Today’s book is Humbug Rabbit by Lorna Balian, our all-time favorite Easter book. I love that there are three stories happening: One underground with rabbits, one above ground with Granny, her cat and the chickens, and up in the trees with the robin family.

Storytime Activity Guide:

Materials:

(If you need any materials, please let me know & I will put together a box for you to pick up)

Watercolor or thick paper, 3-4 sheets

Black Sharpie, marker or paint

Watercolor paints

Paint brush

Scissors

String or yarn

Peeps

Graham crackers

Frosting

Paper

Stapler

Markers

Prep:

Cover table with tablecloth

Set up supplies in easy reach

Trace and cut a chicken and egg silhouette on watercolor or thick paper

Open Ended Project: Watercolor Sunset with silhouette

Using a piece of watercolor or thick paper, paint the paper using just water with a big brush. Start at the bottom and add color to make sunset stripes. Watch as the colors blend to create a beautiful sunset. Let the paper dry completely. If it feels cold to the touch, the paint is still wet. When the paper is dry, use a black marker, black sharpie or black paint to make a silhouette image on top. 

Art Activity #1: Chicken and the Egg Mobile

This mobile is a great decoration to hang up in the springtime! Work together to paint all the egss or make separate mobiles. To make the mobile, first trace or draw an egg shape on watercolor paper and cut out. Use this to cut and trace progressively bigger egg shapes, as close together as you can to use the watercolor paper wisely. Aim for at least 6 eggs of different sizes. Paint the chicken silhouette and the series of eggs using watercolors or other paints. No paints? Use any drawing tools you have like crayons, markers, oil pastels or colored pencils. Mixed media would be beautiful here, as would collage with tissue paper or newspaper. When dry, punch holes in the top and bottom of each egg and use string or yarn to tie the eggs together so they can hang from the bottom of the chicken. Hang on a wall or somewhere that lets the wind catch and spin the eggs.

Art Activity #2: Never Ending Book Cover

Preschoolers will need some help with this one, but older siblings will think its great fun! Fold a piece of white or light colored paper in half to make a book cover. Draw an animal or person holding a BIG book. On the cover of the animal’s book, draw another animal or person holding a BIG book. Keep going to make a never ending book cover like the front of Humbug Rabbit. Color or paint, add pages and write your own story!

Art Activity #3: Peep House

If you already have peeps, these little graham cracker houses are sweet and fun. They are just the right size for a peep, or a little nest with chocolate eggs, or a chocolate bunny. Make your own frosting or use some from the grocery store. Add sprinkles or jelly beans or whatever you have. These would also be fun for an Easter activity and dessert!

Art Activity #4: Rabbit Burrow Drawing

What do you imagine a rabbit burrow looks like? Do they have furniture? Candles? How many rooms are there? Are there tree roots closeby? How many access tunnels? Do other animals, like moles or ants or worms,  have tunnels that lead to the rabbit burrow too? Will they have an easter party? Draw and color your own version of a rabbit burrow.

If you’re on instagram, I’d love to see what you make and do! Use #honeybeestorytimeart so I can see it too.

Thanks for encouraging a love of art and stories with your children, it means a lot to me!