“Put Me in the Zoo” and Spot Craft

I remember loving the book, “Put Me in the Zoo” by Robert Lopshire and “I Want to Be Somebody New!” as a child so of course I love reading these books with the children In my care. A preschooler and first grader I babysit for enjoyed making their own Spot because “Put Me in the Zoo” makes for a great arts and crafts project.

The main character of “Put Me in the Zoo” is Spot who is on a mission to find a useful job for his talents at the zoo. When the zoo disagrees and kicks him out, Spot shows a young boy and girl all the exciting things he can do with his spots — from changing their color and juggling them, to moving them onto different objects!

“Put Me in the Zoo” shows children colors, counting, in, out, sizes, and being able to communicate with friends. It shows that it’s okay to change what you want to do or be when you grow up, and perhaps what you think you want isn’t what’s right for you.

Fans of Spot will also want to check out “I Want to Be Somebody New!” the sequel to “Put Me in the Zoo.“

In “I Want to Be Somebody New!” Spot grows tired of doing tricks in the circus and he decides to turn into another animal. But what kind? An elephant? An elephant is too big. A giraffe? A giraffe is too tall. How about a mouse? Can Spot’s friends help him see that the very best thing to be is himself? “I Want to Be Somebody New!” is a spot-on tale of individuality and friendship.

You can purchase your own books and crafts supplies by tapping the links above and below or by visiting my storefront by clicking here.

How to make your own Spot Craft:

You Will Need:

Yellow Paper Plate or Yellow Paper
Dot Markers
Markers
Googly Eyes
White Glue
Safety Scissors

What to Do:

1. Use a yellow paper plate or trace a round plate onto yellow construction paper and cut out the circle. Cut out two ovals from yellow paper for ears.

2. Allow the child to decorate the yellow circle with different colored dot markers.

3. Use a black marker to draw the mouth and nose on the face.

4. Paste googly eye to the face and ears to back of the circle and allow to dry.