Search our site:

Pigeon Needs a Bath! - Beyond the Read

Pigeon Needs a Bath! by Mo Willems is such a fun read aloud! There are many ways to take it beyond the read and teach many important development skills such as language skills, conflict resolution, and even eye-hand coordination.

For another...it is a humorous way to introduce a difficult topic like sin and our need for forgiveness. Find out how to make the most of this read and even use it as a Bible lesson on forgiveness.

Below you'll find:

A Summary
Read Aloud - Comprehension Questions
Spiritual Lesson - Quick version for younger children
Bible Lesson - More in-depth for older kids & youth
Child development ideas & activities - Intellectual, Emotional, Social & Physical

Summary of the Pigeon Needs a Bath!

Like other Pigeon books by Mo Willems, this book revolves around a discussion (or rather argument) Pigeon has with the actual reader. This automatically makes the reader or child a character in the book!

Mo asks the reader for help in getting Pigeon to take a bath. Of course, Pigeon has all sorts of reasons not to take a bath: he feels clean, baths are a waste of time, in some places it's impolite to bathe and more!

Pigeon also denies he's dirty or that he smells, but he finally gives in and says he will take a bath. However, then he needs the bath water to be absolutely perfect; first it's too hot, then too cold, not enough toys, then too many toys, etc.

Pigeon finally takes the SPLASH! Guess what...he finds out baths are FUN and ten hours later asks if he can stay in the tub forever!

It begins...

Hi! I don't know if you've noticed, but the Pigeon is filthy. So, I could use your help, because: The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

Pigeon: "That is a matter of opinion."

Read Aloud

You may be able to find The Pigeon Needs a Bath at your local library for free; if not, you can always ask them to order it for their collection. We love to use the services our local library offers!

We bought a used copy from Thriftbooks.com for less than $5.00 and our daughter found a copy at her local thrift store for even less!

Asking questions and recalling facts from a read aloud like The Pigeon Needs a Bath, promotes discussion as well as listening comprehension which gives practice for reading comprehension skills. This also helps the listener relate to the characters within the story.

Pigeon Needs a Bath
Things to Talk about

Ask & discuss:

Did Pigeon look like he needed a bath? What were some reasons he didn't want to take a bath? What do you like or dislike about taking a bath?
Not taking a bath not only made Pigeon look dirty, but what else did it do? It made him smell! He smelled so bad, what told him to take a bath? (flies!)
Pigeon didn't think he was going to like taking a bath. Did he like it?
What are some of the things Pigeon did while he was in the bath? What do you like doing in a bath?

Make a Book into a Bible Lesson

Teach like Jesus did; He loved to tell stories to help his audience receive and remember the lessons He taught. Reading aloud to a child is a shared experience which can go way beyond the read even in their spiritual understanding.

We've included ways to use The Pigeon Needs a Bath! as a tool to enhance a child's spiritual development and also their development in other areas such as intellectual, social and emotional.

You could also use this book as a fun and different way to introduce this Bible lesson for young adults and older. Who doesn't love a story?! Stories stick with us along with the lessons attached to them. These are not just for young children.

Many of the Bible verses I have used in the lesson below are from the New International Reader's Version (3rd grade level) or the New International Version (7th grade level). Feel free to use whatever translation you prefer though.

lesson on forgiveness with a picture book

Bible Lesson Script - Pigeon Needs a Bath!
A lesson on Forgiveness

For Young Children

Do you think Pigeon really knew he was dirty? Was Mo encouraging Pigeon to take a bath because it was a good thing to do?

Does your mom or dad tell or ask you to do things that are good but you don't want to?

The Bible says obeying our mothers and fathers is good. They know what is best for us and love us.

Have you ever chosen to do something you knew was wrong like disobeying your mom and dad or lying? When we do what we know is wrong or don't do what we know is right, the Bible calls it sin. It's kind of like being dirty on the inside.

