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Quick Printable Craft To Accompany How The Grinch Stole Christmas
I’m continuing on with my simple printables and activities for this busy week leading up to Christmas. Today I’m visiting a perennial holiday classic. You really can’t get much more iconic than Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. (I’m willing to bet the title of this post alone was enough to get you singing the song to yourself, that’s just how iconic it is!)
READING HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!
What kid (and let’s be honest, grown up too) doesn’t love the tale of the green fellow with a heart too small? His devious plan to steal the Christmas spirit from those quirky little Who’s that live down the mountain is so sinister! My sister and I grew up reading the book every year. We always loved following it up with the movie as well. #thebigone loves it now too, especially the silly comparisons in “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Seasick crocodile never fails to make him laugh!
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! PRINTABLE CRAFT
I created a simple coloring sheet to accompany this popular book. (Scroll down to grab your copy!). The project allows kids to envision themselves as that mean, green, Christmas thief! First we cut the center part of the Grinch’s face out, and pasted a photo of #thebigone behind it. Then we colored the face and the rest of the page.
We chose to use a black & white photo of #thebigone from last Christmas. It was our photo choice because it’s a clear shot of his face, he looks serious, and the green he colored over it really popped against the black and white. If you choose to use this method of creating a Grinch face, a 4 inch square photo works best. Be sure to print on regular paper (not photo paper), if you’re planning to add green with markers, colored pencils, or crayons.
To keep it even simpler, kids can just as easily draw their grumpy, grinchy faces onto the printable. This eliminates the need for scissors, glue, or tape. They can add color to the cute little Who and color the Grinch’s Santa suit. Then their project will be complete… Just in time to watch the movie version!
Looking for more How The Grinch Stole Christmas! ideas? Babies to Bookworms has come up with some awesome suggestions right >>>HERE<<<!
> > > gRAB YOUR HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS PRINTABLE CRAFT HERE! < < <
Did you read How The Grinch Stole Christmas! as a child? What are other holiday favorites from your youth? Tell me about them in the comments below!
Essentials You May Need…
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Go On Cookie Mouse’s Crowded Christmas Tree Hunt!
We are now officially in the homestretch to the big day- Christmas! This week I’m planning to keep things a bit more low-key. I’ll be focusing on simpler activities & worksheets. Think more crayons and pencils, less glue or glitter. I figure everyone’s got enough to do in the last rush leading up to the holiday. We can all use some quick, simple, and low-prep activities to keep the kids engaged & busy! I’m starting off with an idea inspired by one of my boys’ favorite book characters: Cookie Mouse!
READING IF YOU TAKE A MOUSE TO THE MOVIES
For most of #thebigone’s life, we’ve been fans of the Laura Numeroff & Felicia Bond “If You Give A…” series. As soon as If You Give a Dog a Donut was released, we bought a copy for my dad and #thebigone to read together. (My dad is the biggest donut fanatic in the world.) It only made sense that the series would also be represented in our Christmas library as well. We love the silly cause & effect story in If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, and enjoy reading it as a family.
GO ON A CROWDED TREE HUNT WITH COOKIE MOUSE
One of our favorite parts in the book is when Cookie Mouse decorates the Christmas tree. #thebigone loves to look through ALL the ornaments Cookie Mouse crams onto the tree. He points out the ones he thinks are extra cool, really cute, or just plain silly. I put together a quick activity inspired by this scene in the book. Your kids can use the free printables to complete ‘Cookie Mouse’s Crowded Christmas Tree Hunt’ too!
One sheet has a Christmas tree crowded with holiday decorations of varying sizes. The other page lists the different types of adornments and which color to use when you find them. This is a great way for kids to practice reading color words, which for #thebigone were some of his trickier sight words to learn in kindergarten. Younger kids could simply use page 1 as a coloring sheet. For children somewhere in the middle, you could provide the colors for them ahead of time and let them complete the hunt. (On page 2, color the cookie & the word ‘yellow’ yellow, for example. This will give a clue about what color to use). Grab some crayons and your free printables, and have some fun!
>>> CROWDED CHRISTMAS TREE PAGE <<<
>>> ORNAMENT LIST <<<
Do your kids love the “If You Give A…” series? Which of the books is their favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
Some Essentials You May Need…
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Decorating and Remembering at Christmas
I’m thinking about my heart.
I guess you’ve heard, sometimes it’s heavy.
[Ben Lee]So, today’s post… May be a little on the heavy side.
