Craft Activity: Create "Movie Strips" Using Paper and a Shoebox

Encourage your child to tell a story through pictures and words.

Ages

5-7

613780886

Movies aren't just for Hollywood! With this activity, your child will draw and write on paper to tell a story about your family — the viewing of this "movie" will occur through a shoebox-based "movie theater" that you'll assemble together in advance of the showing. 

What You Need

  • Shoebox 
  • Scissors 
  • Markers 
  • Crayons 
  • Long strips of paper 
  • Paper-towel rolls 
  • Tempera paint and paintbrush

What to Do

  1. Talk about how people capture family fun on film as a way to document and share experiences. Explain that together you will create your own "movie strip" using paper and a shoebox. 
  2. In advance, assemble the movie theater: Cut two slits at each end of the shoebox opening to slide the paper through. Paint two paper-towel rolls with tempera paint, and let dry. Then divide a long strip of paper (cut to the size of a shoe box) into 4 or 5 sections, so that it looks similar to comic book sections.
  3. Invite your child to draw family members, recent outings, or a family celebration on the paper. She can write a simple sentence or label the people in her work.
  4. Get ready to display the film. Glue one edge of the paper strip to the paper-towel roll, and slide the other end through the slits in the shoebox. Glue the other edge of paper to the other paper-towel roll, and gently but firmly roll up the film to display.

Learning Benefits

  • Builds early literacy skills 
  • Encourages creativity 
  • Preserves family memories and stories
Books | Individual Titles | Hardcover Book
A Color of His Own
Fans of Leo Lionni?s mesmerizing watercolors will delight in this adorable story about a chameleon searching for his true colors. Changing from yellow to purple and every color in between, our hero simply longs for his own true color. It is only when he meets another chameleon that he learns what really counts is love and friendship, not his changing color. Board book edition.

Page Turners
With a lovable chameleon as his guide, your child will begin to understand identity and appreciate the value of friendship.
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GRADES
Early Learning - 1
$6.99
Creativity
Following Directions
Attention and Focus
Craft Activities
Arts & Crafts Printables
Age 5
Age 7
Age 6
Life Experiences
Arts and Creativity
Understanding Others
Language Arts
Film and Animation
Families and Relationships
Family Members