Whether taking readers inside Willy Wonka's chocolate factory or on a wild ride with James and his giant peach, Roald Dahl has entertained children for generations. With the release of the Fox Studios film based on his popular book, Fantastic Mr. Fox [Puffin Books, 1970], children will become familiar with another group of classic Dahl characters. Parents and teachers can follow up with fun games, creative crafts, animal facts and tasty snacks.
Fantastic Mr. Fox Games
The barnyard story of a wily fox outwitting three bumbling farmers lends itself to many simple children's games. Preschoolers will enjoy playing Fox, Fox, Farmer, a twist on Duck, Duck, Goose. Older kids can play a Fantastic Mr. Fox drawing game, encouraging teammates to guess the character or object as they sketch it on a chalkboard.
Outdoor games can be adapted to the Mr. Fox theme. Since the story is a classic chase tale, tag games are a perfect fit. Kids enjoy running in the great outdoors and will have fun with a variety of chasing games. In Dahl's story, Mr. Fox works together with his animal friends to solve a problem. Students can practice cooperation as they play Team Building Games in a non-competitive environment.
Creative Activities and Crafts
The animals in Fantastic Mr. Fox spend a lot of time tunneling under the ground. Fans of the story may enjoy doing some digging as well. Teachers can plant action figures and plastic animals in the classroom sand table. Then young children can dig with fingers and small shovels to find them. Parents can adapt this idea at home, using the backyard sandbox or a large tub of uncooked rice for digging.
Older children like to create something to take home. This origami fox is a satisfying challenge for elementary age students. After following the directions for a fox, they may want to experiment with their own designs for a badger, a chicken, or a rabbit.
Adults can encourage creativity by providing a texture table. Various materials such as sandpaper, chenille sticks, feathers and scraps of faux fur will spark children's imaginations as they assemble Fantastic Mr. Fox collages.
Learning About Animals
What is the difference between a fox and a wolf? Do badgers really eat chicken? Students may research facts from Roald Dahl's story as they study mammals, poultry and farmyard facts. A few books to spur discussion:
- Where Do Chicks Come From? by Amy E. Sklansky and Pam Paparone [Collins Books, 2005]
- Fox by Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben [Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007]
- A Day in the Life of a Farmer by Heather Adamson [Capstone Press, 2000]
Allow children to choose a favorite animal from Fantastic Mr. Fox. Encourage each student to research the animal at the library or on the internet. Discoveries can be shared in a written report or class presentation.
Fantastic Mr. Fox Foods
Just as Mr. Fox and his friends celebrate their success with a great feast, children can celebrate completing the book with a few tasty treats. Although most won't enjoy Farmer Bunce's favorite goose livers, they will certainly appreciate his taste for doughnuts. These can be washed down with some of Farmer Bean's famous apple cider.
Mr. Fox, of course, was most fond of chicken. A few kid-friendly chicken ideas include chicken nuggets, chicken kebabs or Crock Pot Chicken Wings.
Children of all ages will enjoy reading or viewing Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Parents and teachers can use this story to provide educational activities and creative fun for all.
Gabi Larson - A former schoolteacher and reading specialist, I currently use my creativity, teaching and organizational skills at home with my four ...
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