Children’s activity — with “surPRIZES!”

December 5, 2023 — Looking for a creative art and language activity for your children over winter break? Look no further than the pages of the picture book “How Happy Is a Lark?” I thought I’d turn this into a fun little contest. 

The book takes expressions like “Clever as a fox,” “Wise as an owl,” or “Curious as a cat,” turns them upside-down and asks and answers the questions, “How clever is a fox?” And “How wise is an owl?” And “Just how curious is a cat?” 

Here’s how to enter:

1. Take a question from the book — or better yet, come up with an expression of your own that you’ve heard or you make up. (Example, “cute as a button” or “deep as the sea.”) 
2. Turn the expression into a question. (ex., how cute is a button? How deep is the sea?)
3. Answer the question, make it funny, cool, surprising, or whatever you choose.
4. Draw, paint, illustrate your answer. Feel free to use whatever art supplies you have on hand from crayons to colored pencils, or paint. The sky is the limit! 
5. Go to authorgailkuhnlein.com and use the contact page to send in your creations (be sure to include your artwork and your expression/question). 
6. If you have any questions about this activity or anything else, you can contact me using the same link. 

Of course, it’s OK if parents, teachers, or other caregivers, provide some ideas and encouragement. Also, folks of any age can enter (see more detail below). 

Did you know that these expressions that compare two things that aren’t alike using the words “like” or “as” are called SIMILES. It’s just like the word SMILES with an extra I (eye? Aye aye! Words can be so much fun). 

At least three prize winners will receive a “surPRIZE” in the mail (more or less, depending on the number of entrants). I hope to receive many but I’m secretly (oops) afraid I won’t receive any. The contest is for all ages but please include your age so that we can judge accordingly (or maybe in different age groups, again, depending). Be sure to provide your name, email, address and AGE (over 18, you can just say “adult.”)  I’m looking forward to hearing from YOU and featuring your work in a future blog post and/or on social media. The winner(s) will be announced on my Outta’ this world blog in early January 2024. I will also email the winners directly. Onward and upward!