I have debated about posting it, and honestly, I’ve written and rewritten it many times, trying to figure out what I want to communicate, and how I want to say it. So in addition to the ‘this is heavy’ warning, I’m going to throw out a ‘this is more real‘ and also a ‘this is WAY more raw’ warning, when compared with the posts I have been sharing over the past month. A little bit of a peek inside the lady making the crafts and reading the books, I suppose…
When the idea for this post first popped into my head, I intended to just focus on the craft aspect of it- upcycling to create an easy DIY centerpiece, perfect for Christmas, but versatile enough to use at other holidays. Easy to adapt to your own personal style. And of course, the whole reason I even decided to make these centerpieces this year- great way to keep tiny toddler hands far away from your fragile, meaningful ornaments, without hiding them away in boxes in your basement.
As I put the project together and started photographing it, it felt like an opportunity to go a bit further than vintage ornaments or acrylic paints. So I’m going to seize that opportunity, and use this post to share a little bit about my son, and the small way we include him in our holiday season.
On my various social media accounts, I post often about the adventures of #thebigone and #thelittleone, my 6 year old and my 16 month old. A quick glance at the feeds, and it’s easy to assume I’m a mom of 2 boys. People are often surprised to learn that I am actually a mother to 3 beautiful boys, with #myrunawaybunny sandwiched between the others. Avi is not a secret, by any means, but his short life often flusters people who are unprepared for the topic, and the internet can complicate that further at times. My sweet second boy went into distress the day of his scheduled c-section, and when I woke up from the emergency surgery’s anesthesia, he was already gone.
Photo credit: Debra Wallace Photography via Now I Lay Me Down To SleepIt’s been nearly three years now- that first year was a tumultuous experience of overwhelming grief & irrational guilt; the second was a complicated mix of sadness and panic and uncertainty, as we prepared to welcome #thelittleone to our family. As we approach what would have been Avi’s third birthday in a few months, things continue to change. We live with our sadness very well now- some days are harder than others, and holidays are always bittersweet, but we find ways to remember and honor Avi wherever we can. This year, when we decided we wouldn’t be putting up a Christmas tree, because it was honestly just easier to skip it with our newly mobile, destructo-toddler terrorizing the house, I knew I would miss seeing the ornaments I pick for #myrunawaybunny each year, and decided to find a way to display them, while protecting them from #thelittleone.
The craft-factor involved is super minimal- anyone can easily pull this off in just an hour or two. I actually made 2 of the displays in very little time, because I happened across nearly identical domed cheese-boards at local thrift stores, and knew I would be able to use both. I grabbed some glossy acrylic paint and a sponge brush, and put a few coats on the board, letting them dry thoroughly between coats. I chose black because I wanted a fairly neutral base, and also because I really wanted the ornaments I was displaying to pop against the dark tone. White would be another great neutral option. (Oh, and don’t tell my husband, but I’m on the hunt for at least one or two more that I can try gold or silver leafing on).
One nice feature about this project is that the ornaments can easily be rearranged or replaced at any time. If you’re the type who changes your holiday colors each year, it’s perfect for you. If you’re displaying your ornaments here until your toddler can learn some self control (solidarity, I feel ya on this!), you’ll have no trouble putting the ornaments on the tree next year. Also, how great would some Easter eggs customized by your kiddos look in it on your table in the spring? Miniature jack-o-lanterns in the fall? Super versatile, super simple.
After the paint was totally dry, I pulled together the collections of ornaments I wanted to display in each. When we moved my grandmother into memory care, I found some beautiful vintage glass ornaments packed away in her crawlspace. I have been trying to find a way to incorporate them into my holiday decor ever since, but vintage ornaments are super fragile, so I was always nervous about having them hanging. I used a mixture of my grandmother’s old ornaments, some vintage ornaments I scored at local thrift stores, and some small baubles from my happy place (Target) in shades of gold & pink for this display. I was not terribly concerned with the arrangement of the ornaments in this display- sometimes a little randomness is lovely to look at- so I turned the dome over, filled it with the baubles, set the board in place, and then slowly flipped the whole thing over. I especially love the color combination, since it’s nice to get a break from the traditional red & green that is always everywhere during the holiday season.
