Wonderful You booklet

Original concept and text on cards: Mundy Fox

Booklet: Russell Deal

Illustration & design: Katie Jardine

Publisher: St Luke’s Innovative Resources

WONDERFUL YOUAn alphabet of ways to say, 'Well done!'

Original concept and text on cards: Mundy Fox

Booklet: Russell Deal

Illustration & design: Katie Jardine

Publisher: St Luke’s Innovative Resources

Original concept and text on cards: Mundy Fox

Booklet: Russell Deal

Illustration & design: Katie Jardine

Publisher: St Luke’s Innovative Resources

First published in 2005 by:

St Luke’s Innovative Resources137 McCrae Street Bendigo 3550 AustraliaPhone: (03) 5442 0500 Fax: (03) 5442 0555 (international +61 3)Email: [email protected] www.innovativeresources.orgIncorporated as St Luke’s Anglicare ABN 99 087 209 729

© Mundy Fox, Katie Jardine and St Luke’s Innovative Resources 2005

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 1 920945 09 1

Edited by: Karen MasmanCards and booklet printed by: Pyrenees PressBox printed by: Custom Industries

FOREWORD What a pleasure to be invited to write this foreword for Wonderful You, a delightful new product from St Luke's Innovative Resources. Adults and children will giggle softly, laugh out loud and revel together in the zany text and the exquisitely drawn illustrations. Well done!

Someone once asked a very wise person what is most important in this life. The very wise person replied that in this life it is important to be happy and to do useful things. Well, Wonderful You is packed with opportunities for happiness and fun, and it helps people to do useful things, such as affirming the value of others when they have done a great job.

As an educator I would give Wonderful You a big, round ten out of ten; and do you know why? Because it is important to have fun while you learn! Ask yourself: is it easier to learn when you feel confident in your strengths and your achievements, or when you feel overwhelmed by disappointment and all the things you have yet to learn?

Our learning is often more meaningful, and therefore richer, when it is acknowledged by significant others; this is true for ourselves and for the children in our lives. AND furthermore … when children’s senses are tickled by something different, something new, something unexpected … then across the nation’s kindergartens and classrooms, eyes will open wide, ears will prick up and vocal cords will vibrate with the possibility of FUN!

Wonderful You presents numerous opportunities for children to engage imaginatively and successfully with language. Teachers can select activities from the booklet to skillfully meet the abilities and learning needs of children.

Wonderful You is not a limited package; it is also a useful tool to help children extend their thinking skills. Wearing their creative and thinking ‘hats’ children can work collaboratively to develop the suggested activities and create their own cards of praise.

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First published in 2005 by:

St Luke’s Innovative Resources137 McCrae Street Bendigo 3550 AustraliaPhone: (03) 5442 0500 Fax: (03) 5442 0555 (international +61 3)Email: [email protected] www.innovativeresources.orgIncorporated as St Luke’s Anglicare ABN 99 087 209 729

© Mundy Fox, Katie Jardine and St Luke’s Innovative Resources 2005

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 1 920945 09 1

Edited by: Karen MasmanCards and booklet printed by: Pyrenees PressBox printed by: Custom Industries

FOREWORD What a pleasure to be invited to write this foreword for Wonderful You, a delightful new product from St Luke's Innovative Resources. Adults and children will giggle softly, laugh out loud and revel together in the zany text and the exquisitely drawn illustrations. Well done!

Someone once asked a very wise person what is most important in this life. The very wise person replied that in this life it is important to be happy and to do useful things. Well, Wonderful You is packed with opportunities for happiness and fun, and it helps people to do useful things, such as affirming the value of others when they have done a great job.

As an educator I would give Wonderful You a big, round ten out of ten; and do you know why? Because it is important to have fun while you learn! Ask yourself: is it easier to learn when you feel confident in your strengths and your achievements, or when you feel overwhelmed by disappointment and all the things you have yet to learn?

Our learning is often more meaningful, and therefore richer, when it is acknowledged by significant others; this is true for ourselves and for the children in our lives. AND furthermore … when children’s senses are tickled by something different, something new, something unexpected … then across the nation’s kindergartens and classrooms, eyes will open wide, ears will prick up and vocal cords will vibrate with the possibility of FUN!

Wonderful You presents numerous opportunities for children to engage imaginatively and successfully with language. Teachers can select activities from the booklet to skillfully meet the abilities and learning needs of children.

Wonderful You is not a limited package; it is also a useful tool to help children extend their thinking skills. Wearing their creative and thinking ‘hats’ children can work collaboratively to develop the suggested activities and create their own cards of praise.

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CONTENTSAcknowledgements 6

Wonderful Words 7

The Full Set of Cards 8

In Praise of Praise 11

Recognition and Triple Praise 13

Card of the Week 15

Make a Frieze 16

Lunchbox Surprises 17

Bedtime Reading 18

Games, Games, Games 20

The Memory Game The Alphabet Test The Alliteration Game About the Author 23

About the Illustrator 25

About St Luke’s Innovative Resources 27

Other Resources for Working Alongside Children 28

The BearsStrength Cards for KidsMates TraitsKids' SkillsI Can MonstersKoala Company

Wonderful You provides countless opportunities for children to engage in play that is critical for increasing language competence. These cards can be used to freely explore and manipulate letters, words and sentences, meeting with success and laughter. This open-ended learning will help children to develop language skills, swell their courage to have a go … have a giggle. Undaunted by the unfamiliar, children’s language competency will be considerably augmented.

