Down the Back of the Chair: questions to ask and activities to try
Dad has lost his car keys, so little Mary suggests looking down the back of the chair. Down the Back of the Chair is a rollicking rhyming poem full of surprises, imagination and family fun.
What age is it for? Down the Back of the Chair is best for ages 3–7. Good for: Imagination, rhyme and a family that works things out.
Down the Back of the Chair (Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar)
- Age
- 3-7
- Best for
- Imagination, rhyme and a family that works things out
Read it with lots of rhythm and speed, and let your child guess what will come out next. Afterwards, look down the back of your own sofa and see what you find.
What it helps with
- Imagination and wonder
- Rhyme and rhythm for reading aloud
- Helping solve a family problem
- Looking for lost things
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 had Dad lost?”
- “Whose idea was it to look down the chair?”
- “What strange things came out?”
- “What was the best thing they found?”
- “What would you like to find down the back of a chair?”
- “Where do lost things go in our house?”
5-minute activities to try together
Sofa search
Check down the back of your sofa together. Then make up a story about the most amazing thing you could have found.
Rhyme chain
Take turns adding a rhyming thing to the list: “a pirate and a parrot, a rabbit and a carrot...”
Free printables: Down the Back of the Chair 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
Oi Frog! (Kes Gray and Jim Field)
- Best for
- Rhyming fun, and talking about rules and speaking up
- Age
- 3-6
All Join In (Quentin Blake)
- Best for
- Joining in, making noise together, and having fun with words
- Age
- 3-7
Billy's Bucket (Kes Gray and Garry Parsons)
- Best for
- Imagination, and wanting grown-ups to believe you
- Age
- 3-6
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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.