Postman Bear: questions to ask and activities to try
Bear is writing letters to his friends. What could they be about? Lift the flaps and join Frog, Squirrel and Mole for Bear's special surprise. A Tales from Acorn Wood story.
What age is Postman Bear for?
Postman Bear is best for ages 1–4.
Postman Bear (Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler)
- Age
- 1-4
- Best for
- Letters, friends and a happy surprise
Only 50pPostman Bear activity sheet3 printable pages: questions to talk about, a drawing and writing page, and notes for the grown-up. Instant PDF.
Just want the questions? Get the free question card ↓
Lift the flaps together and guess what Bear’s letters say. Afterwards, make a little letter or card for someone your child knows.
Is this book right for your child?
- Age
- 1–4 (nursery)
- What they'll enjoy
- Bear is writing letters to his friends. What could they be about? Lift the flaps and join Frog, Squirrel and Mole for Bear's special surprise. A Tales from Acorn Wood story.
- Helps with
- Letters, friends and a happy surprise
- Buy or borrow?
- Borrow it from the library first if you can. If your child asks for it again and again, it’s one worth owning, and the questions and activities on this page work best with the book open next to you.
What it helps with
- Letters and post
- Friendship
- Guessing and surprises
- Early writing
Comprehension and discussion questions for Postman Bear
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 was Bear writing?”
- “Who did he send letters to?”
- “What do you think the letters said?”
- “What was Bear’s special surprise?”
- “Who would you send a letter to?”
- “What would you put in a letter?”
For the full list of questions and more, download the PDF below.
Print these questions: free question card for Postman Bear
All 6 questions for Postman Bear on one printable page, each marked with the reading skill it practises. Enter your email and download it straight away.
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5-minute activities to try together
Post a letter
Draw a picture or write a few words for someone, put it in an envelope and post it together.
Home post office
Set up a pretend post office with envelopes, stickers for stamps and a box for a postbox.
Postman Bear activity sheet: printable worksheet and questions
All the questions and activities above on a ready-to-print activity sheet: questions tagged by reading skill with space to answer, a drawing and writing page with a self-check, and notes for the adult with curriculum links and a 20-minute session plan. Pay by card, PayPal or Payhip and download straight away.
- Page 1, talk about it: questions about the story, each tagged with the reading skill it practises, with space to answer or tick
- Page 2, my favourite part: a drawing box, a sentence starter and a “how did I do?” self-check
- Page 3, notes for the adult: curriculum links, a 20-minute session plan, extension activities, and support and challenge ideas
- Read it togetherEnjoy the story first.
- Ask 2 or 3 questionsFrom the list above, while everyone is calm.
- Print the activity sheetAn activity sheet with questions, a drawing page and notes for you.
Communication bundle15 activity sheets for books on the same themeThe 15 books:I Talk Like a RiverAll Join InThe Animal BoogieBilly's BucketBrown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?Counting with Tiny CatDear ZooDig Dig DiggingDinosaur Dig!Dinosaur Roar!DogsDown by the StationDown the Back of the ChairDriving My TractorEach Peach Pear Plum£4.99 3 sheets for £1.25Postman Bear + I Talk Like a River + All Join InThe 3 books:Postman BearI Talk Like a RiverAll Join In£1.25 Pick your own books: build a bundle with this one, up to 15% off →
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Use it as a lesson plan
Children can listen to Postman Bear, answer questions about it and give a reason for their ideas, and talk about letters and post.
A 20-minute session for ages 1–4 (nursery), for a class, a small group or one child at home.
- Warm up (2 minutes). Show the cover and read the title. Ask: “What do you think this story will be about?”
- Read aloud (6 minutes). Read it all the way through. Tip: Lift the flaps together and guess what Bear’s letters say. Afterwards, make a little letter or card for someone your child knows.
- Talk about it (4 minutes). Pick two or three of the comprehension and discussion questions above. “What was Bear writing?” works well to start.
- Activity (6 minutes). Do Post a letter. Draw a picture or write a few words for someone, put it in an envelope and post it together. Children who finish early can try Home post office.
- Wrap up (2 minutes). Ask each child for one thing they will remember from the story, and why.
Want to go further? The Postman Bear activity sheet has these questions with space to answer, a drawing and writing page, and notes for the adult.
If your child liked this, try
The Jolly Postman (Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg)
- Best for
- Letters and writing, and spotting fairy-tale characters
- Age
- 3-7
Dear Zoo (Rod Campbell)
- Best for
- First words, animals and lifting the flaps
- Age
- 0-4
Peace at Last (Jill Murphy)
- Best for
- Bedtime, and staying patient when things keep going wrong
- Age
- 2-5
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 29 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.