Younger children (many of these activities can be for older children also)
1. Use Purple Paw Prints to introduce colour mixing (red + blue = purple)
2. Explore other pets and how to look after them carefully (not by painting them!)
3. Do a craft activity using cotton wool to make a picture of Oscar looking like a sheep. You
could even make a 3D Oscar with craft sticks for his legs.
4. Design your own painted Oscar. Draw, paint or decorate him. Instead of purple he could
be rainbow coloured, stripy, spotty etc… There are so many options.
5. Draw a picture from your favourite part of the story and write why that is your favourite.
6. Draw a picture of a different way to get the purple paint off Oscar. If you can, write about it
too. Or just label your picture.
7. Look at other books with loveable animal characters. On my website there is a list with
some of my favourites.
8. Make a list of action words that relate to a dog. You might find some ideas in PPP e.g.
scratch, roll. Or you could come up with your own e.g. chase.
9. When you read PPP find two words starting with the same sound next to each other e.g.
wobbly washers, wonderfully white. Can you add a describing word to the following words
that start with the same sound; coat; trouble; …
10. Draw your own pet shop – how many different animals can you include in your pet shop?
11. Aunt Jude gives Oscar a haircut. Have you read the story Pete the Sheep by Jackie
French? The sheep give a variety of styles to a flock of sheep. Could you help Aunt Jude to
create a different hair style for Oscar?
12. Can you trick someone to think that Oscar has been in your house / classroom? Make
some purple paw prints – cut them out and stick them around the room.
13. Paint or draw a picture of one of your favourite places (it could be your bedroom, your
gymnastics class, your school classroom). Imagine that Oscar has been there and draw
purple paw prints all over the room or place. This could also be done as a 3D activity
making a diorama of that place.
For Older Children
1. Write a letter to Eddie telling him how you think he should get the purple paint off Oscar.
Be as creative as you can.
2. Research different animal prints.
3. Re write the ending of Purple Prints. Instead of painting Oscar white what could be done
instead?
4. Make your own book where you have to get purple paint off another animal. Write the
story and do some illustrations.
© Sarah Mounsey 2012
www.sarahmounsey.com