Stuffed Animal Birth Certificate

What You Need:

• Blank paper for writing and drawing
• Colored pencils or markers
• Pen or pencil
• Stuffed animal

What You Do:

1. Have your child choose his favorite stuffed animals to make a “birth certificate” for.
2. On the paper, write some categories for your child to fill in. Categories can include:
   • Type of animal
   • Name of animal
   • Date of birth
   • Place of birth
   • Recorded weight at birth
   • Eye color
   • Hair color
   • Other distinguishing characteristics
3. After he's filled in all of the details, he can draw a hoof print or paw print. (In the hospital, new babies often get foot or hand prints taken!) He can also draw a picture of his animal.
4. The birth certificate now becomes a great creative writing prompt. Have your child use the certificate details as an outline for writing a short story about his animal from that animal’s point of view. He can use writing paper for this part. He can imagine that he is the animal telling the story of where he was born, what animals he lives with, why his parents chose his name, and what physical characteristics he possesses.
5. Help him edit his writing, or pose more questions if he’s struggling. What kinds of characters does the stuffed animal have for family and friends? What are his favorite foods?
6. Let him read aloud his creative story about his special stuffed friend. He’ll be proud to have given new life to his old friend!