And what about the useful things! Think about when you did something really well, how did you feel? Did anyone comment on how well you did it? They did? Fantastic! How did you feel then? Hold onto that feeling … wouldn’t you like others to feel that way? Well, now you can. Underpinning this wonderful resource for developing language competency is increasing mindfulness in recognising the value of others. Sometimes we’re not quite sure how to tell others they have done a good job. Wonderful You can break the ice, succinctly expressing what we want to say. We now have at least twenty-six fabulous ways to encourage and value others.

Wonderful You is a great helping tool for adults and children. It points us in the right direction; towards each other. Looking for the times when others try is a habit worth nurturing from a very early age. Fostering qualities of praise and kindness encourages success, and as we know, nothing leads to further success like success itself.

Wonderful You is a valuable resource for groups of people everywhere, creating opportunities to learn together, laugh together and live together.

Cherry Rattue Lecturer in EducationLa Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia

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CONTENTSAcknowledgements 6

Wonderful Words 7

The Full Set of Cards 8

In Praise of Praise 11

Recognition and Triple Praise 13

Card of the Week 15

Make a Frieze 16

Lunchbox Surprises 17

Bedtime Reading 18

Games, Games, Games 20

The Memory Game The Alphabet Test The Alliteration Game About the Author 23

About the Illustrator 25

About St Luke’s Innovative Resources 27

Other Resources for Working Alongside Children 28

The BearsStrength Cards for KidsMates TraitsKids' SkillsI Can MonstersKoala Company

Wonderful You provides countless opportunities for children to engage in play that is critical for increasing language competence. These cards can be used to freely explore and manipulate letters, words and sentences, meeting with success and laughter. This open-ended learning will help children to develop language skills, swell their courage to have a go … have a giggle. Undaunted by the unfamiliar, children’s language competency will be considerably augmented.

And what about the useful things! Think about when you did something really well, how did you feel? Did anyone comment on how well you did it? They did? Fantastic! How did you feel then? Hold onto that feeling … wouldn’t you like others to feel that way? Well, now you can. Underpinning this wonderful resource for developing language competency is increasing mindfulness in recognising the value of others. Sometimes we’re not quite sure how to tell others they have done a good job. Wonderful You can break the ice, succinctly expressing what we want to say. We now have at least twenty-six fabulous ways to encourage and value others.

Wonderful You is a great helping tool for adults and children. It points us in the right direction; towards each other. Looking for the times when others try is a habit worth nurturing from a very early age. Fostering qualities of praise and kindness encourages success, and as we know, nothing leads to further success like success itself.

Wonderful You is a valuable resource for groups of people everywhere, creating opportunities to learn together, laugh together and live together.

Cherry Rattue Lecturer in EducationLa Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia

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WONDERFUL WORDSWelcome to Wonderful You! This set of cards and stickers is a wonderland of words: of praise of hopes of strengths of compliments of acknowledgment of encouragement … and of affection.

Wonderful You is a conversation-building tool that can be used by: adults with children children with each other … and between adults too!

Wonderful You has fun with words. It celebrates the joyousness of language and the pleasures of reading and being read to. These cards and stickers have a whacky sense of humour but a serious intent as well. Believing that children need praise in order to build healthy self-esteem, confidence and identity, Wonderful You offers rich possibilities for building optimism in very young children right through to adolescents.

Here are all the cards in the Wonderful You set. We hope they make you want to smile and say ‘Well done!’ to someone in your life.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS‘Inconceivable, most industrious, inspirational and impressive,’ insisted the Indian Maharaja.

This is the text for one of the cards in the Wonderful You set, and it could easily be said of each and every team member at Innovative Resources. To the collators at our warehouse, to the staff in our mailroom, to those covering production, finance, administration, editorial and promotion: many thanks—you are inconceivable, industrious, inspirational and most impressive.

And to Cherry Rattue for writing the foreword, another card in the Wonderful You set comes to mind: Fabulous, fantastic, I’m flabbergasted’.

To Mundy Fox for the original idea (first as a story book and then as text on the cards) and to Katie Jardine for the worlds she has created with her zany, colourful characters: ‘Simply stupendous and sensational’.– Russell Deal

I would like to thank Peter and Jesse for their encouragement of Wonderful You. My sincere appreciation to Karen and Russell and the creative team at Innovative Resources for their enthusiasm and professionalism in making it happen. And lastly, a big thanks to Katie for giving the words and characters her own particular brand of quirkiness and making the idea come alive. – Mundy Fox

Firstly, a BIG thank you to Mundy, for creating the wonderful words which were an absolute pleasure to illustrate. And thank you to Russell and Karen for asking me to illustrate Wonderful You, I have had a wonderful time working with you in creating a wonderful... Wonderful You. And lastly, a special thanks to P, L, M, D, J, F and C ... you know who you are... thank you for your constant support.– Katie Jardine

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WONDERFUL WORDSWelcome to Wonderful You! This set of cards and stickers is a wonderland of words: of praise of hopes of strengths of compliments of acknowledgment of encouragement … and of affection.

