February 2023
Cut and Tell Stories
THE STAR
Materials: shopping bag or grocery sack, apple (Red Delicious works best), knife
Directions: Put the apple and knife in the bag and have it on your lap as you begin to tell the story below. Insert children’s names in your classroom to capture their interest.
One day first child’s name went to visit grandmother. Grandmother said, “How would you like to go on a secret mission?” “Oh, I’d love that,” replied first child. So grandmother said, “I want you to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.”
First child was so excited as he set off on his mission. As first child was thinking about what it could be, he ran into second child. “Do you know where I can find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” Second child said, “I’ve never heard of anything like that, but would you like me to help you?” “Sure,” replied first child and off they went.
They walked on a little further until they saw third child. “Have you seen a little red house with no doors and no windows? There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” “Gosh. I don’t know what that could be, but would you like me to help you?” replied third child. So off they went on their mission.
The story continues as more children join in the search.
Finally, the children had about given up when they ran into grandpa. He was on his way home from the store with something he had bought. “Grandpa,” the children said. “Grandma sent us on a mission. She told us to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle. What could it be?”
Grandpa laughed, “Well, I have the answer to your riddle right here in my sack.” And he pulled out an apple. (Pull the apple from your sack.) The children said, “How does that solve our riddle?” Grandpa said, “This apple is like a little red house. 
See, it’s round and the stem is like a chimney.” “But where’s the star?” wondered the children. Grandpa took a knife and sliced the apple in half. (Take the knife and slice the apple in half diagonally.) “And here’s the star!” The children were amazed to see that sure enough, there was a star in the middle.
Grandpa said, “You know people are like this star. We’re different sizes, colors, and shapes on the outside. But if you look inside, you’ll find a special star inside each person you meet!”
•Tell this story many times using different children’s names each time you
tell it.
•Serve apples for snack.
HOOTIE THE FISH
Materials: paper, scissors
Directions: Cut a small paper strip for each child similar to the one shown. Hook the tabs together to make a little fish puppet. The children can hold them and wiggle their fish as you tell the story. When you get to the end of the story they can throw their fish in the air and watch them fly!
Once there was a little fish named Hootie. 
Every day Hootie would swim along the ocean floor dreaming of what it would be like to be above the water. He asked his mother if he could fly above the ocean just to take a peek at the world above, but his mother only laughed. “Who ever heard of a flying fish?” she’d say.
One day as Hootie was swimming along he ran into a giant octopus. The octopus was all tangled up in some coral and rocks on the ocean floor. “Help! Help!” screamed the octopus. Now any ordinary little fish would have been frightened and swam away, but not our little Hootie. He bravely started to untangle the octopus’ arms until the octopus was free at last. As luck would have it, the octopus was magic and to thank Hootie he gave him one wish. Hootie thought for a moment, and then he said, “I wish…I wish that I could fly!”
And do you know what he did then? That’s right! He swam up to the top of the water and jumped up and he FLEW! (Demonstrate how to throw the fish up in the air.)
Adaptations: Let the children decorate their fish with markers or crayons.
•Click here to download the pdf file for Hootie.
BABY BIRD
Cut and Tell Story
Materials: construction paper, scissors, marker
Directions: Begin this story with a sheet of paper, scissors, and marker in your lap. Follow the directions as you tell the story. (You can either cut the paper or tear it.)
It was springtime and mother and father bird decided to
build a nest. Who can tell me some of the things they
might have used to make their nest?
(Fold the paper in half and cut accordingly.)
Mother bird sat on the nest and laid a beautiful egg.
(Open the nest to reveal the egg shape.)
Now, mother bird could not leave the egg. She had
to sit on it and keep it warm and safe. Even when it
rained and the wind blew hard, mother bird had to sit there and protect her egg. Fortunately, two little bugs who lived in the tree made friends with mother bird and kept her company. This is one little bug. His name was _____.
(Use a child’s name in the class.)
(Draw a little dot for the bug.)
This is the other little bug. Her name was _____,
(Use another child’s name in the class.)
(Draw another little dot on the opposite side.)
One day as mother bird was sitting on the egg, she heard
a little cracking sound. She looked down and saw a little
crack in her egg.
(Cut a little slit on the fold slanted toward the eyes.)
Then she heard a great, big cracking sound.
(Cut around the eye and slit as shown stopping before
you get to the end of the egg.)
And guess what mother bird saw coming out of the big
crack in her egg? She saw her baby bird!
(Open the egg and bend up the beak as shown.)
Hint! You can also cut this story out of a paper plate.
•Click here to download the pdf file for Baby Bird.
PUMPKIN HOUSE
Cut and Tell Story
Materials: orange paper, scissors
Directions: Place the orange paper and scissors in your lap. As you tell the story below, cut out the different parts with the scissors as indicated. At end of the story, the children will be delighted with the pumpkin house!
(You can also tear out the paper with your fingers.)
Once there was a little old lady who lived
in a funny orange house near name of your school.
Her house was shaped like half a circle with the
chimney at the bottom. 
This little lady had a cat named child’s name in your
room. This cat had a long, curved tail, so the old
lady had a special door cut just for the cat’s tail.
The little lady always wore a pointed hat. She had
a special door built for herself, too, so her hat would
not fall off every time she went in and out the door.
The little lady had two pet birds. Their names were
child’s name and child’s name. She had a window
cut just for them so they could fly in and out and in
and out.
It was getting close to Halloween, so all the children
in teacher’s name classroom went to her house and knocked
on her door. The little lady came to the door and said,
“Close your eyes.” SURPRISE! It’s a jack-o-lantern!
•Click here to download the pdf file for Pumpkin House.
PUMPKIN MAN
Interactive Tell and Draw
Materials: large sheet of paper, marker
Directions: Explain that you will need everyone to help you tell this story. Demonstrate the movements below. When you say the words in the story, then the children should make the motions.
“Knock” – pretend to knock on a door
“Rock” – move body back and forth
“Spin” – twirl hands around each other
“Come In” – make motion with hand
Draw the body parts on the paper as you come to them in the story.
Once there was a little old lady who would just sit all day and rock and spin and wait for somebody to come in.
One day as she rocked and spun she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. In came two big, black boots. (Draw boots on the board.) “I can’t talk to you big, black boots,” said the little old lady.
So she just sat there and rocked and spun until she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. And in came two bony legs. (Draw two skinny legs coming out of the boots.) “I can’t talk to two bony legs,” said the little old lady.
So she just sat there and rocked and spun until she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. And in came a funny body. (Draw a pear shaped body on top of the legs.) “I can’t talk to a funny body,” said the little old lady.
So she just sat there and rocked and spun until she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. And in came two wiggly arms. (Draw wiggly arms coming off the body.) “I can’t talk to wiggly arms,” said the little old lady.
So she just sat there and rocked and spun until she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. And in came two big hands. (Draw hands at the end of the arms.) “I can’t talk to two big hands,” said the little old lady.
So she just sat there and rocked and spun until she heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” she called. And in came a big pumpkin head. (Draw a pumpkin head on the figure.) “Well, I can talk to a pumpkin man,” said the little old lady. And she did!
•End by singing “Do You Know the Pumpkin Man?” to the tune of “Do You
Know the Muffin Man?”
•Cut felt pieces to make the pumpkin man and use them on a flannel
board as you tell the story.