Little New-Yorkers @ Home: Knuffle Bunny Dress-up

Join us online every Tuesday and Friday at 3:30 pm for Little New-Yorkers @ Home. Check our calendar for registration links.

Hello, Little New-Yorkers! This week, we’re reading another Mo Willems classic, Knuffle Bunny Too, and partying, once again, with our pal, Knuffle Bunny! In this installment of Knuffle Bunny’s adventures, our friend Trixie brings her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny to school only to find out that someone else has a Knuffle Bunny, too! After reading, we’ll design our own one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunnies, complete with accessories and outfits galore. 

Knuffle Bunny isn’t the only bunny pal to have made its way into children’s hearts. Check out this 200-year-old rabbit squeak toy from our collection!

Squeak toys, or “squeakies,” were made in Germany, which supported a cottage industry that produced cheap toys for worldwide export. Toys like this were imported into the United States in great quantities prior to the Civil War. Made of painted papier-mâché, wood, and frequently leather bellows, they delighted children on both sides of the Atlantic. 

 How does this toy look similar and/or different to toys you play with? 

Can you imagine what it would feel like to hold this rabbit? 

How would you play with this squeaky rabbit in your home? What could you do together? 

Follow along with this post to create your own bunny pal at home and don’t forget to join us live every Tuesday and Friday at 3:30 pm where we sing a special Little New-Yorkers hello song, do silly stretches and exercises, and read a storybook, all from the comfort of your living room.

 

Supplies*

• Printed Knuffle Bunny and accessories templates (Template 1 & Template 2)
• Something to draw with: colored pencils, markers, crayons
• Scissors
• Tape, stapler or something to attach

*A note on supplies: If you don’t have exactly the supplies listed, improvise! These projects are designed to be versatile, so feel free to use whatever materials and tools you have at home. And if your final product looks different than what you see here, that’s wonderful! 

STEP 1: Color in your Bunny and accessories

Use your coloring materials to make a 100% unique-to-you Knuffle Bunny! Give your Bunny some wacky stripes or choose your favorite color for every accessory. It’s completely up to you.

STEP 2: Cut out accessories

Using your scissors, carefully cut out each accessory, so you can experiment with different combinations and dress up your Knuffle Bunny!

STEP 3: Play! 

Think about where your Bunny is going and what they might be doing–what should they wear?

you love, use your tape or a stapler to stick those accessories in place. Create new and different accessories based on what you might want to do with your Knuffle Bunny–maybe they need a snorkeling mask or perhaps some ballet shoes? Simple trace over the shape of Knuffle Bunny and use that as a guide to create whatever your heart desires. 

We hope you enjoy this activity! Share your creations in the comments below and during our online sessions of Little New Yorkers @ Home Tuesdays and Fridays at 3:30 pm. See you then!

By Olivia Sweet