Mythical Creatures and Monsters

2/3/2021

Based on conversations with Giacomo about the Loch Ness Monster, and Audrey's interest in monsters (thanks to Sarah for sharing this), we came together on Wednesday to think about what we know about different creatures/monsters. The children were invited to bring any favorite images of monsters or books they have that include creatures/monsters.

Right away, we discovered that Audrey and Saul brought the same "monster" book, The Gruffalo.

Who is the Gruffalo afraid of? - Sarah
“The mouse! This mouse.” - Audrey, 3.10 years

“The mouse tricked the other animals in the forest.” - Audrey
“He flipped them over, that’s how he tricked them.” - Saul, 3.5 years

“His teeth are long.” - Saul
“The Gruffalo always scares people too.” - Saul

Audrey brought other books with monsters in them. She has quite the collection.

“Here’s the Sea Monster.” - Audrey
This one reminded her of Giacomo.

“A monster is something that scares people and tricks the animals.” - Saul

Some monsters are scary, but others are not. Saul said that the Centaurs [half horse, half human] are scary because of "the costumes".
Sarah, Audrey's mom asked, "Is Elmo a monster?"“Yeah!” - Tegan
"Elmo is a monster!” - Saul
“But he’s also not scary.” - Audrey

What else do we know about them?

“All of the monsters live in the trucks, and the people lift them up.” - Saul
What kind of food to you think he [the manticore] would eat?
“Grass?” - Audrey
“Goats?” - Tegan
“He would eat his tail.” - Saul
“It might eat clouds? Clouds?” - Audrey
How would he get alll the way up into the sky to get the clouds?
“He can go up in the sky in an airplane.” - Saul
“I have another way. He could go up in the sky in a boat.” - Saul
“Or he could eat leaves from a tree.” - Audrey
“He could fly to get to the sky.” - Tegan
If only the Manticore had wings like this guy [the Roe]. Or, he could use an airplane like Saul said.

How do monsters move?

“With their feet!!!” - Audrey
What if we do “sleeping monsters”?
“Sleeping Monster, yeah!” - Saul [immediately put his hands to his cheek to sleep]
What kind of monster will you be when you wake up?
“I’m going to be a big monster.” - Saul [arms out wide]
“I’m going to be a baby monster nice.” - Audrey
“I’m going to be a fluffy monster.” - Tegan

"See the sleeping monsters, sleep until it's noon."

"Move little monsters, move, move, move."

“A unicorn can’t be a creature because it’s a horse. Maybe he can be a unicorn or a horse. He could put on a costume to be a unicorn.” - Saul [pencil to forehead]

“I want to show you which parts the monsters have.” - Saul [holds up Gruffalo book]
“This is his nose.” - Saul

Drawing our own creatures/monsters

“This is his belly button. He’s a nice guy.” - Audrey
Does he have ear?
“Yes.” - Audrey
“They are hair and horns.” - Audrey

“He has purple and polka dots, and he has webbed feet. And he has horns and a swiggly mouth.” - Tegan
I”m wondering about your choice to give him webbed feet.
“He uses them to swim.” - Tegan
“It’s the monsters in monster land. And here’s the hole that goes into the goat pasture.” - Tegan