This is the second in our series of sensory stories that use ordinary household objects. I have chosen one of Aesop’s fables, The Crow and the Pitcher (or The Crow and the Jug). This is a very simple little tale, fun to act out and it even includes some science!
Aesop’s Tales are widely available in print or online. Try this version.
(This is from the storyteller Heather Forest’s website– it is well worth exploring for all the wonderful stories.)
If you are buying a collection of Aesop’s tales check that it contains this story (most collections will as it is one of the more well known ones.)
This kindle version is bilingual (English and Hindi) and tells the story in nice simple language:
The Crow: If you have some feathers left over from a craft activity you could use these to represent the crow. Brush them gently on the back of your child’s hand. Or you could simply make a ‘beak’ with your thumb and fingers and mime the crow. Add in some ‘kaw kaws’ and maybe some playful ‘pecking’ on the arm or hair (if your child enjoys that kind of thing).
And then you will need some stones, a jug and water. If you don’t have any stones handy you could improvise with duplo bricks or any other such object. Similarly, the jug could be a tall jar, vase or water bottle. Just make sure it has quite a narrow neck so that you can mime that the crow cannot reach the water.
To tell the story you simply act out the crow’s actions. Fill the jug about a third full and then drop the stones into the water one at a time, noticing how the water level rises. Most fun of all is if you and your child pop so many stones into the jug that the water spills right over the top!
Remember – not all of my props recommendations are toys! The props I suggest should not be used by children unsupervised.