Slow and Steady: Storytelling with Tortoise and Hare Puppets
Fables are a “W”onderful way to teach children important life lessons through the magic of storytelling. Today, we are bringing a desert classic to life with our Tortoise and the Hare Puppet Craft!
Whether your little learner is rooting for the speedy jackrabbit or the persistent tortoise, these puppets allow them to step into the story and act out the famous race themselves.
🐢 Bring the Story to Life: Free Tortoise and Jackrabbit Templates!
To make your storytelling session even easier, I’ve created a set of ready-to-use templates for this craft! Instead of drawing from scratch, you can simply print, cut, and play.
FREEBIE ALERT: Tortoise and Jackrabbit Puppet Templates This printable set includes:
The Tortoise: A sturdy shell design perfect for “slow and steady” movements.
The Jackrabbit: A long-eared template ready to “race” through the story.
These templates are designed specifically for small hands to practice their scissor skills and can be easily attached to craft sticks or paper bags for instant puppet theater fun!
🚀 Get Your Free Storytelling Templates!
Ready to start the race? Click the button below to head to our sign-up page. Once you join our community, I’ll send these PDF templates (and more!) straight to your inbox to help your child thrive.
Why We Love Storytelling Puppets:
Character Building: A perfect opportunity to discuss perseverance and the “slow and steady” mindset.
Narrative Skills: Using puppets helps children remember the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
Creative Expression: Kids can color their characters to match their unique personalities.
Simple Materials: All you need are these templates, some crayons, and a couple of craft sticks!
What You’ll Need:
The Template: Our printable Tortoise and Hare silhouettes.
Coloring Tools: Crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
The Handles: Craft sticks (popsicle sticks).
Attachment: Tape or glue.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Color Your Characters: Start by bringing your tortoise and hare to life with vibrant colors!
Cut Them Out: Carefully cut around the outlines of each animal.
Attach the Sticks: Flip your characters over and tape a craft stick to the back.
Start the Race: Find a “start” and “finish” line in your living room and let the storytelling begin!
Watch the full tutorial video below:
Miss Anna’s Book Recommendations
Reading the story together before or after crafting makes the experience so much deeper. Here are a few of our favorite versions of this classic fable, featuring beautiful desert-inspired illustrations!
Aesop’s Fables – Illustrated by Charles Santore
The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit – by Susan Lowell
The Tortoise & the Hare – Illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney
The Hare and the Tortoise
Final Thoughts
Storytelling is a bridge to reading. When a child can “act out” a book with their own puppets, they are building the comprehension skills they need to become confident readers!
Helping Children Thrive Miss Anna’s Class believes in learning through joyful, hands-on experiences. Our Video Course builds confidence and focuses on exciting science and phonics to launch reading, ensuring your child starts ahead of their peers and is guaranteed to be ready for school.
Save this idea on Pinterest so you’ll have this storytelling craft ready for your next fable lesson!
NICE TO MEET YOU!
I’m AnnaJo Mason, and I love teaching! I used to be a kindergarten teacher, and now I teach pre-kindergarten and sell my accelerated reading course. I love helping parents achieve early literacy success, and I’m so glad you’re here.
Did your child make reading progress? Tag @missannasclassreads (or your social media handle) on Instagram so we can cheer you on!