Flannel Friday: Five Little Snowflakes

I used this flannel in Snow storytime (summary post coming Monday!) back in December when Chicago was having a no-snow winter. We have since had some snow! Anyway, the rhyme went off like gangbusters and this is definitely one I will be repeating.

Flannelboard: “Five Little Snowflakes”
One little snowflake with nothing to do,
Along came another and then there were…two!
Two little snowflakes laughing with me,
Along came another and then there were…three!
Three little snowflakes looking for some more,
Along came another and then there were…four!
Four little snowflakes dancing a jive,
Along came another and then there were…five!
Five little snowflakes, having so much fun!
Out came the sun, and then there were none!

I did not make a sun piece, but instead grabbed my piece from “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” set and it worked just fine! And yes, I learned how to chain stitch for this flannel!

It’s my goal to learn a whole ton of embroidery this year. So far, I’ve done three stitches (chain, blanket, and french knots) — does anyone have any new suggestions?

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Kay has challenged us (via our Facebook page) to comment on every Flannel Friday submission this week! I’m totally in, and furthermore, I will respond to every comment on my own page if you want to start up a great discussion! Let’s do this!

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Anne is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday — you can find the round-up at her blog! Melissa is the founder of Flannel Friday! Anne also has the archive and schedule of who is hosting Flannel Friday.

And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account. And Flannel Friday has its own Facebook page! If you participate in Flannel Friday, Melissa has a button if you want to link up to us here.

January 27, 2012 33 Comments Short URLFlannels

Flannel Friday: Mittens

Another inspired by Flannel Friday post — this idea originally came from Mary, but I know that Library Quine and Shawn have done some of their own as well. (And probably other people — apologies if I missed you! Leave a comment and I’ll edit the post!)

I used this set in “Snow” storytime (post upcoming, I promise!) to great success. I had 21 kids at this storytime, so I did wind up having to hand out both sets. I had kids come up as I called “green mitten with star” or “blue mitten with heart” and they found their matches. A lot of my young kids needed help with the clothespins, so I did that part for them.

As for the mitten template, I used an Ellison die-cut since I knew I would be making forty mittens! The shapes I just made in a Publisher document and printed them out so they were consistent.

Melissa is hosting the round-up this week and is the founder of Flannel Friday! Anne also has the archive and schedule of who is hosting Flannel Friday.

And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account. And Flannel Friday has its own Facebook page! If you participate in Flannel Friday, Melissa has a button if you want to link up to us here.

January 20, 2012 7 Comments Short URLFlannels

Boxes!

The Plan

Books

Magic Box by Katie Cleminson
Meeow and the Big Box by Sebastien Braun
My Book Box by Will Hillenbrand
Not a Box by Antoniette Portis
Sitting In My Box by Dee Lillegard

Flannelboards

Flannel Activity: Boxes

Flannel: Dear Zoo

Extension Activities

Puppets: “Here Is a Box”
Here is a box where something is hid
I wonder whatever is under there
Could it be? Why, yes!
Without any doubt, it is a _______
Let it come out!
Credit: Perry Public Library

Action Rhyme: “I Like to Be a Jumping Jack”
I like to be a jumping jack
And jump out from a box
I like to be a rocking horse
And rock and rock and rock.
I like to be a spinning top
And spring around and round
I like to be a rubber ball
And bounce right to the ground
Credit: Perry Public Library

Fingerplay: “Little Turtle”
I had a little turtle (hands on top of each other, move thumbs)
Who lived in a box (make box)
He swam in the puddles and climbed on the rocks (with hands swim, climb)
He snapped at a mosquito (clap), he snapped at a flea (clap)
He snapped at a minnow (clap), and he snapped at me (clap)
He caught the mosquito (cup hands), he caught the flea (cup hands),
He caught the minnow (cup hands), but he didn’t catch me! (wag finger)
Credit: Childhood/Library School

Craft

This idea came from Sarah at Awesome Storytime. She did it for her tools storytime. I tried to stick with mostly box shapes, but I threw in some half-circles and triangles so that the kids could really get creative! The kids made castles, boats, spaceships, and houses.

How It Went

This was a great storytime to have — the kids loved the interactive flannelboard and as always, “Dear Zoo” was a smash hit. Their favorite book was probably “Magic Box.” The kids were just fascinated by the different things that were conjured up (and of course, the polar bear pet is a great wish for every child!) and the colorful spreads. They especially had fun pointing out all of the food in the birthday party food spread.

January 16, 2012 15 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

ALSC: Visual Cues to Storytime

newalscblog

I posted yesterday at the ALSC blog about how I set up my programming room to get kids to realize that it’s time for storytime just by what they see! So, if you ever wanted to see what my programming room looks like, click on over to the ALSC blog!

January 14, 2012 0 Comments Short URLALSC Post

Flannel Friday: H-E-A-R-T

This is a flannelboard that I used last year during my “Love” theme and didn’t post! (It was before Flannel Friday, after all!)

