National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is back! Yes, that’s right; the beloved primary school event that celebrates coming together and reading returns on 27 May 2026. The annual event, organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), promotes the importance of reading and literacy for young children by encouraging schools, communities and libraries across the country to unite and read the same book at the same time.
This year, the book chosen by ALIA is Luna Roo: the Kangaroo Baller written by Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd; a story that celebrates determination, courage, self-belief and resilience.
Luna Roo: the Kangaroo Baller is the perfect book to capture the spirit of rising to a challenge with heart and grit in young children everywhere. Written by first-time authors (and former Australian football players) Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd, and illustrated by award-winning artist Jake Minton, it’s a joyful celebration of determination and courage.
How to Join National Simultaneous Storytime for Luna Roo: the Kangaroo Baller
Getting your class on board for NSS couldn’t be simpler – or more rewarding! First, head over to the ALIA website and complete the free registration form to gain access to a PDF copy of the book and more.
On the big day, gather your students and dive into Luna Roo together. Then, spark rich conversations around resilience, determination, courage and teamwork by exploring the themes with your little learners through hands-on activities.
National Simultaneous Storytime Classroom Activities to Engage Kids
1. Learn to Sign Aussie Animals in Auslan
Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller celebrates the idea that everyone brings something unique to the team. So why not build on that message by helping children explore different ways we communicate and highlight how using Auslan can be one of the many strengths we share in a diverse classroom community?
Before opening the book, children learn simple Auslan signs for several of the Australian animals that appear in Luna Roo’s story—such as kangaroo, emu, koala and wombat. Once they’ve practised each sign, it’s time to begin the read‑aloud.
As the story unfolds, children listen carefully for animal characters they now know how to sign. Whenever an animal appears—either in the text or illustrations—they show their understanding by completing the Auslan sign for that creature. This adds a collaborative, inclusive layer to the reading experience and helps children appreciate different ways of communicating.
After reading, children move into small groups of three or four and take turns rolling an animal die. Whatever animal lands face‑up, they sign it from memory and then recall a moment from the story where that character appeared or played a role. Through this activity, students revisit Luna Roo’s journey, practise their new skills, and celebrate the strengths each character—and each learner—brings to the group.
2. Explore Resilience with Luna Roo
Use Luna Roo’s story as a springboard for a meaningful conversation about resilience. After the read‑aloud, introduce the word resilience and guide your class through a quick discussion about what it looks and sounds like in everyday life. Together, identify the moments in the story where Luna kept trying, tried a new strategy or pushed through a challenge.
Give students a chance to experience resilience for themselves with a quick, low‑prep challenge. Ask them to balance on one foot while tossing and catching a scrunched‑up paper ball, or try drawing a simple shape using their non‑dominant hand. After each attempt, have students turn and talk to a partner about how it felt and what changed when they tried again. They’ll often notice improvements with each round — a perfect lead‑in to talk about practise, persistence and the small steps that build confidence. This simple activity helps students connect Luna’s journey to their own and recognise that resilience is a skill they can grow every day.
3. Bring Luna Roo to Life with a Funky Kangaroo Classroom Display
Invite your students to bring the spirit of Luna Roo into the classroom with a bright and creative Funky Kangaroo craft. Using bold, Zentangle‑inspired lines and shapes, students can design their own patterned kangaroo character that reflects Luna’s energy, courage and love for the game.
As they fill their kangaroos with repeating patterns and playful details, each artwork becomes a unique expression of creativity while still connecting back to the story’s themes of self‑belief and determination. Once finished, these character‑filled kangaroos make a brilliant, dynamic classroom display — perfect for celebrating your school’s participation in National Simultaneous Storytime.
4. Match the Emotion to the Moment
Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller is full of emotions, making it ideal for exploring how and why characters feel the way they do. Hold up an emotion card and give students a moment to think, then have them turn and talk with a partner to match that feeling to a moment from the story.
If you don’t have emotion cards, why not create a set by cutting out expressive faces from old magazines — an easy, low‑prep alternative.
After each turn‑and‑talk, invite a few pairs to share their ideas and explain their reasoning. This simple routine helps students deepen comprehension and make meaningful connections between character feelings and story events.
