It all started when the kids hid under some dining room chairs pretending to be on a grand adventuere which included storms, food shortages, and sea sickness. The imagination, story lines, and acting that came out was brilliant.
So brilliant that during nap time, I made this simple boat inspired by Moby Dick from my favorite children's book company BabyLit. Alison Oliver's drawings are modern, fun, and engaging. And the witty and clever words by Jennifer Adams will teach your children about the wonders of life on the high seas.
The boat is just a large piece of cardboard hot glued to an old box. Oh, and I stuck a wooden dowel (leftover from this project) into the corner and dropped an old sheet on top to make the sail. I took inspiration from the book and went to town with some paint and a paintbrush. Next thing I knew, I had created movable waves (you know - like they might have at a play), found a couple old tubes for viewfinders, and waited patiently for nap time to be over.
The best part was seeing the excitement on their faces when they rounded the corner! I read the book, they acted it out, and continued to play with it all afternoon. There was even a treasure map painted and hidden by Grandma Honey!
This weekend I will let them add to the boat with their own paints and Instagram the finished product!