I used this song, to the tune of “BINGO:”

“H-E-A-R-T”
There is a shape and it means love
And heart is its name-o.
H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T,
And heart is its name-o!
Credit: Everything Preschool

This worked pretty well; my kids were familiar with “BINGO” so it wasn’t too hard to change it up a bit!

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Anna is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday — you can find the round-up at her blog! Melissa is the founder of Flannel Friday! Anne has the archive and schedule of who is hosting Flannel Friday.

And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account. And Flannel Friday has its own Facebook page! If you participate in Flannel Friday, Melissa has a button if you want to link up to us here.

January 13, 2012 5 Comments Short URLFlannels

Winter Animals!

The Plan

Books

I Am Small by Emma Dodd
In the Snow by Sharon Phillips Denslow
No Two Alike by Keith Baker
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Red Sled by Lita Judge

Extension Activities

Action Rhyme: “Marco the Polar Bear”
Marco the Polar Bear, (make circle in front of body with arms)
White as the snow, (extend out arms proudly)
Sat down on the ice (sit down)
Near the cold water’s flow (shiver)
“Lunch! I need lunch,” he said (rub stomach)
“I’ll make a wish.” (rub hands together)
He stuck in his paw (put right hand down)
And came up with a fish! (hold up right hand and smile)
Credit: KidsSoup

Rhyme & Puppets: “There’s Something In the Snow”
There’s something in the snow, now what can it be?
There’s something in the snow that I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound…HOWL HOWL HOWL
A wolf is what I found! HOWL HOWL HOWL
(CAW CAW CAW, A cardinal is what I found! / GRR GRR GRR, A bear is what I found! / WADDLE WADDLE WADDLE, A penguin is what I found!)
Credit: Modified from “There’s Something In My Garden” originally found at SurLaLune Storytime

Song & Puppet: “Sleepy Bear” (Tune: Thumbkin)
Where is bear? Where is bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
(Have kids shout “WAKE UP BEAR” to do the song again.)
Credit: Preschool Education Music & Songs : Animals > Winter

Craft

This came from KidsSoup, which does have a membership requirement to view.

How It Went

We had a great time with this theme — the kids loved the extension activities and variety of puppets that I used! Their favorite book of the day was “Red Sled” and they had the best time talking about what was happening on the page. My storytime moms loved “I Am Small,” which came as no surprise to me — the ending is definitely geared for the mom “awww.” Our craft was a big success; we had a lot of creative hibernation caves!

January 10, 2012 8 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Flannel Friday: Boxes

This box set was inspired by Melissa of Mel’s Desk!

I created a template in Publisher, just making quick shapes and knocked this out in about twenty minutes. You can see that the kids made a train when we did this in storytime. Each child laid down a piece and then I turned it around and filled in the gaps to make a full train. (They did the wheels and the caboose and someone put down the headlight.) This was a HUGELY successful flannelboard and I am thrilled with how it went.

Afterwards, I had to kids help me sort the colors to put the blocks “away.”

Mollie is hosting the round-up this week.

Melissa started this. Anne also has the archive.

And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account. And Flannel Friday has its own Facebook page! If you participate in Flannel Friday, Melissa has a button if you want to link up to us here.

January 6, 2012 10 Comments Short URLFlannels

Fairy Tales!

The Plan

Books

The Foggy Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt
Over at the Castle by Boni Ashburn
The Sunflower Sword by Mark Sperring and Miriam Latimer
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Rachel Isadora

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Knights In Shining Armor”
Five knights in shining armor, fearless and brave,
Went dragon hunting deep in a cave
The dragon started breathing fire,
The knights’ knees were all aquiver,
So one little knight went off to the river!

Song: “Curtsy Like a Princess” (Skip to My Lou)
Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess just like so
Curtsy like a princess!
(Bow like a prince, juggle like a jester, fly like a fairy, roar like a dragon)
Credit: Story Time Secrets

Puppets: “Here Is…”
Here is the knight with his feathered cap (take off hat, bow)
Here are his boots which go tap, tap, tap (tap feet)
Here is the dragon, listen to him roar (roar)
Here are his wings to help him soar (soar)
Here is the princess with her golden crown (four fingers over head)
Here is her lovely blue ball gown (curtsy)
Adapted from: Hummingbird Educational Resources

Song: “There Was a Princess” (repeat every line twice)
There was a princess long ago, long ago, long ago (curtsy)
And she lived in a big high tower, big high tower, big high tower (hands above head in triangle)
A wicked fairy cast a spell, cast a spell, cast a spell (wiggle fingers, cackle)
The princess slept for a hundred years, a hundred years, a hundred years (head on hands)
A great big forest grew around, grew around, grew around (spin)
A handsome prince came riding by, riding by, riding by (gallop)
He took his sword and cut the trees, cut the trees, cut the trees (make chopping motions)
He woke the princess with a kiss, with a kiss, with a kiss (blow kisses)
And everybody is happy now, happy now, happy now! (shoot “hooray!”)
Modified from Perpetual Preschool (I know I got the words from there, but I watched several YouTube videos to learn the song and wound up mashing some of the versions together.)

