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