Before you read "Happy Birthday, Moon" to preshoolers, engage them in a discussion related to the story. Some of the things that you can ask the children are: What do you like about birthdays? What do you want for your birthday? What's the best birthday present you've ever received? What birthday gifts have you given? Who have you given birthday gifts to? Have you ever looked outside to see the moon? What did it look like? What was its shape? How far away is the moon?
After you've read the book to the preschoolers, have them create an art project. Give each child a round, white circle cut from paper to represent the moon, a piece of colored construction paper, glue and crayons. Instruct each child to paste the "moon" on the construction paper and draw their favorite scene from the book. You can ask them to draw, in the blank space around the moon, presents they'd like to give others. When the children are finished, have each child explain their artwork to the class.
Help preschoolers to understand echoes by starting a discussion about the way Bear's voice
echoed through the mountains. Some of the questions that you can ask are: Whose voice did Bear hear when he called to the moon? What did he want to give the moon? Why didn't Bear hear an echo when he called to the moon from the tree? How did Bear feel when the moon didn't talk back? Have the children participate in an experiment on echos. Take them to a school corridor or to the gymnasium, making sure all the doors are closed. Divide the kids into two groups and have each group stand at each end of the the room. Instruct the children to yell out a word or phrase while the other group listens and vice versa. Explain to children in simple terms why they can hear their voices echoed.
Teach kids about friendship by discussing what Bear does to show that he is a good friend. Discuss with the preschoolers why they think Bear considered the moon to be his friend. Explain to children that one reason is that Bear thought he and the moon had some things in common. Engage the children in a discussion about the things they have in common with their friends, such as things they enjoy doing, things that make them happy or sad, and things that they think are important in a friendship, such as sharing and being nice to one another.