The Lion Inside is a book about a lion and a mouse from the World of Rachel Bright and Jim Field. Telling the story of a meek, quiet mouse who wants to find his roar, it’s a great way to explore the themes of confidence, perseverance and friendship with young children. If your kids are already familiar with the story, why not use it to inspire some crafts? Here are four ideas.

Paper plate lion

Preschool children can enjoy making this simple paper plate lion, which will help them develop fine motor skills. Simply take a paper plate and paint the inside yellow and the rim orange or brown. Let the paint dry, then cut slits all around the rim to create the impression of a mane. Finally, glue on some googly eyes and draw a nose and mouth.

Fork painted lion

This craft gets children to think about using unusual items for painting. Take a piece of black card and draw a circle in the middle using a bowl or cup as a template. Then take a plastic fork and dip it in yellow, orange and brown paints. Press it around the edge of the circle with the ends pointing outwards. Next, cut out a circle of yellow card as the face, and two small semi-circles for the ears, and glue them inside the mane. Add a face with googly eyes and a marker.

Wool lion

Older children might enjoy making this wool and card lion. Take a piece of cardboard and cut it into a circle with a hole in the middle. Tape a piece of yellow wool to one side and wind the rest of the wool around the circle, covering the cardboard completely. Tape the other end on.

Next, cut out a circle of orange card and cut small triangles into the sides to make it look like a mane. Then use hot glue or tape to stick the wool-covered circle on top. Cut out a second, smaller circle of orange card and draw on a nose and mouth. Stick this over the hole in the middle of your wool-covered circle. Add googly eyes and your lion is complete!

Cardboard tube lion

If you have a spare toilet roll tube, you can create a great lion with it. Start by painting the tube yellow and setting it aside to dry. Then cut out a circle from a piece of orange or brown card, and a slightly smaller one from yellow card. Glue the yellow one onto the orange/brown one and cut slits around the edges of the outer circle to create a mane. Draw on a face, then stick the head to the top edge of your toilet roll tube.

Experience The Lion Inside read aloud on stage and brought to life with song, dance and puppetry. The Lion Inside touring production is perfect for children aged three and up, being just 60 minutes long with no interval, and is a fun and interactive retelling of the award-winning lion story book. Book your tickets today!