Book + Craft Series: The Red Lemon by Bob Staake

the red lemon book and craft - preschool activity

Welcome to my book + craft series featuring the children's book The Red Lemon! Let's get to it..

Alright guys, this is my first foray into non-recipe content! I love creating a recipe, but now that I'm a mom to a preschooler, I have been playing around with creating stimulating playtime activities. I wouldn't call myself crafty, but I am a bit artsy. So creating crafts will be a "let's see how this goes!" sort of adventure.

Kathy's Book + Craft Series:

The Color Monster by Anna Llenas - Recipe: Color Monster Cake
The Red Lemon by Bob Stokke - Craft: Decorating Lemon Trees
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas - Craft: Feelings Jars

Children's Book Activity

One thing I am passionate about is children's books! In fact, this entire adventure into being an entrepreneur started with writing my own children's books for the brand I called The Lunchbox Bunch. Lunchbox Alphabet can be bought on Lulu still!!

If anyone here remembers that, you are indeed an OG blog reader! But yes, I drew my own characters and then created around three kids books. I took some classes, went to a few events in NYC, and joined the prestigious SBCWI organization. Such a cool group of people!

The Red Lemon

Now that I am a mom, I have an excuse to buy as many kids books as my creative heart desires. I also love browsing the children's book section at any bookstore, exploring characters and brands new and classic. I adore Goodnight Moon and Goodnight Construction Site, alike.

And one of our favorite books is a lesser known book called The Red Lemon by Bob Staake. You can buy it on Amazon. We received it as a gift from my sister.

What this Book Teaches Kids

I love this book because it is just plain FUN to read. It rhymes. It has energy. It's simple. It's basically talking about a farmer and his lemon grove! I mean, you guys know me and produce farms... From avocado groves to date farms, I have spent a lot of time frolicking amongst pretty fruit trees! My blogger happy place.

But what The Red Lemon teaches is that sometimes something new, different and odd might actually be something positive and amazing! Even if you think "Hm, a RED lemon!? I don't want that! That's not normal!" In the end, the red lemon becomes beloved, special, different and a source of creativity and uniqueness to be coveted!

Lemon Recipe to Pair!

Of course, I love my lemon bars to go along with The Red Lemon book. You could even give your lemon bars a RED lemon spin by adding in some beet juice or plant-based red food coloring for red color.

The Joy of Exploring New Things with Your Kids

As a mom, I’ve learned that one of the greatest joys is exploring new things with my little one. Books like The Red Lemon offer a perfect opportunity to dive into a world of imagination, where the unexpected becomes exciting. It’s a reminder that, as adults, we can often overlook the joy of something different and new. Kids, on the other hand, are natural explorers, and they can teach us so much about embracing the unfamiliar with open hearts and minds.

In our household, reading time is sacred. It’s a moment to pause, snuggle up, and get lost in a story together. We have made it a ritual to visit our local library and bookstore to discover fresh stories to add to our collection. The Red Lemon is one that my daughter became obsessed with to the point where I know all the words ... and pretty sure she does as well!

How The Red Lemon Inspires Creativity

What I love most about The Red Lemon is its underlying message about creativity and thinking outside the box. In a world that often values conformity, this book encourages kids to appreciate what makes them different. It’s a story about celebrating uniqueness and recognizing the beauty in things that don’t fit the mold.

I think it’s such an important message for children to learn early on. In a society that sometimes pushes them to be like everyone else, it’s crucial for them to understand that being different is not just okay—it’s something to be celebrated.

And what better way to explore this theme than through a fun, colorful story? Paired with a craft!

Creating a Red Lemon Craft

In addition to reading The Red Lemon, we decided to create our very own red lemon craft! Now, as I mentioned, I’m not exactly a crafting expert, but this project turned out to be so much fun and really simple to make. It’s an activity that encourages kids to use their imagination, just like in the book.

Craft Options: Create a Lemon Tree or Lemon

For the book The Red Lemon, you can choose what to create. I decided to create trees out of green construction paper and popsicle sticks, but you can also just cut out a yellow or red lemon to decorate as well. Or do both!

