Fun activites for "The Mitten"
- Read and compare different versions of the story: We read "The Mitten" by Jan Brett, "The Mitten" by Alvin Tresselt and "The Woodcutter's Mitten" by Loek Koopmans. We discuss each version and then compare them. We talk about predictions, patterns in the story and the illustrations, and elements such as characters, setting, problem, and solution. We also made a Venn Diagram.
- Graph: After reading all three versions of the story we graph which story we liked the most and explain the reasons for our choice. Usually the students base their choice on a particular character, the illustrations, or the ending of the story.
- Dramatization: We usually pick one of the versions and take turns acting it out in small groups. We use a big blanket or sheet to represent the mitten. Each year the children really enjoy this activity.
- Writing acticity: Children illustrate and write what animal character they would want in their mitten or what ending they would give the story.
- Felt mittens: The children make a mitten by sewing together two felt cut-outs of a mitten. Then they decorate the mitten with jewels, pompoms or other items. They can fill the mitten with stuffing/cotton to make it look as big and stretched out as the one in the story.
- Matching mittens: We discuss what comes in pairs. Then we partner children and they create a matching pair of mittens. Each student gets a left or right paper mitten. They take turns adding details and copying their partner. The children have to communicate, work together and often help and/or teach each other in order to achieve their goal. This has always been a very successful activity.
- Sorting: First we brought in mittens from home. Then we did a secret sort where we took turns sorting the mittens while the group had to figure out the sorting rule. One year we donated the mittens we collected to a school in rte neighbirhood along with a copy of "The Mitten" by Jan Brett.
- You can find coloring pages, reproducible character masks and information on Jan Brett's "The Mitten" at her site.
Please share with us any other activities you have done or seen related to this story or a story that you love.