Emily’s Lunch Box

Reading together

Reading age 3–4 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for children aged 3–4, not an independent reading-level text. Read at the child’s pace. Children can listen, point, gesture, sign or join in with familiar words. Joining in is optional.

Before reading

Look at the title and cover. Introduce the characters and setting. Explore these five words with pictures, actions and familiar examples: sandwich, cucumber, mandarin, container, choices. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about what happens, how the characters feel and which support or choices help. Accept different experiences. Do not use the story to demand a particular behaviour. Invite children to point, sign, gesture or join in if they want to.

After reading

Talk about different lunches respectfully. Follow the child’s food and allergy plan and usual support. Looking, smelling or declining food are valid choices; do not pressure tasting. Describe what the characters noticed and how their ideas changed. Invite different experiences and respect a child’s choice not to share.

Explore and play

Everyday situation

Choose and explore food at lunchtime

Beginning

Emily opens her lunch box. There is a sandwich she knows, some cucumber and a little mandarin. Noah opens his box beside her. His lunch looks different.

What feels difficult

Emily is unsure about eating the mandarin

Support and choices

Emily chooses familiar food and explores the mandarin without tasting

What changes

Emily smells a piece and chooses to put it down

Try together

Talk about different lunches respectfully. Follow the child’s food and allergy plan and usual support. Looking, smelling or declining food are valid choices; do not pressure tasting.

Adult support

Read with a familiar adult at the child’s pace. Accept pointing, gestures, signs, AAC, speech or listening. Feelings and sensory needs vary. Offer choices and practical support; participation, touch, tasting and sharing are optional.

Activities with an adult

The eleven separate question cards include recall, word meaning, observation, “why”, inference and evidence questions and discussion. Read the questions and choices aloud and offer picture support. The feedback checks recall of this story, not whether the child’s own feelings or needs are right or wrong. Explore five vocabulary words, build them from movable letters and order three story pictures. Model a vocabulary word for the child to copy; letter recognition and independent decoding are not required. Mouse dragging, finger dragging, tap controls and keyboard controls are available. Use the light green and red feedback as a chance to look at the story again.

Choose a few activities that suit the child’s interest. Offer pictures, drawings, gestures or spoken answers, and model word building when useful. Activities are optional.