Where's My Mom 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 Where’s My Mom?, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

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 its rhymes, animal clues, changing emotions, and message about finding your way back to someone you love. 

Inside this 12-page guide, you’ll find:

• During Reading Tips to bring the characters to life with expressive voices, singing, repetition, 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 a personalized craft
• Opportunities to build vocabulary, rhyming awareness, counting, animal knowledge, story recall, emotional understanding, descriptive language, and problem-solving skills

About the activity

The activity supports tracing, cutting, gluing, shape recognition, fine-motor development, creativity, and conversations about the features that make a monkey recognizable.

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 rhyming story more interactive and expressive
• Help children notice and describe animal features
• Practice counting, comparison, location words, and picture clues
• Talk about Little Monkey’s changing emotions
• Discuss what children can do if they become separated from a caregiver
• Build descriptive language and problem-solving skills
• Create a personalized keepsake craft using the child’s handprint

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 Where’s My Mom? by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler 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 tracing, cutting, gluing, and attaching the optional pipe-cleaner vine.

Recommended ages: 12 months–8 years

Format: Printable digital PDF

Length: 12 pages

Included activity: 1