This page will grow and change as I add activities for children to download or do. Please check back for updates. Or be inspired by the many muddy activities used at the launch of ‘This is the Mud!’. You can find them here; Muddy Book Launch Fun.
1. Colour your own ‘This is the Mud!’ cover.
Click & Print
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2. Make a COW finger puppet.
Click & Print
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3. Make chocolate playdough – but don’t eat it! (Chocolate playdough looks - and smells - like chocolate!)
Click & Print Recipe
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4. Print a muddy picture, using toy vehicles, animals or letters.
Click & Print Instructions
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5. Play Spot the Difference online. Progress through pages, created by Madeline Barr, at MediaBarr.
Click & Play
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6. Write and illustrate your own ‘This is the…’ book of nonsense.
This is the horse that likes barbecue sauce.
This is the snake tangled up in the rake.
Work with friends… or your class… or by yourself. Don’t forget to illustrate your pages! Use my format (You’ll see why I’m not an illustrator! 
) – or design your own.
Click & Print
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7. Write a poem – in 11 words!
The cinquain is a short form of poetry developed by American poet, Adelaide Crapsey. It comes from the French word ‘cinq’ meaning ‘five’ – and has five lines.
There are many different forms of cinquain. I like this one because you can use all your senses – and it has a fun counting pattern. But what I really like … it has just 11 words. True! That means you have to make every word count! Don’t repeat words. And don’t waste words with ‘the’ or ‘and’. Each word must say something new.
Format:
Line One: One noun
Line Two: Two adjectives
Line Three: Three verbs
Line Four: Four-word phrase
Line Five: One different noun
Example:
buses
clumsy, rectangular
lurch, hiss, lumber
save fuel reduce pollution
transport
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This cinquain planning and draft sheet might help you get your ideas together.
Click & Print
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8. Snap a spiney – the poem that you don’t write.
For Sale
Visit your local library (or peruse your book shelves at home) and arrange the titles on the spines to create a poem. No pen/paper needed – though you will need a camera to capture the poem. You can read more of my spineys here and here.
These are great resources for parents, teachers and more importantly, for kids! Brilliant! Thanks Kat!
Thanks Book Chook. Your endorsement means a lot!
Hi Kat,
Just got the little book of nonsense, it will come in handy next term for our story telling unit. Thank you
Trax
That’s great, Trax! So glad I could help.
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Hi Mrs Apel
This is my lovely neice April (she is exactly 1 week older than Miss Pops), I have just found out that she wants to be an author when she grows up!! I said that I knew exactly the person she needs to get in touch with – you!!!!
Miss you,
Barb xxxxxxxx
Delighted to meet the lovely Miss April. And also to have such a special friend pop in on your travels, Barb! We miss you, too! xxxxx
I love being a writer – and would certainly recommend it to anyone who loves reading and playing with words. April, you might like to join us for a Month of Poetry. We’re having heaps of fun with it right now. It’s open to all ages, and we have 8 children taking part, including one from America. The challenge is to write one poem every day for the month of January. (A poem can be two lines, which is great on busy days!!) If you’re interested, April, Aunty Barb could go with you across to our Month of Poetry site; http://monthofpoetry.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/whos-in-month-of-poetry-2011. I’m sure you could twist Miss Pops’ arm too. And Finnigan’s.
Just for fun.
You can register on the site, if you’re interested. Or you can just fiddle it at home.
Have fun writing!
Great resource, Kat!
Thanks, Wendy.