Month: September 2012

Flannel Friday: Watermelon!

This Flannel Friday was inspired by an Etsy set that I found on Pinterest. Since the shop is closed now, I just made my own!

I used a basic semi-circle template that I freehanded. I was brave and used puffy paint for the numbers and letters, but I did cut out black felt pieces for the watermelon seeds.

This is for my Letter W storytime and I could have used it for picnic storytime as well. It would also work great in summertime!

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I am hosting this week’s Flannel Friday; visit here to link up your post! To find out more about Flannel Friday, please visit the Flannel Friday website!

September 28, 2012 2 Comments Short URLFlannels

Flannel Friday Round-Up 9/28!

Since the linking tool worked out last time, I’m back to doing it again. This time, though, I’m using a thumbnail version. You still need to click through since I’m a WordPress.com hosted blog.

Borrowing instructions that Andrea shared: To share your Flannel Friday post, please click “Add Your Link” by the cute blue frog. Please enter the URL for your post rather than your website and label your post as “Post Name (Blog Name)” i.e. “Rockets! (Storytime Katie)”



If there are any tech problems, I will be around on Twitter (@katietweetsya) and you are also welcome to leave a link if the linking tool doesn’t work! Looking forward to everyone’s amazing submissions!

September 27, 2012 2 Comments Short URLFlannels

Elephants!

The Plan

Books

Elmer by David McKee
Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na
My Elephant by Petr Horacek
What to Do If An Elephant Stand on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Elephants in the Bathtub”

Action Rhyme: “Big Gray Elephant”
The big gray elephant slowly walks.
She doesn’t make a sound.
She swings her trunk from left to right.
When she puts her feet on the ground.
Swing, swing, left and right,
She doesn’t make a sound.

Fingerplay with Puppets: “Two Big Elephants”
Two big elephants were sitting on a hill
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Run away, Jack! Run away, Jill!
Come back, Jack! Come back, Jill!

Fingerplay: “Up the Hill”
Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy (crawl up arm)
Here goes a rabbit up a hill, boing, boing, boing, boing (bounce up arm)
Here goes a snake up the hill, slither, slither, slither, slither (slide up arm)
Here goes an elephant up the hill, thud, thud, thud, thud (clap up arm)
Here comes an elephant down the hill, boom, boom, boom, boom, CRASH! (bounce down, clap hands for crash)

Song: “One Elephant Went Out to Play”

Craft

This craft came from this amazing Pinterest pin, originally from Tippytoe Crafts! Parents and kids loved this craft, and Miss Katie made sure to buy noisemakers that were super difficult to make the noise with.

How It Went

I had a lot of new families in this storytime and I got a lot of high compliments on their way out the door! (It is totally reassuring, even if you a veteran, to hear that your work is appreciated!) I think they had the best time during “What If An Elephants Stand on Your Foot,” which was the book that inspired this theme! I also modified the “Up the Hill” fingerplay, which led to lots of giggles once the elephant went down the hill!

September 24, 2012 Short URL, , Family Storytime

Flannel Friday: Mrs. Wishy-Washy

Today’s Flannel Friday is a beloved children’s classic: Mrs. Wishy-Washy!

I know that a ton of Flannel Fridayers have made this one, from various templates and patterns. I used the Kizclub version, but I did not make a ton of each animal. Instead I used the last template of each animal, reversed it, and then glued it on double-sided.

I used this back in “Messy” storytime, and it could definitely be used in a “Farm” theme as well!

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Sharon is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday; visit her blog to link up your post! To find out more about Flannel Friday, please visit the Flannel Friday website!

September 21, 2012 9 Comments Short URLFlannels

Letter V!

The Plan

Books

I Love Vacations by Anna Walker
Rah, Rah, Radishes! by April Pulley Sayre
Sweethearts by Jan Carr
This Is the Van That Dan Cleaned by Lisa Campbell Ernst
What In the World Is a Violin? by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Six Little Valentines”

Flannelboard Puzzle: “Letter V”

Fingerplay: “Let’s Count Valentines”
Let’s count valentines – one, two, three
Let’s count valentines, all for me!
Let’s count valentines – four, five, six
Let’s count valentines, match and mix
Let’s count valentines – seven, eight, nine
Let’s count valentines, I’m glad you’re mine
Credit: ChildFun

Song: “Vegetable Song” (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)
Carrots, peas, and broccoli
Vegetables are good for me
For my snack and in my lunch
Veggies sticks are great to munch
Carrot, peas, and broccoli
Vegetables are good for me
Credit: Preschool Education

Song: “What Begins With V?”
What begins with V?
What begins with V?
We all know, we’ll tell you so.
What begins with V?

