Mary Had a Little Lamb, Part One: The Lamb

So, the Hickory Dickory post got me thinking, and I think what I am going to do is post a book a day (or story) with a related craft. See, I am all about getting kids INVOLVED in literature (see over at Maude's blog as proof of that!) and I can't think of a better way to do that than to read a story, then do an associated craft. Then as you are working on the craft you can talk about what part of the story you are representing in the craft and all that.
Since Hickory Dickory was a nursery rhyme, this week we will be doing nursery rhymes!

Mary Had a Little Lamb, Part One: The Lamb


The Rhyme:
Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
Everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go.












Age: 2 & up
Difficulty rating: 1 out of 5 (younger kids need more help)
Messiness rating: minimal

Supplies Needed:
Toilet Tissue Roll or four
Fluff Cotton Balls (Cotton Balls are what I had in mind, but I didn't have any so I used Fiberfill. Big mistake! The lamb pictured above is the *new* lamb I made with cotton balls. MUCH better!)
Dowel Rod, Toothpicks or Pipe Cleaners (these will be legs)
Googly Eyes
Craft Glue
Plain tissue paper, tissues or paper towels--enough to stuff the toilet tissue roll
Tape
Four pompoms (I used one white and three pink)

Steps:

1. Stuff the empty tube with tissue paper, tissues or paper towel.
   
2. Put tissue paper over one end of the tube and glue it on.
3. Stuff the tube with tissue. Fill it so there is some coming out the other end of the tube about 2 inches.
4. Cover the overstuffed end with tissue too. There should be a bulge in the tissue--this is the head. I used black in the sample, because I did not have white.
5. Cut four slits in the underside of the tube. The legs will be inserted here. Alternately, you can tape them to the outside of the roll.
   
6. Cover the toilet tissue roll in glue.
7. Attach the cotton balls or fluff. Trust me--cotton balls will work WAY better. My sheep looks like it has mange--poor sheep.
   
8. Stick the legs in the holes in the bottom.
9. Glue googly eyes on the face.
   
10. Glue two pompoms on for the ears, one for the tail and one for the nose. I found it easier to put the glue on the pompom first, then apply it to the sheep.
    
11. Let sheepy dry! If you want, make a whole flock for Mary to watch!
    

Tips:
Seriously. Use cotton balls. I am still picking fiberfill off my hands!

I remade the lamb after the fiberfil disaster. Check out the difference!! The cotton balls are SO much cuter! And easier!

Before:










After:


MUCH better, no?