1. STORYTIME
AND CRAFT
IDEAS FROM
YOUR
FAVORITE
FOLK AND
FAIRY TALES

2. Hansel and Gretel Storytime and Craft
In Hansel and Gretel, two children lost in the woods come upon a gingerbread house
beautifully decorated with candy
Grades K through 5
Books to read:
Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm ; retold by Amy Ehrlich ; [pictures by] Susan
Jeffers
To make it funny, you could read:
The truth about Hansel and Gretel Karina Law ; illustrated by Elke Counsell
Make a lunchbag Gingerbread House
You will need:
•Lunch bag
•Scissors, glue, tape
•Yellow, brown, and red construction paper
•Newspaper
1- Stuff the lunch bag about 3/4 full with crumpled newspaper. Fold over the top and
tape it shut. This will be the house.
2- Cut a roof for the house from brown paper. Fold the paper in half and cut the roof out
on the fold with half on each side. Glue the roof to the top of the bad with the fold
forming the top of the roof.
3- Cut a chimney and door from the red paper and windows from the yellow paper. Glue in
place. Use markers, crayons, stickers, and decorative foamies to decorate your house.

3. THE LITTLE RED HEN STORY AND CRAFT
The classic fable of the hen who is forced to do all the work of baking bread and of
the animals who learn a bitter lesson from it.
Age 3-5 with a parent
Books:
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
Or
The Little Red Hen by Jerry Pinkney
Craft :
Make your own "Little Red Hen“
This craft can be made in two sizes (small or large) and can be assembled in a
variety
of ways. Heavy duty construction paper or card stock should be used so the
finished hen can stand up. The feathers are created by doing hand print cut
outs. Go to http://www.first-school.ws/activities/fairytales/redhen.htm for
templates.
Assembly:
Fold the body template in half. Fold the feet template and insert in the bottom
of the body. Staple in place. Glue beak and comb on the head template—the
beak will open and close. Glue head to right of left corner of body template.
Add feathers .
If doing this craft with older children, a mosaic can be made. Fill the entire
body with different colors and shapes of tissue paper and cut out excess paper

4. The Frog Prince
Tells the story of a princess who did not want to keep her promise to a frog.
For grades K-5
Read:
The frog prince / the Brothers Grimm ; as retold by Kathy-Jo Wargin ;
illustrated by
Anne Yvonne Gilbert
The Frog Prince/from Fractured Fairy Tales; told by A. J. Jacobs
Craft: Make a Frog Puppet
You need:
• two 9” paper plates
• Red and green paint
• Black and green construction paper
• Red party blower, two large cotton balls, glue and scissors
Assembly:
• Paint the bottom of one plate green and the top of the other plate red
• From the green paper, cut 4 frog legs 5 in. long. Glue the bottom of the red
plate to the top of the green plate. Fold in half so the red forms the mouth.
Slide the legs between the two plates.
• Glue the cotton balls for eyes. Cut pupils from black paper and glue.
• Cut a slit in the center of fold. Push end of party blower through so that
the mouthpiece sticks out the back and the curled part forms the tongue.

5. RAPUNZEL
A wicked witch keeps a young girl in a tower that can only be entered by
climbing up her beautiful golden hair.
Read:
Rapunzel / retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.
Craft: Rapunzel in Her Tower Puppet
You need:
• Cardboard wrapping paper tube-2 feet long
• Black paint
• Yellow and black yarn, white glue, pink construction paper markers, scissors.
Here is what to do:
• Cut 8 small slits on top of tube to make 8 tabs. Fold down every other one to
make the top of the tower.
• Cut out a e in. square near top for window.
• Paint the tower black.
• Cut a circle from pink paper to fit the window. Draw Rapunzel’s face. Glue in the
window.
• Cut 10 strands of yellow yarn 3X height of tower. Fold strands in half-knot the
folded end Braid until it is slightly longer than the tower. Tie end. Trim.
• Cut a piece of black yarn the same length as braid. Tie one end to loop of braid
and drop the other end through the window and tie to the bottom of the braid.
Pull on the black yarn to move braid up and down.

