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    Stories Ages 3–4 Robo Wants a Hug

    Picture story · read aloud

    Robo Wants a Hug

    Ages 3–4 2-min read Robots

    Maya builds a robot who wants a hug, but his first hugs are much too squeezy.

    Robo Wants a Hug: maya in a cosy playroom workshop pressing a big green button on Robo’s chest as his blue eyes light up

    Maya built a robot from boxes, bolts and buttons. She pressed the big green button. Beep! Robo’s eyes lit up.

    “Hello, Robo!” said Maya. “BEEP. HELLO. MAYA,” said Robo. “What would you like to do?” asked Maya.

    Robo Wants a Hug: robo hugging Maya much too tightly, Maya squeaking and laughing, comic and gentle

    “I WOULD LIKE… A HUG,” said Robo. Maya opened her arms. Robo opened his arms. CLANK! SQUEEZE! “Too tight!” squeaked Maya.

    “Hugs are soft,” said Maya. “Let’s practise.”

    Robo Wants a Hug: robo holding a burst pillow with feathers flying everywhere, a cat running away, Maya giggling

    Robo tried hugging the cat. “MEOW!” The cat zoomed away. Robo tried hugging a pillow. POOF! Feathers everywhere.

    “Gentle, like holding a bubble,” said Maya. Robo’s arms went slow… slower… slowest.

    Robo Wants a Hug: robo very gently holding a shiny soap bubble on his metal hand while Maya watches, amazed

    Maya blew a bubble. Robo held it on his metal hand. It didn’t pop!

    “NOW. I. KNOW,” beeped Robo. And he gave Maya the softest, gentlest robot hug in the whole world.

    Robo Wants a Hug: robo giving Maya a soft, gentle hug, his eyes glowing pink, both happy

    Maya hugged him back. “Best robot ever,” she said. Robo’s eyes glowed pink. Beep-boop-hug!

    The End

    Cover of the Robo Wants a Hug printable foldable mini-book

    Free printable mini-book

    Turn Robo Wants a Hug into a little 8-page book to keep. Print one sheet, make one small cut and fold it up in about 3 minutes.

    Saving ink? Printer-friendly version: A4 · US Letter

    How to fold: fold guide (A4) · fold guide (US Letter) · watch the 50-second video

    Print at 100% (“Actual size”), landscape, on one side. Full colour PDF · A4 1.1 MB · Letter 1.2 MB

    For grown-ups

    Talk about it

    After reading, try one or two of these. There are no wrong answers.

    1. Why did Maya say “too tight”?
    2. How did Robo learn to be gentle?
    3. Can you give someone a soft, gentle bubble hug?

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