Tag: spring 2012

Pirates!

The Plan

Books

Bubble Bath, Pirates! by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler
Pirate Nap by Danna Smith
This Little Pirate by Philemon Sturges

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Pirates for a Treasure Chest”
Five pirates on a treasure chest, one jumped off and four are left.
Four pirates on a treasure chest, one slid off and three are left.
Three pirates on a treasure chest, one fell down and two are left.
Two pirates on a treasure chest, one was pushed off and one is left.
One pirate on a treasure chest, he climbed down and none are left.
No pirates on the treasure chest, yo-ho-ho and now it’s all mine!
Credit: Mega Storytime

Flannelboard: “The Pirate Wore a Red Patch”
Pirate wore a red patch, red patch, red patch
Pirate wore a red patch all day long…
Credit: Loons and Quines

Action Song: “If You’re a Pirate and You Know It”
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the desk (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the desk (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate & you know it, then you’ll hear sea winds a’blowin
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the desk (swish, swish)
(Walk the plank, stomp stomp // Say ahoy, ahoy!)
Credit: Born Librarian

Fingerplay: “Ten Little Pirates”
Ten little pirates stood in a row (hold up all ten fingers)
They bowed to their captain so (lower and raise fingers)
They marched to the left (march hands to left)
And marched to the right (march hands to right)
They shouted yo-ho! (cup hands over mouth)
And gave their captain a fright (act scared, cover mouth with hands)
Credit: Born Librarian

Song: “Sail, Sail, Sail Your Ship” (Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Sail, sail, sail your ship
Gently over the sea
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
A pirate’s life for me!
Credit: King County Library System

Craft

This was a craft kit that I bought from Oriental Trading. All of the foam shapes were peel and stick and the kids LOVED their pirate hats. We had several kids up in the department afterwards working on their treasure map coloring sheets and swashbuckling their crayons.

How It Went

I know I say this all the time, but this was an AMAZING theme for storytime! The kids had SO MUCH fun with the extension activities and shouting “ARR!” with me. The hit of storytime was “Bubble Bath Pirates,” and I have to thank a neighboring librarian who recommended and pulled the book for me — it is definitely being purchased for our storytime collection.

June 18, 2012 10 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Hats!

The Plan

Books

A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Twelve Hats for Lena by Karen Katz
Where’s Mary’s Hat?
Who’s Under That Hat? by David A. Carter

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Little Cat”

Action Rhyme: “Hats on Everyone”
Hats on police officers starchy and blue (salute)
Hats on fire fighters shiny and new (spray with hose)
Hat on marchers in a band (drum)
Hat on astronauts when they land (float)
Hats on farmers made of straw (shovel hay)
Hats on artists when they draw (paint)
Hats on kids out in the sun (shade eyes)
Hat on almost everyone! (hold hands out to side)
Credit: Perry Public Library

Action Rhyme: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Grandma’s Glasses”
These are Grandma’s glasses
This is Grandma’s hat
This is the way she folds her hands
And lays them in her lap
Here are Grandpa’s glasses
And here is Grandpa’s hat
And here’s the way he folds his arms
And takes a little nap
Credit: Childhood

Song: “Silly Hat Song” (Tune: This Old Man)
On my head, I wear my hat.
It is such a silly hat
That my head will wiggle waggle to and fro
Where else can my silly hat go?
[Repeat using foot, elbow and knee.]
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime

Craft

I got this craft from Sarah at Awesome Storytime and it was a big hit. I put out tons of craft supplies and let the kids go to town. We had some very creative hats!

How It Went

This is such a great storytime theme; I’m surprised it took me this long to do it! Their favorite book was “Twelve Hats for Lena” because they loved telling me which holiday she decorated her hat for, but I think the book that got the most laughs was “A Hat for Minerva Louise.” They really enjoyed telling me what Minerva Louise was really wearing instead of a hat. The best part of storytime, however, was the flannelboard game. The kids were screeching with delight as we tried to find Little Cat. It’s been a while since I did a hiding flannel with them, and they definitely missed it!

