The Boxcar Children Activities (one)

We're currently reading The Boxcar Children, a multigenerational favorite, by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I love a good book, and our curriculum is heavy with reading, so you'll find a lot of activities centered on specific books here at TPM.

We just finished the first four chapters of this book (so many good memories of my youth tied to this series), and I was aching for a cool little project to get the munchkins into. After sitting still for so long, they were eager to do something hands-on.

Today, we're building a Boxcar out of a box (coincidently, it's one of the boxes I received my curriculum in).

Here's how you can make one of your own:

Find a box. It can be a shoe box or a refrigerator box. Size doesn't matter. Paint or color it red. Have your children draw 4 children (2 girls, 2 boys) that will fit inside the box. (Little dolls will do as well, if you'd rather do that instead.) Have them act out scenes from the chapters you've already read.

As you progress in the book, the children can make other things, like the beds made out of pine needles (you could use raffia instead). Look ahead in the book and buy or make some of the foods the Boxcar Children eat (like milk, blueberries, fresh bread). Allow your children to taste the same foods the Boxcar Children are eating. It really gets them in the "spirit" of the book.

Reading books gives us a chance to have some wonderful conversations with our children. Discussing chapters afterwards helps children articulate and build their vocabulary and learn to tell stories. Garden of Praise has some great free educational resources, including comprehension pages that help further discussions on The Boxcar Children book.

Click HERE to go to the website.