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Sewing Activity: Make a “Magic Cloak” for a Stuffed Animal

Materials Needed:

• Small fabric scraps (variety of colors and textures)

• Needles and thread (child-friendly)

• Scissors

• Stuffed animal (or doll) for each child

• Decorative embellishments like buttons, beads, or ribbon

Activity Steps:

1. Introduction: Listen to or retell the story of The Emperor’s New Clothes, focusing on how the emperor was fooled in his vanity and pride by invisible clothes. Explain that you will be making a magical cloak for their stuffed animal or doll—something that is special and full of imagination!

2. Designing the Cloak: Ask your child to think about what kind of magical cloak their stuffed animal would wear.

   • What colors and textures would they use?

   • Would they add anything special like a shiny button, a ribbon, or beads?

   • This allows the children to explore creativity in choosing how to make their cloak unique and magical.

3. Sewing the Cloak: Help your child measure the pieces of fabric they will use to use for their stuffed animal or doll’s magical cloak.

   • Guide your child in cutting out simple shapes of fabric that will wrap around the stuffed animal.

   • Lay all fabric pieces on the table and arrange them how your child would like them to be.
   • Help your child thread a needle with thread color of their choice.
   • Sew using simple stitches over and under the fabric (running stitch).

4. Adding the Ribbon: Sew on a simple ribbon at the top of the cloak  so that the cloak can be tied onto their stuffed animal.

5. Decorate: Add embellishments to decorate it however you like!

6. Reflection: Once the cloaks are finished, let your child try them on their stuffed animal or doll and share their creations with the friends/family. You can tie this back to the story, discussing how the emperor was too proud to see the truth, and how the children’s creations are full of imagination and wonder.

This project can give children a hands-on, creative way to engage with the story. Plus, they’ll have a fun keepsake—an adorable “magical” cloak for their stuffed animals!

This play dough lasts for a long time and smells delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Favorite Homemade Play Dough Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon cream of tarter (this will help preserve your play dough)
Food coloring
Optional 8 drops essential oil with your scent of choice (we used rose oil for pink play dough and lavender oil for purple)
Optional glitter

 

Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and a few drops of food coloring in a saucepan. *If you want multiple colors of play dough, you can separate this mixture into various bowls before adding the food coloring.

Heat until warm, but do not bring to a boil.

Remove from heat.

Mix in flour.

Stir and then (when cool enough to touch) knead dough with your hands until the dough is smooth. Have your children help you with this step.

Add essential oils and/or glitter as you knead.

You can store your play dough for several months in any air-tight container such as a tupperware, mason jar, or a small storage bin.

We also love making this as a gift for friends and family to enjoy.

Create your own golden yarn to weave into an easy and visually pleasing sun craft. This is a great craft to do along with younger children (ages 3-7).

Materials:

Light or white yarn (cotton is best for this as wool will react in hot and cold water)

• Turmeric
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Ribbon

Dying the Yarn:

1. Bring a pot of 3 quarts of water boil.
2. Meanwhile, make nice loops of your cotton yarn.
3. Tie a piece of extra yarn to the loop on the top and bottom to keep it from tangling.
4. Rinse yarn in with water.
5. Once boiled, add 3-4 tablespoons of ground turmeric to pot of water. Stir.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Dunk the wet yarn into the pot. Stir.
8. Let soak in turmeric bath for 1 hour or more.
9. Remove from pot and strain under water. (This can be slightly messy if you aren’t careful while rinsing).
10. Let your yarn dry in the sun.
11. Remove the ties and behold your golden yarn!

Making a Woven Sun:

Materials:

• Recycled Cardboard
• Scissors,
• Paint (watercolor or tempera)
• Yarn
• Ribbon

1. Use something round (such as a salad plate) to trace a circle onto your piece of cardboard.

2. Cut it out and then cut out little “v” shaped notches into your circle.

4. Allow your child to paint the cardboard with warm colors (yellow, orange and perhaps a tiny splash of red).
5. Once the pain is dry, show your child how to wrap the yarn around the sun by using the notches. Your child may do a pattern or design randomly (both options look great).

6. When done, tuck the end of the yarn into the back so it won’t come loose.
7. Tie warm-colored ribbons onto your sun for a finishing touch.