Cool Kids Furniture

Furniture for this theme

The flying pig is long standing children's myth. Certainly the absurdity of a winged pig has appealed to many - but you might be surprised to learn that the idea of this charming feathered friend has attracted considerable literary attention, appearing in the writings of many 19th Century Men of the Pen (and not just the Pig Pen!)

The author of 'Alice in Wonderland', English mathematician, Lewis Carrol had, through his characters quite a few things to say on the subject of Flying Pigs 'Just about as much right,' said the Duchess, 'as pigs have to fly.' And 'The time has come,' the Walrus said, 'To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, Of cabbages and kings, And why the sea is boiling hot, And whether pigs have wings.'

And another English author of children's books, A.A. Milne, in 'The House at Pooh Corner' has Piglet actually making excuses as to why he can't fly. 'Owl,' said Pooh, 'Could you fly up to the letter-box with Piglet on your back?' 'No,' said Piglet quickly, 'He couldn't.' Owl explained to Pooh about the necessary Dorsal Muscles. Piglet hurriedly added that he had been getting much bigger lately, 'so it's no good thinking about it.'

The great G.K. Chesterton, British author and critic said in 'Blandings Castle', 'I have myself a poetical enthusiasm for pigs, and the paradise of my fancy is one where pigs have wings. But it is only men, especially wise men, who discuss whether pigs can fly; we have no particular proof that pigs ever discuss it.'

And then in 1909 headlines read: 'First British Pilot takes first Flying Pig on First Joyride'. In fact, 1909 was the year in which The Times of London recorded the incidence of the first actual Flying Pig. The lucky piglet was taken up for a little joyride in a biplane, piloted by Lord Brabazon, who was the first licensed pilot in Britain.

Stimulation:

Two variations on this theme lend themselves quite well to the two levels of stimulation appropriate for different kids. For the more active you might focus on goggled pigs in different types of planes, (biplanes and fighter planes etc). For more stimulation add more pigs, perhaps a whole squadron of them. Or make it a night scene with a pig in a rocket ship. For kids who prefer lower levels of stimulation focus on winged pigs floating through the air, perched on clouds and wheeling around the rooftops and treetops.

Opportunity for Learning:

Tales of mythic beasts and their historic exploits abound, appearing in almost all cultures around the world, some modern and some very ancient. The characteristics of these animals and the narratives that accompany them were not merely for entertainment they were metaphors for human characteristics and concepts. Indeed the flying pig has become a metaphor for the unlikely, the impossible and perhaps the magical. Examining this and other mythic animal metaphors, explore their meaning and encourage kids to appreciate both the empirical realities and the magical possibilities.

Color Schemes:

Infants and Toddlers: Pink of course and white, silver for the plane, blue for the sky and white for the sky.

Child: Pigs are not only pink and gray, but black and white and a combination of the two.

Teens: Midnight blue, pink and silver. If pigs can fly, who says they don't fly at night?

Feng Shui:

Wind and air (especially hot air) are much in evidence, so to balance you will need plenty of metal and ideally earth / stone. Try to include an image of the ground below - and a mountain behind the pigs. A metal bed and a mural with a shining smiling sun should provide sufficient fire energy.

Budget vs Time and Talent:

Make templates of three sizes of pigs with wings. First paint in your piggies and then sponge on cloud shapes. Be sure to use white near the top of the clouds and darker shadows, dove grays darkening to lightish purple-grey below. Then painting around pigs and clouds, paint the rest of the room blue, the shade or hue dependent upon the age of the child and the size of the room. Add rainbow for more color, (note the bright contrasting colors will have the effect of raising stimulation levels ). A night sky for a teen could perhaps just occupy one wall, you don't want to make the whole room dark, sprinkle with silver or glow-in-the-dark stars.

You could also add a mobile with flying pigs - (carry the same theme from the mural to the mobile - pigs in planes rockets or winged).

It might be fun to create a sign for the bedroom door 'The Pig Pen'

Click here for Nursery Rhymes and Songs related to the Flying Pigs theme