A Forgotten Rabbit Became a Beloved Friend

A Forgotten Rabbit Became a Beloved Friend

Anything can become special if you treat it that way.

I looked down at the dirty dull-pink rabbit puppet that had somehow ended up with me. I suppose it had been used in my preschool at some point, given its filthy appearance, but it seemed to have been forgotten. I love using puppets, and thought this one could be given a second life.

I put it in the washing machine, hoping it wouldn’t disintegrate. Not only did it survive, its fur cleaned to a bright, beautiful pink. It looked brand-new.

I thought about who this rabbit could be. I put my hand inside and opened and closed the mouth. It has a nice big mouth—a great quality in a puppet.

Rabbits are quiet animals. What if this one were loud? What if he forgets to use his inside voice?

The pink little guy with the floppy ears needed a name. I thought of the word “raucous,” and from that word, I came up with Rocky.

When I introduce Rocky to the children, he gets so excited that he forgets his inside voice. I tell the children that Rocky needs their help to remember his inside voice. They’re instructed to raise their hands if they hear Rocky use his outside voice—which, of course, he often does.

This personality trait—one that’s relatable to kids—coupled with the chance for kids to give assistance has made Rocky a celebrity in our classes. The kids ask to see him often, and get excited when he makes an appearance.

He’s been given a name, a personality, and a purpose. He’s special.

I believe that anything—anything—can be special if we treat it that way. There are lots of fancy gadgets and toys out there; they can be cool, too. But you don’t need to spend a lot of money to create magic.

You could stick some googly eyes on any object, give it a voice, a name, and voila—you have a character for the classroom.

It doesn’t have to be three-dimensional, either. I cut a small gingerbread man out of brown construction paper, put a few dots for the eyes and a curvy line for the mouth, and a few dots for buttons. He is tiny, but he has a big personality. When he runs away, the kids are riveted. And he’s made from a scrap of paper less than two inches long.

Take the time to introduce the kids to new props, toys, and puppets. Give them some information—or, in the case of a puppet, let the puppet tell them. Kids like facts, and knowing information about a character can be a source of connection.

Use the items more than once, to give the children time to form a bond. They’re bombarded with so much every day that they need to see things repeatedly.
But the most important aspect of endowing “specialness” is your attitude. Like anything, if you show you value something, you won’t have to tell kids it’s special. They’ll know.