Gift Guide 
Kids love High Five because it inspires them to be amazing—and yes, to pursue things they can and would like to do.
So, set aside time to read this story to your mini world explorer. Check out pages 20-23 of the September 2017 issue to take an imaginary trip to the Costa Rican rain forest (or read the recap below)—and then reinforce learning with the activities that follow.
What the Story’s About
Two friends, Spunky Monkey and Pepe, love to explore the rain forest together. On this adventure, the pair stumble across something Spunky Monkey knows nothing about. Pepe answers his questions, in Spanish, as they watch a baby cocodrilo (crocodile) hatch from an egg!
Go Beyond Reading
Chat about the story. Ask your child:
- Where is the rain forest Spunky Monkey and Pepe are exploring? (Costa Rica)
- How would you describe the crocodile egg? (It’s smooth and white.)
- Was Spunky Monkey happy to greet the cocodrilo? How can you tell?
Explore everywhere and anywhere
- Talk about your favorite outdoor places (a park, a beach, a lake).
- Discuss what you like to see or do while you’re there.
- Ask your child about a time he found something that was new to him.
- Tell him about a time you found something that was new to you.
- Visit a farm or zoo where you may be able to see a real egg hatch.
- When a real egg hatches, what is the first thing you’d expect to see?
Practice Spanish
- Read the story out loud several times and repeat the Spanish phrases together.
- Later, let your child pronounce the Spanish words by herself.
- Make sure she knows the meaning of the Spanish phrases.
- Have her point to things around her and tell you what they’re called in Spanish—for example, un huevo for “an egg,” and una cabeza for “a head.”
Foster curiosity
Ask and answer questions! Gather facts from books and educational videos.
Talk about feelings
Who seems surprised in this story? Who’s excited, or happy, and why?
Take it a step further
- A fun but challenging word for kids is anticipation. Explain to your child that it describes the feeling of excitement you may have when waiting for something to happen—such as birthday party or another special event.
Let your child be the expert while you ask questions about something he’s familiar with. Ask more questions and say that we all have many things to learn!
