Written and Illustrated By: Eileen Browne
Published By: Walker Books
Handa carefully carries a basket filled with delicious tropical fruits as she walks to visit her friend, Akeyo. Along the way, a series of cheeky animals quietly help themselves to the fruit, creating a wonderful guessing game full of surprises, prediction and laughter.
Kirrily Koala encourages us to Be Present and Have an Awareness, noticing the colourful fruits, observing the animals hiding nearby and watching for the clues that reveal what is happening throughout the journey.
Elky Elephant helps us Be Ready and Engage, making thoughtful predictions, exploring different fruits and animals and joining in the storytelling as each new surprise unfolds.
Pikkle Panda reminds us to Be Mindful and Thoughtful, encouraging children to appreciate generosity, celebrate friendship and recognise the joy of sharing with others.
Through this heartwarming felt story, children discover that curiosity, kindness and thoughtful observation help us appreciate the wonderful surprises that can happen when we share with others—just like the Kind-e-play Friends.
Extend the learning...
Create a Mystery Fruit Basket by placing a selection of real or pretend fruits inside a basket or fabric bag.
Invite children to explore each fruit using their senses, noticing its colour, texture, shape, smell and weight before guessing what it might be.
Extend the experience further by encouraging children to retell Handa's journey using felt pieces or loose parts, predicting which animal might visit next and creating their own surprise ending to the story.
Our Kind-e-play friends
Kirrily
What fruits can you see in Handa's basket?
What clues helped you notice which animal visited next?
Elky
Which animal do you think will appear next?
What makes each fruit and each animal different?
Pikkle
How did Handa show kindness to her friend?
How can we show generosity and thoughtfulness when sharing with others?