Pigeon knew he was dirty; he just didn't want to take a bath.

The Bible tells us we have all sinned.

Romans 3:23 - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," NIV

That means we all need a spiritual bath!

Like Pigeon, we may say we're not dirty, but the truth is we are. And like Pigeon, we don't have to stay dirty! God offers us a spiritual bath that cleans our spirit, our inside person. This is called forgiveness.

Jesus made this possible for us! God tells us to trust Him and come and tell Him (confess) we know we have done wrong and don't want to stay dirty. We can ask Him to forgive us! Just like our moms and dads want us to trust them and their love for us, God does too! They won't quit loving us when we aren't being good and doing the right thing. God won't quit loving us either. We can go to Him and He will give us forgiveness and make us clean!

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." NIV

And just like Pigeon, it will make us feel so much better!

A lesson on Forgiveness
for Older children, Youth or Adults

Sometimes we can be like Pigeon. We don't think we need cleansing or forgiveness. We "feel" clean or we compare ourselves to others pointing out they are the ones that need a spiritual bath.

The Bible tells us about sin which is like being dirty on the inside. Sin is basically our telling God we want what we want more than we want Him. Sin makes God sad. God loves us so much and wants us to choose to love Him back.

Explain there is a big difference in a mistake and a sin. A mistake is unintentional; we don't mean to do it, and when we recognize it as a mistake we try to correct it. A mistake may cause us to say "oops", but it does not cause us to feel guilt.

A sin, however, whether it is intentional or not, causes guilt. We know deep down it was wrong, but we did it anyway or we know something is right, but we decide we are not going to do it.

Granted, I wouldn't say not wanting to take a bath is a sin, but Pigeon does show us what a rebellious spirit looks like and gives us an illustration of being defiant towards what he knows is best.

The Bible says we have all sinned.

Romans 3:23 - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," NIV

Sin includes big things like murder and stealing, but it also includes lying, disobeying our parents, hurting others with our words and even unforgiveness we hold in our hearts against others.

The good news is that Jesus made a way for us to have a spiritual bath! God wants to cleanse us.

Isaiah 53:6 tells us,"All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant. the sins of all of us." NIV

God took all our sin (spiritual dirt, grime, filth) and put it on Jesus so that we could be clean when we ask Jesus to be our Savior and to forgive us. Not only that, God then gives us eternal life!

"When you sin, the pay you get is death. But God gives you the gift of eternal life. That’s because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done." Romans 6:23 NIrV

Pigeon did not want to take a bath. He refused to admit he was dirty and needed cleansing. We can be like Pigeon and deny we have sinned.

Many people have the idea they can't be made clean or it's too hard for them, but God makes it rather easy. We believe and trust in Jesus! We admit and tell Him we know we are dirty on the inside and need a bath. We ask Him to forgive us.

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." NIV

Jesus makes us completely clean. We still walk in a dirty world though, and we have not been made perfect. We will trip up and fall in the mud from time to time or just get sweaty from working or playing. That's why God says in this verse that we can come to Him any time for cleansing.

Pigeon asked when was the last time you had a bath. How often do you take a bath? Hopefully you don't wait until you're as dirty as Pigeon; he thought it had been a month! In the same way, we are to come to God often asking Him to cleanse us.

This does not mean asking Jesus to be our Savior over and over. It's like when Jesus washed the disciples feet. In John 13, He and Peter talk about how once we've had the (spiritual)bath of salvation, we are clean in Christ, only our feet need washing because we walk on dirt (live around sin).

“No,” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you can’t share life with me.”

9 “Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!”

10 Jesus answered, “People who have had a bath need to wash only their feet. The rest of their body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are.” John 13:8-10 NIrV

Pigeon ended up loving his bath! Being clean feels good! Being forgiven and cleansed by God is even better and it really does last FOREVER!

Use an Object lesson -

Object Lesson on Forgiveness

Main Point: God will forgive us when we go to Him and admit we are wrong when we sin.

