Do you know Flat Stanley?
If you don't, you SHOULD!
Flat Stanley is only the most fun, well-traveled, and interesting guy around.
He is the subject of many books and adventures. He has graced many homes, mailboxes, and classrooms all around the world.
He is a great teacher of reading, writing, and geography.... and he is the perfect HOMESCHOOL PROJECT!
Reading Flat Stanley Books
The original Flat Stanley book is the best place to start. It is in this book that a bulletin board falls on Stanley Lambchop while he is sleeping one night, squashing him to just 1/2 inch thick! After this, many things happen to Stanley (I won't give it away for you) - but he has fabulous adventures all over the world that delight and intrigue children of all ages.
In the years since the original Flat Stanley was published, the adventures have expanded to all over the world!
When Grant was in second and third grade he read every single Flat Stanley book. They are achievable first chapter books and keep young readers delighted and laughing.
The adventures teach readers about geography and history, too. (Just LOOK at all the titles! They have added a BUNCH since my kids read Flat Stanley books!)
The Flat Stanley books include:
- The Mount Rushmore Calamities
- The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery
- The Japanese Ninja Surprise
- The Intrepid Canadian Expedition
- The Amazing Mexican Secret
- The African Safari Discovery
- The Flying Chinese Wonders
- The Australian Boomerang Bonanza
- The U.S. Capital Commotion
- Showdown at the Alamo
- Framed in France
- Escape to California
- Flat Stanley Box Set (Stanley in Space, Flat Stanley, Invisible Stanley, and Stanley, Flat Again!)
- Stanley and the Magic Lamp
- Stanley's Christmas Adventure
- There are also Flat Stanley I CAN READ books if you have a budding reader!
Send YOUR Flat Stanley On His Own Adventure/Geography
The fun comes when you make your own Flat Stanley and send him to friends and family.
(If you take the time to explore the Flat Stanley website you will see there are a lot of things to choose from -- even Flat Stanley apps!)
We simply printed and colored Flat Stanley, laminated him, and sent him to people we knew all over the United States. Grant wrote a letter accompanying Flat Stanley that asked people to send us postcards and letters detailing his adventures, and pictures to match.
You can keep a map up in your home and put stickers where Flat Stanley has traveled.
And -- think of it -- this is a GREAT way to get your extended family interested in (and excited about) your children's education!
Writing (& Exploring)With Flat Stanley
Recently, my son received Flat Stanley in the mail.
My childhood best friend is a first grade teacher and she thought we would get a kick out of having Flat Stanley with us.
She was right.
Flat Stanley did a lot of the basics of life with us - like eat meals, read books, and hang out.
He also got to enjoy some fun cultural activities and learn about our state (Georgia).
I think that having Flat Stanley with us got us to think more about what we appreciate about OUR area, and what we would teach others about where we live. It encouraged us to experience life around us a little bit more.
Each day Grant would journal about what Flat Stanley was doing - such an excellent opportunity to exercise those CREATIVE WRITING muscles!
(This cute travel journal comes from Stellar Second Grade Sweethearts)
Flat Stanley even had the opportunity to attend Emory University (albeit just for an afternoon) and listen to a wonderful chamber music concert. A little Vivaldi and Stravinsky can do anyone good!
On the day when Flat Stanley was set to be mailed (sorry - travel back) to Florida, Grant wanted to do something REALLY fun with him.
For Grant, playing basketball on a sunny day is his favorite thing in the whole wide world! Flat got a chance to block some shots and enjoy Grant's favorite past time, too!
Flat Stanley Ideas
Reading the books is the just the tip of the iceberg.
Following are some fun ideas you can implement while reading the Flat Stanley book(s).
(Don't forget that your children are very creative, too -- let them decide what to do with Flat Stanley!)
- Learn about the 50 States with Flat Stanley - fun interactive game
- Study world geography with Flat Stanley - read the books in order and learn about each place - this could be a year long geography curriculum!
- Download some fun activities and extras to go with the Flat Stanley books
- Get the Flat Stanley app -- have FUN!
- Have your child create a Flat Stanley Adventure Booklet (a scrapbook of sorts) - this incorporates writing, art, and so much more!
- Take Flat Stanley on a family vacation - document the adventures through Stanley's eyes.
- Create a "Flat Me" for some summer fun!
If you really want to take it to the next level, download this FREE Flat Stanley Unit Study!
Tell me about YOUR adventures with Flat Stanley! Do you have a good idea to share with this community?