How do you help a child believe in their own unique talents? Or find the confidence to try something new? Or face fears with resilience and courage? Children’s books can be a wonderful entry point to consider life’s big questions. Imaginative stories can be creative tools in starting meaningful conversations about everyday challenges and exciting possibilities.
To help you explore important topics with a child in your life, we’ve created a collection of discussion guides and activity sheets, inspired by the best-selling books of author Kobi Yamada. Featuring themes such as navigating failure, embracing your ideas, and developing a growth mindset, we hope these activity sheets can be resources for thoughtful conversation and connection.
Explore the topics:
1. NURTURE WONDERFULLY WILD IDEAS
Download the What Do You Do With an Idea? activity sheet.
How do you find the courage to embrace a big idea? What Do You Do With an Idea? follows a young boy who has an idea but doesn’t know what to do with it. Along the way, he discovers that becoming friends with his idea can lead to amazing things.
2. LEARN HOW PROBLEMS HELP US GROW
Download the What Do You Do with a Problem? activity sheet
How do you face a problem? What Do You Do With a Problem? is a story of a boy and a problem that seems to follow him around. Its presence makes him worry, until he learns all the good things it has to offer him.
3. OVERCOME FEAR TO TAKE EXCITING CHANCES
Download the What Do You Do With a Chance? activity sheet.
What can you do to make yourself feel brave? Sometimes that is what’s needed when we have the opportunity to take a chance. In What Do You Do With a Chance?, we explore what it looks like to let go of fear to see where new experiences may lead us.
4. DISCOVER AND UTILIZE YOUR UNIQUE GIFTS
Download the Maybe activity sheet.
What’s something only you can do? Maybe is a celebration of all the possibilities we hold inside us. It’s a magical tale about a young girl who discovers she can make the world a better place simply by being herself.
5. INSPIRE A GROWTH MINDSET
Download the Trying activity sheet.
What would you tell someone who is afraid to fail? Trying is a story about the power of failure and how much it can teach us. Following an aspiring sculptor and his teacher, Trying takes us through the emotional journey of learning something new.
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New York Times best-selling author Kobi Yamada’s collection of children’s books is filled with engaging topics for parents and children to discuss together. Discover all the life lessons of Kobi’s books here.
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