Owl Babies. Reading Guide & Activities | Ages 12 Months-8 Years

Turn storytime into an opportunity to read together, create together, and grow together with this printable companion guide for Owl Babies, written by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Patrick Benson.

Designed for children ages 12 months through 8 years, this guide helps you enjoy the story at your child’s developmental level—without turning reading time into a lesson or quiz. Start by simply enjoying the book together. Then, return to the story whenever you are ready to explore the baby owls’ feelings, the nighttime setting, repeated language, and the comforting message that someone you love can leave and still come back.

Inside this guide, you’ll find:

• During Reading Tips to make the story more engaging through expressive voices, repetition, movement, and opportunities for your child to join in
• Age-appropriate After Reading Questions for:
• 12–18 months
• 18–24 months
• Ages 2–4
• Ages 5–8
• Guidance showing where to ask each question, which skill it supports, and how it helps your child learn
• A complete materials list and step-by-step directions for an owl-themed craft
• Opportunities to build vocabulary, story recall, sequencing, prediction, emotional understanding, observation, descriptive language, and early problem-solving skills

About the activity

The activity gives children an opportunity to create while practicing fine-motor skills, following directions, creativity, and noticing the features that make an owl recognizable.

It can also open the door for simple conversations about Sarah, Percy, and Bill, their nighttime home, and the feelings they experience while waiting for their mother to return.

The goal is not a picture-perfect craft—it is the connection, conversation, and fun of creating something together.

This guide is a good fit for families who want to:

• Make a gentle, repetitive story more interactive
• Help children identify and talk about emotions
• Explore what the baby owls notice, think, and feel
• Practice predicting what might happen next
• Build story recall and sequencing skills
• Talk about separation, waiting, and the comfort of someone returning
• Strengthen vocabulary and descriptive language
• Enjoy a hands-on activity connected to the story

Please note

This is a digital PDF download. No physical book, printed guide, or craft supplies will be mailed.

You will need access to a copy of Owl Babies by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson to use the reading portions of this guide. The book may be borrowed from your local library or purchased separately.

Adult help may be needed for portions of the craft, depending on your child’s age.

Recommended ages: 12 months–8 years

Format: Printable digital PDF

Length: 19 pages

Included activity: 1 (two versions)