Teeth!

The Plan

Books

teeth

Bear’s Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson
Brush, Floss, Rinse by Amanda Doering Tourville
Clarabella’s Teeth by An Vrombaut
Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth by Lucy Cousins

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Go Away, Big Green Monster”

Flannelboard: “Tooth Fairy”
Look and see, look and see
Can you find the tooth for me?
Is it under the (color) pillow?
Credit: SLC Book Boy

Fingerplay: “Five Little Teeth”
There were five little teeth in my teeny tiny mouth
I pulled and I twisted and one popped out
Now there are…one, two, three, four.
(count down)
Credit: What Happens In Storytime

Song: “This Is The Way”
This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth
This is the way we brush our teeth
So early in the morning
(floss our teeth, rinse our teeth)
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Craft

These smiling cotton ball teeth were found on Kiboomu Kids Crafts. The cotton balls in craft were a great textile experience for the little ones. And I got to use up a lot of our cotton balls!

How It Went

Since I discovered “Clarabella’s Teeth” in alligator/crocodile storytime, I’ve wanted to use it every week! Needless to say, I found another theme to do — teeth! While their parents definitely appreciated the important message of dental hygiene care, the kids just had fun!

August 19, 2013 3 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

ALSC: Characters to Grow With!

newalscblog

Yesterday, I posted over at the ALSC blog about the books characters I’ve noticed growing from picture books to readers to chapter books. Click on through to leave your own suggestions!

August 17, 2013 0 Comments Short URLALSC Post

Libraries!

The Plan

Books

libraries

Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss
Dinosaur vs. the Library by Bob Shea
Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn
Otto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Little Books”
Five little books at the library
Five little books as great as can be
Along comes (name) with their library card
To take one home and read
Credit: What Happens In Storytime

Song: “If You’re a Reader and You Know It”
If you’re a reader and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re a reader and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re a reader and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re a reader and you know it, clap your hands
(shoot hooray, read a book)
Credit: Modified from childhood

Song: “Read, Read, Read a Book” (Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Read, read, read a book,
Travel anywhere,
Worldwide, you decide,
A book will take you there.
Read, read, read a book,
Beginning to the end,
What a way to spend the day,
A book’s a special friend!
Credit: Harris County Public Library

Craft

I used up leftover foam bookmarks from our supply closet. (Can you tell that I’ve recently been doing some closet cleaning?) I put out a ton of foam shapes and the preschoolers went nuts.

How It Went

This was my storytime for National Library Week. (I know! I’m so behind!) We had a great time talking about getting our first library cards and how much we love coming to the library. It was all pretty heart-melting. The kids really got into roaring along with Dinosaur and making animal noises in “Book, Book, Book.”

August 12, 2013 12 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Butterflies & Caterpillars

The Plan

Books

butterfliescaterpillars

Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek
Peek-a-Bloom by Marie Cirumsanti
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Butterfly Colors”
The first to come to the garden bed is a lovely butterfly of brilliant RED.
Then in comes another and that makes two. Fly right in, my friend of BLUE.
“The garden is fine, the best I’ve seen,” says the butterfly of softest GREEN.
Our garden needs a sunny fellow, fly on in, butterfly with wings of YELLOW.
Little friend of PURPLE, fly in too. The garden is waiting for a color like you.
ORANGE, orange, you’re waited so long. Fly right in, where you belong.
Butterflies, butterflies, you’re such a sight! Flying together – what a delight!
Credit: Miss Meg’s Storytime

Flannelboard: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”

Fingerplay: “My Friend Caterpillar”
My friendly caterpillar (fingers crawl up arm)
Made its cocoon one day (close hands together)
It turned into a butterfly (open hands with thumbs hooked)
And quickly flew away (flap hands)
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime

Song: “The Life of a Butterfly” (Tune: Skip to My Lou)
I’m a caterpillar, wiggle with me
I’m a caterpillar, wiggle with me
I’m a caterpillar, wiggle with me
What’ll I be my darlin’?
(A chrysalis, now sleep with me / A butterfly, come fly with me)
Credit: Songs for Children

Craft

This foam kit was one that we randomly found in the “Odds and Ends” supply cabinet. I decided to use it in storytime!

How It Went

I had a great time in this storytime. The kids were super active during our songs, but settled down nicely for the stories. Favorite book was “Butterfly, Butterfly” — it’s a never ending crowd pleaser complete with pop-up at the end! They really had a good time guessing the with the flannelboard, too!

August 5, 2013 7 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Where’s Storytime Katie?

I’m still here, I promise!

Life has taken a few turns this year, summer especially. I’m quite a bit behind in posting and I expect I’ll stay that way until the fall. Here’s why:

1. Summer Reading. Do I need to say more?
2. My sister’s wedding this August, where I’m Maid of Honor.
3. And my favorite reason why I haven’t been blogging: YALSA’s Outstanding Books for the College Bound (OBCB) committee.

I want to point you all to Kelly’s amazing post on what you can do to help out with OBCB.

For a short recap:

OBCB is a list aimed at 9th-12th students preparing to enter college, life-long learners, and anyone interested in furthering their education. This list is updated every five years. You can read the entire charge of the committee here, as well as look at what was selected for the 2009 list. Anyone is allowed to nominate a book for the 2014 list!!

