Fun Family Activities Inspired by the Movie Up
Imaginative Ideas for Kids to Follow-up with Pixar's Animated Film
May 31, 2009
Pixar's new film, Up, reveals what happens when lonely widower Carl Fredrickson ties thousands of balloons to his home to fulfill his lifelong dream of exploring South America. With the help of stowaway, Wilderness Scout, Russell, he embarks on a wild adventure quite unlike the one he expected. The movie is sure to be loved by adults and kids alike, making it a perfect theme for activities for school-aged children and their parents.
Make an Adventure Book
In the movie, Ellie has a special book full of ideas about her dream life in South America. Whether a child's dream is to travel to the moon, to Africa, or just to the local park, making an adventure book like Ellie is a great activity.
- Have kids create a cover for the book using construction paper and markers, crayons, colored pencils, or any other art supplies. Be creative; just make sure it says "My Adventure Book" like it does in the movie.
- Get several sheets of white construction paper. Fold all of the papers so the brown cover is on the outside with the white pages inside.
- Using a 3-hole punch, make holes in the book.
- With brightly colored yarn or string, help kids thread the pages together to bind the book. Another alternative is to use brass fasteners.
- Ask kids what sort of place they would like to visit. Get them using their imagination to describe it.
- Gather and draw pictures of what the place might be like. Look online and in magazines or newspapers.
- Fill the first few pages of the book by gluing in the pictures and drawings that are collected and created. Give them labels so the book resembles a scrapbook.
- On the next blank page, have kids write "Stuff I'm Gonna Do."
- Ask kids to imagine what they will do once they reach their adventure spot.
- Encourage them to draw pictures of themselves doing the activities on the blank pages.
- Fill the entire book in one sitting or allow kids to return to the activity each day, thinking of a new page for the book until it is filled.
Make a Kevin the Bird Mask
Carl's plans to reach Paradise Falls are complicated when Russell befriends an amazing bird named Kevin. With the bird's colorful plumage and zany antics, Kevin is quite appealing to children. Help them recreate Kevin's funniest moments while wearing their very own Kevin mask.
- Take a paper plate and cut two holes in the center large enough for kids to see through, and a whole at the center of the plate that is the diameter of a paper towel tube.
- Let kids paint the convex side of the plate a very bright shade of blue for Kevin's face. .
- While the kids work on the plate, adults can work on Kevin's beak. Take an empty paper towel roll and pinch one end and glue it closed with a glue gun or super glue.
- Allow the roll to dry completely while children continue work on the rest of the mask.
- Using white glue, have kids attach a popsicle stick to the bottom of the plate on the white side. This will serve as the handle for the mask.
- Set out an array of craft feathers in brilliant colors such as magenta, turquoise, navy, and purple. Allow children to attach these to the white side of the mask with the glue.
- Set the plate aside to dry.
- Help children paint the paper towel tube in oranges and yellows to represent Kevin's beak. Let the paint dry.
- Using scissors, make two cuts into the very edge of the wide side of the paper towel roll to create two tabs.
- Slide the beak into the hole in the paper plate with the pinched end opposite the plate.
- Fold the tabs over so they rest against the white side of the plate. Adults should hot glue the tabs in place.
- Let the mask sit until the glue cools.
- Enjoy the feathered fun.
Spending Time as a Family
By using the film Up as inspiration to create, parents have the opportunity to spend quality time with their children producing adventure books and Kevin the bird masks that encourage imaginative thinking, utilize writing skills, and aid in fine motor development. These projects can be as elaborate or simple as time allows and are inexpensive rainy day activities or fun ways to beat summer vacation boredom.
