Preschoolers love reading fairy tales! There’s something so exciting to a 4-year-old about having a “bad guy” in the story, and they just can’t seem to get enough of it. The Three Little Pigs are an essential part of any fairy tale unit. Introduce it during circle time, and then, at the end of the day, enjoy reading different versions of the same story. There are so many good ones to choose from!
Since there are so many different variations, this is a great topic for comparing and contrasting too! If there’s not enough time to read them all in class, consider transforming the dramatic play center into a Library where the students can check out their favorite books to take home and share with their families.
Favorite Original Stories
When a fairy tale is classic, like the Three Little Pigs, there are loads of variations available so that it is easy to find the perfect copy for each particular group of students. With the Three Little Pigs, there are so many different endings, some with the wolf being run off with his tail between his legs, others with the pigs tricking the wolf, and yet others with a more grim ending.
Some tried-and-true favorites to consider:
- The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall
- The Three Little Pigs by Mara Alperin
- The Three Little Pigs by Bernadette Watts
- The Three Little Pigs by Barry Moser
Fun Three Little Pigs Activities
Similar Stories for the Three Little Pigs
These variations are all great to go along with the classic. Some use different animals, some have only pig, but they all are fantastic books to read with this theme!
Wolf Won’t Bite by Emily Gravett
Three little piggies capture a wild wolf for their circus. They show off all of the amazing things that they can make the wolf do…including dressing the wolf in a giant bow, making him jump through hoops, and even shooting him out of a cannon. How much of this will the wolf tolerate before he “snaps?”
Extending the Learning: Ask the students to come up with ideas on how the pigs caught the wolf. Supply pigs and wolf pieces at the felt board or at the block center to encourage the students to retell the story and their ideas on how the wolf got himself in such an odd situation to begin with!
Wait, No Paint by Bruce Whatley
The three pigs are constructing their houses when some mysterious things start to happen. “Someone” spills juice on the first little pig’s house. Then “someone” starts turning the pigs green…and more! Students will love the ridiculous creativity of this variation.
Extending the Learning: Provide some pre-printed pig outlines and paints – but don’t add the red or pink and see what the students come up with.
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague
This story starts very similar to the traditional tale. The three pigs are sent out into the world to make their own living. Of course, one builds a house out of straw, another out of sticks, and the third works hard to build a sturdy brick home. But along comes a wolf who is hungry, but not that bad after all!
Extending the Learning: This book is surprisingly a great opportunity to talk not only about hard work, but how some food choices make our bodies stronger. Celebrate the end of the story with a healthy veggie snack!
Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda
The simple, repeating text of this book makes this story perfect for early readers! In this story, the reader is the wolf – and there’s a surprise ending as well!
Extending the Learning: At the end of the story, there’s a birthday party! Add birthday candles, silicone cupcake liners, and other birthday-themed items to the play dough area.
The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz
The three little pigs are tired of the big wolf bully huffing and puffing to get his way. Each pig chooses a different style and masters a martial art…sort of. This book focuses on having the grit and dedication to meet goals.
Extending the Learning: Invite a nearby martial arts instructor to demonstrate some amazing skills that come with years of practice.
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza
Mr. Fox is thinking about dinner when there’s a knock on his door. It’s a piglet with the wrong address – what excellent timing! Can this little pig escape being a main ingredient in Mr. Fox’s pig roast?
Extending the Learning: In the story, the piglet tricks Mr. Fox into giving him a lovely bath. Fill some washtubs with dish soap and water, and let the students scrub a variety of toy animals clean! This activity works great both indoors or outside – just be sure to provide towels for spills!
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
This sweet story has Clifford, the Big Red Dog, playing the part of the Big Bad Wolf. However, the only thing bad about Clifford is his enormous cold! After accidentally sneezing down two houses, the third pig helps Clifford feel better by giving him soup and some TLC. Once Clifford has his sneezes under control, he helps rebuild the houses of Pig 1 and Pig 2.
Extending the Learning: Emily Elizabeth and Clifford visit the three little pigs – not with the intent of eating them, but instead to greet them and deliver pies. After the story, make these adorable mini apple pies for a cooking activity!