On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, “Life will never be the same.” Because there had never been anyone like you… Ever in the world. [Nancy Tilman]
For my sweet boy’s display, I pulled out the ornaments we have purchased in his memory over the last several years. Avi’s color has always been aqua, and we often associate him with elephants because of the bright blue elephant lovey I chose for him before he was born. I used a little Stick Tac to help secure the more oddly shaped ornaments. I love how his centerpiece turned out, and I am so happy to be able to have a special reminder of #myrunawaybunny in my home this holiday season. When the season is over, I can pack up his special decorations to wait safely until next December, when #thelittleone is (hopefully) a bit better behaved!
Every life leaves something beautiful behind.
So… not TOO heavy, right? This half-craft, half=catharsis mash-up post of mine?
Hug your children tight, and treasure them, not just on Christmas, but everyday… even on the days they’re making you nuts and all you want is five minutes to pee alone.
For the parents like me, experiencing bittersweet moments with each passing holiday- know that you’re not alone, even if it feels lonely at times, & know that you’re so strong, even if you feel like you’re not.
If no one else has told you yet this season-
I wish your child could be here to enjoy this time too, and I’m so sorry that they are not.
If our collection for Avi has inspired you to do some shopping of your own, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a beautiful holiday keepsake just like those we treasure at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?! (Affiliate disclosure).
2014 Ornament
2015 Ornament
2016 Ornament
Gorgeous book that inspired the ornaments.
2014 Always Remembered Ornament
2015 Always Remembered Ornament
Other ideas to make your holiday season special can be found here…
Please check out Still Standing if you are in need of emotional support or other resources surrounding bereavement- you are never alone.
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Creative Writing Inspired by ‘Ninja Bunny’
If you aren’t totally sick of ninjas yet, we’ve got one more fun book on the topic that we found during a recent library trip. I have to say, after the build up to the holidays that starts earlier and earlier each year, occasionally a mid-December break from anything holiday related is welcome in my opinion, and Ninja Bunny (affiliate disclosure) gave us exactly the quick respite we needed. Jennifer Gray Olson has created a sweet, silly tale about a rabbit working so hard to learn the rules to become a ‘super awesome ninja’.
The text in this book is fairly minimal, making it a quick read- great for busy parenting moments when you can’t read forever but also perfect for a new reader, who can sometimes become overwhelmed when facing too much text on a page. The illustrations completely steal the show in this tale- colorful, quirky, and energetic, with adorable characters full of personality like little bunny and bear.
I decided to use this book as a creative writing prompt, because it’s important for #thebigone to practice his handwriting, spelling, and his creative thinking skills regularly. So after we finished looking through the book together a few times, I asked him what rule he would add to the list in the ‘How To Be A Super Awesome Ninja’ Handbook’. He took a few minutes to think, and then spent some time writing & illustrating his response.
[Side note: I used to think I was kinda crazy, having my kid do occasional creative writing like this at home after we had read together. But this year, I started volunteering in #thebigone’s first grade class a few times a month to run one of the literacy centers, and I discovered this is exactly what his teacher has them doing regularly. And my kid enjoys it, luckily. So now, I’ve decided I’m actually kind of a little brilliant. And maybe only a tiny touch crazy.]
You can use the free printables I created to accompany Ninja Bunny to see what your kids think is an important part of achieving super awesome ninja status. If you have pre-writers, the drawing sheet alone is perfect for them to practice developing their thoughts and conveying them on paper. Older kids are more likely to benefit from both sheets- whether they are writing independently, copying words from another page, or tracing ‘dotted’ words, there’s some great benefits there for them.
My kiddo thinks that in order to become a truly super awesome ninja, all prospective ninjas must first compete in the Olympics… His illustration makes it clear that the high jump is one event the ninjas should be focusing on, haha. What responses did your kids come up with? Let me know in the comments, or tag me on social media to share!
If you are thinking about adding this book to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commission that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
For other creative writing and art ideas inspired by children’s literature, follow me here on Pinterest!
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Can’t Catch Me… I’m the NINJABREAD Man!
After we stumbled across Samurai Santa at our public library recently, we had ninjas on the brain. (And really, who can blame us?! It’s a pretty fascinating topic when you’re six.) Some more searching led us to The Ninjabread Man, (affiliate disclosure) written by C. J. Leigh & illustrated by Chris Gall. I am sort of the opposite of a chef, let alone a baker, so I knew there was very little chance any actual gingerbread cookies would be coming out of my oven this holiday season. The Ninjabread Man seemed like the perfect compromise to give #thebigone a little bit of a chance to ‘decorate cookies’ without requiring me to actually bake, or piling up dishes for the hubs to do either. (Oh, and bonus, no calories. You’re welcome!)
