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Tess stands at entry bench holding one red mitten with cream cuff. Green coat hangs on low hook, wicker basket sits under bench.

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+4 more scenes in the pack
Tess stands at entry bench holding one red mitten with cream cuff. Green coat hangs on low hook, wicker basket sits under bench.

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Paid

6-picture wordless story · place words

The Missing Mitten

Tess finds one mitten, follows a clue near the coat, and discovers its partner in a basket.

7 languages6 scenesPDF + ZIPA4 / US Letter
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Compare optionsDigital download. No physical product will be shipped.One household or one professional

What’s included

One purchase includes all seven languages. Choose the file language independently of the website.

the-missing-mitten-story-pack_en_v1.2.0.zipEverything in one ZIP
  • Complete story and activity packA4_en_story-pack.pdf · A4 · 25 pages
  • Complete story and activity packUS-Letter_en_story-pack.pdf · US Letter · 25 pages
  • Screen storyScreen_en_story-pack.pdf · Screen · 8 pages

Inside the story pages

  • Start here and adult guide: choosing pages, printing and running the activity
  • Wordless story: 6 full-page pictures
  • Short-text story: one short sentence for each of the 6 scenes
  • 6 color picture cards with cut lines, no numbers on the front
  • Conversation prompts written for this story
  • One possible story order: an adult reference, not a score sheet
  • Low-ink activity mats for retelling, before and after, and new endings
  • Home practice page you may share with the families you support
  • Credits and license

What happens in the story

Tess finds one red mitten on the bench by the door, but the other one is nowhere to be seen. Then she notices a small red tip peeking out below the coat. With an adult, she pulls a basket out from under the bench, finds the matching mitten inside and puts the pair together.

It's a little detective story: a clue, a search and a match, which makes it rich in place words and describing words.

Who it's for

  • Speech-language pathologists targeting prepositions and spatial concepts, describing or narrative retell.
  • Preschool and kindergarten teachers planning a winter, clothing or mitten theme.
  • Parents who want a simple story about looking carefully and finding things.
  • English language learners practising under, inside, below, beside.

Skills you can practise

  • Prepositions: under the bench, inside the basket, below the coat.
  • Following a clue: what colour and shape helped Tess look?
  • Matching: what makes two mittens a pair?
  • Describing: red, cream cuff, same, different.
  • Sequencing six steps of a search.

A 10-minute session

  1. Show pictures 1 and 5 first. Match the two mittens and talk about why they are a pair.
  2. Introduce the clue in picture 3. What did Tess notice?
  3. Model place words while pointing: "under the bench", "inside the basket".
  4. Put all six cards in order and retell the search.
  5. Ask how the search changed: where did Tess look first, and what made her look somewhere else?

Make it easier or harder

  • Easier: use three cards: one mitten, the clue and the pair together.
  • Harder: retell with two place phrases in one sentence.
  • Extend: play "find the pair" with real socks or mittens and describe where each one is.

Try it at home

Play a see-through hiding game: show a familiar object, put it under or inside something while the child watches, and look for it together using place words. Never hide an essential comfort item.

Pairs well with

Activities in this pack

Adult modelingPicture choicesPointing, gesture or words

Choosing this pack

Use together with an adult. Choose a comfortable way to look at pictures and communicate. No reading or spoken answer is required.

Shorter story sequence

Use these scenes from the full story, in this order: 1 → 3 → 5 → 6

Activity focus

Spatial languageDescribing clues

Use all the scenes, or start with a shorter selection and add more as you go.

Words to explore

mitten · pair · under · inside · match

Choose a starting point

Show pictures 1 and 5 first. Match the two mittens, then introduce the location clues.

An optional extension

Retell with two location phrases in one sentence, such as "inside the basket under the bench"; shorter responses remain welcome.

Invitations to talk and explore

Describe the clue

What colour and shape helped Tess look? Show the clue in picture 3.

Use spatial language

Model "under the bench" and "inside the basket" while pointing.

Check a match

Compare the colour and cuff. What makes these two mittens a pair?

Tell how the search changed

Where did Tess look first? What clue changed the plan?

Connect with everyday life

Play a transparent search game with a safe familiar object. Show where it is hidden first; do not take away an essential comfort item.

How to use it

  1. Show pictures 1 and 5 first. Match the two mittens, then introduce the location clues.
  2. Model one idea, pause, and accept pointing, gesture, speech or a familiar communication system.
  3. Offer the extension only when it is useful and enjoyable. Pausing, repeating and stopping are valid choices.

Sources & permissions

Original story concepts and illustrations

Original stories and activities by StoryTalkKit.

Original production, not adapted from a third-party story.

Each license is for one household or one individual professional. Professionals may share pages marked “Home practice” with the families they work with.

A few helpful answers

Is The Missing Mitten good for teaching prepositions?

Yes. Tess follows a clue below the coat, finds the basket under the bench and the mitten inside it. The adult guide suggests modelling "under the bench" and "inside the basket" while pointing to each picture.

Is it based on The Mitten by Jan Brett?

No. This is an original story about a child finding the partner to her mitten. It fits nicely into a winter or mitten theme alongside classic mitten books.

How do I make it harder for older children?

Ask for two place phrases in one sentence, such as "inside the basket under the bench", or ask how the clue changed where Tess looked. Shorter answers are always welcome too.

Do I need a printer?

Not necessarily. You can look through the story together on a screen. To use the picture cards, print them on A4 or US Letter paper; low-ink pages help save toner.

Does my child need to speak or read?

No. Children can join in by pointing, gesturing, choosing a picture or using words. The adult guide shows how to model language and leave time for a response.

Which story should we start with?

Start with a 4-scene story such as Lost Ball or The Wet Painting. When putting four pictures in order feels easy, move on to 6- or 8-scene stories. Choose by interest and attention rather than age.

Can I use the packs with my students or clients?

Yes. One license covers one household, or one individual professional using the materials with the children and families they support. Pages marked Home practice can be shared with those families. A whole school or team needs one license per professional.

Which languages are the files in?

Every pack is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) and Brazilian Portuguese. One purchase includes all seven languages.

Is this a therapy program?

No. These are educational story materials. Speech therapists and educators can use them in their sessions, but the packs do not diagnose, assess or replace individual professional support.

Educational resources for use with an adult. Not a diagnostic tool or a substitute for individualized professional care.