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MaiStoryBook: A Loud Winter’s Nap + *My Favorite Winter Activities* Tortoise Craft

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing a *Loud* winter read full of charm and woodland creatures~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection: 

“A Loud Winter’s Nap” by Katy Hudson

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of “A Loud Winters Nap” to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ 5% of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)

Book Synopsis and Review

Tortoises don’t like winter. Why not, you may ask? They Just Don’t. All Tortoise wants to do this winter is take a long, peaceful, quiet winter nap. But every time he’s just about to settle down and close his eyes, his fellow woodland creatures parade by with winter shenanigans, enjoying the snowy weather and disrupting Tortoise’s sleep. Will Tortoise ever be able to find a quiet place to nap and sleep through winter, or will his animal friends convince him to join in on the winter fun? Well, when a promising slab of wood behind a small tree turns into a whirling sled ride down a snowy mountain, Tortoise may just make a surprising discovery about the wonders of winter with friends by your side.

If you have little learners who share Tortoise’s initial dismal sentiment about winter, this charming read will have them scrambling for their winter coats, enthused to head outside for a day of winter activities. The repeating nature of the story arch will have littles eagerly anticipating what and who will disrupt Tortoise’s nap next. The grand finale *disruption* is everything is built up to be~ full of sound effects, dramatic illustrations, and a festive winter ending. Tortoise and the woodland creatures will convince any winter-grumbler that winter is full of joy and magic when you have your friends by your side.

Vocabulary

  • Snuggled (p. 1) to get warm and cozy in a comfortable position
  • Disturb (p. 2) bothering or interrupting someone
  • Sculpture (p. 6) making an art piece by carving into wood, ice, or a big material
  • Trudged (p. 7) walking slowly
  • Whizzed (p. 22) going really fast

Themes/Main Idea

  • Celebrate the changing of seasons. Each season come with unique wonders and joys to appreciate and enjoy.
  • Even the most mundane or dreaded events can be magical with friends by your side.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “A Loud Winter’s Nap” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for additional read aloud videos!

*My Favorite Winter Activities* Tortoise Flap Craft

I am a summer girl. Swimming is my favorite thing in the world~ Not many things can drag me out from the water. Thus, I welcome winter with a sense of impending doom. Shorter days, colder weather, and longer nights, means freezing pool water, packing up the swimsuits, and trading in lounging in the sun for huddling by the heater. So I empathize with Tortoise’s winter sentiment. However, just as Tortoise does at the end of the story, as fall and winter persist, I slowly begin to rediscover the unique joys and magical moments that these seasons bring. Being piled under mountains of blankets isn’t so bad when you are snuggled up with a loved one. Maybe it’s too cold for ice cream, but a steaming mug of hot cocoa (made with a hot cocoa bomb, of course) with a side of cookies is a decent trade. Daily swims are replaced with evening, sunset walks on the pier, soaking in nature’s beauty and appreciating the quality time with my loves. So maybe the colder weather season’s aren’t too bad after all! If you’re looking to inspire some winter fun as well with your littles, check out the bookish craft below inspired by the story~ where you and the learners will share all of your favorite indoor and outdoor winter activities! The perfect craft to build excitement for some winter fun, use your Tortoise Winter Activity Craft as a checklist of winter activities to enjoy this season!

Materials

Directions

  • Choose a Top Shell Template. There are color or black-and-white options with the heading “ _____’s Favorite Winter Activities”
  • Write your name on the blank line or in the blank box, and color if you chose black and white. (Ex. “___Maya’s___ Favorite Winter Activities”
  • Cut it out. 
  • Next, choose a Bottom Tortoise Template. There are colored or black-and-white versions. For both colored and black-and white versions, there are different writing template formats: Blank, Writing Prompt with all lines, Writing Prompt with lines and picture space, Writing Prompt with only picture space, All lines
  • Fill in the writing prompts by writing or drawing: What are your favorite outdoor winter activities / What are your favorite indoor winter activities.
  • Color the Tortoise if you chose black and white.
  • Apply Glue on the top part of the Bottom Tortoise Template shell where it says Glue. 
  • Then Glue the Top Shell Template to the Tortoise.
  • Fold up the Top Shell so that it lifts like a flap to reveal the winter activities underneath. 

Enjoy Your “Tortoise Winter Activity” Flap Craft

  • Share your Tortoise craft with friends and family and tell them about your favorite winter activities, or stories about enjoying those activities
  • Share your Tortoise craft with friends and family and have them share what their favorite winter activities are so you can et even more ideas~ and maybe even try them out together!
  • Use your Tortoise craft as a a winter activity checklist, and make sure to enjoy each activity on your craft with friends and family!
  • Display your winter Tortoise craft to remind you of all the magical winter moments of this season

*~Overall, as always, I hope you all are staying safe and healthy, and are ready to enjoy some Winter fun! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok or contact me via email to share your own *Tortoise Winter Activities* Flap Crafts and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you and learn more about you!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~