After reading the book and talking a little bit about the Ninjabread Man’s adventures, we set about decorating some ‘cookies’. I used the free printable template to trace and cut out our gingerbread men shapes, but tracing a cookie cutter you already have would also work well. We decided to make a batch of a few cookie varieties- a thin piece of cork, some embossed felt, and a textured piece of brown fabric. We liked the idea of the varying tones and textures. Sandpaper, construction or kraft paper, or patterned paper would also make cute options.
I assembled some extras to stick on as the ‘candy’… We used some round stickers, some googly eyes (crafter’s must-have!), and pom-poms for our project. Sequins, rhinestones, pieces of ribbon and ric-rac, or spare buttons would also be great add-ons, depending on what you have on hand at home. For our icing, we pulled out some puffy paint- squeezing these bottles are great for hand strength in little ones, and my kid’s obsessed with this sort of paint, so it was a win-win for us.
Using the glue and ‘icing’ we put together our three ninjabread man. This is a great project for an older child to work on independently- once the supplies are assembled, it’s a manageable task for them to glue & stick without a lot of adult intervention. If you’re feeling extra ambitious or artistic, it would be really fun create a background for your ninjabread men to be glued onto- we didn’t get this far, but I would love to see our set against some bamboo plants, etc, like in the book.
If you wanted to take this book-inspired fun a step further (and you’re a more domestically gifted parent than I am!) these Fred & Friends NINJABREAD MEN Cookie Cutters, Set of 3 (affiliate disclosure) look adorable, and you’d get to eat cookies at the end too!
There are SO many variations of the gingerbread man story available today- does your family have a favorite? Let me know in the comments!
If you are thinking about adding this book to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commission that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
Printable Template
I’ve got lots of great ideas for building more fun into the books you read together with your kids!
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Craft An Epic Snowball Fight With Samurai Santa!
#thebigone is six, and like many kiddos his age, he’s a fan of all things Ninja Turtles, Karate Kid, and Power Rangers. I’ve been a huge fan of all things Christmas since birth, essentially, so when I came across Samurai Santa: A Very Ninja Christmas (affiliate disclosure) at the library recently, I knew it was a perfect match for us to take a look at together.
And sure enough, one reading of Rubin Pingk’s book was all it took for us to fall in love… #thebigone was enamored with rush and excitement of an epic snowball battle between some young ninjas & the big jolly elf himself. Meanwhile, I couldn’t get enough of the illustrations- blocks of flat color in shades of red, blue, white, and grey make up the entire book, with a distinctly Asian flair. I loved the little expressive eyes peeking out from behind all the ninja masks, and how clearly movement was pictured, even with a limited pallet.
There was no way I could let this holiday season pass us by without creating some sort of activity to accompany this volume. I set to work creating a printable to accompany the book, and I have to be honest, imitating Pingk’s illustrative style was a lot of fun for me. #thebigone and I grabbed our printables and some simple supplies and set about creating a snowball fight scene even the bravest ninjas would be a little intimidated by!
In a nod to the visuals presented in the book, we picked out an assortment of red, blue, and grey markers to add color with. #thebigone didn’t want to color everything in, but I think the choices he made still pay homage to the original. Crayons, colored pencils, or paints would work just as well, so use what you have and feel comfortable with giving to your kids.
We wanted to create some dimensional interest for the snowball fight, and weighed a few option before settling on our choices. #thebigone used white pompoms of varying shades and craft glue to create some of the snowballs, and used white puffy paint for some of the others. Styrofoam ‘snowballs’, white beads, or even cottonballs might be other options to consider as well, along with just simply adding some paint. (I can totally picture using the flat eraser end of a pencil dipped in white paint as a great way to create uniform, round snowballs. Maybe something to try if we do this project again).
We gave our project plenty of time to dry- seriously, a lot, because my kid has a habit of going very heavy on the puff paint. When it was totally dry, #thebigone was really pleased with his creation, and anxious for the snow to really start falling here! I hope you and your family are able to enjoy this book during the holiday season. If you decide to create your own ninja vs. Santa snowball fights, I would LOVE to see them, so please feel free to email me photos, or tag me in posts on social media.
If you are thinking about adding this book to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commission that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
Grab your printable here and get those snowball battles underway!
Winter fun for everyone is waiting for you right here!
