Young children are active learners who learn with their whole bodies. I love children’s stories that lend themselves to multiple ways for the children to engage with the story such as sensory play, whole body movements, pretend play, art activities, and more.
Martin Waddell’s Owl Babies story (published 1992 by Walker Books) beautifully lends itself to sensory art activities which are a personal favourite of mine as they develop children’s creativity while also helping them to feel relaxed and calm. They are also a great way to develop their fine motor skills.
When young children are fully engaged in an enjoyable sensory art activity, language development and learning new vocabulary takes place so naturally and joyfully.
Owl babies are lots of fun to make with preschoolers. You can trace small circles and big circles, and cut these out together, or use different sized white paper plates or cupcake holders, glue on white feathers and googly eyes. It is also lots of fun to make a soft nest with little sticks, feathers, leaves, cotton, and every group of children I have worked with always has a few original ideas that keep things interesting. Children love holding their own owl baby crafts and re-telling the story to each other or hearing this lovely story re-read to them as it helps them process their own emotions of missing their parent and learning to be patient and understand that they will come back for them.