A Great Big Cuddle: questions to ask and activities to try
Silly sounds, made-up creatures and plenty of cuddles. A Great Big Cuddle is a collection of poems for the very young that's made for reading aloud and joining in.
What age is it for? A Great Big Cuddle is best from birth to age 5. Good for: Joining in with rhymes and sounds, and sharing feelings.
A Great Big Cuddle (Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell)
- Age
- 0-5
- Best for
- Joining in with rhymes and sounds, and sharing feelings
Don't read it cover to cover: pick two or three poems and read them with lots of expression. Let your child choose favourites to come back to, and leave gaps for them to fill in the words they know.
Why I like this one
A Great Big Cuddle is for joining in, not sitting still. The poems are short and bouncy, and the best way to read them is loudly, with all the sounds and actions.
I like it for younger children who are just starting to name feelings. Some of the poems are about being cross or shy or wanting a cuddle, and reading them aloud together makes those feelings ordinary. Let your child pick the poem and lead the actions.
Apoorva, Growing Wise
What it helps with
- Joining in with rhythm, sounds and repeated words
- Building language and listening, for little ones
- Talking about feelings in a playful way
- Making reading aloud a fun, shared habit
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “Which poem was the funniest?”
- “Can you make the sound from that poem?”
- “Which poem had a feeling in it? Happy, cross or sad?”
- “What would you write a poem about?”
- “What rhymes with cuddle?”
- “Which poem shall we learn by heart?”
5-minute activities to try together
Poem with actions
Choose a favourite poem and add a movement for each line. Perform it together, then for someone else in the family.
Our own poem
Pick something your child loves, like a toy or a pet, and make up a four-line poem about it together. Rhyming is a bonus, not a rule.
Free printables: A Great Big Cuddle worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
Free. We’ll only email you if you tick the box.
If your child liked this, try
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury)
- Best for
- Keeping going when something is hard, and facing fears together
- Age
- 2-6
Goodnight Moon (Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd)
- Best for
- Winding down at bedtime, and settling to sleep
- Age
- 0-4
Oi Frog! (Kes Gray and Jim Field)
- Best for
- Rhyming fun, and talking about rules and speaking up
- Age
- 3-6
Search all our books by what's happening →
By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.