Little Rabbit's Lost Imagination
Painting by Noor, age 8.
Note: We are reaching out to storytellers, parents, and children all over the world to collect stories that bring a little healing and levity to the coronavirus outbreak. We believe families need tools to help children (and parents) deal with the anxiety and cabin fever, not just the virus. Storytelling is a time-tested way to build safety, intimacy, and creativity in the home.
Visit the Coronavirus Storytelling Home Page
To be clear - these stories, articles, and resources are intended to help parents guide young children and ease anxiety in the household after the serious work of preparation has been done. They are not intended to make light of the illness. While this and other stories can be shared directly with children, we believe you will find the greatest comfort in crafting stories of your own with the help of your child.
This story comes from Louise Batters, an educator in rural Cornwall, UK. She writes, “I have been writing stories to support parents and children in their adjustment to these times. The stories are shared at home, and in being spoken they help keep the heartbeat of our community going when we are physically distanced.
The inspiration for this particular story was a friend telling me that it was only 7:21 AM and their child had already told them they were bored! The names/pronouns/situation can be changed to suit the little people it is being read to.”
Little Rabbit’s Lost Imagination
By Louise Batters © 2020
Little Rabbit had been at home for days.
He’d played with all of his toys and looked at all of his books. He’d painted a picture and used his crayons. He was bored, bored, bored. He was grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. And he was cross, cross, cross.
His little rabbity nose was pulled into a frown and his little rabbity ears were drooping low. Even his ordinarily fluffy white tail did not seem to be quite so fluffy. Little Rabbit was fed up!
Little Rabbit did little rabbity hops around his home, looking at one thing and another, picking things up and putting things down.
He’d had enough of it all.
He hadn’t seen his rabbity friends, he hadn’t been to the park, he hadn’t had his favorite carroty soup. Admittedly, Daddy was making a lettuce soup, and he supposed it didn’t smell too bad, but still it wasn’t his favorite carroty soup.
What to do, what to do?” wailed Little Rabbit.
Daddy came over, away from the soup that he was stirring. “Whatever is the matter, Little Rabbit?” he asked.
“I’m bored, bored, bored,” said Little Rabbit, “and cross, cross, cross. I’ve played with all my toys, I’ve looked at all my books. I’ve painted and I’ve drawn pictures. But I haven’t seen my friends, and I haven’t been to the park, and I haven’t had any of my favorite carroty soup.”
“Oh, Little Rabbit” said Daddy, pulling him into a warm, soft, rabbity hug. “I know what’s happened.”
“You do?” said Little Rabbit, his ears lifting slightly.
“Yes,” said Daddy Rabbit. “You’ve lost your imagination!”
“I have?” said Little Rabbit. “Well, where can I find it?”
“That’s easy,” said Daddy Rabbit, “Come with me.”
Daddy Rabbit picked up a warm rug from near the fire. He took Little Rabbit over to the table. He lay the rug underneath the table and then spread the table cloth wide so that it hung down on all four sides.
“In you go,” said Daddy Rabbit, holding up the cloth.
Little Rabbit looked at Daddy. Daddy looked at Little Rabbit.
“I thought we were going to find my imagination,” said Little Rabbit, his ears dropping even further than you would think was possible.
“We are!” said Daddy, “just take a look.”
And so, Little Rabbit crawled under the table cloth and onto the rug. At first, he wasn’t very sure. It was dark and he couldn’t see a thing. He closed his eyes and sighed.
“Daddy Rabbit,” he said in a whisper. “I don’t think my imagination is in here.”
“Shh…” said Daddy Rabbit. “Just wait. I’m sure it is.”
Little Rabbit kept his eyes shut. He snuggled down on the warm blanket.
Little Rabbit saw the big, dark, night sky. He saw stars whizzing past, and presently he saw the big, bright, glowing moon.
Little Rabbit sailed to the moon on his soft rug. He landed with a bump, but it wasn’t too much of one.
He stepped off of his blanket and climbed moon mountains, he swam in glittering moon rivers, he feasted on moon cheese. He danced to the sparkle of the moon music and sang a sweet moon song.
Then, once he had explored every corner of the glowing yellow moon that there was to explore, he got back onto his warm, soft rug.
He flew through the night sky, past the stars and back to his cozy home.
What an adventure he’d had! He couldn’t wait to tell Daddy Rabbit! He might not have found his imagination, but he’d been to the moon!
He sat down with Daddy to enjoy his delicious lettuce soup and told him all about it.
“Oh, how I love you, Little Rabbit,” said Daddy Rabbit. “That sounds like quite an adventure!”
Announcing The Coronavirus Storytelling Challenge
Schools are closing their doors. Parents are feeling anxious. Social distancing and empty shelves have us gasping for normalcy. We need skills for handling the disease, but we also need tools for managing the anxiety that treads in its footsteps.
That’s why we created The Coronoavirus Storytelling Challenge. As the nation struggles to catch up with the disease, let’s help parents and children connect and calm at home.
PS - We want stories from parents and kids too!
Stories from kids and parents empower others to share at home. That’s the goal! Pass it on.
The Storytelling Loop is a newsletter bringing you tips, science, and real-life examples of how storytelling builds the connection between parent and child. It is a joint project of Silke Rose West and Joseph Sarosy, authors of How to Tell Stories to Children. Originally published in August of 2019, a new edition is due out from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2021. You can find more from Joseph Sarosy at Fatherly. Are you involved in storytelling? Join Us.