The Mermaid by Jan Brett - A Magical Picture Book Feature + A Mermaid Craft!

The Mermaid by Jan Brett will enchant all who read it with its delightful under-the-sea retelling of a classic story!

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The Mermaid by Jan Brett is one picture book you won't want to miss! It features a fabulous tale and illustrations that will make your mermaid fan want to read this book again and again!

Looking for more books featuring mermaids? Take a peek at our Fairy Tales With Fins: 15+ Magical Books Starring Mermaids!

Being mermaid fans ourselves, we had a lot of fun putting this post together!

We've included fun ideas and a Mermaid Craft for kids to enjoy after reading this gorgeous picture book!! Perfect for a Mermaid-themed party, book extension or just a way to spend time with your mermaid fans, these activities are super fun!

Mermaids certainly seem to always be in style!

Along with unicorns, fairies and rainbows, mermaids tend to pop up in everything from crafts and costumes to jewelry and books!

The Mermaid by Jan Brett is the perfect book for mermaid lovers!

While this book is right on time trend-wise, its classic story and beautiful illustrations will also make it a timeless addition to your bookshelf!

When a young mermaid named Kiniro happens upon a pretty house in the ocean with nobody at home, nothing can prevent her from taking a closer look.

Once inside, she finds a delicious breakfast waiting, along with comfy beds and other lovely furnishings!

We had the pleasure of meeting Jan Brett and getting our books signed a few years ago!

The home does have residents, though, who have been out for a swim. They also happen to be an octopus family!

What happens next is both sweet and funny- a magical version of a favorite fairy tale!

Yes, I went through the mermaid phase too!

Finished reading this fabulous book? Or want to do a little prep before diving into the story?

Have some fun with these great ideas that go along with The Mermaid by Jan Brett!

1. Try this Mermaid Craft!

This craft is very simple and fun!

This was inspired by and adapted from one of the Usborne Activities books, How to Draw Fairies and Mermaids by Fiona Watt, Jan McCafferty & Howard Allman.

It's a great book that has so many fun ideas! It's a must-have for the all of those creative mermaid fans out there!

Directions

1. Cut out a piece of foil in the shape of a mermaid tail.

2. Rub the foil length-wise with fingertip to make pattern.

3. Trim the foil at the top of the tail to resemble a bodice.

4. Glue the tail onto the paper.

5. Draw your mermaid!

Use a thin marker or pen for her face, hair and arms, then fill in with watercolors or brush-tipped markers.

Display your mermaid!

Here Are Our Mermaids!

We found this pretty scrapbook paper at Joann's and made it their under-the-sea background!

More fun ideas to go along with the Mermaid theme!

2. Have a Beach Day!

Pack a picnic, bring a beach ball, and head out to a lake or beach near you!

Don't forget to print out our Beach Day Packing List free printable to help you get organized!

Don't live near water or it's a bit too cold? Well, another option is to...

3. Visit an Aquarium!

It's a super fun (and educational!) way to spend the day! You can even do a virtual tour as well!

Click here for a great online visit with a giant octopus!

Here are some more live web cams at the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

4. Play 'Sharks and Islands'!

This quick and fun game is a great icebreaker too!

Number of Players: 2 or more + 1 'Captain'

How To Play:

• Put sheets of paper out on the floor -these are the 'islands.'

• If you have only 2 players, put out about 6 papers; if you have a lot of players, put out the same number of papers as you have players.

• The Captain runs the game and tells everyone to "Swim! Swim!"

• Players pretend to swim until the Captain says, "Shark!!" --then everybody finds an 'island' (paper) to stand on!

• Then, take one paper away.

• Repeat "Swim!" - "Shark!" from above, taking away an island each time.

• Eventually, there won't be enough islands for everyone and they'll have to cram onto one island! *Whomever falls off is out and the game just keeps going until it makes sense to stop!

5. Enjoy some Ocean-Inspired Treats!

photo: bakerology

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut out some stars. Or, round cookies can be sand dollars-just add some slivered almonds and a dusting of sanding sugar! Both options are great for satisfying your sweet tooth!

Here is a fun Ocean Creature Mermaid Cookie Cutter Set that kids will love!

Or if you're feeling adventurous, try some Seaweed Snacks!

Roasted Seaweed Snacks are Mermaid-Approved!

6. Watch Disney's The Little Mermaid!

While many of you have probably already watched the iconic Disney film, The Little Mermaid, if you haven't seen it yet, you definitely should!

Grab some popcorn, or make some of the sand dollar sugar cookies and enjoy!

We're excited to see the live-action movie of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey in the title role which will be in theaters in a few short weeks!

Enjoyed reading this post? Be sure to Pin it so you can return for more magical mermaid-themed fun and this amazing picture book 'tail'!

The perfect 'tail' for mermaid fans!

I hope you enjoyed this little under-the-sea inspired fairy tale adventure!

See you soon and just keep swimming!

Know someone who might like this post? We'd love it if you'd share!

Enjoy!

Cenzia 💗

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updated 04/29/2023 originally published 07/16/2019