Ma brought out two long strips of brown wrapping-paper that she had saved. She folded them, and she showed Mary and Laura how to cut tiny bits out of the folded paper with the scissors. When each unfolded her paper, there was a row of stars. Ma spread the paper on the shelves behind the stove. The stars hung over the edges of the...
After the day’s work was done, Ma sometimes cut paper dolls for them. She cut the dolls out of stiff white paper and drew the faces with a pencil. Then from bits of colored paper, she cut dresses and hats, ribbons and laces, so that Laura and Mary could dress their dolls beautifully. —Little House in the Big WoodsLaura and Mary enjoyed...
One of the greatest things about reading the Little House books with children is introducing topics such as resourcefulness and conservation. Items like pens and blank paper were luxuries not readily available to the Ingalls family. Homemade Ink & Envelopes Often, pioneers had to make their own ink and letter envelopes and you can...