Wonderful You is a conversation-building tool that can be used by: adults with children children with each other … and between adults too!

Wonderful You has fun with words. It celebrates the joyousness of language and the pleasures of reading and being read to. These cards and stickers have a whacky sense of humour but a serious intent as well. Believing that children need praise in order to build healthy self-esteem, confidence and identity, Wonderful You offers rich possibilities for building optimism in very young children right through to adolescents.

Here are all the cards in the Wonderful You set. We hope they make you want to smile and say ‘Well done!’ to someone in your life.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS‘Inconceivable, most industrious, inspirational and impressive,’ insisted the Indian Maharaja.

This is the text for one of the cards in the Wonderful You set, and it could easily be said of each and every team member at Innovative Resources. To the collators at our warehouse, to the staff in our mailroom, to those covering production, finance, administration, editorial and promotion: many thanks—you are inconceivable, industrious, inspirational and most impressive.

And to Cherry Rattue for writing the foreword, another card in the Wonderful You set comes to mind: Fabulous, fantastic, I’m flabbergasted’.

To Mundy Fox for the original idea (first as a story book and then as text on the cards) and to Katie Jardine for the worlds she has created with her zany, colourful characters: ‘Simply stupendous and sensational’.– Russell Deal

I would like to thank Peter and Jesse for their encouragement of Wonderful You. My sincere appreciation to Karen and Russell and the creative team at Innovative Resources for their enthusiasm and professionalism in making it happen. And lastly, a big thanks to Katie for giving the words and characters her own particular brand of quirkiness and making the idea come alive. – Mundy Fox

Firstly, a BIG thank you to Mundy, for creating the wonderful words which were an absolute pleasure to illustrate. And thank you to Russell and Karen for asking me to illustrate Wonderful You, I have had a wonderful time working with you in creating a wonderful... Wonderful You. And lastly, a special thanks to P, L, M, D, J, F and C ... you know who you are... thank you for your constant support.– Katie Jardine

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Sorry this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

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Sorry this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

IN PRAISE OF PRAISESelf-esteem and confidence are built on receiving the recognition, praise and encouragement of significant others. Such positive feedback is crucial for the healthy development of all children. However, as adults it is easy to assume that children are receiving these messages. But they may not be!

When people are stressed it is easy for praise to be forgotten or withheld. At times, parents can be busy, stretched and stressed. At times, teachers can feel overloaded trying to respond to the needs of a class of active, sometimes demanding students. And children, who may be craving more attention from the adults in their lives, can act out their frustration. This may result in a litany of criticism, complaint and even abuse, instead of praise.

We have a language rich in possible words of praise but often we limit ourselves to just a few. Wonderful You demonstrates a whole array of ways to get creative with your compliments; in fact, it contains 26 delightful and surprising ways to say, ‘Well done!’ Designed to foster a love of language, reading and illustration, Wonderful You contains lots of possibilities for building affirmations into our conversations with children, and in this set of cards and stickers the praise is built in and infectious.

The aim, of course, is to build both the range and the frequency of compliments given by, and to, the children in our care—as parents, teachers, counsellors, child care workers or foster-care givers.

10 11

Sorry this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

IN PRAISE OF PRAISESelf-esteem and confidence are built on receiving the recognition, praise and encouragement of significant others. Such positive feedback is crucial for the healthy development of all children. However, as adults it is easy to assume that children are receiving these messages. But they may not be!

When people are stressed it is easy for praise to be forgotten or withheld. At times, parents can be busy, stretched and stressed. At times, teachers can feel overloaded trying to respond to the needs of a class of active, sometimes demanding students. And children, who may be craving more attention from the adults in their lives, can act out their frustration. This may result in a litany of criticism, complaint and even abuse, instead of praise.

We have a language rich in possible words of praise but often we limit ourselves to just a few. Wonderful You demonstrates a whole array of ways to get creative with your compliments; in fact, it contains 26 delightful and surprising ways to say, ‘Well done!’ Designed to foster a love of language, reading and illustration, Wonderful You contains lots of possibilities for building affirmations into our conversations with children, and in this set of cards and stickers the praise is built in and infectious.

The aim, of course, is to build both the range and the frequency of compliments given by, and to, the children in our care—as parents, teachers, counsellors, child care workers or foster-care givers.

10 11

RECOGNITION AND TRIPLE PRAISEWonderful You stickers are a great source of low-cost rewards for achievement. While there are many affirmation stickers available, few express compliments in the colourful and zany manner of these whimsical and whacky characters.

Wonderful You stickers can be used for all the traditional behavioural awards much loved by parents and teachers alike—being neat, finishing first, getting all spelling correct, helping others, etc. However, they can also be used to celebrate difference, individuality and quirkiness.

