow in your bedroom?
  • What would you want the trees to look like?
  • Why do you think Max is sailing home?

AFTER READING:

• Spend some time talking about the story. Ask the children things like:
  • How did Max get to the land of the Wild Things?
  • What are the Wild Things?
  • What was your favorite part of the story?

Read this book several times to the children. Hearing the same story again and again helps them learn new words and understand the ideas they hear better. Each day, pick a different activity to do with the children after reading “Where the Wild Things Are.” 

MATH AND SCIENCE

Make a raft by gluing or taping Popsicle sticks or straws together. Put it in the sink or a bowl that is filled with water and see if it floats. Try gently placing objects on the raft to see how long before it gets too heavy and sinks. Count how many things were on the raft when it sank. Compare what happens with light and heavy objects.

THINKING SKILLS

Open your book to a page that has four or five wild things on it. Have the children describe ways that the wild things are the same, and ways they are different. Ask them to explain their choices.

READING READINESS

Find a word in the book that the children have never heard before and teach them what it means. Two words that are probably new are mischief and rumpus. Good ways to describe these words are mischief is bad behavior, and a rumpus is a noisy get together. Think of other words that mean the same thing as these new words.

ART

Make a picture of a wild thing with paint or crayons. Have the children tell you what they would do if they visited where the wild things are. Write the story down on the picture, and read it back to them.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT

Color some flames on construction paper and cut them out. Put them in the middle of the room and pretend they are a campfire. Dance around the campfire like Max did. Hop on one leg, then the other and sing, “I am King of the Wild Things!” Turn around and dance around the circle again. Try other movements, too.

PRETEND PLAY

Pretend that you and the children are in a royal kingdom. Wear blankets or towels as cloaks and make paper crowns for your heads. Find a chair to use as your throne. Ask the children to name all the people who might be in a king’s family like a prince, princess, queen, knight, jester and so on. Have fun pretending you are in charge of your own kingdom.

MOTOR SKILLS

Take the laces out of an old pair of shoes. Show the children how to lace the string through the holes. Start by teaching them how to lace up and down. You can also show them how to lace from side to side if they are ready!

For more information, visit the MSU Extension Child Development Site

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