Home > Book Based Activities > Bringing books to life – Gruffalo Hunting

Bringing books to life – Gruffalo Hunting

Do you have a favourite book that you read to your kids or maybe more than one. One of our favourite’s is the Gruffalo, turned into a film a couple of years ago it’s been recorded and watched many many times. Along with reading the book and watching the film we like to get out and bring the book to life.

Gruffalo Hunting - bringing books alive

Gruffalo Hunting

We’re very lucky to live near a woods which has been perfect for retelling the Gruffalo story with J and T. Before heading out we often read the book and then talk about the things that we are going to look for and listen out for.

J or T take on the role of the mouse and I have to be the Gruffalo – if T is the mouse then J takes on the roles of the different animals that they meet in the woods or vice versa.

The Gruffalo - bringing the book alive through retelling the story in the forest

The first time we did this I brought the book along with us thinking that we would need it to retell the story, but a combination of the many readings of the book and watching the film meant that it didn’t make it out of the bag.

The Gruffalo - bringing the book alive through a gruffalo hunt in the forest

We don’t use props for our story telling of the Gruffalo instead our imagination plays a role in bringing the book alive. The mouse will scuttle along the floor, the fox creeps, the owl flaps it’s wings and the snake will slither on the ground.

Gruffalo Hunting - bringing the book alive with story retelling in the forest

One of our outings to a forest takes us along a trail with wooden sculptures – in the trail there are many that retell the story of the Gruffalo – adding in these elements bring the story alive.

forest fun themed header image

This week is Forest Week on The Virtual Book Club Summer Camp and all week Toddler Approved, The Educators’ Spin On It and myself are sharing ideas about fun you can do in the forests.

gruffalo week activities and fun for kids

Watch our Gruffalo Sensory Bin Activity video and head over to find out how we put it together and use it with our kids.

If you are looking for even more ideas to Bring the Book The Gruffalo Alive – check out these 20 Gruffalo Activities and Crafts over on Toddler Approved.

Author
Cerys Parker

Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, teacher, mum, and home educator from the UK. She loves getting creative, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or delicious recipes that you and your kids can cook together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.

4 Comments

  1. What a fun way to act out the story! Such a great park to visit.

  2. I do love a Gruffalo Hunt, it’s such an exciting and fun activity for the children. The owl sculpture is great as are your pictures, thanks for sharing with Country Kids.

  3. We have just been given a copy of this book. I can’t wait to read it and do a retell in our local arboritum. Thanks for the inspiration, as always 🙂

  4. What a great story to act out. We love The Gruffalo… and all Julia Donaldson’s books.

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