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Surprise me — print pack

Print, cut, and talk about it together. · Ages 5–9 · Roo Bloom

How to use these pages

  1. Print on A4, single sided, at 100% — not “fit to page”.
  2. Cut along the dashed lines to make the cards.
  3. Ask the question, then ask “what can you see?” before anything else.
  4. The last page is for you, not for the wall.

Four things to ask

“What can you see?” “What happened?” “What clue helped you?” “So why did that happen?”

Why cards

Cut these out. Show the picture, read the question, and talk.

  • Two children at a table at home. A wrapped present with a ribbon sits on the table in front of one of them.

    Why is Ravi happy?

    Surprise me · 1

  • Two children at a party. A burst balloon lies on the floor between them.

    Why did Tabi get a fright?

    Surprise me · 2

  • Two children sitting on a bedroom floor. A tall tower of blocks stands finished on the floor between them.

    Why is Jo proud?

    Surprise me · 3

  • A girl at a home table holding a cloth. A cup lies on its side and juice has run across the table. A grown-up stands beside her.

    Why is Jo using a cloth?

    Surprise me · 4

  • A girl stopped on a playground path, bending down towards her shoe. One shoelace is undone and trailing on the ground. A friend has turned back towards her.

    Why did Nia stop walking?

    Surprise me · 5

  • A girl at a classroom table holding a sharpener. A pencil lies on the table in front of her in two pieces. Her paper is beside it, and another child works nearby.

    Why is Mei using the sharpener?

    Surprise me · 6

  • Two children at a classroom desk. A pencil lies on the desk in two pieces. The other child is still writing with a whole one.

    Why did Mei stop writing?

    Surprise me · 7

  • A boy walking towards a lunch table with a cloth in his hand. Spilled drink is spread across the table top with a cup beside it. Another child sits at the far end.

    Why did Sam fetch a cloth?

    Surprise me · 8

  • A girl standing still in a classroom with her bag in her hand. A chair lies on its side on the floor in front of her. Another child sits at a desk further along.

    Why did Jo stop walking?

    Surprise me · 9

  • Two children sitting on a couch. One of them has the tablet on his knees and is looking down at it. A teddy sits on the floor.

    What is Jo waiting for?

    Surprise me · 10

  • Two children at a craft table. The scissors are in the hands of the child on the right. Paper and a glue stick are on the table.

    Why did Nia ask Tabi first?

    Surprise me · 11

  • Two children on a playground path. The one at the back is bending down towards a loose shoelace. Her bag is on the ground behind her.

    Why did Sam stop and wait?

    Surprise me · 12

The three answers

Cut these into strips and lay the three out under the matching card.

  • 1

    • He has been given a present.
    • It is nearly his dinner time.
    • He is going to the park.

  • 2

    • A balloon popped with a bang.
    • She is waiting for her turn.
    • The game has finished.

  • 3

    • She has built a tall tower.
    • She has found her teddy.
    • She has finished her drawing.

  • 4

    • Some juice spilled.
    • She is drying her hands.
    • She is cleaning her drink bottle.

  • 5

    • Her shoelace came undone.
    • She is looking for her hat.
    • She wants to go inside.

  • 6

    • Her pencil has snapped in two.
    • She is packing up her desk.
    • She is sharpening it for Ravi.

  • 7

    • Her pencil snapped in two.
    • It is time for lunch.
    • She is packing her bag.

  • 8

    • A drink spilled on the table.
    • It is time to pack up.
    • They are getting ready to paint.

  • 9

    • A chair is lying in the way.
    • She is looking for her bottle.
    • She forgot her lunch box.

  • 10

    • A turn with the tablet.
    • Her dinner to be ready.
    • Somebody to read her a book.

  • 11

    • Tabi is using the scissors.
    • She has finished her card.
    • She is going to wash her hands.

  • 12

    • Nia's shoelace has come undone.
    • The bell has gone.
    • He has forgotten his hat.

Why → Because

Say the first half and let your child finish it. That is the whole exercise.

  • 1Ravi is happy because

  • 2Tabi is scared because

  • 3Jo is proud because

  • 4Jo is using a cloth because

  • 5Nia stopped walking because

  • 6Mei is using the sharpener because

  • 7Mei stopped writing because

  • 8Sam fetched a cloth because

  • 9Jo stopped walking because

  • 10Jo is waiting because

  • 11Nia asked first because

  • 12Sam stopped because

For grown-ups: the answers and the clues

The clue is the useful column. If your child is stuck, point at the clue rather than saying the answer.

  1. 1. Why is Ravi happy?

    He has been given a present.

    Clue: Look on the table in front of him.

  2. 2. Why did Tabi get a fright?

    A balloon popped with a bang.

    Clue: Look at the floor between them.

    Talk about sounds that are very loud but harmless.

  3. 3. Why is Jo proud?

    She has built a tall tower.

    Clue: Look at what is standing between them.

  4. 4. Why is Jo using a cloth?

    Some juice spilled.

    Clue: Look at the table top.

  5. 5. Why did Nia stop walking?

    Her shoelace came undone.

    Clue: Look down at her shoes.

  6. 6. Why is Mei using the sharpener?

    Her pencil has snapped in two.

    Clue: Look at her table.

  7. 7. Why did Mei stop writing?

    Her pencil snapped in two.

    Clue: Look at the desk in front of Mei.

    Ask what she could do next to keep going.

  8. 8. Why did Sam fetch a cloth?

    A drink spilled on the table.

    Clue: Look at the top of the table.

  9. 9. Why did Jo stop walking?

    A chair is lying in the way.

    Clue: Look at the floor ahead of Jo.

  10. 10. What is Jo waiting for?

    A turn with the tablet.

    Clue: Look at what Kit has.

  11. 11. Why did Nia ask Tabi first?

    Tabi is using the scissors.

    Clue: Look at what Tabi is holding.

  12. 12. Why did Sam stop and wait?

    Nia's shoelace has come undone.

    Clue: Look down at Nia's shoe.

    Ask what it feels like when somebody waits for you.

Roo Bloom · roobloom.com

This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.