Mitten Theme

Mitten Books
Search for Mitten Books at Amazon.com
Search for Three Little Kittens Books at Amazon.com

Missing Mitten's: Level 1: Even and Odd Numbers by Stuart J. Murphy

Mitten Games
(Goes with any mitten story bag.)
Mitten Match File Folder (or game) @ preschoolprintables
Print mittens on paper (or cardstock paper).
Put clear contact paper (or laminate) on the blank color mittens. Place the mittens in alphabetical order (with 5 on a sheet).
Match the mitten with the correct color. Say the color. Spell the color (for younger children, have them repeat the letters after you). Add more colors if you like.

If you like, have the child say the Spanish word (or other language) or repeat it after you (for beginners).
You could sing (or chant): R-E-D, that spells ... (RED).  Do it for the other colors.
(Start at a higher note and then go down the scale and repeat the notes for that color.)

You can go to: Mitten Pattern to print out a pattern for a mitten.  (You need reduce the size of it.)

Mitten Color Match Game
Cut out lots of different colors of mittens out of construction paper.  Write the color on one set of mittens.  Have the child match the mitten with the correct color and say (and spell) the color.  See above.

Mitten Number Match Game
Cut out lots of different colors of mittens out of construction paper.  Write the number (1, ...) on one set and on the other set, write it out in words (one, ...) on the same color mitten.  Have the child match the mitten with the correct color and say (and spell) the color.  Sing or chant, 1, o-n-e, 1. 2, t-w-o, 2.  Clap your hands or tap a certain body part the number of times needed for each number. Do it for the amount of mittens you have made.

The Mitten Story Bag
1. Book(s) or Story
The Mitten: A Ukrainian Folktale  by Jan Brett
The Mitten Story

The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt
1. The Mitten Activity: Using corduroy (or thick fabric), cut the mitten out using the basic outline of the mitten pattern listed in the below links (or make your own). Top stitch (on the top, sew the fabric) the mitten pieces together by machine or sew it by hand. Copy the animals and color each animal. Laminate the animals.

Activity: Let the children put the animals (crawl in) in the mitten as you re-read or retell the story.

The mitten and animal printouts are found at Put the Animals In The Mitten.
You can also go to Mitten Animals.

2. Music:
Sing the Mitten Pokey (further down on this page).

Snow Fun Songs/Storytelling
Sing the "The Mitten Song" as you place the animals into the mitten.

3.  Lacing Activity
(Goes with any mitten story bag.)

Use the Mitten To Sew with Yarn.
Parent or Teacher Copy: Make only one copy of the mitten on on paper (or cardstock paper).  Color it.  Laminate (or clear contact paper) on it.  Hole punch holes.  Use 3 feet (or more) of yarn and place tape on the ends. Place in the bag.
Child's Copy: Make a copy of the mitten pattern onto construction paper.  Place wallpaper or contact paper on the back so it will last longer.  Have the child decorate it.  Take 3 feet (or more) of yarn and place tape on the end.  Lace.  The child can take this home (if you are a teacher).

4. Place any or all of the Mitten Games (on this page) in the bag.

Other Ideas:

5. Masks
The Animals of The Mitten: Masks
Jan Brett has lots of details in these animals.

6.  Coloring Pages
Jan Brett's Web Site
The Animals of The Mitten coloring page
The Bear from The Mitten coloring page
The Rabbit from The Mitten coloring page
Design Your Own Mitten

Other Coloring Page Links
Discovery School's  Clip Art - Mitten
Mitten Pattern Decorate your own mitten.
The Holiday Zone: Mitten Pattern

7. Related Links

Jan Brett's Web Site
Forest Animal Web-Site Detective Learn more about each animal in the book and other activities.
Friendly Stationery You can write a letter to someone.  It has a hedgehog, bear, and rabbit.
Hedgie Sock Puppet Project
Hedgehog Facts
Hedgehog Project Other ideas not listed in this link list.
Hedgehoq Quiz (Online)
Hedgehog Wordsearch & Word Search
How to draw a Hedgehog from Jan Brett
Make a 3-D Hedgehog Craft and pattern.

Other Links
The Mitten Story Sack: about.com
Hedgehog Printout (and facts) @ Enchanted Learning

8. You can integrate this with The Old Man's Mitten Story Bag (on this page) or do them separately and use some of the mitten ideas listed on this page.

The Old Man's Mitten Story Bag
1. Story/Book
Children's Literature - The Old Man's Mitten (Ukrainian Folk Tales: Tales About Animals)
You can place the animals into a mitten like above.

