Are You a Wild Thing? - Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
Caldecott Medal Winner
Laptime: toddler - early elementary
Story Circle: toddler - early elementary

"The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him, "Wild Thing!"...." When Max puts on his wolf suit he becomes a mischief making wild child until his mother in desperation sends him off to bed without his supper. While in his room his imagination opens a portal to the place where the Wild Things are. There Max becomes King and commands a wild rumpus. But Max finds that being King of the Wild Things can't take the place of being somewhere where someone loves you best of all.
I can repeat almost all of this wondersome book by memory. I've read it so many times. Sometimes when I read it I feel like the mother, frustrated with her wild child, but most of the time I identify with Max. That is what makes this book such a fun read for kids and adults - we all have a wild side.

Laptime and Story Circle Activities:
These activities are great both for home and the classroom.

Have a Wild Rumpus!

• Spread out in the room so that everyone has space to move. You can also form a circle and move together around the circle as you rumpus.
• Play music that encourages large movements. I like to use Irish/Celtic music that has a fast beat and good drums.
• You can facilitate the movement by calling changes: Move to the left, Move high, Move low, Move double time, etc.
• A fun variation is to stop the music at different intervals and have the kids freeze when the music stops. It's fun to see the different positions that the kids stop in and it is good for coordination and balance as they hold their pose until the music starts again.
• Finish the Rumpus with a slower song to cool everyone down.

Wild Thing Masks
Paper sack masks are fun and easy.
You will need:

• A paper bag, large enough to fit over the head, for each child. Ask your local grocery store to donate the bags. Pre- cutting eye holes in the bags will save you time and allow the kids to get right to the fun of creating their own Wild Thing.
• Glue or glue sticks
• Lots of scraps - Yarn, construction paper, foil, straws, fabric, etc.
• Scissors

1. Talk to the children about what a Wild Thing might look like. What kid of hair, what shape nose, what will it's teeth look like?
2. Fold the bags flat with the folded side facing down on the table. This way the children will be decorating one side at a time.
3. Put the scraps in the center of the table so that everyone can reach. Encourage the kids to share nicely.
4. Cut and glue the scraps on the mask to create their own Wild Thing. Encourage the kids to be creative. Remind them that each Wild Thing will look unique. Please, give them plenty of time to create so they don't feel rushed.
5. When the masks are finished play some Rumpus music and have a Wild Thing parade.

Where The Wild Thing Are is published by HarperCollins Publishers.