Category: Family Storytime

Flannel Friday: Goldfish Puppets!

These adorable goldfish finger puppets come from Library Quine who was inspired by Lisa.

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You can see from my hand picture that the goldfish are pretty big. I wanted to make them big so I used them as stick puppets that they would be seen by kiddos. Like Lisa, I’ve used these with the Laurie Berkner song “The Goldfish” and swam around the room with the kids and puppets.

Unfortunately, it looks like the original site with the template no longer exists. So I traced my puppets to make a template, which is available here.

Happy flanneling!

—
Kimberly is hosting the round-up today! You can also check out our website, Pinterest, or Facebook!

January 16, 2015 2 Comments Short URLFamily Storytime, Flannels

Flannel Friday: Shape Game

A Flannel Friday post inspired by possibly the best hugger in the world, Brooke at Reading With Red!

(No, seriously, I think Brooke has the hugger title locked in.)

The shape game!

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I started using this flannel immediately after starting my position and taking on baby time. I scoured websites looking for ideas and I have to report: there’s something magical about the shape game. I would hide another flannel piece behind one of the shapes and talk to the babies and caregivers.

One by one, I would “eliminate” one shape as I talked about it. All of these guesses would end with some variation of “No, it’s not under there. Let’s try another shape!”

“Can we find a shape that makes a noise? What about the heart? What kind of sound does it make?”

“Which shape has three points?”

“Miss Katie is wearing a dress that matches a shape. What color is it?”

I always keep the object hidden until the very last shape. Then our theme for the day is revealed!

The shapes are are large as I could get them on a 9×12 piece of felt. The star is the tiniest, so I hide things under it very rarely.

—
Lisa is hosting the round-up today! You can also check out our website, Pinterest, or Facebook!

January 9, 2015 29 Comments Short URLFamily Storytime, Flannels

Early Lit 101

My library is currently embracing a year of learning opportunities (YOLO), with different staff members presenting on different topics. I presented last week (and am presenting again this week) on how all staff can encourage early literacy practices throughout the library. My training is a mandatory training, with all 100 staff members required to attend. That means that I have a great opportunity to educate all staff about early literacy practices.


 

There’s not a lot of info in the actual Powerpoint, but I promise I talked a lot!

My presentation also included a touch-and-feel component where staff members got to use/touch/see early literacy materials and they had the chance to “sort” them after the Powerpoint into the five Every Child Ready to Read practices of read, write, play, talk, and sing.

If you have any questions or want to know more about this presentation, please feel free to contact me through email [simplykatie[at]gmail[dot]com] or via Twitter @storytimekatie.

December 2, 2014 5 Comments Short URLFamily Storytime

Hot & Cold!

The Plan

Books

hotcold

Hot Cold by Apple Jordan
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews
Today is Cold by Martha Rustad
Today is Hot by Martha Rustad

Extension Activities

Flannelboard Song: “Sunny/Snowy” (Sung to: “BINGO”)
There was a day, when it was hot and sunny was the weather
S U N N Y
S U N N Y
S U N N Y
And sunny was the weather.
Other Verses
There was a day when it was cold and snowy was the weather.
Credit: Preschool Education

Action Song: “Mister Sun”
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you to please come out so we can play with you
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me
Credit: Childhood

Nursery Rhyme: “Pease Porridge Hot”
Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold
Pease porridge in the pot nine days old
Some like it hot, some like it cold
Some like it in the pot nine days old
Credit: Childhood

Puppet Song: “The Penguin Went Over the Iceberg”
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg,
To see what he could see,
To see what he could see,
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg
To see what he could see.
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg,
Was all that he could see,
Was all that he could see,
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg,
Was all that he could see.
Credit: Best Kids Book Site (though they appear to have taken down all their songs…)

Craft

I got this idea from A Cupcake for the Teacher and was thrilled to find that she had a pattern available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

How It Went

Well, it didn’t! This was a planned storytime from before I left my old job. I thought since I did the work and made the plan that I would just go ahead and post it anyways.

July 21, 2014 0 Comments Short URLFamily Storytime, Outreach Storytime

Pancakes!

