Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a children’s book written by Crockett Johnson and originally published in1955 .  Harold and the Purple Crayon book eventually became the most popular Johnson’s work, and led to a series of books, as well as many adaptations. The main character is the boy named Harold who is a curious four-year-old who, armed with his purple crayon,draws an imaginary world all of his own. If  on a moon less night Harold wants to go walking in the moonlight, for example, he simply takes his trusty purple crayon and draws one.  And if there is no path to walk on, he draws a path. There are over ten titles in Harold and the Purple Crayon series, including Harold’s Trip to the Sky (1957), A Picture for Harold’s Room (1960), Harold’s ABC (1963), Harold Rocks Out (1967) and others.

Harold and the Purple Crayon Activities

Harold and the Purple Crayon book series can be used as a springboard for creative educational activities for kindergarten and preschool classrooms. Harold follows his imaginative journeys and creates his own adventures using  his purple crayon. Harold and the Purple Crayon stories emphasise the use of the imagination and demonstrates that each person’s creative potential is limitless. Harold uses his crayon not only to find adventures, but also to get himself out of trouble and various difficult situations that arise.

Color Mixing is one great idea for a preschool activity: the theme of purple crayon in Harold’s stories can be applied to an activity on creating secondary colors by mixing primary colors. By mixing red, blue and yellow paint and trying out different combinations, the children can discover how the new colors are created. Afterwards they can pick one of the primary components of the new colors they’ve created and use it to draw pictures similar to the artworks’ style of  Harold and the Purple Crayon. Additional ideas for creative projects can be  map creation, based on the idea that Harold explores the neighborhood in his dreams. Teach the children how to position their house, school, and other important landmarks on the map. Foe additional effect, create maps in purple color. Another Harold and the Purple Crayon activity that can stimulate children’s imagination is Story Starters. Have the children select a single crayon and create a drawing on a blank sheet of paper. Then encourage each child to tell a story based on his or her drawing.

Additional Ideas for Harold and the Purple Crayon Games, Projects and Lesson Plans

For additional ideas for Harold and the Purple Crayon games and projects go to http://spiralmontessorimama.blogspot.com/2008/01/harold-and-purple-crayon.html.

This series is a great tool for young students’ activities and educational games as it naturally lends itself to the themes of creativity and imagination and artistic expression. Teachers and parents can fin many helpful resources online. Below are some helpful links for additional ideas.

For Harold and the Purple Crayon Coloring Pages and other “purple” activities, follow this link: http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1334.html

Here is a link for a complete Harold and the Purple Crayon Lesson Plan: http://www.kinderart.com/across/purplecrayon.shtml.

Imagination and Creativity in Early Childhood

Many parents may not realize that daydreaming is not just a “waste of time”, but actually a necessary process, essentially stimulating important cognitive activity – imaginary thought process. It is actually very important to allow children to have free time to engage in creative play and even just day dreaming. Creativity and imagination are among high level  cognitive skills that need time to develop properly.  By engaging in creative projects and activities or even free play. children learn to develop their unique creative skills and talents. Parents and teachers of young children need to make sure they provide sufficient opportunities and find suitable activities that will address each child’s unique creative needs. Watching television or DVDs, or playing primitive video games do not offer any possibility to develop creativity nor stimulate cognitive development. Drawing, reading children’s books, such as Harold and the Purple Crayon, coloring or doing arts and crafts projects are the types of activities that can constructively engage children and encourage them to use their imagination and creativity. Creative ideas often occur when the brain is in a relaxed state, when the mind is free to roam and reiterate on the previously learned concepts and ideas, and often come up with new meaning and generate a new outlook and understanding. Stories like Harold and the Purple Crayon can often stimulate creative thinking and encourage imaginative approach in children. By creating a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere at home or in the classroom, and using original and entertaining educational projects, parents and teachers can successfully stimulate young children’s creative thinking and help them develop unique talents and skills. Most children love to draw, but many get discouraged because of negative feedback their initial work produces from their peers and teachers. Encouraging children to engage in creative projects and praising their work can often lead to surprisingly positive results and greatly enhance their self image.

You can purchase Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition at amazon.com by clicking on the following link links:

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a great book for young children that encourages imagination and creativity.

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