June 11, 2012 5 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Pizza!

The Plan

Books

Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter
Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig
Pizza at Sally’s by Monica Wellington
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Philemon Sturges

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “The Pizza That Sally Made”

Action Rhyme: “Pizza Man, Pizza Man”
Pizza man, pizza man, turn around
Pizza man, pizza man, touch the ground
Pizza man, pizza man, reach up high
Pizza man, pizza man, touch the sky
Pizza man, pizza man, find your nose
Pizza man, pizza man, touch your toes
Pizza man, pizza man, find your knees
Pizza man, pizza man, sit down, please!
Credit: Modified from childhood; idea from Awesome Storytime

Action Song: “If You Wanna Eat Some Pizza”
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
If you like bubbly cheese then just say, “Pizza please!”
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
Credit: Awesome Storytime

Fingerplay: “Pizza Man”
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, pizza man (clap hands)
Make me a pizza as fast as you can (shake finger)
Roll it (roll)
Toss it (pretend to toss in air)
Sprinkle it with cheese (sprinkling motions)
Put it in the oven (pushing motion)
And bake it fast, please!
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime

Craft

This was a craft from KidsSoup, and it was very simple! I could have cut out tons of toppings, but I find most kids just prefer cheese at this age.

How It Went

Pizza storytime was SO fun! I love doing this theme because there are some great pizza books out there. Their favorite books were “Hi, Pizza Man!” and “Pizza at Sally’s.” I did not have a good group for “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza,” so I wound up abbreviating a lot of the humor in that book. It made me a little sad, but you have to roll with the punches in storytime! Their favorite extension activity was, of course, “If You Wanna Eat a Pizza.”

June 4, 2012 17 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Messy!

The Plan

Books

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont
I’m Dirty! By Kate and Jim McMullan
Not Me! by Nicola Killen

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean”

Flannelboard: “Mrs. Wishy-Washy”

Action Song: “This Is the Way”
This is the way we wash our arms
Wash our arms, wash our arms
This is the way we wash our arms
When we’re in the bathtub.
(Legs, tummies, heads)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Fingerplay: “Two Mother Pigs”
Two mother pigs lived in a pen, (two thumbs up)
Each had four babies and that made ten. (Wiggle four fingers on each hand)
These four babies were black and white. (Wiggle four fingers on one hand)
These four babies were black as night. (Wiggle four fingers on the other hand)
All eight babies loved to play. (Wiggle eight fingers)
And the rolled and they rolled in the mud all day. (Roll hands)
At night, with their mother,
They curled up in a heap, (Make fists, palms up)
And squealed and squealed
Till they went to sleep. (Tuck thumbs under fingers)
Credit: King County Library System

Craft

Today’s craft was super easy. I bought giant stamp pads at our craft store and pulled out all the foam stamps that we had, porcupine rings, and these cars where the tire treads are designed. Then, I let the kids go to town. This was less messy than fingerpaint, but still messy enough that I had parents who asked to borrow some of our craft smocks!

How It Went

This storytime was a blast! I had so much fun, and we had a GIANT group of kids. The best book by far was “Dog’s Colorful Day,” which they cannot get enough of. I definitely had some kids sing along with me during “I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More” because their afternoon preschool class reads it all the time. It was super nice to have someone sing with me!

May 30, 2012 4 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Fruits & Veggies!

The Plan

Books

Chew Chew Gulp! by Lauren Thompson
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett
Rah, Rah, Radishes! by April Pulley Sayre

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Lunch”

Action Rhyme: “Picking Up the Fruits”
Picking up the apples and puttin’ ‘em in the basket
Picking up the apples and puttin’ ‘em in the basket
Picking up the apples and puttin’ ‘em in the basket
Way down yonder in the apple field
(Repeat with other fruits)
Credit: What Happens In Storytime

Fingerplay: “Way Up High”
Way up high in the apple tree
I saw two apples looking at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
And down came the apples
And mmm, they were good
Credit: Childhood

Song: “Apples and Bananas”
Credit: Childhood

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

Craft

This is another craft from KidsSoup. I had all of the fruits and veggies cut out, as well as the plate basket. (Thank you, teen volunteers!) The kids colored and glued their food down. It was a very simple craft that went over very well.

