Shoebox Crafts for Kids | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD

Do you read with your child every day? It’s fun and builds vocabulary!

Would you like a great list of books to choose from? Head over to Perfect Picture Book Friday with Susanna Leonard Hill and friends.

My Perfect Picture Book recommendation for today is an old classic from master storyteller and illustrator, Crockett Johnson.

A Picture for Harold’s Room

Written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson

Publisher: Scholastic Book Services (Harper Row) (1960)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Imagination, creative expression, adventure, there’s no place like home, art, problem solving

Opening Lines:

“I want a picture to put on my wall” He drew a house with his purple crayon.

Synopsis:

Little Harold thinks the wall in his bedroom looks too bare. He takes his purple crayon and begins to draw. Thus starts an adventure for the little boy who gets into and out of trouble as he draws a new world for himself.

Why I like this book:

This is another classic picture book from author/illustrator Crockett Johnson of Harold and the Purple Crayon and The Carrot Seed fame. I love the simplistic pictures and text…all about problem solving and conflict resolution. Very young children will enjoy the pictures and story…older ones will appreciate the page turning tension and suspense…will Harold ever get back to his room?

How a parent can use this book:

As a lovely read-aloud
To show children that each of us is the ‘master of our fate’
As an introduction to creative art expression
To help kids realize that every problem has a solution

Related Activities:

THE AMAZING SHOEBOX

Spring is here! Why not help your child put together several art supplies in a little box to keep on hand for outings. Bring it to the park, keep one in the car, take it along for doctor’s appointments. What should you put in it? Small pad of paper and a box of crayons are the basics…but you can add a glue stick, a pair of blunt safety scissors and a sheet of stickers…hours of fun and very little expense.

You can also use shoeboxes (THEY ARE FREE…most shoe stores or department stores will give you as many as you want) to make dioramas, doll houses, buses and other vehicles…here’s an awesome link for many step-by-step instructions:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6733140_shoebox-crafts-kids.html

The voting is still going on over at Susanna’s In Just Spring Contest…if you haven’t already voted, hop on over…the seven stories that made it to the finals are AWESOME! http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-in-just-spring-contest-finalists.html

Do you want to encourage your child’s creativity? Show Me How gives you 100 picture book suggestions and a simple arts and crafts activity for each one! The book makes spending time with kids fun AND easy!

You can click this link to purchase a copy