Fairytales Read and Create - Activity for Ages 7-12 - Create a Diorama

Aug 28, 2026

Teaching kids aged 7–12 to understand fairytales, myths, and fables through clear definitions, key characteristics, and common themes. The activity guides learners to choose a story, identify good and bad characters, and reflect on the themes found in the plot. It then motivates creativity by making a diorama of a favorite scene using everyday art materials and a shoebox-sized space, followed by sharing with adult support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

What is a fairytale?

Fairytale / Myth / Fable

Fairytale characteristics and common themes

Can you name a few fairy tales?

Fractured Fairytales

Choose a fairytale

Get creative: make a diorama

FAIRYTALES READ AND CREATE Recommended forAges 7– 12 What is a fairytale? 􀁸 Fairytale o A fictional story featuring humans, animals or magical characters that may or may not teach a lesson or moral 􀁸 Myth o Story that attempts to answer larger questions about life and frequently includes divine characters whose actions have an effect on the world on a larger scale 􀁸 Fable o Short story featuring non-human characters that teaches a moral lesson based on cultural values o Example: The Ant and the Grasshopper specifically tells the reader to work hard and not be lazy or try to find the easy way out. Fairytale Characteristics 􀁸 Set in the past 􀁸 Includes fantasy or supernatural elements like magical people, objects, or animals; magic can be good or bad 􀁸 Characters are typically either clearly good or clearly evil 􀁸 Teaches a lesson or a “moral” which is a lesson based on the values considered to be important to the culture Common themes 􀁸 Coming of age/growing up 􀁸 Loyalty 􀁸 Beauty 􀁸 Justice-bad people are punished, and good people are rewarded 􀁸 Sibling rivalry 􀁸 Quests Can you name a few fairy tales? 1. Cinderella 2. 3. 4. 5. Fractured Fairytales 􀁸 Changes a traditional story in a surprising or unexpected way 􀁸 Frequently done by changing the point of view of the storyteller, for example, from the traditionally “bad” character’s perspective or the perspective of a side character watching the story happen 􀁸 Can be rewritten into a more modern setting and uses more modern values Choose a Fairytale 1. Read the fairytale 2. Who is the good character? Who is the bad character? 3. What themes did you find in the story? Get Creative! Create a diorama of your favorite scene in the story you read. When it is complete, get an adult’s help to share your work on social media, use @lacountylibrary You will need: 􀁸 Shoebox or similarly sized box 􀁸 Paper or cardstock 􀁸 Markers, colored pencils, crayons, or paint 􀁸 Scissors 􀁸 Glue 􀁸 Optional, get permission from an adult to use small household objects to represent things in the story Directions: 1. Gather all your materials together 2. Think about the scene you want to create, and whether your box should be horizontal or vertical 3. Decorate the “background” of the scene, which is the inside of your box ( [i.e. sky](i.e. sky), fields, city, etc. ) 4. Create your characters from paper by drawing and cutting them out or by using your objects 5. Lay out where you want everything to go before gluing them in 6. Glue or place your items in the box to create your scene Read More on Overdrive! Fairytales Cinderella by Kinuko Y. Craft, [https://tinyurl.com/y7ydebrn](https://tinyurl.com/y7ydebrn) The Rough Faced Girl by Rafe Martin, [https://tinyurl.com/y9b5yypc](https://tinyurl.com/y9b5yypc) The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm, [https://tinyurl.com/ydh84bpz](https://tinyurl.com/ydh84bpz)[ ](https://tinyurl.com/ydh84bpz)The Ugly Duckling and other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson, [https://tinyurl.com/ybebx35k](https://tinyurl.com/ybebx35k) Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Brothers Grimm, [https://tinyurl.com/y9529ff9](https://tinyurl.com/y9529ff9)[ ](https://tinyurl.com/y9529ff9)How the Raven Got His Crooked Nose by Barbara J. Atwater, [https://tinyurl.com/ycrj2fun](https://tinyurl.com/ycrj2fun) Fractured Fairytales The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, [https://tinyurl.com/y8vlvt7y](https://tinyurl.com/y8vlvt7y)[ ](https://tinyurl.com/y8vlvt7y)The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, [https://tinyurl.com/y77tquzb](https://tinyurl.com/y77tquzb)[ ](https://tinyurl.com/y77tquzb)Rump by Liesl Shurtliff, [https://tinyurl.com/y7pez93k](https://tinyurl.com/y7pez93k) After the Fall by Dan Santat, [https://tinyurl.com/yd73fgwa](https://tinyurl.com/yd73fgwa) Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon by Virginia Loh-Hagan, [https://tinyurl.com

FAQs

How do you define a fairytale, a myth, and a fable?

A fairytale is a fictional story with human, animal, or magical characters that may include a lesson or moral. A myth answers larger questions about life and often includes divine characters affecting the world. A fable is a short story with non-human characters that teaches a moral lesson based on cultural values.

What are the common characteristics and themes of fairytales?

Fairytales are set in the past and include fantasy or supernatural elements, with characters typically clearly good or clearly evil. They teach a lesson or moral tied to important cultural values, and common themes include growing up, loyalty, beauty, justice, sibling rivalry, and quests.

What steps are involved in creating the diorama activity?

Choose and read a fairytale, identify the good and bad characters, and note the themes you found. Create a diorama of a favorite scene using a shoebox or similar box, art supplies, and scissors and glue. Build a background inside the box, make characters or objects, arrange everything before gluing, then assemble the scene.

Aug 28, 2026

Upload by Ethan Miller