Tell your stories Warli-style

Here's some creative fun from the former Children's Laureate: share your story using very simple shapes and colours, just like the art of the Warli tribal community in India.

Inspired by Do! by Gita Wolf, Ramesh Hengadi and Shantaram Dhadpe (Tara Books)

Staring into Space: resources from the former Children's Laureate

Download this resource

Warli art activity sheet

You don't have to be a master artist to have a go at Warli art: you can use the simplest of shapes to tell the most wonderful stories (and learn all about another culture, too).

Download (PDF)

Download all the Staring into Space resources

Lauren Child introduces the Staring into Space resources

Six activity sheets to try

From making your own book to a 3D world, there's a creative idea to suit every child and classroom.

Download (PDF)

Extra ideas for the Warli drawing resource

If you have time and want more inspiration, Lauren and Josey have some brilliant ideas of other things to do alongside this activity...

Read these books

I Like Cats

Anushka Ravishankar and various artists
A brightly coloured screen-printed book with lots of different images of cats. Every page has a cat drawn in a different style from artists all over India, showing how one animal can be depicted in so many different ways.

Following My Paintbrush

Dulari Devi and Gita Wolf
Dulari Devi was from a poor background in Bihar, eastern India. This is her inspiring story of becoming an artist after working for years as a domestic helper. She now tells her stories in the beautiful Mithila style of folk painting.