Activities and crafts based on children’s literature are great for learning and retention- check out some other fun ideas! -
The Sky’s The Limit In These Books Without Barriers, Plus A Peek At A New Series In The Works!
The word of the week at our house has been perseverance. #thebigone and #thelittleone were playing some sort of rough-housing game together the other night, and when it didn’t go exactly as he wanted, #thelittleone got frustrated and totally abandoned their game. #thebigone chased after him, and scolded him in a surprisingly grown up way- ‘Gosh, you really need to work on persevering!’ Although it’s a trait we’ve actively worked to try to develop in our six year old, my husband and I looked at each other in amused shock, as we’d never heard him use the word before. (Apparently, he learned it in gym class. Thanks Coach!)
Around the time when the baby flat out refused to ‘just stick with it’, I heard about a new campaign that would be launching on KickStarter soon, and was really excited to see how it would develop. Queen Girls is a new book series being created that aims to level the playing field a bit in terms of the protagonists featured in children’s literature. By using tales of real women throughout history, Jimena, Andrea, & Chiara have created the opportunity for both education & inspiration while reading with your children.
For each book purchased, Queen Girls will donate another to provide a child in need with access to quality literature.
Some of you may be wondering why I would care about a book series that would on the surface appear to target only younger female readers, when I’m very clearly a boy mom. Quite simply, my sons need to see that women are strong, smart, capable, and admirable. #thelittleone and #thebigone need to grow up truly knowing that women do not always need rescuing, so that they can be part of the change in attitude that our world so desperately needs right now. I’ve selected books intentionally over the years, stocking their shelves with books that relay the ideals we hope to see grow in our children- these will make the perfect addition.
The new line of books from Queen Girls is going to be the perfect way for me to reinforce these values in an entertaining way to both boys. I’ll be totally honest and admit that after reading the names of the first 3 women slated to be featured in the series, I had to Google 2 of the 3! (Hanging my head in shame!) Am I the only one?! The series will begin with Bessie Coleman, followed by Isadora Duncan, and Savitribhai Phule.
[Go ahead, take a Google break if you need to. It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere!]
Bessie Coleman was the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license- in the world!
And just look at the gorgeous watercolor illustrations that will be filling the books from Queen Girls!
Do your kids want to fly like Bessie too? Use the free printable I created to #BeBessie!We were totally inspired after researching that list of amazing women – seriously, a pilot, the creator of modern dance, and an educational activist, do women get more impressive than that?! We started to wonder… If these were incredible women we had never heard of, what other tales exist out there? So, we hit our local library and spent an evening perusing the children’s biography section. #thebigone loves reading nonfiction, so biography hunting was a perfect task for him. We pulled a ton of books off the shelves to read through them, and narrowed them down to the 10 books we decided to check out. Some feature women we were familiar with, mainly based on books we’ve read previously, but some were completely new to us. All are inspiring with incredible accomplishments during their lifetime.
We’re anxious for the Queen Girls books to become a reality, but until then, we’re amusing ourselves making guesses at who else they might feature when the first three books are complete. Here’s our top 10 list of books about inspiring women- all stories we would LOVE to see given the Queen Girls ‘fairy tale treatment’.
Affiliate disclosure- this portion of the post contains affiliate links; see affiliate policy here.
Frida by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Ana Juan.
The beautifully illustrated story of the life of famous artist Frida Kahlo, and the hardships she overcame.
Malala Yousafzai, Education Activist by Grace Hansen.
Stunning photographs and age-appropriate language relay the struggle of Malala Yousafzai without being overly frightening for children.
Marvelous Mattie, How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily Arnold McCully
This book with gestural, watercolor illustrations shares the journey of Mattie Knight, a thinker & tinkerer who fought to retain ownership of her own creations.
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise by Jan Pinborough, illustrated by Debby Atwell.
Vibrant images and informative text narrate the work of Anne Carroll Moore, the woman credited with originating the concept of children’s libraries.
Molly, by Golly! by Dianne Ochiltree, illustrated by Kathleen Kemly.
A thoroughly-researched book providing lots of opportunities to spark discussion, this tale shares the experience of America’s first female firefigher, Molly Williams.
Odetta, The Queen of Folk Conceived & illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, poem by Samantha Thornhill.
The gorgeous paintings in this selection, paired with lyrical text, weave together the civil rights movement and musical career that filled the life of Odetta Holmes.