The Plan

Books

pancakes

Chew, Chew, Gulp! By Lauren Thompson
Crepes by Suzette by Monica Wellington
Like Butter on Pancakes by Jonathan London
Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Who Wants a Pancake?”
Who wants a pancake, piping hot?
“I’ll take the one with butter on top.”
Who wants a pancake, fresh off the griddle?
“I’ll take the one with butter in the middle.”
(More toppings: syrup, blueberries, strawberries, sugar)

Action Rhyme: “Mix a Pancake”
Mix a pancake;
stir a pancake;
pop it in a pan;
fry a pancake;
toss a pancake;
catch it if you can!
Credit: Jbrary

Fingerplay: “Pat-a-Cake”
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake
Pancake man!
Make me a pancake as fast as you can
Roll it and pat it
And mark it with a “B”
And put it in the pan for baby and me!
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Song: “The Pancake Man” (Tune: Muffin Man)
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Craft

I got this idea from Mollie at What Happens In Storytime and the original idea came from EstherStorytimes.

How It Went

Well, it didn’t! This was a planned storytime from before I left my old job. I thought since I did the work and made the plan that I would just go ahead and post it anyways.

July 16, 2014 0 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Robots!

The Plan

Books

robots

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino
Junkyard by Mike Austin
Robots, Everywhere by Denny Hebson
Sometimes I Forget You’re a Robot by Sam Brown

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Noisy Robots”
Five noisy robots in the big toy shop,
Shiny and tall with antennae on the top.
Along came a girl with a penny one day.
Bought a noisy robot and took it away.
(continue with 4, 3, 2, 1 noisy robots)

App: “Toca Robot Lab”

Action Rhyme: “I Am a Robot”
I am a robot (march in place with ‘robot arms’)
I am a robot
Clank Clank (bend forward and back at waist)
Clank Clank (bend side-to-side at waist)
ZZZZZZZrt (Raise arms up while shaking them)
CRASH (Either fall, or ‘lose power’ or clap)
Credit: Future Librarian Superhero

Song: “If You’re a Robot”
If you’re a robot and you know it
Clank your coils (clap hands)
Clunk your gears (stomp feet)
Press your buttons (“Beep beep”)
Credit: Future Librarian Superhero

Craft

This was a craft kit from Michaels that I bought on clearance a few years back.

How It Went

Well, it didn’t! This was a planned storytime from before I left my old job. I thought since I did the work and made the plan that I would just go ahead and post it anyways.

July 14, 2014 4 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Money!

The Plan

Books

money

Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells
The Great Pet Sale by Mick Inkpen
Out and About at the Bank by Nancy Attebury
You Can’t Buy a Dinosaur With a Dime by Harriet Ziefert

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Down Around the Corner”

Fingerplay: “Three Little Dollars”
Three little dollars in a wallet new,
I bought a box of crayons,
And then there were two.
Two little dollars, and before the day was done,
I bought some cookies,
And then there was one.
One little dollar, I heard it plainly say,
“I’m going into the piggy bank for a rainy day!”
Credit: Can Teach (was originally “Three Little Nickels”) via What Happens In Storytime

Song: I Had a Shiny Dime (to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
I had a shiny dime, (hold up right index finger)
I had a shiny dime,
I put it in my piggy bank, (make circle with thumb and fingers of left hand, put index finger into opening)
To spend another time.
Credit: Ready to Read at ALPL

Craft

How It Went

Well, it didn’t! This was a planned storytime from before I left my old job. I thought since I did the work and made the plan that I would just go ahead and post it anyways. I did have plans to paperclip the non-fiction book “Out and About at the Bank” though, since it was probably going to be too long for storytime.

July 10, 2014 3 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Languages!

