Can Bears Ski?: questions to ask and activities to try
Little Bear keeps hearing “Can bears ski?” when everyone is really asking “Can you hear me?”. Can Bears Ski? follows a young deaf bear as he understands he hears differently and starts using hearing aids.
What age is it for? Can Bears Ski? is best for ages 4–8. Good for: Deafness, hearing differences and hearing aids.
Can Bears Ski? (Raymond Antrobus)
- Age
- 4-8
- Best for
- Deafness, hearing differences and hearing aids
Written by a deaf author. Hearing aids are shown as a tool that helps, not as something that makes a deaf child “normal”. Ask what helps when someone can't hear everything, and what Little Bear's world sounds like.
What it helps with
- Deafness and hearing differences
- Understanding hearing aids
- Being a good communicator with a deaf friend
- Patience when someone mishears
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.
- “What might help when someone can't hear everything that was said?”
- “What did Little Bear think people were saying?”
- “How did Little Bear feel before he got his hearing aids?”
- “What changed after the hearing test?”
- “How can you help a friend hear you?”
- “What other ways can we share what we mean, besides talking?”
5-minute activities to try together
Quiet-voice game
Play a quiet-voice game and talk about what helps when it's hard to hear.
Face-to-face talking
Practise getting someone's attention kindly before talking: a tap or wave, facing them, and speaking clearly without shouting.
Free printables: Can Bears Ski? 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.
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If your child liked this, try
I Talk Like a River (Jordan Scott)
- Best for
- Stuttering and communication differences
- Age
- 4-8
A Day With No Words (Tiffany Hammond)
- Best for
- Autism, AAC and communication without spoken words
- Age
- 4-8
Just Ask! (Sonia Sotomayor)
- Best for
- General conversations about disability, difference and respectful curiosity
- Age
- 4-8
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 1 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.