Today is the 185th birthday of Lewis Carroll, and we decided to celebrate with Katie’s Top 10 Alice in Wonderland cakes. And, if you need some party favors, we’ve listed a couple of our Alice-themed craft projects and activities at the end of the post!
By Café Pierrot
By Emma Jayne
By Emma Jayne
Alice in Wonderland inspires all sorts of creativity, and I’ve definitely had a lot of fun coming up with Alice-themed projects over the years. In fact, in 2009 I coordinated a large-scale Alice event that included a giant chess set, Earl Grey chocolate gelato, a Snark Hunt, performances of Jabberwocky, flamingo croquet, Victorian history activities, giant mushroom bowling, horse-drawn carriage rides around campus, and more!
If you’d like to see the event map, here it ’tis. The front of the map lists all the activities. The back features book quotes or informational blurbs tying the activities back to the books, Lewis Carroll, or Victorian England. Like all of our programs, the event was open to the public and free of charge.
On the blog, you can check out this playful, but incredibly easy-to-make Cheshire Cat grin.
Or this really cool Victorian visual toy called a thaumatrope. At the very bottom of the thaumatrope post, you can also see Marissa and I channeling our inner 80s – and I don’t mean 1880s folks.
And what about tea? 2016 was the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and we put together an elaborate Victorian tea program, complete with big hats, mini scones, and a generous serving of history.
The Library of Congress went all out for the 150th anniversary as well. In this post, you can see some of their activities, lecturers, and Miss Joani in a replica of Alice’s iconic dress.
However, the award for the most whimsical Alice connection goes to the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books (which I blogged about here). In their children’s loft, you can follow the White Rabbit down the hole…
And return to the main gallery via twisty slide!
Dang. I want a twisty slide in my place of employment.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. CARROLL!
It’s the ultimate global adventure that ends with custom postcards in your very own mailbox! We made classic blue mailboxes, then visited locations around the globe to create postcards to send home. And don’t forget the stamp!
To make a mailbox, cut the top off a small tissue box. Use a box cutter to cut a little door at the bottom of the box. The postcards are 3″ wide, so make sure your door is 3″ or wider.
Wrap the box with blue construction paper, then use the box cutter (or scissors) to re-establish the little door.
The rounded sides of the mailbox are 2 pieces of blue poster board (ours were approximately 4.25″ wide, and 3.25″ tall). Secure them in place with tape.
To make the top of the mailbox, cut a 3.5″ mail slot in the center of a 4.5″ x 9″ rectangle of blue poster board. Gently curl the poster board over the rounded sides of the mailbox, then tape in place. The curling and taping is definitely the toughest part of the project. Keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be perfect!
Next, use colored masking tape to reinforce the edges of the mailbox, and to decorate it. Color and cut the mailbox signs from the template and tape (or hot glue) in place.
We even got postcards from places we didn’t include! Here’s a postcard from the Amazon, even though it wasn’t one of our photo locations. I think that’s a person on top of a giant tree with a ladder? Cool.
To make the postcard activity official, Miss Melinda donned a stamp-selling visor and circulated the gallery, “selling” stamps that were actually cute little stickers.
It might look an elvish cottage, but this structure houses a mighty amount of knowledge! May I introduce you to the Little Free Library in Princeton’s Marquand Park?
Robert Wells, founder and steward of the Marquand Park library, first spotted a Little Free Library while visiting the Outer Banks. Returning to Princeton, he realized that the park’s hollow stump, with its interesting curves, would be a perfect library location. He commissioned cabinet maker Gui Nelesson of Lost inStudio to build it, and a new Little Free Library was born! Here’s a shot of the back:
The size of this library is also unusual. Most Little Free Libraries are smaller than a copy paper box, and mounted on a post. The Marquand library can hold 300 books! It’s dedicated to children’s books, and even includes a interior bench for little readers to get comfortable.
In case you’re wondering, you enter and exit the library through the window. The shutter gently swings shut to keep the books dry and protected. Not far away is a big sand play area, a playground, swings, picnic benches, walking paths, and lots of big open spaces to run around. And trees! Gorgeous trees!
Marquand Park is located on Lovers Lane in Princeton, New Jersey. Please come by for a visit – and perhaps you’d consider exchanging one of your gently used children’s book at a very special Little Free Library?