The Napping House: A 3D Storytelling Craft
"The Napping House" by Audrey Wood is a beloved cumulative story — each new character stacks on top of the last, building and building until the flea wakes everyone up. This craft activity recreates that stacking magic in a 3D paper house that children build themselves, then use to retell the story.
What You'll Need
"The Napping House" by Audrey Wood, a printable napping house template with characters, scissors, glue, and crayons or coloured pencils.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by colouring the house and all the characters in their storybook colours.
Cut out the house template and each character separately.
Flip the house template over. Glue the bed template onto the back (inside) of the house.
Fold along the black lines — the two door flaps and the roof — so you have a completed 3D house that opens.
Open the house back up. Glue the characters one by one onto the bed, stacking them in the same order they appear in the book — grandmother, child, dog, cat, mouse, flea.
Have children write their name on their finished house.
Classroom Tips
Read the book first, pausing each time a new character climbs into bed and asking children to predict what will happen next. This builds comprehension and sets up the stacking sequence they'll recreate in the craft.
Set this up as a choice-time activity at a table rather than a whole-group craft — children can come when they're ready, which gives them ownership and allows you to work with small groups. The steps are sequential, so having a visual reference card (a photo of the finished house) helps children work more independently.
When the houses are done, invite children to open theirs and retell the story to a partner or in a small group. Retelling is one of the most powerful comprehension activities there is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find the printable template?
A simple web search for "Napping House printable template" will turn up several free options. Look for one that includes the house outline with fold lines and individual character cutouts.
What age works best for this activity?
Ages 4–6. Younger children (3–4) may need help with the folding and gluing steps; children 5 and up can usually complete it with minimal guidance after a demonstration.
Can we do a simpler version for very young children?
Yes — skip the 3D house entirely and just colour and cut out the characters, then have children sequence them in order from memory. Even this simpler version builds retelling and comprehension skills.