The humorous and quirky nature of the Wonderful You stickers and cards invites us to notice characteristics and behaviour that might otherwise go unseen and uncelebrated. For example, what about the bravest haircut, the most unusual hobby, the smallest pet, the tiniest drawing, the wobbliest jelly! There is always so much more we can learn to appreciate, and how powerful this appreciation can be.

Well-known Finnish psychotherapist, Ben Furman, has devised an imaginative program called Kids’ Skills (the English language version of this book is available from Innovative Resources). This 15-step program demonstrates how noticing and rewarding change can address even significant behavioural issues. Kids’ Skills is based on the simple notion that nearly all children’s ‘problems’ can be reframed as skills that need to be learned.

Humour is a great de-stressor, a catalyst for change and a self-esteem builder. The use of zany humour in both the text and illustrations is deliberate.The combination of praise and laughter is a great recipe for healthy relationships.

If these are our primary aims for Wonderful You, readers will also discover that this tool can promote reading, spelling and storytelling as well. It uses: • an alphabetical model that introduces children to each letter • alliteration or words that begin with a similar sound for the enjoyment of the spoken word • a mix of simple and complex language for the sheer pleasure of words, even when they are unfamiliar • A card-based medium to encourage storytelling and tactile learning • Quirky illustrations to build imagination and subtly challenge stereotypes.

Wonderful You is a strengths-based tool designed around the pleasure of language development – one that can have a very important message for every child – that they are loved and appreciated.

12 13

RECOGNITION AND TRIPLE PRAISEWonderful You stickers are a great source of low-cost rewards for achievement. While there are many affirmation stickers available, few express compliments in the colourful and zany manner of these whimsical and whacky characters.

Wonderful You stickers can be used for all the traditional behavioural awards much loved by parents and teachers alike—being neat, finishing first, getting all spelling correct, helping others, etc. However, they can also be used to celebrate difference, individuality and quirkiness.

The humorous and quirky nature of the Wonderful You stickers and cards invites us to notice characteristics and behaviour that might otherwise go unseen and uncelebrated. For example, what about the bravest haircut, the most unusual hobby, the smallest pet, the tiniest drawing, the wobbliest jelly! There is always so much more we can learn to appreciate, and how powerful this appreciation can be.

Well-known Finnish psychotherapist, Ben Furman, has devised an imaginative program called Kids’ Skills (the English language version of this book is available from Innovative Resources). This 15-step program demonstrates how noticing and rewarding change can address even significant behavioural issues. Kids’ Skills is based on the simple notion that nearly all children’s ‘problems’ can be reframed as skills that need to be learned.

Humour is a great de-stressor, a catalyst for change and a self-esteem builder. The use of zany humour in both the text and illustrations is deliberate.The combination of praise and laughter is a great recipe for healthy relationships.

If these are our primary aims for Wonderful You, readers will also discover that this tool can promote reading, spelling and storytelling as well. It uses: • an alphabetical model that introduces children to each letter • alliteration or words that begin with a similar sound for the enjoyment of the spoken word • a mix of simple and complex language for the sheer pleasure of words, even when they are unfamiliar • A card-based medium to encourage storytelling and tactile learning • Quirky illustrations to build imagination and subtly challenge stereotypes.

Wonderful You is a strengths-based tool designed around the pleasure of language development – one that can have a very important message for every child – that they are loved and appreciated.

12 13

CARD OF THE WEEKSelecting a ‘card of the week’ allows for many fun yet purposeful activities to be built around reading, emotional literacy and social skills development.

Each card of the week can be prominently displayed and used as a focus for such activities as:• finding other compliments or words of praise starting with the same letter• practising spelling all the words on the card• building another sentence with words starting with the same letter• researching the profession named on the card (eg: How does one become a cook? What does a cook do?)• identifying other professions starting with the same letter• writing a poem or a limerick containing the words of each card• listing all the objects in each illustration that start with the designated letter• learning compliments from other languages that begin with the same letter• practising using the same word in a different sentence each day• researching the meaning of each key word• inviting each child to use the key word in a compliment to another person each day.

While the above activities are suggested primarily for teachers, parents and other carers will be able to adapt many of them, remembering that the fridge door can be the perfect place to display the card of the week.

Enlisting the child’s engagement in this process is crucial. In fact, it is the child who ‘owns’ and drives the process. Noticing and celebrating the child’s progress is central to their motivation.

Wonderful You stickers and cards provide a great way of marking any progress towards mastering the skill. They also capture Ben’s notion of ‘triple praise’ which he recommends parents, teachers and other adults use with children.

The triple praise consists of firstly, an exclamation (for example, ‘Wow!’). Then an acknowledgement of difficulty (for example, ‘That must have been so hard’). The third step is a question about how they did it (for example, ‘How did you manage that?’). Compassionately, Ben says that if you cannot remember all that, it is enough to simply say, ‘I am proud of you!’

The best things often turn out to be the simplest, don’t they?

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CARD OF THE WEEKSelecting a ‘card of the week’ allows for many fun yet purposeful activities to be built around reading, emotional literacy and social skills development.