Here are some images you can use (or you can use my links on my theme page to find others.)
Go to: Google Images Search to find images/coloring pages.  Type in what you are looking for.  (If  you want a coloring page, then type in ... and then coloring page.) In this story, the images include: old man, dog, mouse, frog, rabbit, fox, wolf, boar, bear, and maybe some more.

The Old Man's Mitten: A Ukrainian Tale by Yevonne Pollock, Trish Hill (Illustrator)
The Woodcutter's Mitten: An Old Ukrainian Tale by Loek Koopmans (Illustrator) (You can read a description about this book at Amazon.com.)

2. Music
Mitten Pokey

3. Place any (or all) of the Mitten Games in the bag.

4. You can integrate this with The Mitten Story Bag or do them separately and use some of the mitten ideas listed on this page.

Too Many Mittens
Too Many Mittens by Florence and Louis Slobodkin Activities

Math & Music
Re-read the book.  Count how many red mittens there are (up to the part it says “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10...!”.

People Who Found Mittens
Janey (1), Mrs. Brown (1), Ned (1), Twin Boys (2), Postman (1), Garbage Man (2), Grocer (1), Delivery Truck Driver (1)

As you read the book, write on a piece of paper (or chalk board), the number of mittens that are found:
1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2  + 1 + 1 =

Ten Little Mittens
Tune of: Ten Little Indian Boys
Copyright © 2002 Barbara Pratt. All rights reserved.

One little, two little, three little mittens.
Four little, five little, six little mittens.
Seven little, eight little, nine little mittens.
Ten little mittens on the floor.

Art
Have the child draw his/her own mitten.  Decorate. Place a piece of string or yarn somewhere in the room.  Near it, use the sign, “IF YOU LOST A RED MITTEN WE HAVE IT.” Hole punch a hole on the bottom of the mitten.  Hang on a string or yarn with clothes pins or a paper clip.

Runaway Mittens
Runaway Mittens by Jean Rogers Activities

Math
1.  Hide ten red paper mittens around the room.  Find  them.  Put them into a box.  Place them on the floor.  Count them.

Ten Little Mittens
Tune of: Ten Little Indian Boys

One little, two little, three little mittens.
Four little, five little, six little mittens.
Seven little, eight little, nine little mittens.
Ten little mittens on the floor.

Math, Music, & Art
Math: How many fingers go into mittens?  Count your fingers.

Music: Sing
Ten Little Fingers In My Mittens
Tune of: Ten Little Indian Boys
Copyright © 2003 Barbara Pratt.  All rights reserved.

One little, two little, three little fingers.
Four little, five little, six little fingers.
Seven little, eight little, nine little fingers.
Ten fingers in my mittens.

Math & Art: Trace your hands around your fingers.  Practice writing your numbers (1-10 and/or one...)

Cooking & Art

Mitten Sugar Cookies
Make sugar cookies.  Have the child place his/her clean hand on the rolled cookie dough. Use a plastic knife and cut two hands out.  Bake.  Let cool.  Frost one cookie.  Turn another baked cookies over and frost it.  Decorate your mittens using colored sugar, sprinkles, etc.

Sugar Cookie Recipe
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/recipes/desserts/sugarcookies.html
or
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/recipes/dairyfree/desserts/sugarcookies.html

Frosting Recipe

Music
Mitten Pokey
Have the child place each animal in and out of his/her mitten as the song is sung.

Mitten Pokey
Copyright © 2002 Barbara Pratt. All rights reserved.
Tune of: Hokey Pokey

You put the (fox, bear, ...) in.
You take the (fox, bear, ...) out.
You put the (fox, bear, ...) in and shake the mitten about.
You do the Mitten Pokey and turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

Repeat for each animal character have been placed in the mitten.

For The Mitten, these are the animals: mole, rabbit, badger, fox, hedgehog, owl, brown bear, and a brown mouse.
For The Old Man's Mitten, these are the animals: mouse, frog, rabbit, fox, wolf, boar, and bear.

Three Little Kittens & Music
(This goes with any mitten story bag.)

Three Little Kittens by various authors retelling a Mother Goose rhyme
The Little Kittens (music)
The Kittens and Mittens Activity Page @ Jan Brett

Music Links
Winter Songs: The Winter Pokey

Patterns & Sew Mittens
Fun to sew for kids - lets make mittens If the link changes, just type in mittens.
Mitten Pattern Note: This can used for the games (if you reduce the size).