Object: chalkboard/dry erase board and eraser; permanent marker & toothpaste

Scripture: 1 John 1:9 " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Other Ideas
for getting the most out of The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

Intellectual

Even toddlers will have fun having a discussion with Pigeon. Have them answer Pigeon's yes and no questions, hold their nose when Pigeon talks about smell, or make the sound of a fly buzzing.
Have fun with opposites! Pigeon says "Clean." "Dirty." "They're just words, right?" See how quickly you can come up with an antonym for the following words: high, long, under, heavy, cold, wet, frown, happy, etc.
Vocabulary: Reading aloud books offer growth for auditory vocabulary. Books use words we rarely use in everyday language. Take time to discuss a few from The Pigeon Needs a Bath and even look them up in a dictionary. Practice using one or two during the week. Possibilities include: filthy, recently, waste, unimportant, impolite, and coincidental.

Here are even more fun activities from Mo Willems to go with The Pigeon Needs a Bath! including Pigeon games, a maze & coloring sheet.

Emotional

Guilt is almost an invisible emotion which lingers if we don't deal with it; it's like mold that continues to grow on something old. Ask kids how they would feel if they broke or lost something that was very special to their mom, dad or other loved one. They would feel guilty.

We have a choice when we've done something wrong. We can try to hide or deny it which increases the feelings of guilt or we can come clean and tell that person what happened. Someone that loves us won't hold it against us and stop loving us; they will forgive us. It hurts them though when we hide it or lie about it; we are showing we don't trust them or their love for us.

God is the same way. He love us and wants us to come to Him and trust Him. Forgiveness isn't for the other person or for God; it's for us! It washes that feeling of guilt away and lifts the burden of it making us free again!

Pigeon was holding on to his "dirty" and it was making him stink. He felt so good once he was in the bath and wanted to stay forever!

Social

Conflict Resolution. Teaching a child how to resolve conflict and even to apologize is an important part of growing in social skills; it's something we can practice. Admitting and taking responsibility for our actions is a necessary part of development.

In The Pigeon Needs a Bath!, the reader is becomes a mediator between Mo, wanting the Pigeon to take a bath, and Pigeon who does not think he needs a bath. Read aloud the book again having older kids think of helpful comments to aid in the conflict. They may tell Pigeon how much they enjoy taking a bath or telling Pigeon how much better he'll feel after he is clean.

Make up different scenarios and model how one could make the situation better. When Pigeon gets testy and angrily says, "Maybe you need a bath!", Pigeon becomes defensive. Talk through how one could diffuse Pigeon's anger by remaining calm, allowing Pigeon to voice his concerns and being patient.

More conflict resolution ideas and activities.

Physical

Fine Motor Skills: Learn how to draw Pigeon! Our four-year-old granddaughter had a blast learning to draw Pigeon; Mo Willems gives a drawing tutorial included below! This is also great for eye-hand coordination as children watch and then draw.
Encourage cleanliness. Our toddler granddaughter started refusing to sit down in the bath and bathe. That's one reason I bought this book for her! The Pigeon Needs a Bath gives a fun incentive for littles to take a bath!

More Bible Lessons from Picture Books

Special note: We do preview the websites to which we link, but are unable to peruse them completely. We try to check others' faith statements and make sure they do profess Jesus Christ as God's Son and salvation is found only in Him. It must, however, be your responsibility to personally dig into God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to be your first and final teacher on all subjects.

"Our website may contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or services we write about. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Creative Bible-Bits Newsletter:

Let us help you keep up with what's new at Creative Bible Study with free Bible study lessons and ideas straight to your email! Your information will be kept confidential and not be used for solicitation.

Share this page:

What’s this?

Facebook X Pinterest Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp

Free Ebooks:

creativebible

Hi! I'm Susan, and this is (part of) my family! Welcome to Creative Bible Study! Our About us page includes more info. including our belief statement. Thanks for visiting!