Though this is a bit of a departure from the normal storytime antics happening here, I hope that you might have some books that you’d like to nominate. Our selection criteria is as follows:

  • Standard selection criteria consonant with the ALA Library Bill of Rights shall be applied.
  • Although copyright is not a consideration, all titles should be widely available.
  • Each category may have a special set of criteria.
  • Books can be in print or out of print, in hardcover or paperback.
  • Books that have appeared on earlier Outstanding Books lists or are available in revised editions are eligible.

If you’ve got a title to nominate, click on through to the nomination form.

If you have any questions, please let me know! Thanks in advance for all of your help!

July 22, 2013 0 Comments Short URLAnnouncements

ALSC: The Highs and Lows of Summer Reading

newalscblog

I decided to lead everyone in some group therapy sessions about summer reading at the ALSC blog. If you feel the need to let it out — come join us.

July 13, 2013 0 Comments Short URLALSC Post

Kids Art: Flowers!

“Kids Art” was a program created to pair a book with a larger art project for ages 3-7 (and occasionally a few 2-year-old siblings). The library already hosts a monthly craft program for grades 1-6, but I wanted a messy art club for my littles. In the program, I stress a lot about how process is more important than product. Since that’s the goal, I don’t show parents a “sample” completed picture and just explain what the kids are using that day to create. Particularly since we’re almost always painting or getting messy, the goal is for everyone to have a good time!

This was the April edition of Kids Art, which the kids used forks to make flowers! I love the different ways that they went about making their creations. I found out about fork painting from Blog Me Mom — thanks!

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Once they were done with their paintings, I read these garden/flower themed books:

kidsart-flower

A Garden of Opposites by Nancy Davis
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
A Closer Look by Mary McCarthy

(I just now realized that we read “Planting a Rainbow” in March Kids Art, too. Whoops! No one said anything if they minded.)

July 2, 2013 7 Comments Short URLSpecial Programming

Lauren Thompson!

The Plan

Books

laurenthompson

Chew, Chew, Gulp! by Lauren Thompson
Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson
Little Quack’s Bedtime by Lauren Thompson
Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Apples and Bananas”
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
(Repeat with different vowel sounds)

Flannelboard: “Five Little Ducks”
Five little ducks went out to play, over the hill and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And only four little ducks came back
(count down until)
Sad mother duck went out one day, over the hill and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all of her five little ducks came back

Action Rhyme: “Little Duck”
I saw a little duck go hop, hop, hop (hop three times)
I told the little duck to stop, stop, stop (hold up hand for stop)
I went to the window to say, ‘How do you do?’ (hold out hand for handshake)
He wagged his little tail and far away he flew! (shake tail and fly away)
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Pat-a-Cake”
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Roll it, and pat it, and mark it with a “B”
And put it in the oven for baby and me
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

I started asking the kids what they think the author writes about once I finish the storytime. Kids reported that Lauren Thompson writes about animals and mommies and food. So there you have it! Had a lot of fun with this storytime, and really these author storytimes are so easy to plan and put together!

June 19, 2013 6 Comments Short URLOutreach Storytime

Kids Art: Rainbows!

“Kids Art” was a program created to pair a book with a larger art project for ages 3-7 (and occasionally a few 2-year-old siblings). The library already hosts a monthly craft program for grades 1-6, but I wanted a messy art club for my littles. In the program, I stress a lot about how process is more important than product. Since that’s the goal, I don’t show parents a “sample” completed picture and just explain what the kids are using that day to create. Particularly since we’re almost always painting or getting messy, the goal is for everyone to have a good time!

For March, the kids colored coffee filters with markers and then sprayed them with water to make rainbows! I modified this a Pinterest pin, originally written at Meaningful Mama.

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And the books that we shared while their creations dried:

kidsarts-rainbows

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Raindrops: A Shower of Colors by Chieu Anh Urban
Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood

June 18, 2013 4 Comments Short URLSpecial Programming

Weather!

The Plan

Books

weather

Hello Sun! by Dayle Ann Dodds
Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch
Maisy’s Wonderful Weather Book by Lucy Cousins
Wow Said the Owl by Peter Hopgood

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “What’s the Weather?”
What’s the weather, what’s the weather?
What’s the weather, everyone?
Is it windy, is it cloudy?
Is there rain or is there sun?

App: Kid Weather

Action Rhyme: “Rain Is Falling Down” (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
The rain is falling down, (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH (clap once loudly)
The rain is falling down, (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH (clap once loudly)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
The rain is falling down, (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH (clap once loudly)
Credit: King County Library System

Song: “Mister Sun”
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Credit: Childhood

Song w/ Shakers & Scarves: “Noisy Wind” (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
I like the noisy wind
I like the noisy wind
It roars and mutters (loud, then soft)
And shakes and shutters (shake eggs)
I like the noisy wind
Credit: Harris County Public Library

Craft

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This was a weather wheel craft from Oriental Trading. I did a similar version of it for my outreach storytimes in Letter W, but went ahead and ordered this one for the library. Overall, I probably should have just made the teen volunteers cut another set of the homemade version since I think it went over better.

How It Went

This storytime was months and months ago at this point, but I realized that I had never written it up! This was my first time using the iPad in regular morning storytime, and it was pretty awesome to see the kids interacting with the Kid Weather app. All of the extension activities were super fun, and Maisy’s Wonderful Weather book was everyone’s favorite since it’s a pop-up.

June 17, 2013 5 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

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