Storybook Week: Keats, Sendak & More

DVD Collection

Before babies, we picked up this Scholastic Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics. 

Most of the films are old, short and some segments simply film the books pages while the narrator reads.

Since it has been a rainy Chinese New Year, we had a Storybook Week.
Along with a trip to the bookstore, we combined story-telling with activities.

We had a cardboard house O had been asking to turn into a boat, so we looked to 'Where the Wild Things Are', for inspiration.

 We'll eat you up...

 ...we love you so!

Next, author Ezra Jack Keats short stories about Peter: Snowy Day, Whistle for Willy, Peter's Chair and Pet Show.
In addition, there is a 1969 film of Ezra Jack Keats in his art studio. It's a fabulous 5 minute portrait of an artists life and work. He talks about artist research, using his childhood neighbourhood in his books and using fabric and paper collage.
(eventually, we'll work on collage pieces!)

 Harold & The Purple Crayon

Harold is my personal favourite and I hoped it would interest O and her love of storytelling.

It's a simple line drawing which a little boy creates to make up his own stories as he goes along. It emphasizes using your imagination and story sequencing (and moving left to right with pictures before words).

In 'A Picture for Harold's Room', he draws the images larger than himself and then realizes he wants to be big again. Poweful idea's for height-hungry toddlers who like to feel big and powerful!

We brought out the large roll of paper (http://nurturestore.co.uk/big-roll-of-paper-kids-art) and got down to play.

 Start from the very beginning...

Working left to right, O told me she was drawing train tracks (like Harold).

Then she put a boobie on it (see dark purple!)

 Train Tracks

Then she continued drawing boobies.

 Boobies

If I was a school-teacher, excessive boobie drawing might have concerned me, but there is loads of breastfeeding going on around here, so boob obsessions are to be expected.

Tunnel

O then realized when the paper belted up, it created a tunnel...

...and animal hide-out!

EXPAND ON STORY-TELLING
Story Jars. http://mamadrool.blogspot.com/2012/05/spinning-yarns.html

Tell Me A Story Bags. http://mamadrool.blogspot.com/2013/08/tell-me-story-finished-project.html

Puppetry. http://mamadrool.blogspot.com/2013/08/puppet-theatre-nesting-projects.html 

Playdough Characters. http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/08/gruffalo-play-dough.html

http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/07/willy-wonka-and-chocolate-factory-play.html

http://theimaginationtree.com/2011/06/very-hungry-caterpillar-wall-collage.html