BSS: St. George the Dragon Slayer and {FREE PRINTABLE}

I was planning to post "Jonah and the Whale" this weekend but it has been overcast (yes, in Georgia, in the summer!! unbelievable!) and I was planning to make it a pool game for my boys so maybe I'll post it next weekend. Anywho, today I am posting an idea that has been ruminating in my head for a few years.

I based this activity loosely on an idea I found in Pack O Fun magazine in October 2006. It was a finger puppet craft but mine is a popsicle stick craft. I created the patterns on my own and did not "borrow" them from the magazine.
 Here's a photo of my inspiration:

Who was Saint George?
Saint George is a Catholic Saint but his story is appropriate for all Christians. He is also the Patron of England! Saint George is a saint because he was a Roman soldier and was killed for protesting the torture od Christians. The legend of Saint George says that a dragon was bothering a maiden and Saint George battled the dragon to save the maiden. All George had was the sign of the cross to protect him.

St. George the Dragon Slayer Craft Tutorial

What you need:

FREE PRINTABLE! (just save as a picture and print it full page. Please link to my blog if you'd like to share this pattern. Thanks!)

popsicle sticks (I used colored ones from Dollar Tree)

glue

wiggly eyes
assorted craft items to decorate with (including papers)

To create "castle":
red ink

craft foam pieces

acrylic block
clean, empty tin can

1. First, create the castle starting with your tin can and a piece of grey cardstock. Cut the card stock to about 3-3/4 inches by 9-1/2 inches. Wrap around your can to make sure it fits good.

2. Lay cardstock piece out. Cut fun foam pieces (i used scraps) into 1x2 inch rectangles. Using temporary adhesive, attach the fun foam pieces to your acrylic block (or another sturdy item). Make your first row then place the next rectangles in an off-set pattern above. You can stop at two rows.

3. Using your red ink pad, rub ink onto your new brick stamp. Turn stamp over and stamp onto lower left hand corner of your cardstock. Rub ink across again and stamp to the right of the first impression. Continue until the first row is done. Then you will repeat the process up the piece of cardstock until it is covered with your brick impressions. Adhere paper to your can and you are done! (unless you want to add more details, etc)

YOU CAN SKIP STEPS 1-3 AND DRAW BRICKS OR NOT CREATE "CASTLE"

4. To create your playset, print the {FREE PRINTABLE} at the top of this post by right clicking it. Click on "save picture as.." and save it. Then you can print it from your computer as a full page photo.

5. Decide what pieces you want to paper piece and which ones you will just color with markers or crayons. You can choose to paper piece all, color all, or a combination. I used a combination.

6. Cut out the pieces you want to paper piece. Color the ones that you want to color- then cut them out too. There are color suggestions on the printable. "skin tone" refers to whatever color you would like to use as a skin tone. This can be brown, tan, pink, etc. I suggest you cut and assemble one character at a time.

7. Using the following samples, assemble your characters. I then added some wiggly eyes, a golden rod to George, some yellow acrylic beads to the  dragon, and I made bangs for my queen and gave her a pipe cleaner crown instead of the one on the pattern.

DRAGON

PRINCESS / MAIDEN

ST GEORGE

Want to know the story of Saint George? Check out the links below for more info and more printables!
St. George Story FREE downloads
St George's Day activities
Knight Theme Printables and Learning Activities



Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

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