6. SNOW WHITE AND ROSE RED
In this story, the beautiful sisters make friends with a talking bear who returns one
day to reward them for their kindness.
Read:
Snow White and Rose Red [by] the Brothers Grimm. Illustrated by Adrienne Adams.
[Translation by Wayne Andrews]
Craft: Make a Talking Bear
You will need:
• Brown construction paper
• Pencil, black marker, glue, scissors, pinking shears
• Clamp clothespin
• Styrofoam tray
To Assemble:
• On brown paper, sketch a simple outline of a bear standing sideways.
• Add details with a black marker, but do not draw a mouth.
• Use pinking shears to cut a 1” long mouth.
• Rub glue along one side of the top and bottom clamps of the clothespin. Glue the
top of the bear’s mouth to the top clamp and its bottom jaw to the bottom
clamp. Break off some piece of styrofoam to put between the clamps to keep the
tow sides from gluing together.
• When the glue has dried, squeeze the end of the clothespin gently to open and
shut the bear’s mouth.

7. FAVORITE FOLK TALES FROM CHINA
Suggested books to read:
Tikki Tikki Tembo, by Arlene Mosel
Lon po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China, by Ed Young
The Emperor and the Kite, by Jane Yolen
Cat and Rat: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, by Ed Young
Craft:Dragon Puppet
Supplies
• Green posterboard
• Tissue paper, various colors cut into 1-in. squares
• Glue, pencils, scissors, clear tape,
• Drinking straws or large craft sticks-two per child
Assembly:
• Enlarge template to 200%. Trace on posterboard, and cut out. (For young
children, supply pre-cut dragons.)
• Tape 2 straws to back of dragon leaving enough space to allow for
manipulation of puppet with both hands.
• Glue various colors of tissue paper creating the appearance of dragon scales.
Webber, Desiree. Travel the Globe: Multicultural Story Times. Libraries Unlimited: Colorado,
1998. Print.

8. Favorite Fairy Tales from Russia
Suggested books:
The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco
Rechenka’s Eggs, by Patricia Polacco
Baba Yaga: A Russian Folktale, by Eric Kimmel
Babushka’s Doll, by Patricia Polacco
Crafts: Stacking Dolls
• White tag board
• Colored markers, pencils or crayons
• Stapler or clear tape, scissors.
What you need to do:
• Photocopy figures 5.10-5.18 onto tagboard.
• Color the dolls
• Cut out the dolls and the pockets.
• Staple the pockets to the backs of the dolls, matching sizes (younger
children can use the tape.) Staple as close to the edges as possible so
the dolls will fit inside the pockets.

9. Folk Tales From Russia (con’t)
Decorated Paper Eggs to go along with Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Pollaco
Supplies:
• Crayons or brightly colored markers
• White poster board
• Scissors, glue
What you need to do:
• Photocopy figure 5.20. Trace onto poster board and cut out.
• Divide the egg into geometric shapes and color. Decorate with borders
and designs.
• Younger children can decorate with yarn, sequins and rickrack.
Webber, Desiree. Travel the Globe: Multicultural Story Times. Libraries Unlimited:
Colorado, 1998. Print

10. Native American Folklore
Suggested reading:
Coyote in love, by Mindy Dwyer
The legend of the bluebonnet: An old Tale of Texas by Tomie dePaola
Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific NorthWest, by Gerald McDermott
Dreamcatcher by Audrey Osofsky
Craft: Make your own Dreamcatcher
Dream Catchers are from Native American lore; they trap bad dreams and
let the good dreams filter down to the sleeper.
Supplies:
• Wooden embroidery hoop
• Yarn
• beads with large holes
• a few feathers

11. Native American Folklore (con’t)
Assembly:
• Cut a few feet of yarn. Tie one end of the yarn to the hoop. String a
few beads onto the yarn and push the beads toward the tied end. Wrap
the yarn around the other side of the hoop.
• String a few more beads on the yarn and then wrap it around the far
side of the hoop. Repeat until you have an interesting webbing design.
• Tie a short length of yarn on the hoop. String a bead or two on it and
then tie a feather onto the end. Repeat this a few times (2 or 3 hanging
feather strings look nice). Hang the dream catcher near your bed!

12. REFERENCES
Ross, Kathy. Crafts From Your Favorite Fairy Tales. Connecticut: Millbrook
Press1997. Print
Provides directions for making puppets, mobiles, puzzles, and more,
featuring characters from twenty different fairy tales
Webber, Desiree, Dee Ann Corn, Elaine Harrod, Donna Norvell, Sandy
Shropshire. Travel The Globe: Multicultural Story Times. Colorado:
Libraries Unlimited. 1998. Print
Offers stories, games, and activities designed to introduce children to
other countries and cultures