Brown Paper Packages

packages tied up with stringA brown paper package tied up with string? Check! It’s up to you and your partner, however, to guess what’s INSIDE the package!

We recommend reading Send It! by Don Carter (Roaring Brook Press, 2003). On Monday, a boy wraps, tapes, addresses, and mails a special package. Off it goes, traveling through the remaining days of the week (and from truck to boat to plane to train) until it arrives Sunday, just in time for the big birthday party!

You’ll need:

  • A number of brown cardboard boxes, different sizes
  • A number of objects to go inside the boxes
  • Package labels to decorate (optional)

This project is very simple! Cut the top or back off a number of boxes. Put objects inside the boxes, but don’t let the story time kids or grown-ups see what the objects are.

Next, have kids partner up with another kid or a grown up. Ask the kids to reach inside the box and describe what they feel to their partners without actually saying the name of the object. The partner has to make the best guess as to what’s inside the box. Continue the game with multiple boxes.

dino in boxIf you’d like to add a little craft project to the story time, we found these old package labels in the office supply cabinet and used markers to decorate them. Or you can fashion your own using card stock, a hole punch, and string.

package name tags

Dragon = Fireworks

dragon equals fireworks

It’s party time at the castle as two dragons provide some colorful fireworks… just pull the paper dragon to get the firework to “launch” from the top of the castle!

We read Over at the Castle, written by Boni Ashburn, and illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Abrams, 2010). A mother and baby dragon await nightfall outside a bustling castle. Page by page, the numerous castle activities count down until it’s time for the grand finale – a firework show, provided by the dragons!

You’ll need:

top of firework castle

Construction of this castle is very easy. First, use a box cutter to cut a drawbridge in one of the small boxes. Hot glue the drawbridge box to the top of a cake pad. Cut the top off a second box, and hot glue it on top of the drawbridge box. Decorate the castle and its base with metallic markers. We added silver mirror board battlements and some silver metallic dot stickers as well. Next, the dragon fireworks!

dragon firework constructionFold 2 sparkle stems into a V shape, then tape them to the bottom of a bunched 10″ x 10″ square of cellophane, Secure with tape. Knot one end of a 10″ piece of clear beading cord around the bunch, then secure with tape. Repeat these steps to create a second firework. Color and cut the mother and baby dragon from the template, then tape them to the free ends of the firework cords.

To create the firework show, gently tuck the fireworks into the top of the castle, but let the attached dragons dangle down the sides the castle. Grab a dragon and yank it upwards, sending it – and the attached firework – flying into the air!

dragon fireworks


Many thanks to the Hopewell branch of the Mercer County Library System (proud home of Fang the Spider) for allowing us to do pop up story time while our library is under renovation! We really appreciate it!

Don’t Touch the Tiger

don't touch the tigerTyger Tyger burning bright! Make it past the teeth, and you’ll be all right!

We recommend reading Beware of Tigers by Dave Horowitz (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006). Feathered friends Chirp and Birp are laughingly incredulous that a tiger is in their city, despite warnings from others. Well, there IS a tiger, and he is more than happy to entertain two tasty little birds. As his smile grows wider and wider, Chirp and Birp realize that perhaps cuddling up with a tiger isn’t such a great idea. Good thing they have a friend with even bigger teeth!

You’ll need:

  • 1 large tissue box
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors, tape, and/or glue for construction
  • Markers for decorating (optional)

This project is a modification of a Valentine’s box I pinned and swore I would find a use for. Yes! Begin by covering a large tissue box with orange construction paper. Next, use more construction paper to add a nose, eyes, and stripes (or draw them on with markers). The teeth are construction paper too.

To play the game, place several objects in the tiger’s mouth. Then challenge kids to gently reach in, and – without moving, tapping, or knocking over the tiger – remove the objects. The objects can be anything. For younger kids, it might be best to use something that stick out past the mouth like drinking straws. For older kids, smaller objects like jingle bells, foam beads, or pom-poms work!

tiger straws

Believe it or not, we have more chomping creature projects on the blog. Check out our cookie-consuming cow here, and our monster food chain here. Need some dental assistance? We have your crocodile care kit right here.