P is for Pigs: Themed Activities

Here are a few popular Pigs portrayed in comics, movies, games, books and cartoons.  

Which one do you prefer?

*Wilbur (Charlotte's Web)    *Piglet (Winnie the Pooh)    *Three Little Pigs       *Olivia        *Babe        *Miss Piggy (Muppets)        *Hamm (Toy Story)              *Porky Pig (Looney Tunes)  *Pua (Moana)   *Pumbaa (The Lion King)    *Piggie (Mo Willems books)*Napoleon (Animal Farm)   *Peppa Pig

I would probably choose Wilbur from that list as he best connects to farm life and is a gentle personality.  Every pig character has a purpose.  They are very commonly used in art to portray a wide variety of traits.  Piglet is timid whereas Miss Piggy lets nothing get in her way, Porky is optimistic, Hamm is funny and Pua is supportive, but Napoleon is intimidating as he gains power. Animals can be given human characteristics and these can be discussion starters with children.  When a child laughs at her brother for falling off his bike you can read about Olivia who was very kind to her friend when he fell off his bike to suggest an alternative response. In this way you can open up discussions about who we are and how we react using examples based in the animal kingdom that are relatable but not intimidating.

If your child has a favourite character, you can use a stuffie or a handmade puppet to dramatize stories or events with them  The enactment helps with story recall and expression but it also provides the opportunity to expand the conversation/the story in a way that is unique to the ideas and experiences of that particular child. Sometimes too, puppets can say things that would not be accepted otherwise.

I would also naturally take the pig and meet pig's other friends.  If it is through that favourite cartoon/book/movie, then use those characters but it can also be a generalized meeting of a pig's friends. Who would they be?  Other farm animals are likely friends.  Discuss who else lives on a farm.  What sounds do they make?  What do they look like? How would they interact?  

The next activity may be to recreate a farm with toys or playdough creations or through drawings.  It could be to draw a pig, paint a paper plate pig in pink, or play in a mud puddle like a pig would do.  You could recount the "This little piggie went to market" rhyme or talk about split hooves or pigs as a source of food.  Spelling p-i-g and finding rhymes for it like big and dig is a good phonetic activity  Learning the signs for pig, horse, cow and chicken and then using the signs while singing "Old McDonald had a Farm" would be fun too.  There are so many options to enjoy activities related to pigs.

Pigs is the example here to inspire you to take any character, any animal, any concept and build on it as you spend time with the child(ren) in your life.  Find ways to take what they enjoy and use that to build their conversation skills, their imagination and their reading, writing and listening skills as well. Play is the foundation for learning whatever the subject.  Enjoy!

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