Violin begins with V.
Violin begins with V.
We all know, we’ll tell you so.
Violin begins with V.
Credit: MotherReader

Craft

This idea came from a Google Image search, but you can see the original post right here at Mrs. Karen’s Preschool Ideas! The flowers and stems were pre-cut by teen volunteers, the kids glued down their flowers and colored their vases. We had some very pretty flower vases once everyone was finished!

How It Went

The kids were fascinated by “What In the World Is a Violin?” and kept telling me that it was a “wrong guitar,” which made me crack up. “Rah Rah Radishes” almost inspired a riot — apparently NO ONE likes vegetables at all in this classroom, so we had lots of “YUCKS” and “EWS.” I was sad, because I’ve used the book in the past and it’s worked well for me before. Valentines were a big hit, and was the only “V” word that they guessed correctly after seeing the book. We’re nearing the end of these alphabet storytimes — only four more to go!

September 19, 2012 3 Comments Short URL, Outreach Storytime

Picnic!

The Plan

Books

The Best Picnic Ever by Clare Jarrett
Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson
One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge
We’re Going on a Picnic! by Pat Hutchins

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Strawberries”

Flannelboard: “Popsicle” (Based on a Jodi Koplin Song)

Flannelboard: “Watermelon Counting”

Action Rhyme: “Going on a Bear Hunt”
We’re going on a bear hunt (We’re going on a bear hunt)
Gonna catch a big one (Gonna catch a big one)
I’m not scared (I’m not scared)
What a beautiful day! (What a beautiful day!)
Oh look! It’s some long, wavy grass!
Can’t go under it (Can’t go under it)
Can’t go over it (Can’t go over it)
Can’t go around it (Can’t go around it)
Gotta go through it (Gotta go through it!)
(Trees, River, Storm, Cave, etc. until you meet a bear; then run back!)
Credit: Library School

Action Song: “Ants Go Marching”
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain.
(two, tie his shoe; three, climb a tree; four, shut the door; five, take a dive)
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Five Hungry Ants”
Five hungry ants, marching in a line
They came upon a picnic, where they could dine
They marched into the salad
They marched into the cake
They marched into the pepper
Oh-uh! That was a mistake!
AAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCHHHHOOOOOOO!
Credit: Miss Mary Liberry

Song: “Watermelon Patch Song” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
Watermelon, watermelon (make a circle with arms)
On the vine, on the vine (wiggle arms)
Sweet and red and juicy, sweet and red and juicy (rub tummy)
Please be mine! Please be mine! (palms together, pleading)
Credit: Explorastory (Heights Library)

Craft

This craft idea came from a Pinterest pin, but you can read the original blog post at Creative Family Fun. I wove mine for the picture, but it was super hard (for me at least!), so the kids glued tissue paper squares down instead! I got the ant stickers to add some extra fun and the kids loved them!

How It Went

I’m back for fall after a month-long August break of morning storytime. I was so jazzed about this storytime that I woke up probably a dozen times between five a.m. and eight a.m. thinking “IT’S STORYTIME DAY!” And all I have to say is that this storytime session did not disappoint!!

First off, you might notice an upswing in extension activities this fall. My core group of ST kids (from when I started four years ago) are now all in school! So, my average of storytime ages right now is 2.75 and that’s a big change for me. I planned on starting to include more flannelboards and more movement and so far, it is working out awesome.

Okay, on to the theme — picnic worked out great! The weather was still in the nineties in Illinois and with Labor Day weekend being so close, the kids were totally into the theme. Their favorite books were “Mouse’s First Summer” and “The Best Picnic Ever,” with “Best Picnic” being the ultimate best book this week. They had a great time identifying the fruit and veggies in “One Watermelon Seed” as well, but that led to a little bit of side chatter about who likes to eat what. Really, all of the extension activities were ridiculously fun and I think the group had a great time with them!