Rachel, The Story of Rachel Carson by Amy Ehrlich, illustrated by Wendell Minor.
Incredible paintings truly shine through out this story of Rachel Carson, who spent her life studying nature and the environmental impact caused by humans.
She Loved Baseball, The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate.
This book’s personality-packed illustrations brought to life the story of Etta Manley, the first woman ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
The little-known narrative of Alia Muhammed Baker, a librarian from Iraq credited with organizing a movement to relocate and save 70% of her library’s volumes when the war reached her town in 2003.
Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman.
The life of Elizabeth Blackwell, America’s first female doctor is told using whimsical, lively illustrations that lend an air of joy to a serious topic.
If you are thinking about adding any of these books to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate links above (the cover photos)- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commission that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
You can find out more about Queen Girls’ mission, future plans, and commitment to helping children worldwide access quality literature here on their website.
To keep up with them on social media and make sure you don’t miss any updates on the campaign or their products, like & follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, if this is a line of books you’d love to share with your children or grandchildren, please consider supporting their KickStarter campaign. They have some great incentives if you are able to pledge funds, but even just a share or two can really help make sure they meet their campaign goals!You can grab your own #BeBessie printable right here! I’d love to see your kids as pilots, so please feel free to email me photos or tag me on social media.
Lots of other great book lists can be found here, and more ideas for activities inspired by children’s books are waiting for you here.
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Read & Create: Dinosaur Vs. Santa
Christmas excitement is mounting at our house, and we’re keeping the fun going with another Santa-themed book & project. When #thebigone was younger, we introduced him to the ‘Dinosaur Vs.’ series, and he quickly loved it. The text in the books is simple and predictive, making it great for young audiences, and the dinosaur roars peppered across every page make for a lot of fun & silly voices during read alouds. (Honestly, I’m not sure who enjoys enthusiastically roaring more, #thebigone or my husband).
When we found the Dinosaur vs. Santa (Board Book) (A Dinosaur vs. Book) (affiliate disclosure), we knew it would be the perfect addition to our holiday library. Bob Shea’s iconic Dinosaur battles the stress of the holiday season with gusto, and his quirky, bold face amuses in each scenario.
I created a mainly cut & paste craft for #thebigone to work on, based on one scene from the picture book. Depending on the age and ability level of your child (and maybe also how patient you’re feeling any given day!), you can adjust the project accordingly. For very young kids, I would likely have the parts cut, and engage them in the gluing & placing portion of the craft. Older kids, like my six year old can work on all aspects of this project, but may need help with some of the trickier parts.
Another note, feel free to make supply adjustments as you see fit, and based around your time, budget, and what you may already have on hand. I provide an idea of the items we used, but most are easily replaced with something else (patterned paper instead of fabric, etc.), so don’t feel like you have to buy every supply we used. [But if you do need a good excuse to hit up Hobby Lobby or something, then hey, I’m your gal. Go shop, you neeeeed it for this project!]
Materials:
– Printable worksheet (happy or fierce options available below).
– Base paper/cardboard/cardstock to glue onto.
– Blanket material; we used patterned felt.
– Blanket edging material; we used solid felt.
– Pillow material; we used a textured white fabric.
– Small Santa hats; optional. (Could easily be made from paper as well).
– Something to color with; we used markers.
– Scissors.
– Glue.
We grabbed our printable sheets, and started by coloring in our dinos. We cut out the dinos, and also cut out the template pieces for the other portions of the craft. We used the templates to trace onto the other materials, and then cut those parts out. (Blanket, blanket edging, pillow). We glued everything onto the base paper, in order of: blanket, blanket edging, pillow, dinosaur, Santa hat. To complete our project (and squeeze in a little bit of handwriting practice) we wrote our own ‘Roars!’ around that silly dinosaur.
I hope you guys have fun making this project, and that it helps you get in the Christmas spirit! I’d love to see your roaring dinos, so feel free to email me photos of your projects, or tag me on social media.
If you’re thinking about adding this book to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commision that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
Ideas for holiday fun are taking over Pinterest right now!
More great ideas inspired by kids books are always a good idea! -
Creative Writing Prompt Inspired By Sad Santa
I’m a huge fan of children’s literature, so I add books to our home library often. I have tried (without a lot of success) to cut back on book purchases over the last year. Unfortunately, I tend to have trouble resisting a great holiday book. That was the case with Tad Carpenter’s Sad Santa last year. It quickly became one of our favorite new holiday reads. Keep reading to see how I used the book to inspire my oldest to think creatively.
