The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Hairdryer

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Since our theme has been farm and garden for Open House, we have been reading all the different versions of the Three Little Pigs (including my personal favorite, “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”, as told by the wolf. Go out and get yourself a copy, you won’t regret it).

Today I told the kids we were going to do a little activity based on the Three Little Pigs. First I allowed them to chose a partner (it’s the end of the year, so I was feeling generous). Then I told them their special mission: to build a house that the big bad wolf cannot blow down.

One kid immediately yelled out, “I can do it! I can do it! Just gimme some bricks, I can build it!!!” 😂

I then explained that they could only use three things:

1.) A paper pig

2.) Toothpicks

3.) Dots candy

After calming everyone down from all the excitement, (no, we are not eating the candy, maybe at the end if everyone makes good choices) I gave each kiddo a paper plate, a paper pig, toothpicks, and 12 dots candies. I told them they had to build the house completely around their pig (including a roof). I had them name their pig, color their pig, then I let them go.

It was amazing watching the results. Some kiddos jumped right in, others sat around, hoping someone (like the teacher or a bossy peer) would come over and tell them what to do. But after a while, everyone started working together and it was so fun to hear them collaborating and using problem solving skills to build their little house.

I heard things like “ooohhh, let’s connect them like this”

“that’s a good idea, we can go over his head like this to make a roof”

The names of their pigs were also a crack up. “Piggly, Twinkie, Katie, Lucky, Watermelon, Pinkie, and John.” Where do they come up with these?! 😂

Finally we put their houses to the test by using the “big bad wolf” to blow the houses down.

The Kardashian Beauty disguised as a wolf (or maybe finally revealing it’s true colors?!)

Three houses fell down, so the kiddos went back to make some architectural changes. They brought their houses back and we tried blowing their houses down for a second time.

Bingo!

In the end, everyone’s houses withstood the blowdryer!

And we didn’t even use any bricks. 😉

Click and download here for the paper pig: