Adventure Awaits with Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett: A Fun activity for Kids
If you’ve ever read Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett, you know it’s a heartwarming tale filled with adventure, clever thinking, and a touch of magic. Treva’s journey up the snowy mountain, outsmarting trolls to protect her beloved dog Tuffi, is the perfect story to inspire creativity and problem solving in kids.
To bring this story to life, why not pair your reading with a hands on craft activity? Enter the “Troll Trouble Adventure Map.” A fun interactive way to dive deeper into Treva’s world while letting imaginations run wild!
What You’ll Need:
Large sheets of paper or cardstock
Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
Glue sticks and scissors
craft items: cotton balls (for snow), small twigs (for trees), construction paper (for rocks and troll faces)
Stickers or Stamps (optional)
How to Create Your Adventure Map
Step 1: Talk About the Story
Before starting the craft, take some time to chat about Trouble with Trolls.
What Challenges did Treva face?
How did she use her cleverness to trick the trolls?
If you were on a snowy mountain, what would you do to outsmart the trolls?
This discussion sets the stage for the creative process and gets kids excited to design their own adventure.
Step 2: Draw Your Map
Using your large sheet of paper, sketch out a snowy mountain inspired by the book. Divide the map into fun sections such as:
The Troll Cave
Snowy Forrest
Bridge of Tricks
Icy Slopes
Mark the starting point at the bottom of the mountain and finish line a the top with “Treva’s Cozy Home.”
Step 3: Add Creative Details
Now it’s time to bring the map to life!
use cotton balls to create fluffy snow.
Glue small twigs to represent trees.
Draw or cut out trolls to hide in different areas of the map.
Add arrows or paths to guide Treva’s journey through the obstacles like “ice patches” or “rocky cliffs.”
Step 4: Add Mini Challenges
Make the map interactive by writing fun challenges along the way:
“How will you distract the trolls guarding the bridge?”
“Find and collect the items Treva lost in the snow.”
“Navigate safely through the icy slopes without slipping!”
These challenges encourage problem solving and storytelling, just like Treva’s clever thinking in the book.
Step 5: Share Your Adventure
Once the map is complete, invite kids to guide Treva (or themselves) through their new adventure. They can narrate how they’d outsmart the trolls and make it to the top of the mountains.
Make it Extra Special
To make the experience even cozier, pair the activity with a hot cocoa station. As kids share their imaginative stories, they can sip on warm cocoa just like Treva might have done after her snowy adventure!
Why This Activity is Perfect for Kids
The Troll Trouble Adventure Map is more than just a craft. It’s a way for kids to practice:
Creative Thinking: Designing a map and imagining new challenges.
Problem Solving: Coming up with clever ways to tackle obsticles.
Story Telling: Narrating their journey, just like Treva’s.
So, the next time you read Trouble with Trolls, make the experience even more magical with this fun and interactive activity. Your kids will love stepping into Treva’s boots and creating their own snowy adventures!
Do you have a favorite activity to pair with a Jan Brett book? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your ideas!