How It Went

We had a much better storytime experience this week than last, which I was grateful for. The kids all insisted that they eat their vegetables at home, but I saw several moms shake their heads and laugh when I posed the question. The best book of the day was “Eating the Alphabet” and the kids were thrilled when my mouse puppet ate the food off of the flannelboard.

May 28, 2012 8 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Chickens!

The Plan

Books

Charlie the Chick by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker
First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
The Little Red Hen by Rebecca and Ed Emberley

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ten Fluffy Chickens”
Five eggs and five eggs
And that makes ten
Sitting on top is mother hen
Cackle, cackle, cackle
And what do I see?
Ten fluffy chicks as yellow as can be
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Puppets: “All Around the Barnyard”
All around the barnyard
The animals are fast asleep
Sleeping cows and horses
Sleeping pigs and sheep
Here comes the cocky rooster
To sound his dairy alarm
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
To wake the sleepy farm!
Credit: CanTeach

Song: “I Know a Chicken”
Oh, I know a chicken and she laid an egg
Oh, I know a chicken and she laid an egg
Oh my goodness, it’s a shaky egg!
Shake your eggs!
(Fast, slow, circle, etc.)
Credit: Miss Sarah’s Storytime

Craft

I printed out a coloring page and used the foam eggs I had bought for my failed Easter storytime and put them on the coloring page. I added a brad so the chicken could hide. The kids glued feathers and colored their chickens.

How It Went

This was a high-energy, almost wild storytime. I’m seeing higher and higher numbers each week and this week had quite a few new faces, some with questionable behavior. This is the first time I’ve ever had to stop storytime to prevent a child from falling off something they had climbed on. Yikes. Other than that, we had a lot of fun with this theme, even if I was a little stressed the whole time! Best books were “Is Everyone Ready for Fun?” and “Charlie Chick.” With the amazing pop-up at the end, I wonder why I don’t do that book for every storytime.

May 21, 2012 4 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Bugs!

The Plan

Books

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek
I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodd
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin, Jr.
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Pretty Ladybug”

Flannelboard: “Six Little Bumblebees”

Action Rhyme: “The Ants Go Marching”
Credit: Childhood

Action Rhyme: “Bumblebee, Bumblebee”
Bumblebee, bumblebee, landing on my nose.
Bumblebee, bumblebee, now he’s on my toes.
On my arms, on my legs, on my elbows.
Bumblebee, bumblebee he lands and then he goes.
Credit: Mrs. Jones — Insects

Craft

This was another Oriental Trading purchase; everyone was THRILLED with it. I have to agree, ladybug is super cute!

How It Went

This was the first session of Spring II and I had a FULL house! For whatever reason, the kids were not having any activities this week, other than the flannelboards, which I was glad I had two prepped! This wasn’t a super original storytime — I did it last year too. But it’s a theme that is always a crowd-pleaser, so I’m happy to do it again.

May 14, 2012 3 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Spring!

The Plan

Books

I See Spring by Charles Ghigna
Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson
Peek-a-Bloom by Marie Cimarusti
Split Splat by Amy Gibson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Little Kites”
One little kite in the sky so blue,
Along came another, then there were two.
Two little kites flying high above me;
Along came another, then there were three.
Three little kites, just watch them soar,
Along came another, then there were four.
Four little kites, so high and alive
Along came another, then there were five.
Five little kites dancing across the sky,
What a sight to see, way up so high!

Puppets/Fingerplay: “Five Little Bunnies”
Hippety hop and hippety hay,
Five little bunnies went out to play.
Hippety hop and hippety hay,
One little bunny hopped away.
(Count down…No more bunnies are playing today, I hope they come back another day.)