Where’s the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow
A doggie detective is trying to figure out a mystery. WHO is blowing down the three little pigs’ houses? And why is this sheep giving such bad construction advice? Students find this one particularly funny when they figure out the “mystery” and solve it on their own!
Extending the Learning: The wolf dressed up as a sheep to fool Detective Doggsley and the three pigs. Add a variety of dress-up clothes and animal costumes to the dramatic play center. Students dress up as animals and then add some extra items to “disguise” themselves for extra fun (and extra fine motor practice.)
Flipping the Script
What if the wolf wasn’t big and bad, but the protagonist instead? These books explore that angle!
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas
The three little wolves are just trying to build a house sturdy enough to keep the big bad pig out – but this pig comes with power tools! How can they convince him to stop knocking their houses over?
Extending the Learning: At the end of the story, the wolves build a house of flowers. Add some wolves and pig figures to this flower sensory table and watch as students retell the story!
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
This story is for older students, as two out of three pigs don’t make it to the end of the story! Alexander Wolf tells his side of the story, how he came to blow down two houses, eat two pigs, and end up being framed – all over a cup of sugar and a bad cold.
Extending the Learning: The wolf is (allegedly) trying to make a birthday cake for his dear old granny. Have a birthday party for her in the dramatic play center instead!
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Birthday Party Dramatic Play
$4.99This Birthday Party Dramatic Play center encourages young children to celebrate their favorite day. Includes all the printables you need to easily transform your basic home living area into a special birthday party celebration.
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Different Characters
Sometimes, a classic story is more fun when told with some different characters. These books mix up the cast and are perfect for comparing and contrasting the stories!
The Three Little Guinea Pigs by Erica S. Perl
This book is a must-read if there is a class guinea pig! These three lovely ladies, Rosie, Minty, and Pumpkin follow the typical story of the three little pigs, but at the end, they outfox a fox in a different way.
Extending the Learning: Students can construct their own houses for the guinea pigs using small parts and boxes. Next, they take turns trying to blow them down with a small hand-held fan or hairdryer set on “cool.”
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The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot by Margaret McNamara
Much like the original story, these three little aliens head out into space to find a home of their own. Their mother tells them to stick together and look out for the Big Bad Robot. But at first, the aliens don’t listen. One alien moves into the Mars rover. A second one hangs out in the rings of Saturn. Finally, the third (and impossible to pronounce) alien finds a quiet planet perfect to start a home. But then…the Big Bad Robot discovers them! How will they escape?
Extending the Learning: Make up a batch of beautiful Galaxy play dough for students to explore and enjoy.
The Three Little Rigs by David Gordon
This version is perfect for students who are all about cars and trucks! In this variation, three little rigs are off to build their own garages. What will they do when the big, mean wrecking ball comes to their garage door? Please note – it doesn’t end peacefully as the villains are melted down for scrap, so this one might be too dark of an ending for younger learners.
Extending the Learning: These homemade road blocks pave the way to imagination and learning in the block center.
Looking for more enchanting fun?
Here are some other resources for a magical fairy tale unit!
Check out this helpful resource!
Fairy Tale Preschool Unit – Three Little Pigs
$5.00Fairy Tales are a fun and effective way for young children to practice comprehension, oral language, and retelling skills. This 1-week mini-unit focuses on “The Three Little Pigs.” Your young children will huff and puff with excitement!
- 5 circle time lessons
- 2 center activities
- Book Recommendations
- The 12 Best Goldilocks Books for Preschool
- The Best Billy Goats Gruff Books for Preschool
- Amazing Little Red Hen Books for Preschool
- Fairy Tale Retelling in the Preschool Classroom
- Kid-Sized Three Pigs Houses for Fairy Tale Fun
Not a version of the Three Little Pigs, but a twist on the big bad wolf. We have 2 we especially liked in our class last year: “Big Bad Wolf is Good” by Simon Puttock, and “Big Bad Wolf” by Claire Masurel.
I will look for those. Thanks, Traci!