Each card of the week can be prominently displayed and used as a focus for such activities as:• finding other compliments or words of praise starting with the same letter• practising spelling all the words on the card• building another sentence with words starting with the same letter• researching the profession named on the card (eg: How does one become a cook? What does a cook do?)• identifying other professions starting with the same letter• writing a poem or a limerick containing the words of each card• listing all the objects in each illustration that start with the designated letter• learning compliments from other languages that begin with the same letter• practising using the same word in a different sentence each day• researching the meaning of each key word• inviting each child to use the key word in a compliment to another person each day.

While the above activities are suggested primarily for teachers, parents and other carers will be able to adapt many of them, remembering that the fridge door can be the perfect place to display the card of the week.

Enlisting the child’s engagement in this process is crucial. In fact, it is the child who ‘owns’ and drives the process. Noticing and celebrating the child’s progress is central to their motivation.

Wonderful You stickers and cards provide a great way of marking any progress towards mastering the skill. They also capture Ben’s notion of ‘triple praise’ which he recommends parents, teachers and other adults use with children.

The triple praise consists of firstly, an exclamation (for example, ‘Wow!’). Then an acknowledgement of difficulty (for example, ‘That must have been so hard’). The third step is a question about how they did it (for example, ‘How did you manage that?’). Compassionately, Ben says that if you cannot remember all that, it is enough to simply say, ‘I am proud of you!’

The best things often turn out to be the simplest, don’t they?

14 15

MAKE A FRIEZEThe 26 Wonderful You cards can be strung together to make a colourful and attractive frieze for a classroom or a child’s bedroom.

A long lasting frieze can be created by carefully running the cards end on end through a laminating machine, trimming off the unwanted laminate and then fixing to a wall. Alternatively, the cards can be glued to a roll of paper, trimmed and mounted on a wall. You may want to leave the extra paper, so that underneath each card you can add you own words of praise corresponding to each letter.

Another option is to punch small holes in the upper corners of the cards and thread twine through them to suspend them across a room. A reusable adhesive will allow the cards to be displayed in any pattern.

Finally, miniature friezes or collages can be constructed by using the Wonderful You stickers. The stickers can be mounted onto blank business cards, cardboard or even magnetic boards, making them ideal adornments for mirrors, doors and message boards.

LUNCHBOX SURPRISESAs many parents know, a well chosen sticker slipped into a child’s lunch box can be a source of surprise and delight. A lunch box surprise can be a great antidote for any child who has a case of ‘the sads’. A sticker added to an ‘I love you’ note from Mum or Dad might provide a pick-me-up for a child who is anxious or struggling with an issue. What a great reminder of their parents’ love for any child on their first day at school or away at a school camp.

Adding a sticker to a personally decorated card or letter (or placing it on the outside of an envelope or parcel) can create an artefact that might be cherished for a long time. Alternatively, the sticker can be cut out so the child can remove the backing paper and add it to their collection in a diary or journal.

Teachers know the power of gifting in this way. As a significant adult in the child’s life, a teacher’s encouragement through the simple gift of a card or letter with an affirmation or a compliment can be life-changing. And what about changing the culture of report cards with a well-placed sticker or two?

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MAKE A FRIEZEThe 26 Wonderful You cards can be strung together to make a colourful and attractive frieze for a classroom or a child’s bedroom.

A long lasting frieze can be created by carefully running the cards end on end through a laminating machine, trimming off the unwanted laminate and then fixing to a wall. Alternatively, the cards can be glued to a roll of paper, trimmed and mounted on a wall. You may want to leave the extra paper, so that underneath each card you can add you own words of praise corresponding to each letter.

Another option is to punch small holes in the upper corners of the cards and thread twine through them to suspend them across a room. A reusable adhesive will allow the cards to be displayed in any pattern.

Finally, miniature friezes or collages can be constructed by using the Wonderful You stickers. The stickers can be mounted onto blank business cards, cardboard or even magnetic boards, making them ideal adornments for mirrors, doors and message boards.

LUNCHBOX SURPRISESAs many parents know, a well chosen sticker slipped into a child’s lunch box can be a source of surprise and delight. A lunch box surprise can be a great antidote for any child who has a case of ‘the sads’. A sticker added to an ‘I love you’ note from Mum or Dad might provide a pick-me-up for a child who is anxious or struggling with an issue. What a great reminder of their parents’ love for any child on their first day at school or away at a school camp.

Adding a sticker to a personally decorated card or letter (or placing it on the outside of an envelope or parcel) can create an artefact that might be cherished for a long time. Alternatively, the sticker can be cut out so the child can remove the backing paper and add it to their collection in a diary or journal.

Teachers know the power of gifting in this way. As a significant adult in the child’s life, a teacher’s encouragement through the simple gift of a card or letter with an affirmation or a compliment can be life-changing. And what about changing the culture of report cards with a well-placed sticker or two?

16 17

BEDTIME READINGParents, grandparents and other carers of children may wish to add to the pleasures of the bedtime reading ritual by including the Wonderful You cards. Read through the complete set or choose one card to show your child that you have noticed the good things they did during the day. Some children even like to go to sleep with a card under their pillow as a reminder of their parent’s affection.

