storytime katie

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.

Another inspired by Flannel Friday for me. This week’s rhyme comes from Storytime Moxie!

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 too off for the river!
(repeat counting down to zero)

I used this just this week in Fairy Tale storytime. My little boys loved these knights! And I had a great time making them!

And on a more personal note, I want to wish you and yours the happiest of holiday seasons! I have had a wonderful time presenting storytimes and writing up these posts, but it means so much more to know that others are reading and getting inspired from what I’m doing. Thank you for reading!

—

Don’t forget — Flannel Friday will be back in 2012!

Linda is hosting the round-up (for the first time!) 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.

Hooray! It’s Flannel Friday!

Today, I bring you a flannelized version of “Feelings” by Kristen Balouch.

I used this in my emotions storytime two weeks ago. It’s a very sweet board book that has the animals feeling different things before finally attending a party together. I really wanted to use the story since it was so approachable for younger kids (my 1s and 2s). After storytime and craft was over, several of my kids met back up at the feltboard and retold the stories for their parents. It was super cute.

Liz is hosting the round-up (for the first time!) 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.

I have a set of bumblebees and a hive that were purchased here at this library, but since I love this rhyme and will use it forever, I wanted to make my own version. (And since I am really enjoying sewing on my flannels, I did sew as much as I can on these bees.) This is another clip art flannel — I just googled “hive” and “bee” and used some clip art.

Here’s the rhyme I use with this flannel:

Six little bumblebees sitting on a hive
One flew away and then there were five
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly away!
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day!
Five little bumblebees sitting on the floor
One flew away and then there were four
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly away!
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day!
Four little bumblebees sitting in the tree
One flew away and then there were three
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly away!
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day!
Three little bumblebees looking at you
One flew away and then there were two
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly away!
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day!
Two little bumblebees sitting in the sun
One flew away and then there was one
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly away!
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day!
One little bumblebee left all alone
He flew away, safe to his home
Credit: Modified from Monkey Business Creative

Sharon has 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.

I use the rhyme “Two Little Blackbirds” A LOT. I always thought that I looked silly just holding up my hands (I only have one blackbird puppet), but never thought to make a set of finger puppets until I saw this pin on Pinterest.

I freehanded this, just cutting it out of felt. It was a super easy one to make (I sewed during commercials!) and I will definitely be using this multiple times!

Anne has 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.

Inspired by Library Quine at Loons and Quines, I went ahead and made my own copy of Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer!

Rhyme:
Five little men in a flying saucer
Looked around the world one day
They looked left and looked right
But they didn’t like the sight
So one man flew away

Four little men in a flying saucer…count down.

Haven’t got a plan set in place to use this one, but I am a huge space geek — so I’m sure I’ll find a storytime for it.

Tracey has the round-up this week. Melissa started this. Anne 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.

I was in a horrible pinch this past week for storytime. I had my theme — “Me” — and no flannelboard for it! I reached out to Twitter, got a TON of great suggestions (thank you) and went home, armed with a couple of flannels to make before bed. And lo and behold, I fell asleep before the end of “America’s Next Top Model.”

Which led me to create this absolute last minute flannelboard…twenty minutes before storytime:

The laminated tags have the body parts in English, Spanish, and Polish — to the best of my ability and with help from Google Translate.

Sometimes things work out for the best though! This was a HUGE success. I moved the signs around and the kids “corrected” me by pointing to their own bodies. Both groups (Thursday and Friday mornings) were so happy with this flannel, even if I think it looks rushed and messy.

Inspired by Mary, and I know that Mollie did her own, too. Anna posted the second rhyme. The combination of both of these flannels came from Andrea. Basically, these are two flannels that have been around the block!

Rhyme: “One Elephant Went Out to Play”
One elephant went out to play
Upon a spider’s web one day
He had such enormous fun
He called another elephant to come…
(HEY, ELEPHANT!)
Two elephants went out to play
Upon a spider’s web one day
They had such enormous fun,
They called another elephant to come…
(You get the picture.)

Rhyme: “Five Elephants in the Bathtub”
One elephant in the bathtub
Going for a swim.
Knock, Knock, (Clap twice with “Knock, Knock.”)
Splash, Splash, (Slap knees twice with “Splash, Splash.”)
Come on in! (Motion with both hands to come in.)
Two elephants elephants in the bathtub… etc.
(Until…)
Five elephants elephants in the bathtub
Going for a swim.
Knock, Knock,
Splash, Splash,
They all fell in!

And there you go — one flannel set; two flannel rhymes! I haven’t used either of these rhymes with the set yet, but I can’t wait until I do.

Sharon has the round-up this week. Melissa started this. Anne has the archive. And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account. (Also, Melissa has a new button if you want to link to Flannel Friday and it’s up at her blog here.)

In July, I did a birthday themed storytime and this is the birthday cake I made for it!

Here’s the rhyme I used:

Flannel: Five Candles
Five candles on a birthday cake
Five, and not one more
You may blow one candle out,
And that leaves four!
(There for all to see / three; Standing straight and true / two; Helping us have fun / one; We know its task is done / none)
Credit: Addison Public Library

There’s no template, cause I just free-handed the whole thing. I sewed on the beads as sprinkles so that the cake was a little more special.

Mary has the round-up this week. Melissa started this. Anne has the archive. And you can also follow the Flannel Friday Pinterest account.

Inspired by Katie at Storytime Secrets and Anne at So Tomorrow, I took my own turn using this template from PurlBee, which I found on Pinterest.

(Was that enough links for you?)

Here’s the rhyme, courtesy of Katie:

Five little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A caterpillar! Munch munch munch!

Four little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A horse! Munch munch munch!

Three little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A pig! Munch munch munch!

Two little apples
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A bird! Munch munch munch!
One little apple
Hung in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking.
So guess who came to eat?
A scarecrow! Munch munch munch!

Now the tree is bare
There are no more apples there
But when next fall comes around
Guess who’ll be there!
The caterpillar
The horse
The pig
The bird
And the scarecrow!

I’m planning on using finger puppets to “munch” the apple. Each apple has a plain side and a side with a bite/half missing from it, so I’m going to flip the apples after the puppet takes a bite.

Melissa has the round-up on her blog, Mel’s Desk today. If you participate in Flannel Friday, make sure to leave a comment there to add your post to the list!