1. Cut up straws into different lengths and have kids map out a pattern with the straws in the box top.
2. Kids can move through the maze using their finger first to make sure they create a clear path from start to finish. You may want to trace the pattern they create with a pencil. Be sure to leave enough space for a small toy car to move through the maze unobstructed.
3. When the kids are happy with the pattern they’ve made, glue down the straws.
4. Once the straws are dry, the kids can work together tilting the box back and forth to move the car through the maze.
5. You will be amazed at how creative and collaborative kids can be!

• What types of clues are on the treasure map that Barbie and Chelsea use?
• How does teamwork help the girls find the treasure?
• How would you describe the lost treasure they find?

Wrapping paper and paper towel tubes make great ramps for small toy cars. You can use them whole or cut them length-wise into two even halves. Kids are truly collaborative when they play with these tubes and small cars. Next stop, obstacle course!

Swimmy, by Leo Lionni (Dragonfly Books, 1963) 
Chloe and the Lion, by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex (Disney-Hyperion, 2012)