5. Colouring Sheets That Celebrate Teamwork, Resilience and Sportsmanship
Give your students a calm, reflective moment after the read‑aloud with a set of Luna Roo–inspired colouring sheets. Each page features an uplifting quote connected to teamwork, resilience or sportsmanship, helping students connect the story’s messages with their own experiences. As they colour, encourage them to think about a time they showed one of these qualities — or a moment from the book where a character did the same.
These sheets make a perfect early‑finisher activity or a mindfulness break during a busy school day. Once complete, students can share the quote they coloured and what it means to them, or you can turn their finished pages into a thoughtful classroom display celebrating positive character strengths.
6. One-Word Story Wrap-Up
Did you know retelling books is one of the most effective ways to build comprehension and language skills in young students? It helps children understand story structure, recall key details, and use complete sentences — all essential foundations for confident readers.
The One‑Word Story Wrap‑Up is a quick, no‑prep activity that turns story retelling into a fun, collaborative challenge. After reading Luna Roo: Kangaroo Baller, invite students to sit in a circle. Each child takes turns adding one word to retell the story from beginning to end. The result is a joyful, slightly silly, completely unique version of Luna’s adventure — created entirely by the class!
7. Explore the Life Cycle of a Kangaroo
Use Luna Roo as a fun entry point to explore the fascinating life cycle of a kangaroo. After the story, show your students a simple diagram or set of images that illustrate each stage — from tiny joey in the pouch to confident young hopper. Highlight some of the unique features of kangaroo development, like how joeys continue to grow and learn from the safety of the pouch before venturing out on their own.
Invite students to sequence the life cycle using cut‑and‑paste cards, or have them draw each stage in a mini booklet. This quick activity blends Australian animal science with the story’s character beautifully and helps students deepen their understanding of both.
8. Shine a Light on What Makes a Great Teammate
This year’s NSS book is the perfect lead-in to chat with your class about what it means to be a good teammate. In Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller, every animal on the team brings something different to the game — Luna’s powerful kicks, the crocodile’s super‑strong tail for blocking, the emu’s speedy footwork, the koala’s careful catching skills… the list goes on! Try brainstorming with your students: What strengths does each animal add to the team?
Once they’ve explored the characters’ abilities, invite students to think about their own strengths and what they bring to your classroom “team.” Are they great encouragers? Strategic thinkers? Fast runners? Creative problem‑solvers?
Finish the activity by having students design their own team jersey to showcase the special skills and qualities they contribute — a simple, fun way to build confidence and celebrate the diverse talents in your room.
9. Courage in Action
Give your students a chance to explore what courage looks like — especially when they’re feeling nervous about trying something new. Start by brainstorming as a class: What does courage look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? Encourage students to think of small, everyday moments as well as big ones.
Once you’ve built the anchor chart together, invite students to write about a time they felt unsure or scared, but found the courage to give something a go anyway. This could be trying out for a team, putting their hand up in class, making a new friend, or giving a tricky skill a second chance.
To finish, students can share their stories in pairs or small groups — a simple way to build confidence and remind them that being brave often starts with one small step.
10. Get Active With a Luna Roo Soccer Session
Use the energy of Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller to get students outside, moving and practising their own soccer skills. Set up a few simple training stations — think dribbling through cones, gentle passing drills or a small shooting zone — and rotate students through each activity. Keeping drills short and achievable helps all students experience success, just like Luna and the FC Outback do!
As students participate, encourage them to think about the persistence and teamwork shown in the story. A quick class chat afterwards about what felt challenging, what improved with practise and what they enjoyed ties the outdoor fun back to the book’s themes beautifully. It’s a refreshing way to burn energy, build confidence and let students live out a bit of Luna’s sporting spirit.
National Simultaneous Storytime 2026 is the perfect chance to join students across Australia in a joyful shared reading experience. With Luna Roo as your launchpad, these ten activities — from art and writing to hands‑on soccer drills — will have your students playing their best game all week long. Register today, gather your class on 27 May, and celebrate the joy of reading together.
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