September 17, 2012 3 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

ALSC: Over the Rainbow!

newalscblog

Last spring, I tried a brand-new kind of programming, with activity stations! Yesterday, I wrote up a summary for the ALSC blog — check it out!

September 14, 2012 0 Comments Short URLALSC Post

Flannel Friday: Popsicles!

Today’s Flannel Friday is an inspired by post — these fabulous popsicles come by way of Cate at Storytiming!

I made the flannelboard using Cate’s template and purchased the amazing CD that Cate posted about! There are a ton of different ways to use this: colors, sweets, summer, etc. — but I’m going to use it for a “Picnic” storytime next week.

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Kay is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday; visit her blog to link up your post! To find out more about Flannel Friday, please visit the Flannel Friday website!

September 14, 2012 5 Comments Short URLFlannels

Flannel Friday: Leaves!

This week, I am inspired by Sarah of Awesome Storytime to make my own leaves and tree:

I will definitely be using the song that Sarah posted:

The Leaves of the Trees
(to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The leaves of the trees turn orange and red
orange and red, orange and red
The leaves of the trees turn orange and red
All through the town.

The leaves of the trees come tumbling down
tumbling down, tumbling down
The leaves of the trees come tumbling down
All through the town.

The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish,
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish
All through the town.

Also, I made enough leaves to pass out to the kids, so it will also be an interactive flannel! I’ve got this one scheduled for a “Leaves” theme sometime this fall!

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Kay is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday; visit her blog to link up your post! To find out more about Flannel Friday, please visit the Flannel Friday website!

September 14, 2012 5 Comments Short URLFlannels

Letter U!

The Plan

Books

Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler
One Rainy Day by M. Christina Butler
Red, White, and Boom! By Lee Wardlaw
Uncles by Lola M. Schaefer
Up, Down, and All Around by Katherine Ayres

Extension Activities

Flannelboard Puzzle: “Letter U”

Flannelboard: “Red, White, and Blue”

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Umbrellas & Ten Little Raindrops”
One little, two little, three little umbrellas
Four little, five little, six little umbrellas
Seven little, eight little, nine little umbrellas
Ten umbrellas up for the rain
Repeat with raindrops going on top of umbrellas – last line “Ten raindrops falling down.” Pull raindrops away, counting down – last line “No raindrops out today.” Pull umbrellas away, counting down – last line, “Everything’s put away!”
Credit: Modified from childhood

Action Rhyme: “Up and Down”
Put your arms up
Put your arms down
Put them through the middle
Move them all around
One arm to the left
One arm to the right
Give yourself a hug
And hold on tight!
Credit: MotherReader

Bounce: “Mama and Papa and Uncle John”
Mama and Papa and Uncle John
Went to the market one by one
Mama fell off, Papa fell off
But Uncle John went on and on
Credit: King Country Library System

Fingerplay: “Up the Hill”
Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy (crawl up arm)
Here goes a rabbit up a hill, boing, boing, boing, boing (bounce up arm)
Here goes an elephant up a hill, thud, thud, thud, thud (clap up arm)
Here goes a snake up the hill, slither, slither, slither, slither (slither up arm)
Here comes a rock down the hill, boom, boom, boom, boom, CRASH!
(bounce down, clap hands for crash)
Credit: Bright Spot — Brighton Memorial Library

Craft

This was a simple paper plate craft that was inspired by Jenna’s post at Ramblings of a Crazy Woman. Since I was doing this with a daycare, I did want to minimize our mess, so I did not do it three-dimensional.

How It Went

The hit of storytime was “Up, Down, and All Around” — they loved this book! Everything else went pretty good, but I was met with a huge reaction of “EWW UNDERWEAR IS GROSS” when I read “Bear In Underwear.” I mean, the kids were in hysterics laughing, but I honestly wonder if they think underwear is gross. The umbrella craft was a huge success and the kids had a great day at storytime!

September 12, 2012 2 Comments Short URL, Outreach Storytime

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