Children are often so naturally generous in their praise. Ask them to choose a card for one of their toys, or for someone they spent time with during the day, or for a pet or even for the weather! Encouraging children to notice strengths and appreciate good things in this way is a great way to support the development of caring, generous and optimistic relationships.

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BEDTIME READINGParents, grandparents and other carers of children may wish to add to the pleasures of the bedtime reading ritual by including the Wonderful You cards. Read through the complete set or choose one card to show your child that you have noticed the good things they did during the day. Some children even like to go to sleep with a card under their pillow as a reminder of their parent’s affection.

Children are often so naturally generous in their praise. Ask them to choose a card for one of their toys, or for someone they spent time with during the day, or for a pet or even for the weather! Encouraging children to notice strengths and appreciate good things in this way is a great way to support the development of caring, generous and optimistic relationships.

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Start by identifying a child’s significant friends, family, teachers, etc. List the things they are good at; what they can be complimented on. See if these can be matched in an alliterative sentence so that they create their own whacky connections: ‘Geoff the grocer is great at growing grass.’ ‘Shirley is shy but shops for shoes superbly.’

A note of caution with this game:Sometimes there can be a tendency to pick up on negative traits. If this happens, a gentle steering back to the positive is called for.

GAMES, GAMES, GAMESThere are many games that can be played with Innovative Resources’ sets of cards and stickers, especially if you have two or more matching sets. Games like ‘Fish’, ‘Snap’ ‘Guess Who?’ and ‘Word Finds’ spring readily to mind. Here are some other creative ideas to get your imagination in a playful mood:

The Memory Game

Drawing on the acute memory of young children and their love of memorising stories, you can play a game with the Wonderful You cards. Each person selects a card and is given a certain amount of time to look at the illustration. Then the cards are placed face down and each person is asked to remember as many of the objects starting with the same letter as they can.A fun-filled memory test for everyone.

The Alphabet Test

As your child learns to identify letters and becomes familiar with the alphabet you can help them practise by inviting them to arrange the cards in order, from A to Z.

The Alliteration Game

Children enjoy the humour of creating sentences where each word begins with the same letter. With a little adult help, children can use Wonderful You as a springboard to create positive alliterative sentences for all the significant people in their lives.

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Start by identifying a child’s significant friends, family, teachers, etc. List the things they are good at; what they can be complimented on. See if these can be matched in an alliterative sentence so that they create their own whacky connections: ‘Geoff the grocer is great at growing grass.’ ‘Shirley is shy but shops for shoes superbly.’

A note of caution with this game:Sometimes there can be a tendency to pick up on negative traits. If this happens, a gentle steering back to the positive is called for.

GAMES, GAMES, GAMESThere are many games that can be played with Innovative Resources’ sets of cards and stickers, especially if you have two or more matching sets. Games like ‘Fish’, ‘Snap’ ‘Guess Who?’ and ‘Word Finds’ spring readily to mind. Here are some other creative ideas to get your imagination in a playful mood:

The Memory Game

Drawing on the acute memory of young children and their love of memorising stories, you can play a game with the Wonderful You cards. Each person selects a card and is given a certain amount of time to look at the illustration. Then the cards are placed face down and each person is asked to remember as many of the objects starting with the same letter as they can.A fun-filled memory test for everyone.

The Alphabet Test

As your child learns to identify letters and becomes familiar with the alphabet you can help them practise by inviting them to arrange the cards in order, from A to Z.

The Alliteration Game

Children enjoy the humour of creating sentences where each word begins with the same letter. With a little adult help, children can use Wonderful You as a springboard to create positive alliterative sentences for all the significant people in their lives.

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wordswords

words

wordsABOUT THE AUTHORI love the fact that Wonderful You uses complimentary language and quirky characters to encourage people. A compliment can change a person’s life. The best compliment I have ever received is ‘Go for it, you can do it’ from my husband, Peter. He and I are great believers in accentuating the positive in our family life with our son, Jesse.

I have spent countless hours reading aloud to Jesse since he was a small boy. It is important to make the most of children, as they don’t stay children very long. It’s good to read to them, and to listen to what they have to say. It is often quite surprising.

As well as being a writer I am also an artist with two previous exhibitions and a third on the way, and just mad enough to enter a couple of wearable art shows, too.

I enjoy the sound of magpies, rain on the roof and water pouring into water tanks. I also like walking the dog, good food, good coffee, good friends, good books and gardening.

I hope that those who use Wonderful You will remember how easy it is to put down and tear down, but how MAGICAL it is to build up and encourage. And it’s also very easy!

Mundy Fox

This is Mundy's favourite card because all the gnomes in her garden are on holiday.

22 23

wordswords

words

wordsABOUT THE AUTHORI love the fact that Wonderful You uses complimentary language and quirky characters to encourage people. A compliment can change a person’s life. The best compliment I have ever received is ‘Go for it, you can do it’ from my husband, Peter. He and I are great believers in accentuating the positive in our family life with our son, Jesse.

I have spent countless hours reading aloud to Jesse since he was a small boy. It is important to make the most of children, as they don’t stay children very long. It’s good to read to them, and to listen to what they have to say. It is often quite surprising.