The Plan

Books

languages

Counting Ovejas by Sarah Weeks
Everywhere the Cow Says Moo! by Ellen Slusky Weinstein
Say, Hello! by Rachel Isadora
Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Braille Match

Flannelboard: “Ratoncito, Ratoncito”

Action Rhyme: “My Hands Say Thank You” (Sign THANK YOU)
My hands say thank you with a clap, clap, clap
My feet say thank you with a tap, tap, tap
My head says thank you with a shake, shake, shake
My heart says thank you with a kiss to take
Credit: American Library Association

Song: “Frere Jacques”
Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous ? Dormez-vous ?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, daing, dong. Ding, daing, dong.
Credit: Childhood

Song: “Los Pollitos Dicen”
Los pollitos dicen, pío, pío, pío,
Cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca, el maíz y el trigo,
Les dá la comida, y les presta abrigo.
Credit: Library School

Craft

I put out foam stickers and let the families spell out whatever words in whatever languages they wanted to!

How It Went

Thursday morning
This was a bittersweet storytime because it was my very last at my old job. It was an amazing theme to go out on, and I was so proud of the materials I found and used. Our favorite book was “Where’s Spot?” — which I had on the easel so I could sign the book as I read it. I did focus a bit more on Spanish since that’s our largest language population. I really enjoyed singing in French and Spanish — I could have also done Latin or German, but I figured they didn’t want to hear Carmina Burana or Stille Stille Stille!

May 26, 2014 2 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Hats & Mittens!

The Plan

Books

hatsmittens

One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George
Red Hat by Lita Judge
The Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney
Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Froggy Gets Dressed”

Flannelboard: “Mitten Match”

Action Rhyme: Mittens
Mittens for the snow time when the world is white
Mittens for my two hands (hold out two hands)
Mittens left or right (show left and right)
Mittens with a thumb place (show thumb)
Mittens warm and snug
Mittens make me feel like a bug in a rug (hug self)
Credit: Perpetual Preschool

Song: Winter Pokey (To the Tune of Hokey-Pokey)
You put your right mitten in,
You take your right mitten out.
You put your right mitten in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the winter pokey, [shiver] and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
Other verses: boots, scarf, hat, snowsuit
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Craft

This tissue paper craft was another Oriental Trading craft kit that I bought years ago when it was on clearance. I prepped this craft by attaching the foam outline to the acetate sheet with hot glue so all the preschoolers had to do was glue down the tissue paper with gluesticks, which they love doing.

How It Went

Thursday morning
No one showed up! It was a Polar Vortex week and sometimes these things happen!

Friday morning
The kids loved doing the Winter Hokey Pokey — we probably could have done three or four rounds of it! Their favorite book was definitely “Under My Hood, I Have a Hat”, with “One Mitten” as a fairly close second. They loved matching the mittens on the flannelboard and laughed uproariously when they realized Froggy forgot his underwear.

May 19, 2014 0 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Pajama Storytime (November)

After the library stopped hosting “Afternoon Storytime” and a trial program of “Starry Night Stories”, I made the decision to start a monthly “Pajama Storytime” session at the library. I wanted to give families the chance to enjoy hearing stories together — and especially wanted to try again to host an evening program. Our suggested age range is ages 0 to 7 and their families, which means I sometimes get a few older siblings. The goal in this program is simple: foster a love of reading and particularly of reading together as a family!

The Plan

Books

pajamastorytime-nov

Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
No Go Sleep! by Kate Feiffer
The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra
Ten In the Bed by Jane Cabrera

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Counting Sheep” (AKA, Ten Little Sheep)

Rhyme Wheel: “Baa Baa Black Sheep”

Nursery Rhyme: Twinkle, Twinkle

Fingerplay: “Dance Your Fingers”
Dance your fingers up,
Dance your fingers down,
Dance your fingers side to side,
Then dance them all around.
Dance them on your shoulders,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your knees,
Then put them straight to bed.

Rhyme Card

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Each month will have a different rhyme that we do at storytime and then send parents home with the words. This is a picture of the rhyme cards after quite a few months. This month was “Twinkle Twinkle.”

How It Went

Since “Ten In the Bed” worked so well as an action song last time, I decided to use the book this time. The kids LOVED the book and it was definitely the favorite of the night. A very, very, very close second was “Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime” since it allowed them to be very loud right before bed. I had the cutest family this month who brought not only their favorite stuffies, but pillows and slippers and blankets and they curled up on the rug together.

May 14, 2014 3 Comments Short URLFamily Storytime

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