READING SAD SANTA
I remember a lot of Christmas reading with my sister and parents as a child. This is probably why I have a soft spot for buying my boys Christmas books. In addition to our 25 Books Of Christmas tradition, I also add a few other books to our library each December. Sad Santa was one addition last year. I chose it because I am a huge fan of the illustrative style. Carpenter abandons the traditional Christmas color schemes of bright, vibrant reds, greens, silvers, and golds. Instead, he chose a more muted and subdued palette. Maybe it’s a nod to Santa’s somber mood through much of the book. I love the brown craft paper feel of the backgrounds, and the very graphic, almost printed or stamped feel to the drawings. (Hmmm… perhaps this will inspire a printing project in the future… Time will tell!)
CREAtIVE WRITING AND DRAWING WITH SAD SANTA
#thebigone enjoys the tale. He has always been particularly enthralled with the quirky cast of characters and the North Pole’s super cool ‘Idea Machine’! After we had taken a few minutes to talk about how sad Santa was feeling throughout the book, and why he felt that way, we turned our attention to a more positive discussion. Using the printable writing prompt and drawing prompt you’ll find below, #thebigone engaged in some creative thinking. He decided what he would do to help Santa feel better. (Spoiler alert. My kid apparently thinks Santa eats his feelings, because he’s going to cheer him up with cookies!)
Creative activities like this extend your story time with your children. They are great for checking retention and comprehension of ideas from stories. Posing open ended questions that can be answered through writing, drawing, or both, lets children use their imaginations. In turn, it helps develop critical thinking skills. There’s also aid to fine motor development as they practice holding pens, pencils, etc. Grab your Sad Santa creative prompts below. Encourage your kids to think about how they would help to cheer up the jolly old elf.
>>> Sad Santa Writing Prompt <<<
>>> Sad Santa Drawing Prompt <<<
Does your family have any favorite holiday books about Santa? Be sure to let me know which ones you love in the comments below!
Some Essentials You May Need…
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Read & Create: Santa Claus the World’s Number One Toy Expert
Now that December is officially underway, our family is jumping feet first into holiday fun! Our elf on the shelf has returned, our 25 books of Christmas advent has been, and we’re scouring our local library for festive books that look fun to read. One of our most recent finds was a fun read from Marla Frazee- Santa Claus the World’s Number One Toy Expert (affiliate disclosure).
The book features Santa preparing for the big day at the North Pole- testing toys, making lists, conducting inventory- in whimsical illustrations. Santa has a face full of personality, and his movements & action are clearly conveyed through the sweet pictures. The best part of the book though? Especially if you’re a 6 year old who is fascinated by all things just a bit naughty?!
I see London…
I see France…
I see Santa’s underpants!While he’s puttering around the North Pole, Santa is typically wearing just his jammies or boxers, all in fun novelty prints. #thebigone and I read through the tale once, and then on our second peek through the book, we noticed the silly way that Santa was dressed! We thought it might be fun to think a bit about what other sorts of fun prints Santa Claus might be wearing under his fancy red suit, so I created a printable project to do just that!
Using my free printable drawing and some markers, #thebigone set about decorating Santa’s undies. [Cue lots of giggling, because like I said, underwear is comedy gold when you’re in first grade!] Initially, he planned to do some lightning print boxers, but ultimately, the lure of so many colorful markers was too great to ignore. His version of Santa’s outfit is far more abstract than Frazee’s originals, but cute none-the-less.
This is another project idea with virtually no set up, and very simple instructions, making it great for keeping kids busy when you need a few moments. They can easily draw and color independently and talk with you about their work afterwards. #thebigone chose to use markers this time, but crayons, colored pencils, or even paints would all work just as well, depending on what sort of clean up you’re ready for.
Start spreading a bit of holiday cheer & silliness with this printable project! If your family decides to give it a try, I’d love to see how you dressed the big guy. I’d love for you to email me photos, or tag me in them on social media!
If you’re thinking about adding this book to your home library, please consider purchasing via my Amazon Affiliate link below- you’ll get a book that we love & highly recommend at no additional cost to you, while I earn a small commision that allows me to be home with my kiddos. Win-win, right?!
If you’re interested in making this holiday season your best yet, take a look at all of these ideas!
Craft and writing activities inspired by books are perfect learning opportunities for kids- enjoy!
