The Runaway Bunny: Review & Craft

By Ariel

In which Ariel discusses the classic The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown - a sweeping epic tale of the creatives ways our children will test our resolve and the lengths we will go to to love them.  Pair this with a military-themed craft and you have an activity that opens up discussions around what being a military family means. This post contains affiliate links. By using them you help keep Busy Nest News up and running. Thank you for your continued support!

The Runaway Bunny
By Margaret Wise Brown

Since the military community comprises such a small percentage of our population, we can’t always easily find books that reflect the challenges our families face. We are forced to either create our own which is becoming a more realistic option as time goes by. Just take a look at My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere! Or we can make classic stories that address timeless dilemmas, like The Kissing Hand our own by adding our own twist. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd is one such classic that lends itself well to retellings.  

The Runaway Bunny tells the tale of a little bunny who wants to run away. The mother responds with “If you run away I will run after you for you are my little bunny.” What follows is a sweeping epic. The little bunny comes up with more and more ridiculous scenarios to test his mother’s resolve. But what if I become a fish and swim away? I will become a fisherman. But what if I become a rock on a mountain? I will become a rock climber. But what if I become a sailboat? Then I will become the wind. In the end, the little bunny concludes that running away is pointless he may as well stay home and eat a carrot, which his mother lovingly provides. The story is a poetic tale of the lengths a parent will go to love their child. It is a gut-wrenching illustration of how children test the boundaries of our love.

Speaking of illustrations, the alternating black and white line drawings and explosions of color that Clement Hurd pairs with Margaret Wise Brown's text are breathtaking. The Runaway Bunny is a classic not only because it tackles a theme that we can all relate to but because it is stunning. Someday when we move into our forever home, I hope to frame the series of two-page color spreads from The Runaway Bunny to decorate a playroom or nursery with. They are just that good!

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The Runaway Bunny Military-themed Craft

The Runaway Bunny can be paired with just about any bunny craft you can think of.  But I think we can make it even more personal. What if the Mama (or Daddy) bunny was deploying? Quickly she isn’t  dressed! You have to help her get into uniform!

Materials:
Sponges
Crayola Washable Paint
A Cupcake Tray
An Old Shower Curtain

Set-up was fairly uneventful. I experimented with paint mixing until I had colors that resembled desert and woodland digital camo (more time-consuming than I anticipated). I used Crayola Washable Paints and an old cupcake tray to mix because those were the materials I had on hand. I then printed out the bunny and clothes. To mimic the look of digital camo I used an old cut-up sea sponge to paint with but you can use just about anything - like a regular sponge or even potato stamps. Preactivity, I also rolled out the shower curtain and filled my kitchen sink with soapy water.

With a bit of foresight and planning cleanup was a cinch. When I do messy crafts with my daughter, which to be fair is not very often I plan so that set-up and clean-up can occur without a toddler in tow. I set this craft up while she was napping and planned a long trip to the playground directly preceding the craft. This way I could throw Bean right in the shower when she was done creating beautiful bunny art, throw the cupcake tray in the already soap-filled sink and leave the shower curtain and bunnies right where they are on the living room floor to dry. When we returned home, all I had to do was pick up the papers and roll up the shower curtain to store until next time.  

Then cut out the cammies and dress the bunny. She is ready to go! Bean is still too young for elaborate crafts but with an older child, this craft could be expanded to take up an entire afternoon. You could color in the mommy/daddy bunny. You could create different uniforms. After you dress the bunny you could draw different scenes to place him or her in. Is Mommy going to be on a ship? Is Daddy going to be on a plane? You could use the bunny as a means of connecting with a deployed spouse by taking pictures of them all over town spending time with the family - just like Flat Stanley. The possibilities are endless! The point is whatever you do, no matter how far you go, Mommy or Daddy will be there in your heart. No matter how hard you push - figuratively and literally - Mommy or Daddy will always be there. Want to try this craft? Subscribe to our email below for exclusive content like our Dress the Bunny PDF.

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd is an undisputed classic that gets five eggs - no question! Reading it captivates my little squiggler AND brings back fond memories of a childhood spent on my Nana's lap.

Do you use classics not necessarily meant to address the challenges of military families to open up conversations about military life? What are you favorites? Let us know in the comments below!

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