As well as being a writer I am also an artist with two previous exhibitions and a third on the way, and just mad enough to enter a couple of wearable art shows, too.

I enjoy the sound of magpies, rain on the roof and water pouring into water tanks. I also like walking the dog, good food, good coffee, good friends, good books and gardening.

I hope that those who use Wonderful You will remember how easy it is to put down and tear down, but how MAGICAL it is to build up and encourage. And it’s also very easy!

Mundy Fox

This is Mundy's favourite card because all the gnomes in her garden are on holiday.

22 23

This is Katie's favourite card, because she loves chocolate cake!

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR What a wonderful time I had illustrating and designing Wonderful You!

I feel so lucky to have illustrated this great resouce; to have brought wonderful words of praise to life, with wacky characters bound to put a simile on a face. I feel it is so important to praise people, because we really don't do it enough, and hey, don't we all love it when someone praises us about something we have done? Wonderful You cards and stickers are a great excuse to make someone's day with wonderful words of praise.

I have been designing and illustrating for as long as I can remember. I love to create, whether it be a simple scribble, computer design, funny characters moulded out of clay or even a crazy sculpture twisted out of rusty wire. Whatever it is, I have a wonderful time.

On lazy days I like to relax in my hammock reading or pottering in the garden and making things... out of clay, wire and paper – really anything creative and fun.

I live on a farm with my husband, Phil, and work mate, Daisy (cuddly pet Labrador) and a rowdy bunch of Kelpie dogs.

Katie Jardine

24 25

This is Katie's favourite card, because she loves chocolate cake!

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR What a wonderful time I had illustrating and designing Wonderful You!

I feel so lucky to have illustrated this great resouce; to have brought wonderful words of praise to life, with wacky characters bound to put a simile on a face. I feel it is so important to praise people, because we really don't do it enough, and hey, don't we all love it when someone praises us about something we have done? Wonderful You cards and stickers are a great excuse to make someone's day with wonderful words of praise.

I have been designing and illustrating for as long as I can remember. I love to create, whether it be a simple scribble, computer design, funny characters moulded out of clay or even a crazy sculpture twisted out of rusty wire. Whatever it is, I have a wonderful time.

On lazy days I like to relax in my hammock reading or pottering in the garden and making things... out of clay, wire and paper – really anything creative and fun.

I live on a farm with my husband, Phil, and work mate, Daisy (cuddly pet Labrador) and a rowdy bunch of Kelpie dogs.

Katie Jardine

24 25

ABOUT ST LUKE’S INNOVATIVE RESOURCESInnovative Resources is the publishing arm of St Luke’s, one of Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisations providing welfare services to children, young people and families.

Innovative Resources often describes their books, stickers, card packs and posters as ‘seriously optimistic’. Beneath each of their publications (many of which use humour) is a serious intention; one that carries a sense of hopefulness and steadfast optimism that solutions can be found to personal and social problems.

The team at Innovative Resources is committed to working with quality materials and enjoys colour, good design and humour. However, behind all that Innovative Resources does as a publisher is an underlying commitment to building fairness and justice. Part of this is a commitment to using local printers and environmentally-sustainable practices.

Innovative Resources’ books and materials are now used by thousands of teachers, social workers, therapists, counsellors, and people who work with people, throughout the world.

To find out more about our ‘seriously optimistic’ publishing, bookselling and training we invite you to visit our website and subscribe to our Seriously Optimistic Online Newsletter (SOON).

www.innovativeresources.org

This is the publisher's favourite card because we like the idea of wearing a tutu in the bath!

26 27

ABOUT ST LUKE’S INNOVATIVE RESOURCESInnovative Resources is the publishing arm of St Luke’s, one of Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisations providing welfare services to children, young people and families.

Innovative Resources often describes their books, stickers, card packs and posters as ‘seriously optimistic’. Beneath each of their publications (many of which use humour) is a serious intention; one that carries a sense of hopefulness and steadfast optimism that solutions can be found to personal and social problems.

The team at Innovative Resources is committed to working with quality materials and enjoys colour, good design and humour. However, behind all that Innovative Resources does as a publisher is an underlying commitment to building fairness and justice. Part of this is a commitment to using local printers and environmentally-sustainable practices.

Innovative Resources’ books and materials are now used by thousands of teachers, social workers, therapists, counsellors, and people who work with people, throughout the world.

To find out more about our ‘seriously optimistic’ publishing, bookselling and training we invite you to visit our website and subscribe to our Seriously Optimistic Online Newsletter (SOON).

www.innovativeresources.org

This is the publisher's favourite card because we like the idea of wearing a tutu in the bath!

26 27

Kids' Skills (book)In this book Finnish psychotherapist, Ben Furman, shares the practical ‘Kids’ Skills’ model for working with children that is influencing parents, teachers, counsellors and policy makers around the world. This is a playful 15-step approach where problems are reframed as skills that need to be learned. This method invites children to become active participants in skill-building and solution-finding. A book buzzing with ideas, stories and suggestions.

I Can Monsters (cards or stickers)A set of 24 cute monster character cards or stickers designed to reinforce learning, self-esteem and safety in young children. Each card features the words ‘I can…’ and focuses on what children can do rather than on what they can’t. Many successful early childhood education programs have been built around these cards. Great fun while building that precious ‘I can’ attitude.

