Story Table Props

More photos and links to some of our Story Table props, backgrounds and lessons.

Note: We often PHOTOGRAPH our story scenes and create story slideshows with the photos in our computer lab later using Kids Pix Deluxe. That's where many of these photos came from.

Story "Mat"

I drew this, painted it, and had it laminated. It's attached to the table top with Velcro pieces.

Because it's laminated the room's ceiling light sometimes causes a glare when pictures are taken, so I have a large piece of cardboard and the children who are "Background Set Designers" will hold above the table to block direct light from above. Helps give everyone jobs and we all switch places for each new scene.

My table has two pull out draws at each end (this was given to me and it appears to be hand made).

One drawer holds all my people figures.

The second drawer holds misc. props and animals, such as: palm trees, rocks, campfire, (Playmobil), lions & den, sheep, horses, cows, camels, pigs, lions, donkey, felt pieces, etc.

I have an old steel roller cart that holds larger misc props for easy access.

Where can you find props for a Story Table?

Toys do not have a long shelf life I've found, so if you see something you really like purchase it then and there. If you wait until the specific story you wanted it for, when that story rolls around again in your rotation it may no longer be available.

Some of the props I've collected since 2006 are shown in the photos below to spike your imagination.

Melissa & Doug www.melissaanddoug.com

1) Folding Wooden Castle.
Can be used for so many stories! It also opens up. I've used it open, the outside can be used as a city wall and the inside a city - features a jail cell inside that has a door that slides open and shut (for prison scenes).
2) Castle Furniture. Both castle & furniture work great with Playmobil sized figures.

Playmobil

Go to the Playmobil website and do a search for "Egypt" to see what they currently have. You can also do an online search for discontinued items that may still be available elsewhere.
#4246 Egyptian Tomb Treasure" pictured. The roof lifts off (discontinued).
Egyptian Chariot (Playmobil Egyptian Chariot with Rider)
Playmobil Egyptians - Soldier Playset
A good site to find miscellaneous Playmobil items that you can buy individually is Ron's Rescued Treasures, such as: globlets, vase, loaves, money sack with hand grip, water pitcher, fish, etc.. You just need to check to see if it's in stock and if not check back later. The best way to search is type Playmobil and item name (example: Playmobil loaves) then find the one that suits you and check to see if he has it in stock. He's Canadian, but does ship to the United States.

Lego

Palm Trees
(I still have the Lego from when my kids where small - they are adults now. In our bucket I've found all sorts of useful items - like palm trees, wine globlets, water pitchers, etc.)
Joseph's Pit - Lego Ramp Pit Rock Vintage base plate. (Can be seen on second shelf on white cart pictured above.)

Tales of Glory Sets:

Nativity Set
Galilean Boat Set - fishing boat, Jesus and all the disciples (pictured).
Noah's Ark
and several mini playsets
- Jesus Feeds 5000,
- Samson & Deliah (discontinued, but you might find one on-line)
- Jonah & the big Fish,
- Daniel & the Lion,
- Jesus Walks on Water,
- Moses & Pharaoh.
David and Goliath Battle Set (pictured)

Fisher Price

Pyramid (Little Einstein Golden Pyramid Eygypt Mission Playset).
Fisher Price Little People Sets:
1) Nativity Set
2) Wise Men Set (they redid the Wise Men set which use to have 3 tents & 3 camels, now it only includes 1 tent and 1 camel.)
3) Lil' Shepherd Set
(sometimes above three sold as a group @ Fisher Price's website.)
4) Bethlehem Inn set - discontinued, check Ebay.

Michaels

Small Wooden Bird Castles - found in their wood craft section (seen on top shelf of white rolling cart pictured above).

Some Story Scene Samples and Props used

David & Goliath

Props used in above scene:

Background - Betty Lukin Water & Sky Flannel Background (You can buy it already mounted to cardboard or mount it yourself to a piece of cardboard. The children who are the "Background Scene Setters" for that scene hold it so the water line is at the table height so you only see the sky - makes the scenes more realistic than seeing your room's wall.) They have other scenes you could also use: a room and a prison cell.
David & Goliath's Armour Bearer - (Tales of Glory).
Goliath - Roman Solider (Bible Quest Series).
Israelites - disciples from the "Galilean Boat Playset, Tales of Glory Series.
King - Tales of Glory Nativity Set - WIse Man
Philistines - Melissa & Doug's Castle Dolls.
and a Playmobil knight.

Jesus Goes to the Temple (age 12)

Props used in above scene:

night background - black felt with felt stars and moon.
the rounded blue piece showing sky/stars was part of the original "Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set", but it's now discontinued.
Palm Trees come with each of the Fisher Price - Little People Christmas Sets (Nativity, Shepherds, Wise Men.)

Props used in above scene:

Melissa & Doug's Folding Wooden Castle - shown opened to create the city of Jerusalem.
Fisher Price Little People Bethlehem Inn - as noted above discontinued and big $$$$ on ebay.
Pink & Blue Market Stalls - something I picked up at Dollarama years ago.
Temple - this was in a book that's no longer available, but another idea would be Solomon's Temple Model by Tim Dowley (Candle Books).
The mini-scrolls were from the Heroes of Faith Series (discontinued). The characters were too small for the story table, but the scrolls were the right size for my needs.
The small wooden furniture for the tabernacle was from a Mormon website no longer around.

The Tabernacle

The idea was to have something the kids could take apart and then put back together, like a puzzle.

base - sheet of polystyrene (maybe 3/4" thick).
assorted wooden blocks - I painted gold.
Most of the pillars I simple had pressed into the polystyrene to make a bit of a permanent dent (none where glued down) for when they went to put it back together they simply sat the poles into the dents.
I made small folded cards for each part (not pictured).
furniture I purchased on-line (website no longer there).
different felt pieces used for roof coverings
the Holy of Hollies does have wood pieces glued to the polystyrene on each side of the those blocks, so block could be inserted then removed, I put eye hole screws on some of the side blocks and thread very thin dowel rods through them.
Everything was removable except for the thing grey strips of wood seen in bottom picture.