WILD WOLF, THEJOKERVILLAGE
Illustration by Ilaria Faccioli
01
Read again to the child the description of the animals on the previous page. Ask him/her to look closely at the animals arranged on these two pages and find only those with a happy expression, then sad, then frightened and finally angry (the order of the delivery may vary). Once the child is familiar with the activity, you can ask them to point to all the animals with the typical expression of each character (described in the story).
Ask the child to observe and name the animals, which you indicate one at a time. When you point to the turtle, the child should say “hedgehog” and imitate the hedgehog’s expression and vice versa, when you point at the hedgehog, the child should say “turtle” and imitate the turtle. When you touch the piglet, the child will have to reverse the rule: when touching the hedgehog, he/she should say “hedgehog” and reproduce the expression of the hedgehog, and likewise for the turtle. When he/she meets the piglet again, the rule changes again and the child must, as at the beginning, reverse the names and expressions of the animals touched.
The book in your hand is not just an illustrated story!
Inside you will find lots of activities to do to stimulate your child’s cognitive development:
03
Ask the child to observe carefully the objects in the river and arrange emoticons with the happy and sad expressions cut out from the centre. When you point to an object outside to the river, the child should make a sad expression (or raise the sad emoticon); when indicating an object that can typically be found in a river, he/she should make a happy expression (or raise the happy emoticon). (or raise the happy emoticon). At first you can indicate the elements from left to right, then in a more haphazard way, increasing the speed. In a second activity propose a path with 2/3 elements to jump over to reach the other bank. reach the other bank. The child must touch all the objects that have been indicated, in the same order. Afterwards you can ask to reproduce the same route backwards.
04
Ask the child to imagine the route the snail must take to reach the lollipop and to indicate the corresponding arrows in sequence. An example of a path for the grid on the left is:
L L L
Then, move your finger across the grid according to the child’s instructions and check together the correctness of the path. The activity can be carried out between pairs of children: one child gives the directions by pointing the arrows one at a time, and the other traces the path within the grid with his finger. Cut out the microphone and ear cards from the centre page. with the microphone and to the child who performs the with the ear. The roles are then reversed.
Silvia Drovandi, Roberta Facondini and Chiara Pecini
WILD WOLF, JOKER THE VILLAGE
ENHANCING COGNITIVE AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN THE EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL FIELDS
Illustrations by Ilaria Faccioli
WELCOME TO THE ACTIVESTORY OF WILD WOLF!
Early acquisition of the ability to remain attentive and focused, to solve problems creatively, to play with ideas, to postpone gratification, to control impulses, to look at from multiple perspectives, to actively process information held in memory... in other words, 'acquiring good abilities to control one's mental processes early on' promotes psychological development, school learning and adaptation to the environment.
A Harvard University researcher, Deborah Phillips, compared these cognitive control processes (generally referred to as Executive Functions) to an air control system. Just like those who co-ordinate air traffic so that all aircraft can land and take off on time and without collisions, we have to process a lot of information simultaneously, organising our functioning according to rules and priorities that depend both on what is happening in the external environment, around us, and on our internal goals. Without a system to control our mental processes... disasters strike!
Cognitive control is particularly important in today's highly variable and challenging environment. In fact, although many human capacities become automated with development, various conditions require control processes. For example, while reading is such an automated process for
an adult that it is sometimes unavoidable, understanding what is read or reading in a foreign language or with little light requires cognitive control processes to stay focused on relevant information and inhibit irrelevant information, to update one's knowledge according to new content, and possibly to change one's point of view.
When do these control processes come into play? Until about twenty years ago, it was thought that such control processes were typical of the adult, mature person, and that the child was predominantly uncontrolled, impulsive, incapable of regulating his mental processes to achieve a goal. Today, on the other hand, we know, thanks to scientific research, that cognitive control processes emerge early, already in the first years of life, and that, although they increase until adulthood, they have their maximum development and greatest malleability precisely from childhood.
Many factors can affect the development of these processes: individual cognitive and emotional characteristics, life habits, relationships with parents, the activities children are exposed to, and the social and historical conditions of the surrounding environment. One thing is certain, however: these important cognitive control processes can be 'nurtured' by the environment,
An illustrated book to support the cognitive development of children
NOTE:
For ease of reading, in the text we mostly refer to the male gender. However, the proposed activities are applicable to males and females without distinction
especially acting in the most sensitive period, which is childhood. This is all the more necessary today, as a large number of studies have shown that the development of good executive functions in the preschool period predicts later learning abilities, school performance, behavioural control and problem-solving skills, time management and emotional regulation at later ages.
That is why it is so crucial to start with the youngest children from an early age on with activities related to the training of these important cognitive processes. In order to do this successfully and effectively, it is necessary to choose an attractive and entertaining mode, such as joint reading, which is also a key developmental stage.
As early as the second year of life, a book opened and read together with an adult, alone or in a small group, is in itself an important growth moment that promotes language, memory, attention, problem solving, as well as, of course, being a moment of pleasure, sharing and fun.
But what are the most beautiful books? Are they not those where the ending is all to be built, where the child becomes an active protagonist of the narrative, where the adventure of the protagonist is in fact a challenge for the child and where unexpected and unusual things happen?
