I have wanted to do a countdown of my favourite female characters in children’s fiction for some time, tied to related blog topics and activities. While most of the the selections could be considered excellent role models, I admit there are some not-so-great role models too (i.e. Ramona Quimby) because they are just so darn appealing. Today’s definitely falls in the former category, though. Without further ado, kicking off our countdown is Princess Elizabeth and some Paper Bag Princess activities!
Countdown of Favourite Female Characters (FFC) in Children’s Literature
#20 – Princess Elizabeth (The Paper Bag Princess, Robert Munsch)
- Princess Elizabeth, aka The Paper Bag Princess, is one of Robert Munsch’s finest creations. When a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes, and flies away with her fiancé, spunky Princess Elizabeth doesn’t miss a beat. Instead, she fashions a dress out of a paper bag (somehow the only thing in the kingdom not burnt – go figure) and follows the dragon’s trail to confront him. But not only is she clever, determined, and a staunch defender of her prince, she also proves to be NOT blinded by love. Elizabeth quickly and easily sees through Ronald’s shallow arrogance, and she has the self-respect and the inner strength to skip, not walk, away from him. We love, love, love this feisty little princess and think she’s a great role model for kids everywhere.
To celebrate Princess Elizabeth, here are some fun Paper Bag Princess activities that you can do with your little ones. (After you’ve read the story together, of course!)
Paper Bag Princess Activities: Dress and Crown
This is incredibly simple, but oh-so-fun for little ones to play dress up.
All you need: one of those large paper bags that you use to collect leaves and yard waste; scissors; crayons / ribbons / glue / etc. – whatever you want to use to decorate the bag.
Cut a hole in the closed end of the bag for a head, and two arms holes in the corners (take care to leave sturdy shoulders). Cut a jagged border out of the bottom. Let your child decorate the dress at will with glue, glitter, etc. In the meantime, measure the jagged strip you cut from the bottom of the dress and glue it in a circle that will fit your child’s head. Then decorate it as a crown – because if you’re like me, you’re going to want to do crafts alongside the kids.
Easy-peasy and guaranteed to keep your little one entertained for hours… first in fabricating the dress, then in reenacting the story while wearing the dress, then in showing it off to all and sundry!
Paper Bag Princess Activities: Maze and Word Search
If your child’s a little older, you can also print off these fun puzzles that we have created with the Paper Bag Princess in mind. (To print, just click on the puzzle. It will open the image in a new window, and then you can print them individually.)
Paper Bag Princess Activities: Dragon Braggin’
This is a simple little activity that doesn’t need any props; just an imagination! In the book, Elizabeth gushes about the dragon’s abilities and asks him to show them off. Ask your child to show off too. Get him to pretend to be the dragon and fill in the blanks of the following sentences:
- With my fiery breath, I would:
- With my wings, I would fly to:
- I am so smart that I can:
- I am so fast that I can:
- I am so fierce that I can:
- I am so hungry that I could eat:
You get the drift. Have fun with it – maybe answer some yourself to get the ball rolling. Depending on the age of your child, you might get some funny answers… but never wrong answers!
The Paper Bag Princess Book Gift Sets
And finally, if you know a child who doesn’t have a copy of The Paper Bag Princess, then your next gift is a cinch (and sure to be a hit!). We offer Robert Munsch’s classic book paired with a gorgeous slinky dragon with shiny wings, and we even have a deluxe version that includes a castle – great gifts sure to stimulate imaginations! (For bilingual party-goers, we are also pleased to offer a French loot bag: La princesse dans un sac.)
As published by By Heart Books - children's books, children's gifts and loot bags