How to Make Felt Story of Five Little Monkeys Swinging From a Tree

Make the Felt Shapes

• 1

  Draw the trunk of the tree on the brown felt. Make the trunk about 4 inches wide and 10 inches tall. Draw the five monkeys on the brown felt also. Make the five monkeys about half the size of the tree trunk with simple shapes --- round heads, long arms and short legs.

• 2

  Make the outline of the top of the tree on the green felt. Draw a circle with a scalloped edge, making the diameter of the circle about 8 inches. Draw a simple alligator on the green felt with the mouth of the alligator wide open. Make the alligator about 8 inches long. Draw a half oval to create the grassy bank on which the tree stands. Make this shape about 8 inches long and 4 inches high.

• 3

  Draw a curvy outline to create the river. Make a rectangle about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide. Make one long edge of the rectangle curvy to resemble waves.

• 4

  Cut out all of the felt shapes with the scissors.

Tell and Demonstrate the Story

• 5

  Set up the felt board. Place the green half oval in the center of the board. Place the brown tree trunk on top of the curve of the oval and place the green leaves of the tree on top of the tree trunk. Place the blue river piece to the right of the green oval to create the riverbank. Place the alligator on top of the blue river piece.

• 6

  Place all five monkeys up in the leaves of the tree. The monkeys will not all fit in the tree --- just place them up in and around the green tree top piece so the children can see them all on the felt board.

• 7

  Begin telling the story. The first part mentions five little monkeys swinging in the tree, teasing the alligator. Move the alligator along the blue rectangle piece as you say, "along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be."

• 8

  Make the alligator come up out of the water as you say, "snapped that money out of the tree." Remove one monkey (set it aside) and place the alligator back into the water.

• 9

  Repeat the same words again, except the second time, say "four little monkeys." Repeat the same process of the alligator moving along and snapping another monkey. Remove this monkey. Continue repeating the words with one less monkey each time until no monkeys remain in the tree. After the last monkey disappears, say, "No little monkeys swinging in the tree." Make the alligator swim away from the tree.