Literature. . .Magic Tree House

For Christmas last year my sister Lisa, you can officially meet her on the Eric Carle Link Up, gave all of the kids their very first Magic Tree House books.  These are chapter books and we were unsure if M and M would be ready for them.  They were.  Since then we have read and read and read and read and read the series.

Magic Tree House Series

By Mary Pope Osborne

The series takes a young sibling duo on many adventures through time.  They travel the world in their magic tree house, always together and always learning along the way.  So far we have shared many experience with Jack and Annie, I know many more will follow.  We have visited the city of Pompeii and learned of the myth of Hercules (Vacation Under the Volcano), floated down river in a South American rain forest (Afternoon on the Amazon) and surfed the waves in Hawaii (High Tide in Hawaii ).

While there are many reasons to rave about this series of books, as a mother one of the most important aspects is the sibling relationship.  Jack and Annie are a very loving brother and sister duo.   They have their own individual strengths and weaknesses, but together they can accomplish anything.  Respect and love for each other shine through in every book.

Our own little Magic Tree House

Jack and Annie have become ever present friends in our home.  The backyard climbing structure has been nicknamed “The Magic Tree House” and Little M will often tell me to call her “Annie”.   One day we decided to make mini magic tree houses and bring the pretend play inside.

what you need: cardboard box or shoe box ~ glue ~ scissors ~ paper ~ anything crafty you can collect

Big M’s tree house is made from a Del Taco Fiesta pack box (we don’t go there often, but the box is worth the trip!)  I cut windows on the sides and a door in the bottom.

Little M’s tree house was created from a shoe box.

The Magic Tree House that propels Jack and Annie to new and exciting worlds holds a library of books and that was one of the first details we worked on. I cut small pieces of cardboard and hot glued white paper to make the “pages”.  M and M decorated the covers of the books.

I used an egg carton, toothpicks and a small piece of cardboard to make a table and chair.  Little M designed the table top with a manilla folder and markers.

Little M used a manilla folder, markers and a toilet paper roll to make Annie.

I used paper towel rolls and construction paper to make the legs of the tree house and twisted Bendaroos into a ladder.

This project was so much fun.  I can’t wait to add details as we follow Jack and Annie to more fun places!  Which characters come alive at your house?

This post is a part of the Literature lesson plan.

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