Books are amazing things. 

They can entertain us, they can inform us, they can open doors to new places and new ideas.

As a child I loved to lose myself in a book, now as a parent, grandparent and educator, I love getting to share books old and new. 

Books should be something to enjoy, a pleasure. I love watching children as the explore the themes of books that we share. I love to make props for them to extend their play and bring the stories to life. I want them to explore the possibilities of where else the story can take them.

Play is such an important tool in working out the world around us, taking what they learn from books and exploring the actions, feelings, behaviours, children learn empathy and understanding. It helps them to look beyond the story and into their own imagination, books a doorway.

I want to share some of the ideas I use with my own family and in the classroom. 

As a crafter of over 10 years, I have enjoyed making many story props. Sometimes I find a pattern that I can use, other times I find I have to put my own imagination with yarn to work, and create something new.

Working in a Reception class as a TA there are always ideas buzzing around my head (and in many notebooks) and I hope these will help others.

Today I am going to share my makes for a book I shared with me my class while discussing their feelings in preparation for their move to Year 1, but would also be a good start of term story.

The Worrysaurus by Rachel Bright, takes you on a day trip with a little dinosaur who begins to worry about all the things that could go wrong.

We were able to talk about all the things the children had been imagining about their new class, new teacher, and what the work would be like, come up with questions they would like to ask their new teacher.

Due to time we are in and covid risk assessments we were unable to play with the characters I made, but they could join us to take their questions to the teacher.

The pattern for the lizard is the chameleon pattern from the Toft pets book  by Kerry Lord. 

Below is the pattern I created of a little dinosaur for the Worrysaurus. I used stylcraft special dk yarn and a 3mm hook.

Head and Body (use orange or red)

1. Make a magic ring with 6dc
2. work 2 dc in each st   (12)
3. work [1xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (18)
4. work [2xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (24)
5. work [3xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (30)
6. work [4xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (36)
7. work [5xdc, 2dc in next st] 6times     (42)
8. 1dc in each
9. 1dc in each
10. 1dc in each
11. 1dc in each
12. 1dc in each
13. 1dc in each
14. 1dc in each
15. 1dc in each
16. 1dc in each
17. 1dc in each
18. 18xdc (work 6dc in white) 18xdc
19. 17xdc (work 8dc in white) 17xdc
20. 16xdc (work 10dc in white) 16xdc
21. 15xdc (work 12dc in white) 15xdc
22. 15xdc (work 12dc in white) 15xdc
23. 15xdc (work 12dc in white) 15xdc
24. 16xdc (work 10dc in white) 16xdc
25. 17xdc (work 8dc in white) 17xdc
26. 1dc in each
27. Split into 2 rounds of 21st, work 21xdc then continue in smaller round
28. 1dc in each
29. 13xdc [2dc in next st, 1dc] 4 times      (25)
30. 1dc in each
31. 1dc in each
32. [3xdc dc2tog] 5 times                            (20)
33. dc2tog  10 times                                     (10)
34. dc2tog   5times                                       (5)

Repeat round 27 - 34 for the second leg.

Muzzle

1. Make a magic ring with 6dc
2. work 2 dc in each st   (12)
3. work [1xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (18)
4. work [2xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (24)
5. 1dc in each
6. 1dc in each
7. 1dc in each
8. 1dc in each
9. 1dc in each
10. 1dc in each
11. [3xdc 2dc in next st] 6 times

finish and stitch in place

Arms (make 2)

1. Make a magic ring with 6dc
2. work 2 dc in each st   (12)
3. work [1xdc, 2dc in next st] 6 times    (18)
4. 1dc in each
5. 1dc in each
6. dc2tog  9times                                     (9)
7. 1dc in each
8. 1dc in each
9. 1dc in each
10. 1dc in each 
11. 1dc in each
12. 1dc in each
13. 1dc in each

Tail

1. Make a magic ring with 6dc
2. 1dc in each
3. 1dc in each
4. 1dc in each
5. 2xdc 2dc in next st, twice            (8)
6. 1dc in each
7. 3xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (10)
8. 1dc in each
9. 4xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (12)
10. 1dc in each
11. 1dc in each 
12. 5xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (14)
13. 1dc in each
14. 1dc in each
15. 6xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (16)
16. 1dc in each 
17. 1dc in each
18. 7xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (18)
19. 1dc in each
20. 1dc in each
21. 8xdc, 2dc in next st, twice           (20)
22. 1dc in each
23. 1dc in each
24. [4xdc 2dc in next st] 4 times        (24)
25. [5xdc 2dc in next st] 4 times        (28)

Finish, stuff , and stitch in place.

Using purple surface crochet from the top of the head to the tip of the tail, turn and work back up towards the head, repeating the pattern of, ch3, 1dc in second ch from hook, 1htr in next st, miss one surface crochet, slst into next st.

After the story I gave each of the children their own worry worm to take home and share their worries with.

 I was thinking that as a start of term activity I could cut out lots of colourful butterflies that the children could draw their worries on ready for them to fly away

I hope this has given your imagination a stir

Katie x x