The Lion and the Mouse
2 Ways to Play: Story Puppets and Cutting Activity
Aesop’s Fables are proving to be some of my children’s favorite stories of all time.
The Lion and the Mouse shows that even a tiny being can be a huge help in times of trouble.
This is a great message for kids.
These simple to make puppets and cutting activity remind children that “even a Mouse can help a Lion!”
If you don’t have a copy of the story, you can find an online version here.
The Lion and the Mouse Story Puppets
Creative Art – Make and Play
Supplies
- yarn*
- 2 adhesives*
- 2 craft sticks*
- paper mouse*
- souffle cup*
- 2 wiggle eyes*
- tape
- markers
- paint
*These materials were provided in our Fables and Folktales box from Mother Goose Time!
Prep
- Cut the yarn into equal lengths for each child to use as a mouse tail.
Discuss
- How do a lion and a mouse look different? Similar?
Make
- Flatten the souffle cup, then use the adhesives to attach the wiggle eyes.
- Paint and decorate the cup to look like a lion’s head and mane, then tape on the yarn tail.
- Decorate the mouse.
Play
- Invite children to retell the day’s fable with stick puppets.
Observe
- Did the child retell the fable with a beginning, middle and end?
- What voices or movements did he use to play out a scene?
- While having a wonderful time our children are also developing skills including
- reading comprehension,
- drama,
- and fine motor.
Our Experience
All three of my “big” kids really enjoyed making their puppets.
Age = 2.5 years
My two and half year old didn’t spend too much time crafting. He colored and assembled the pieces and was on the move. He loved having his own characters and really enjoyed retelling “The Lion and the Mouse.” His retelling had few words and might best be described as an interpretative dance. Adorable!
Age = 4 years
My wild and crazy four year old is very impulsive, especially when it comes to going ahead with a craft. He cut the border off the souffle cup long before I had a chance to show him how to tease it out to look like a mane. This bothered him not at all. He created his very own version of the lion. The t-shape formed with the tongue depressors is to show that it is his lion, since his name starts with a “T”. In his creative play, he preferred throwing the mouse and having the lion chase it. Thus, he refrained from attaching the mouse to a stick, using the mouse more as a prop than a puppet. Hilarious!
Age = 5 years
At five years of age, my daughter has started to spend more time creating her crafts and is much more particular about adding purposeful details. Her lion and mouse took her close to half an hour to complete. In a busy house with four kids ages five and under, that’s a lifetime 🙂 She retold the story beautifully, but my favorite part was that she gave the lion and the mouse their own unique voices complete with accents. So entertaining and fun!
Community Challenge for The Lion and the Mouse
Do Together
- When might an animal need your help?
- Read aloud “The Lion and the Mouse.”
- Wrap various animal toys in yarn.
- Set them out with child-safe scissors and invite children to explore ways to set them free.
This activity helps build social awareness by understanding how to help others in need.
Our Experience
I surprised the kids with this story and activity first thing in the morning. Daddy helped tie up some of their stuffed animals for me the night prior. The kids had a blast rescuing their favorite animals. I love how much fine motor, scissor practice they get this with this activity. Just be sure to use safety scissors! My youngest needed some help holding the string taut in order to cut. He almost got me several times and I had to be careful that none of the stuffed animals received injury. It’s a super fun activity, but close supervision is a good idea. The two older kids had no troubles!
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Happy Learning!
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