Koala Company (cards or stickers)Meet a zany bunch of 50 cartoon koala characters for talking about feelings and building emotional literacy. Each of these circle-shaped cards brings us up close and personal with a very expressive koala face. Which koala are you today? The mad, glad or just plain sad one? The shy or frightened one? People of all ages love these cards.

All of the above resources (and many more) can be ordered via our website: www.innovativeresources.org

OTHER RESOURCES FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE CHILDREN

Innovative Resources produces a range of engaging materials for children. Here is a small selection:

The Bears (cards or stickers)This set of 48 cards or stickers with loveable bear characters is the all-time favourite for talking about feelings. There are no words on the cards so this resource is very accessible to young children and people with literacy challenges. Used in a myriad of counselling situations and as an ice-breaker for groups and meetings.

Strength Cards for Kids (cards or stickers)A set of 40 cards or stickers with positive statements and fun-loving cartoon-style graphics designed for children. So why do adults like them so much? We think it’s because the most powerful way to solve a problem is to start with what we already do well. These cards are ideal for helping children develop inner strengths and build values for life. Teachers love to use these for ‘Strengths of the Week’ or ‘About Me’ projects.

Mates Traits (cards, stickers or colouring book)Here is a set of 32 colourful, light-hearted cards, stickers or colouring book to help us learn how to build and celebrate our friendships. Use this good-natured tool for learning about social skills, communication, personalities and interests. This is a truly unique resource for preventing and overcoming bullying, and creating relationships of goodwill.

28

Kids' Skills (book)In this book Finnish psychotherapist, Ben Furman, shares the practical ‘Kids’ Skills’ model for working with children that is influencing parents, teachers, counsellors and policy makers around the world. This is a playful 15-step approach where problems are reframed as skills that need to be learned. This method invites children to become active participants in skill-building and solution-finding. A book buzzing with ideas, stories and suggestions.

I Can Monsters (cards or stickers)A set of 24 cute monster character cards or stickers designed to reinforce learning, self-esteem and safety in young children. Each card features the words ‘I can…’ and focuses on what children can do rather than on what they can’t. Many successful early childhood education programs have been built around these cards. Great fun while building that precious ‘I can’ attitude.

Koala Company (cards or stickers)Meet a zany bunch of 50 cartoon koala characters for talking about feelings and building emotional literacy. Each of these circle-shaped cards brings us up close and personal with a very expressive koala face. Which koala are you today? The mad, glad or just plain sad one? The shy or frightened one? People of all ages love these cards.

All of the above resources (and many more) can be ordered via our website: www.innovativeresources.org

OTHER RESOURCES FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE CHILDREN

Innovative Resources produces a range of engaging materials for children. Here is a small selection:

The Bears (cards or stickers)This set of 48 cards or stickers with loveable bear characters is the all-time favourite for talking about feelings. There are no words on the cards so this resource is very accessible to young children and people with literacy challenges. Used in a myriad of counselling situations and as an ice-breaker for groups and meetings.

Strength Cards for Kids (cards or stickers)A set of 40 cards or stickers with positive statements and fun-loving cartoon-style graphics designed for children. So why do adults like them so much? We think it’s because the most powerful way to solve a problem is to start with what we already do well. These cards are ideal for helping children develop inner strengths and build values for life. Teachers love to use these for ‘Strengths of the Week’ or ‘About Me’ projects.

Mates Traits (cards, stickers or colouring book)Here is a set of 32 colourful, light-hearted cards, stickers or colouring book to help us learn how to build and celebrate our friendships. Use this good-natured tool for learning about social skills, communication, personalities and interests. This is a truly unique resource for preventing and overcoming bullying, and creating relationships of goodwill.

28

WONDERFUL YOU invites adults

and children alike to share the delight of

building a vocabulary for noticing strengths

and giving compliments.

Experience the joy and magic of

life-changing words.

We all need praise and encouragement to

grow and thrive, and to keep hope alive.

The 26 Wonderful You cards or stickers

provide zany and different ways of saying,

‘Well done!’ to the children in your life.

WONDERFUL YOU invites adults

and children alike to share the delight of

building a vocabulary for noticing strengths

and giving compliments.

Experience the joy and magic of

life-changing words.

We all need praise and encouragement to

grow and thrive, and to keep hope alive.

The 26 Wonderful You cards or stickers

provide zany and different ways of saying,

‘Well done!’ to the children in your life.

St Luke’s Innovative Resources

137 McCrae Street Bendigo 3550 AustraliaPhone: (03) 5442 0500 Fax: (03) 5442 0555 (international +61 3)Email: [email protected] www.innovativeresources.orgIncorporated as St Luke’s Anglicare ABN 99 087 209 729

St Luke’s Innovative Resources

137 McCrae Street Bendigo 3550 AustraliaPhone: (03) 5442 0500 Fax: (03) 5442 0555 (international +61 3)Email: [email protected] www.innovativeresources.orgIncorporated as St Luke’s Anglicare ABN 99 087 209 729