CRAFT #1: DECORATING LEMON TREES

What You’ll Need

Green (tree) construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Markers or crayons
Stickers
Sparkly sticker gems (optional but super fun)
Glitter (optional for that extra sparkle!)
treetop template (you can easily freehand it)
Popsicle sticks (for a tree trunk)

How to Make Your Lemon Tree

Cut Out the Tree Tops: Start by cutting out tree top shapes. I did two shades of green for some depth. The trees do not have to be perfect. Think, cloud-like shapes.
Glue Trunks: Glue the trunk stik to the back of the tree - or if pairing two treetops, place the trunk in the middle. This is what we did. It's a bit less messy!
Decorate: Add some lemons! Red, yellow, blue, any colors they want. One kid I shared this with even added different expression smiley faces and called it a "feeling" lemon tree! Wow.
Display Your Artwork: Find a special place in your home to display your new artwork. It’s a beautiful reminder of the story and the fun you had creating together.

craft trees made with paper and popsicle sticks

CRAFT #2: DECORATING PAPER LEMONS

What You’ll Need

Yellow and red construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Markers or crayons
Glitter (optional for that extra sparkle!)
A lemon template (you can easily find one online or draw your own)

How to Make Your Red Lemon

Cut Out the Lemons: Start by cutting out lemon shapes from both the yellow and red construction paper. If your kids are old enough, let them help with this step. It’s great for practicing their fine motor skills!

Mix and Match: This is where the creativity comes in. Encourage your child to mix and match the colors, creating half yellow, half red lemons or adding their own unique patterns.

Decorate: Use markers or crayons to add faces, patterns, or even little stories on your lemons. Maybe one lemon is going on an adventure to find other red fruits! If you’re feeling brave, add a little glitter for some extra pizzazz.

Glue It Together: Once you’re happy with your designs, glue the halves together. You can create a whole red lemon, or keep them as halves to show the blending of yellow and red.

Display Your Artwork: Find a special place in your home to display your new artwork. It’s a beautiful reminder of the story and the fun you had creating together.

The Benefits of Crafting with Kids

Crafting is more than just a fun activity to pass the time; it’s an excellent way to bond with your children and help them develop a variety of skills. Here are a few benefits of crafting that I’ve noticed with my own little one:

Fine Motor Skills: Cutting, gluing, and coloring all help children develop fine motor skills, which are crucial for writing and other daily tasks.
Creativity: Crafts encourage kids to think creatively and make their own decisions about what they want to create. It’s a fantastic way to foster a love for art and creativity from a young age.
Patience and Focus: Working on a craft project requires children to focus and follow steps, which can help improve their patience and attention to detail.
Confidence: There’s nothing like the sense of accomplishment a child feels when they complete a project. It’s a great way to boost their confidence and show them that they can create beautiful things with their own two hands.

Tying It All Together: Reading and Crafting

Combining a book with a craft project is one of my favorite ways to make stories come alive for kids. It adds an extra layer of engagement and helps reinforce the themes and messages of the book. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

With The Red Lemon, I love that the craft ties directly into the story’s message about embracing what makes us different. It’s a tangible way for kids to explore these ideas and express their creativity.

In the Classroom

I was lucky enough to actually venture into my daughter's preschool classroom to showcase this craft! The kids seemed to love it and I was simply amazed by all the creative interpretations of a lemon tree. There were rainbow trees and feelings trees and sparkly trees. So fun.

One tip is to make the paper trees ahead of time and write each child's name on the popsicle sticks.

Let’s Keep Exploring!

As I continue this journey into non-recipe content, I’m excited to explore more books and crafts with you all. There’s so much joy in discovering new stories and finding creative ways to bring them to life. I hope this post inspires you to pick up a copy of The Red Lemon and get crafting with your kids.

Remember, just like recipes, it doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s all about the experience and the memories you create together. So, grab some paper, get a little messy, and let your imaginations run wild.

And please, share your creations with me! I’d love to see how your red lemons turn out and hear about your favorite children’s books. Let’s make this a fun, collaborative space where we can share ideas and inspire each other.

Happy reading and crafting, everyone! Until my next crafty inspiration...