The 'ActiveStories' series of books is just that: not just illustrated stories, but 'active' stories in which reading is alternated with games and activities to be done together with the boys and girls to stimulate, while having fun, their cognitive control processes: from those related to social and emotional skills (Wild Wolf, the village joker), to the prerequisites of mathematics (Umberto the
Owl, wizard of numbers), of writing (Tucano Gilberto, a somewhat uncertain writer) and of reading (The giraffe Mimì and the ABC scarf). In each book, the child will accompany the protagonist animal on an increasingly challenging adventure that will enable her/him to exercise basic control faculties, such as the ability to retain and actively process information in short-term memory, the ability to inhibit impulsive responses or distracting stimuli, and the ability to change point of view, perspective, and solution rules. The goal is not to reach the end of the story, which can be repeated, enriched and varied at will, nor to overcome all the challenges, as everyone has their own, depending on the interests and improvisation with which the protagonists intend to enrich the plot. Rather, the goal is to immerse oneself in the story, understand its opportunities, find new solutions and thus be an active protagonist!On the middle page of the book you will find other fun activities, which make this book even more unique.
All that remains is for us to wish you... good fun with Wild Wolf, who will take children on an incredible adventure to discover emotions, at the end of which they will have learnt to understand, interpret and recognise their own and others' emotions, build friendships and develop empathy.
HEY, YOU! WILD WOLF IS WAITING FOR YOU!
Yes, this story is not like all the others, strange, unexpected and somewhat magical things happen here, which can only be solved with your help...
With a little attention, memory and ingenuity you will help your animal friends to overcome the challenges set by little Wild Wolf. The special thing about this adventure is that it can always change, with games that you and your friends young and old, can modify and invent.
And remember: it is not important to win and there are no right or wrong answers. The important thing is to participate and have fun...
The adventure begins... ready, set, go!
It's evening: a joker wolf, who is never tired of pranks, sees a brightly lit house and steps into it. All the animals in the neighbourhood talk about a party they have organised.
In fancy dress, with streamers and balloons to celebrate friendship between neighbours!
The wolf listens to everything, approaches quietly, then snickers to himself in satisfaction… «They're happy, they're excited, but I, a great joker, will get up to some mischief!
Wild is my name: follow me on this journey of breathtaking adventures in a beautiful village!».
The joker wolf approaches the window: between a glass of juice and a plate of soup, here are the animals that Wild sees... soon to be easy prey to his pranks!
The snail has an insecure air on its face of every new situation he is a little afraid, the hedgehog gets angry very easily... qwhen it happens, it is better to go further afield!
The turtle is always happy and smiling, engages everyone with his overwhelming laughter... the piglet, on the other hand, is often in a bad mood, sometimes he cries, he feels sad, almost makes his heart ache!
The adult is advised to dwell on the facial expression of each animal and recognise happiness, sadness, anger and fear together with the child.
01 Animal expressions
Read the description of the animals on the previous page to the child again. Ask them to look closely at the animals arranged on these two pages and to find only those with a happy expression, then sad, then frightened and finally angry (the order of the delivery may vary).
Once the child is familiar with the activity, you can ask
him/her to point out all the animals with the typical expression of each character (described in the story).
For example, the child should remember that the piglet always has a sad expression and find all the animals with the same expression.
The snail begins its journey and soon comes across the village wolf.
The wolf asks: "Hello dry head, are you looking for...».
«A lollipop!»
the snail hastens to say, who is actually quite a bit worried.
«Oh dear, what a careless wolf, across the river I must have thrown it!».
«Oh what a mess!" says the little one, «you really played a nasty trick on me this morning! But now you have to explain to me: how can I retrieve it?».
«I am Wild, village joker! Go ahead, challenge me if you dare!».
03 Watch out for the river
Ask the child to look carefully at the objects in the river and arrange the emoticons with the happy and sad expressions cut out from the centre page. When you point to an unrelated item in the river, the child should make a sad expression (or raise the 'sad' emoticon); when you point to an object that can typically be found in a river, they should make a happy expression (or raise the 'happy' emoticon).
At first you can point the elements from left to right, then in a more haphazard manner, increasing the speed. In a second activity, propose a path with 2-3 elements to
jump over to reach the other bank. The child must touch all the objects that have been indicated, in the same order. You can then ask them to reproduce the same route backwards. Depending on the child's responses and reactions, you can gradually increase the number of objects to be touched. The activity can also be introduced with a concrete simulation in the room, by setting up blue fabric representing the river and cardboard elements on which the children can actually jump.
Mission accomplished!
We have reached the end of the adventure!
Thank you for helping our friend Wild Wolf become friends with other animals.
We feel that in this training everything went very well, congratulations!
And you, what did you think? Was it fun? What was the nicest moment and what was the most difficult?
Do you think you improved? In what way?
Look at the smilies on the next page and tap on the most suitable one!
Do you remember the snail who is often afraid and the angry hedgehog? Of the turtle that is always happy and the sad piglet? Look at the little faces below and paste them on the right character!
The central page
Wild Wolf, the village joker
Enhancing cognitive and executive functions in the emotional and social spheres by Silvia Drovandi, Roberta Facondini and Chiara Pecini
Umberto the owl, wizard of numbers
Enhancing cognitive and executive functions in mathematics prerequisites by Sofia Gentili, Lucia Donata Nepi and Chiara Pecini
AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK WITH A LOT OF EXERCISES TO ENHANCE THE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
Follow Wild Wolf in his jokes and pranks on the village animals! Along the way, he will play tricks on many animals, and it will be very difficult to convince them to accept him as their friend...
But you can!
In addition to the story of Wild Wolf, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, you will find in this book numerous activities to do with children to learn to know, understand and manage their own emotions and those of others, develop empathy, make good decisions and build friendships.
ActiveStories is a series of stories designed to train cognitive and executive functions. Halfway between a storybook and an exercise book, each book alternates the illustrated story with activities aimed at strengthening cognitive and executive functions in different areas: language prerequisites, writing, numbers and emotional and social skills.