Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas [Paperback]

MaryAnn F. Kohl (Author)

Book Description

Series: A Maryann F. Kohl Book

Explore the world of make-believe with fun and easy-to-make props and costumes.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4-"Play is learning; learning is play" and play readers will, with these 138 ideas/recipes for stimulating make-believe or dramatic play. The activities are open-ended, allowing for creative responses from participants. The directions include lists of supplies and the activities will appeal to children of varying abilities. Many ideas involve new uses of familiar materials; others are tried-and-trues with intriguing variations. A chapter entitled "Storybook Make-Believe" offers more than 20 activities related to popular children's books, e.g., a "Hungry Sock Puppet" to go with Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel, 1969). While the stories are primarily older classics, the ideas can effectively be paired with newer books. Each activity has prominently displayed icons indicating the degree of difficulty of the craft, accessibility of materials, and the medium used, e.g., paint, scissors, cooking, etc. There are many books of crafts or theater games for young people, but most of them concentrate on skill building or curriculum themes. The excitement in this book about creative play with no planned outcome and the wide variety of activities, combined with the ease of use, make this a prime choice.
Cris Riedel, Ellis B. Hyde Elementary School, Dansville, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Award-winning author MaryAnn F. Kohl has written 14 books for Gryphon House, and is a regular featured columnist for Parenting Magazine. She has written the best-selling favorites Preschool Art, The Big Messy Art Book, Making Make-Believe, MathArts, and First Art. She is co-author of Global Art and Cooking Art with Jean Potter. MaryAnn lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Gryphon House (May 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876591985
• ISBN-13: 978-0876591987
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,109 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MARYANN PRESENTS! Bring MaryAnn to your location and she'll put on a full day event with hands-on art for the attendees. Receiving RAVE reviews all over the country. Write or call to schedule. Go to: www.brightring.com

MaryAnn Faubion Kohl, a former elementary education teacher, launched Bright Ring Publishing, Inc. in 1985 with her first book, "Scribble Cookies" (now available as "Scribble ART"). Bright Ring has published seven books by MaryAnn about art for children, their parents, teachers, and care providers, as well as twelve titles for Gryphon House, Inc. (with international rights in over ten languages).

MaryAnn presents internationally on the topics of art for children and self-publishing for writers, writes for Parenting and Family Fun magazines, has been a prop designer for a Jim Henson Company's TV program, and consults for numerous educational groups, Kaplan Early Learning, Discount School Supply, and Fisher-Price. She enjoys writing short essays on memorable childhood experiences.

MaryAnn and her husband reside in Bellingham, Washington at the foot of a steaming volcano.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No TV tonight!, June 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas (Paperback)

I think I will try weaving a big yarn web in our tv room tonight (just like the book suggests! ), and turn off that ol' TV. It will be a whole lot better for the kids (and us) than watching Third Rock from the Sun, don't you think? I'm excited about the variety of pretend and play ideas in this book, and am especially interested in the chapter that gives pretending projects and activities to go with favorite children's books like Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things are. Yes, even Curious George is there!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Email Sharing Groups Contribute to Book, May 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas (Paperback)

Many of the ideas in this book were contributed through email sharing groups with MaryAnn, from teachers and parents all over the world.If you like pretending, or think it's important for your kids, you will like this book. All of the 44 people who contributed to it feel the same way!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HOORAY! Turn off the TV, May 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas (Paperback)

This is the best book I have seen on what kids can make to motivate and enhance their pretend time. Let's turn off more tv's and get kids busy with their imagainations! Excellent book.