If you are working on your Fairy Tales badge, we have compiled a variety of resources to get you started.
What is a fairy tale?
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, fairytales are stories that are marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness that frequently involve fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins) in which improbable events usually lead to a happy ending. Compare two or more different versions of the same fairy tale. How do the stories differ? Which do you like better? The World of Tales website has a variety of variations for traditional fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty among many others.
Writing a Modern Fairy Tale
Try rewriting a traditional fairy tale in your own words, but set it in modern times. How would the characters act today? What would they be dressed like? Where would it take place? Fiction Teachers has a great article on how to rewrite and modernize fairytales that walks you through choosing a fairytale and discusses how time, location, gender and endings can all be changed to create a new, yet recognizable story.
Brothers Grimm vs Hans Christian Anderson
Learn about the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson and see how each author approaches fairytales differently. Read at least three original fairy tales from each author. How do their original stories differ from the way they are presented today by groups like Disney? (Warning for those with small children, some of the Brother’s Grimm versions are a bit violent and scary for small kids.)
World of Tales has a short biography of both the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson for comparison. They also have an online version of the Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm translated by Margaret Hunt, which is the only book that contains the complete collection of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales – 200 fairy tales and 10 legends. “Andersen’s Fairy Tales”, also in an online version, contains 18 of H.C. Andersen’s most notable fairy tales.
Fairytale Puppets
Put together a puppet show, play, or skit about a fairy tale to perform for friends or family. If you don’t have puppet stage, create your own using things like cardboard boxes, or sheets draped over chairs. Adventure in a Box has easy ideas if you need a starting point. Create your own puppets from items around the house such as socks or paper lunch bags or use the patterns below to create simple felt puppets.
Fable vs Myth
Learn what the difference is between a fable, a myth, a folktale and a fairy tale. Mometrix has a quick podcast as well as the written transcript that explains the differences between these story types. Read at least 2 of each. Which do you like better and why?
Make a Fairytale Craft
Make a craft that represents one of your favorite fairytales. Visit The Things for a variety of easy ideas from making a frog prince out of egg cartons to a fire breathing dragon out of a toilet paper roll!
Play a Fairytale Game
Play a fairy tale inspired game today such as Princess and the Pea. Spread cushions of various types around the room. Place tennis balls, marbles or golf balls under some of them. Then have a player sit or lay on the cushions an see if they can figure out which ones have the balls under them. If they are correct they stay in for the next round. If they are incorrect are they out. Re-set the balls and the cushions for the next player. Make sure the player is either out of the room or has their back turned while resetting. You could also try poisoned apple bobbing. Fill a tub with water and some green apples and one red apple. Blindfold the player and have them bob for an apple. If they get a green one they win, if they get the red one they are poisoned and lose. What games can you create with a fairy tale theme?
