Three little pigs

Besides pointing out the benefits of sound structural engineering - bricks beat straw! - these activities are a fun way to help literacy and creative development. They are based on the Pigbox kit from the Computer Kids website on www.computerkidsonline.com. The kit contains a collection of language and literacy activities linked to the story of the Three Little Pigs. Children use a story-box template to prepare - with your help - their own written version of the traditional story and colouring templates to prepare stand-up characters for oral storytelling.

The story box

This file can be opened in Microsoft Word or Textease. It has been designed for four- to six-year-olds, enabling them to tell their own version of the Three Little Pigs. Children will need support from an adult for the activity but it provides an opportunity to introduce both keyboard and story- writing skills. As a first step, help the child type their name in the front panel of the story box - position the cursor in the name panel and ask them to copy- type their name from handwritten slips of paper.

The child should then click in the left panel and write about what is happening in the picture. The process is repeated for all the other panels. Instead of sentences, children could use key words, for example - house, straw, sticks - making good use of any speech facilities, word banks and lower case keyboards.

Once complete, the story box can be printed on to thin card, cut out, glued and assembled into a little stand-up storyboard. The pop-up section with the wolf falling into the pig's cooking pot is glued inside the box and projects out of the top.

The colouring templates

These provide children with an opportunity for oral story telling. There are four files to load into your paint programme. Show the children how to choose different colours and use the 'fill' tool facility to colour the templates. The children may also wish to use the brush tool to add more features. Print their characters on to thin card, cut out and glue. Additional finishing touches such as glitter or fabrics can be added.

Both files come complete with extensive teacher notes and the clip art to create further resources or print facilities for wall displays. The complete kit normally costs 10, but if you register at the Computer Kids website using the token ID : NWORLD you will get 5 off your order.

* Computer Kids: 0151 638 8255.