Elmer by David McKee: Book-Based Activities & Printables

A child doesn't need to look like everyone else to belong.

Sometimes, in the early years, children begin to notice differences.

They notice who has curly hair, who wears glasses, who speaks another language, who is taller or shorter, who loves something nobody else seems to care about.

And sometimes, they begin to wonder if being different means they don't quite fit in.

Elmer by David McKee is a wonderfully playful story about exactly that feeling.

Elmer is not an ordinary elephant. He is a patchwork of bright colors, surrounded by a herd of ordinary grey elephants. He is funny, joyful, and loved by everyone—but deep down, he wonders what it might feel like to look like all the others.

So Elmer decides to change.

What follows is a colorful and humorous story about identity, belonging, self-acceptance, and the realization that being different isn't something we need to hide.

More than a story about a colorful elephant, Elmer reminds children that our differences are often the very things that make us special.

Whether you're exploring colors, individuality, friendship, kindness, or simply looking for a joyful picture book to share, Elmer opens the door to meaningful conversations about what makes each of us unique.

What Is Elmer About?

Elmer is a patchwork elephant.

He is covered in bright yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, white, and black squares.

And he is completely different from the other elephants in his herd.

The other elephants are grey.

Elmer loves making everyone laugh. He is playful and full of personality, and the other elephants love him for exactly who he is.

But one day, Elmer begins to wonder what it would be like to look like everyone else.

So he finds a way to cover his colorful body with grey berries and returns to the herd looking just like the other elephants.

At first, he is delighted.

No one recognizes him.

But something feels very different.

Without Elmer's laughter and colorful personality, the herd doesn't feel quite the same.

Eventually, the rain washes away the grey color, revealing Elmer's beautiful patchwork body once again.

And the herd's response makes something very clear:

They never needed Elmer to be like everyone else.

They loved him because he was Elmer.

Why This Story Speaks to So Many Children

Every child knows what it feels like to be different.

Sometimes being different feels wonderful.

And sometimes it can feel uncomfortable.

Children may want to have the same shoes as their friends, the same lunch, the same hairstyle, the same toys, or even the same interests.

Elmer gives children a gentle way to talk about those feelings without turning the story into a heavy lesson.

Elmer isn't punished for wanting to fit in.

Instead, children are invited to understand why he feels that way—and to discover that belonging doesn't require becoming someone else.

The story celebrates individuality while also recognizing something very human:

Sometimes we all want to fit in.

Celebrating What Makes Us Different

One of the most beautiful ideas in Elmer is that Elmer's difference isn't simply tolerated.

It is celebrated.

His colorful appearance is connected to his joyful personality, his humor, and the energy he brings to the herd.

When Elmer tries to become grey, the story becomes noticeably quieter.

That creates a wonderful opportunity to ask children:

What makes Elmer special?

What would the herd be like without him?

What makes you different from your friends?

What is something about yourself that you really like?

These questions can turn a simple read-aloud into a meaningful conversation about identity and belonging.

Try These Book-Based Activities

Elmer lends itself beautifully to hands-on, playful learning.

Create a Patchwork Elephant

Give children a simple elephant outline and invite them to fill it with colorful squares, patterns, textures, or collage materials.

There is no "right" Elmer.

Each child can create their own.

Make a Color Story

Choose colors that represent different feelings.

What color might happiness be?

What color might kindness be?

What color represents excitement?

Invite children to create their own colorful elephant using the colors they choose.

Design Your Own Elmer

Instead of copying Elmer's colors, invite children to imagine their own special elephant.

What patterns would it have?

What colors?

What would make it unique?

This is a lovely way to connect creativity with self-expression.

The Elephant Compliment Circle

Sit together and invite children to share something they appreciate about someone else.

It might be something they are good at, something kind they did, or simply something that makes them fun to be around.

Talk about how everyone brings something different to a group.
Sort the Colors

Use colored objects, buttons, pom-poms, blocks, or paper squares to create color-sorting invitations inspired by Elmer.

Children can sort, count, compare, create patterns, and design their own colorful arrangements.

Move Like Elmer

Turn the story into a movement invitation.

How would a happy elephant walk?

A sleepy elephant?

A silly elephant?

A shy elephant?

A very colorful Elmer?

Children can explore emotions through whole-body movement while revisiting the story.

These simple invitations allow the story to move beyond the page and into play, conversation, creativity, and discovery.

When Fitting In Feels Important

Elmer's desire to look like everyone else is something many children understand.

There are moments when being different can feel uncomfortable.

A child might wonder:

"Why don't I look like them?"

"Why don't I have what they have?"

"Why can't I do that?"

"What if everyone notices that I'm different?"

Elmer creates a safe space to explore those questions.

The story doesn't tell children that they should never want to fit in.

Instead, it gently shows them that fitting in doesn't have to mean giving up the parts of themselves that make them who they are.

That distinction matters.

Looking Closely at David McKee's Illustrations

David McKee's illustrations make Elmer especially powerful for young readers.

The colors are bold, playful, and impossible to overlook.

Invite children to become illustration detectives.

What colors do you notice first?

How does Elmer look different from the other elephants?

How do the elephants' expressions change throughout the story?

What do the colors make you feel?

What happens visually when Elmer becomes grey?

And what changes when his colors return?

Children can learn that illustrations don't simply decorate a story.

They help tell the story.

Learning Through Color and Pattern

Elmer is also a wonderful invitation into early learning.

His patchwork body naturally encourages children to explore:

• colors
• patterns
• shapes
• sorting
• counting
• matching
• visual discrimination
• descriptive vocabulary
• creative expression

You might invite children to create repeating patterns with colored blocks.

Or count how many different colors they can find.

Or make a class patchwork using individual pieces created by each child.

The possibilities are simple, playful, and open-ended.

Growing Empathy Through Literature

At the heart of Elmer is a simple question:

What happens when someone doesn't feel comfortable being different?

Pause during the story and ask:

"Why do you think Elmer wanted to become grey?"

"How do you think Elmer felt when nobody recognized him?"

"How do you think the other elephants felt when Elmer returned?"

"What could we do if someone in our group feels different or left out?"

These questions help children practice perspective-taking while developing emotional vocabulary and empathy.

And because the conversation begins with a colorful elephant, it feels natural rather than forced.

A Story About Belonging

One of my favorite things about Elmer is that the story doesn't suggest that everyone needs to become the same.

Quite the opposite.

The herd is stronger because Elmer is part of it.

His humor, personality, and colorful appearance bring something that nobody else can bring.

That's an important message for young children:

You don't have to be exactly like everyone else to belong.

You can belong while still being completely yourself.

Extending the Learning with an Elmer Book Companion

Some picture books naturally invite children to explore beyond the story.

Elmer is one of them.

My Elmer Book Companion extends the story through literacy activities, comprehension, sequencing, vocabulary, early learning, color and pattern exploration, creative invitations, and social-emotional activities inspired by Elmer's journey.

The activities are designed to help children explore the story through a combination of conversation, hands-on learning, creativity, and play.

Because sometimes the best learning begins with a colorful elephant and a very simple question:

What makes you, you?

Final Thoughts

At first glance, Elmer looks like a cheerful story about a colorful elephant.

But underneath all those bright patches is a message that stays with children long after the story ends.

It reminds us that being different can sometimes feel difficult.

That fitting in can be tempting.

And that discovering who we are—and learning to appreciate that person—is part of growing.

Elmer doesn't become special because he finally becomes like everyone else.

He is special because he is Elmer.

And perhaps that is the most beautiful lesson of all:

We don't have to look alike to belong.

We don't have to be the same to be part of the herd.

There is room for every color.