We read the story of "Pippi Longstocking" together and met a character full of energy, courage and imagination — the kind of hero children love precisely because she follows no rules at all.
The children listened actively, identified the main characters and discussed the important events. We then built a description of Pippi, noting both the physical traits and the moral ones that make her such a special character. That distinction is harder than it looks: it is easy to say Pippi has red plaits, but it takes an extra step to notice that she is generous or that she is afraid of nothing.
Through the activities, the children developed their understanding of the text, their spoken expression, the forming of opinions, character description and the ordering of ideas. They were encouraged to observe, compare, argue their case and use suitable vocabulary — and when you argue why you believe something about a character, what you are really practising is thinking, not just speaking.
The creative part of the workshop continued with colouring Pippi's stockings, an activity through which the children practised attention to detail, fine motor skills and artistic expression.
And at the end, through play and imagination, we were every bit as strong as Pippi: we managed to "hold a horse in the air", turning the reading into an interactive, cheerful and memorable experience.