Action Rhyme: “The Rain Is Falling Down”
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)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
[Repeat until kids are worn out.]
Credit: King County Library System

Fingerplay: “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
Credit: Childhood

Craft

This was an Oriental Trading purchase. I love their tissue paper collages. (I have a campfire one for summer and a mitten one for next winter already purchased.)

How It Went

This was a surprise storytime! We do program reminders at my library and my co-worker forgot to call the night before to remind everyone about the program. So I was super bummed that storytime wasn’t going to happen. Well, six families (with a total of 11 kids) remembered to come on their own — hooray! I had to run down and quickly set up, but it was well worth it. The kids had a great time with the theme and they LOVED the butterfly craft!

May 7, 2012 8 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Clouds and Rainbows!

The Plan

Books

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood

Extension Activities

I used the pieces from another flannelboard to do: Flannelboard: “Magical Rainbow Stew”
Take an apple, put it in the pot
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out. What will it be?
The prettiest red you ever did see.
Credit: Andrea at Rovingfiddlehead Kidlit

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

Fingerplay: “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Song: “What’s the Weather?” (Tune: Clementine)
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?
Credit: Perpetual Preschool

Scarf Rhyme: “Rainbow Dancers”
Rainbow dancers let’s get ready
Hold your scarves nice and steady.
You’ll hear the colors of the rainbow.
Listen for your time to go.

Shake red…
Shake orange…
Shake yellow…
Shake green…
Shake blue…
Shake purple…

Red scarves turn around,
Orange scarves up and down.
Yellow scarves reach up high,
Green scarves fly, fly, fly.
Blue scarves tickle your nose,
Purple scarves touch your toes.

Everybody dance around,
Swirl your scarves up and down.

Shake purple…
Shake blue…
Shake green…
Shake yellow…
Shake orange…
Shake red…

Rainbow dancers dance around,
Scarves swirl up and down.
Our colorful dance is at an end.
Thank you, thank you, all my friends.
Credit: K at Storytime Fun

Craft

The idea for this craft came from 1+1+1=1, who also has a TON of other rainbow activities in this post. I did wind up using streamers though, since we already had those pre-cut from another craft.

How It Went

This was the last week of the Spring I session of storytime, so it was packed with kids! I got called a magician after the “Magical Rainbow Stew” flannelboard, when I pulled out the rainbow, which pretty much made my day. The biggest hit for the kids was when we danced around with the rainbow scarves — the kids just shriek with joy when I pull out scarves/shakers. And as for books, both cloud books went great, and “Planting a Rainbow” was probably the favorite of all the books.

April 30, 2012 13 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Art!

The Plan

Books

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle
Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont
I’m the Best Artist in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Mouse Paint”

Action Song: “This Is the Way…”
This is the way we stir the paint, stir the paint, stir the paint
This is the way we stir the paint so early in the morning
(dip our brush, paint the paper, blow it dry, frame the picture)
Credit: Modified from several other sources.

Folder Story: “Scat the Cat”
I’m the Scat the Cat and I’m sassy and fat
And Miss Katie can change my color just like that!
Credit: Modified from Tell Me a Story, but originally I heard about Scat from Anne at So Tomorrow

Song: “I Know the Colors”
I know the colors for painting fun
Green like grass and yellow sun
An orange pumpkin and white snow
A red rose and a black crow
Blue like a mailbox, brown like an ape
A pink pig and some purple grapes
Credit: Preschool Education, many thanks to K at Storytime ABCs for suggesting this one!

Craft

I came up with this idea on my own. I just had my teen volunteers print off palettes and provided the kids with TONS of materials (left-overs) to put all over. Mostly, we had very crazy-looking palettes, not the kind of control you see in my examples!

How It Went

This was a FUN theme! I was so excited about all of the book choices and I think the kids REALLY picked up on that. (I basically drove around to three different libraries to get the books I wanted; that’s how dedicated I was to this theme!) Twitter came through for me big time with extension activities, and I got to use my Mouse Paint flannelboard again! Also, this was my first time ever using Scat the Cat and the whole room was just…mesmerized by it. I will definitely be looking at more folder stories in the future!

April 23, 2012 16 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

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