Give each child a toy bed frame, a pile of fabric scraps, fabric glue, batting, straw, and one pea. Ask the children "Where should the pea go?" and then "How many mattresses and how many quilts should go on top of the pea?" Once the children have shown that they understand the story, tell them they should insert straw between two fabric scraps, and glue the edges of the scraps together to create each mattress. For each quilt, they should insert batting between two fabric scraps, and glue the edges of the scraps together.
Divide the story up into the 6 scenes covered in the Introduction. Divide the class up into teams. Get volunteers from each team to draw each scene. When each team has drawn all 6 scenes, ask each artist to describe the scene drawn by that artist. Attach each description to the bottom of the corresponding picture. Assemble a book for each child that contains copies of all of the pictures drawn by the child's team.
Lead children in acting out the Princess and the Pea, dressed in the appropriate costumes. There will be at least six roles: the prince, at least one girl encountered by the prince and rejected because she was not a "princess," the princess, the king, the queen, and the maid. The children should create their own props using available toys and other materials. For example, a wagon might be the basis for the prince's carriage, a box with one long side cut off could be stuffed with blankets for a bed, and so on.
During circle time ask the children "How did the prince feel when he could not find a princess?" then ask one child to draw how the prince felt. While the child is drawing, ask the class "How did the princess feel when she went to the castle during the storm?" While one of the children is drawing how the princess felt, ask the other children: "Why did the prince want to marry a princess?" "Can a princess sleep on a mattress with a pea under it?" What would you look for in a mate?" and "How would you find such a person?" After the children have answered, lead children in drawing an ideal princess or prince on a piece of white paper.