Craft

I bought the crowns from Oriental Trading and we used whatever foam stickers were around to decorate them. The squares were left-overs from an Earth Day program and the stars were left-overs from this summer. We also had letters so the kids could put their names on their crowns.

How It Went

This storytime skewed WAY older than I anticipated — right around the eight/nine year old mark (which is out of the suggested age range, but I had so many older siblings attend with their younger ones). Basically it meant that I had some very enthusiastic kids who sang and participated and I had some who didn’t. Somehow this still managed to work. All of the kids were very good listeners during the stories. Their favorite books were “The Sunflower Sword” and “The Foggy Foggy Forest.”

January 2, 2012 13 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Monkeys!

The Plan

Books

Banana by Ed Vere
Be Quiet, Mike! by Leslie Patricelli
Kiki’s Blanket by Janie Bynum
Tall by Jez Alborough

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed”
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Credit: Childhood

Puppets: “Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree”
Five little monkeys swinging in the tree
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, “You can’t catch me; no you can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Crocodile, as quiet as can be…
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!
(count down)
Credit: Childhood

Action Rhyme: “Little Monkeys Swinging In the Tree”
Little monkeys swinging in the tree,
All hold hands and swing with me
Swing up high and swing down low
Swing in the tree, now don’t let go!
Swing, swing, like I do
Swing like the monkeys in the zoo
Credit: Perry Public Library

Action Rhyme: “Monkey See, Monkey Do”
Monkey see, monkey do
Little monkey in the zoo
Monkey, monkey, in the tree
Can you jump around like me?
(swing tail, clap hands, nod head, sit down)
Credit: Perry Public Library

Craft

This was another Oriental Trading craft kit. I think it kind of looks a bit like a bear instead of a monkey though…

How It Went

This was an energetic group of kids. Definitely a lot of monkey business. I would say that they had the most fun with “Be Quiet, Mike” — though it wound up riling them up, which made it difficult for the next book. (Which was “Tall” — most of the kids were bouncing around and not “reading/guessing” if the monkey was tall or small.) The craft was a huge hit with parents and kids; everyone was definitely tired by the time they left — I heard a few meltdowns on the stairs as everyone was leaving.

December 28, 2011 25 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Tools!

The Plan

Books

I Love Tools! by Philemon Sturges
The Magic Toolbox by Mie Araki
Old MacDonald Had a Woodshop by Lisa Shulman
Tap Tap Bang Bang by Emma Garcia
Whose Tools Are These? by Sharon Katz Cooper

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Toolbox Match-Up”

Song: “Construction Worker Song”
This is the way we pound our nails, pound our nails, pound our nails
This is the way we pound our nails, so early in the morning
(Saw the wood, turn the screwdriver, drill a hole, stack the bricks, stir the paint, paint the walls)
Credit: Everything Preschool

Action Rhyme: “Dump Truck”
Dump truck, dump truck, bumpin’ down the road (bounce throughout)
Spillin’ gravel as you travel with your heavy load
Bumpety bumpety bump
Dump truck, dump truck, dump truck, DUMP! (tip)
Credit: Perry Public Library

Action Rhyme: “Johnny Works With One Hammer”
Johnny works with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer
Johnny works with one hammer, and then he works with two
(Two hammers – both fists on legs; Three hammers – both fists on legs and one foot on the floor; Four hammers – both fists on legs and both feet on the floor; Five hammers – both fists on legs, both feet on floor and nod head up and down; “And then he goes to sleep!”)
Credit: Mrs. Hegna’s Storyroom

Fingerplay: “Noisy Nails”
I use my hammer and five nails (hold up five fingers)
That’s too noisy, my neighbor yells (yell)
I’ll hammer them now before it’s night (pretend to hammer)
And to my neighbor, I’ll be polite! (bow)
Credit: Everything Preschool

Craft

This idea came from Mrs. Hegna’s Storyroom and the pattern came from the book: “Ready-To-Go Storytimes.” My teens cut out the tools and tool belts; kids decorated with crayons and foam stickers.

How It Went

This was a very funny storytime. I picked the theme after several friends had done it because I’m still a mostly boys storytime group (though the demographics are changing a bit as of very recent storytimes!). I knew that the kids would really respond to this theme and I was right. Their favorite book was “I Love Tools,” although the parents thought “Old MacDonald Had a Woodshop” was hysterical — mostly because I sung it and somehow remembered all the sounds for all the tools correctly while they kept tripping up. Craft went over just as well and many of the kids walked out wearing their tool belts!

December 21, 2011 7 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

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