Here Comes the Weather - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: When Windy Hats Blow (found in storytime collection at PCLS)

When I hear the wind blow,
I look up into the sky.
Instead of things like birds or planes,
I watch the hats fly.

Each one different from the last,
Every color do I see.
Some are big and some are small,
As they fly by me. 

Here comes a _blue_ hat flying by,
Now a _yellow_ hat is in the sky.
Next a _red_ hat on its way,
Then a _brown_ hat flies away.

_Green_ and _black_, _orange_ and _white_,
Even _purple_,… what a sight!
I like it when it rains or snows,
But most of all, I like it when the windy hats blow. 

  

  

Book #1: What Will the Weather Be Like Today? by Paul Rogers, illustrated by Kazuko

Stand-up activity: Itsy Bitsy Spider (traditional fingerplay)

Activity: “The Goldfish” action song from Laurie Berkner

Transition: Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when we read to them This builds vocabulary!                        

Book #2: Here Comes the Rain by Mary Murphy  

Book #3: What Can You Do in the Wind? by Anna Grossnickle Hines, illustrated by Thea Kliros (board book)     

Closing music with scarves: “Flitter Flutter” from The Second Line by Johnette Downing  

  

Art activity: Glue precut sun and clouds on paper then use Q-tips to paint raindrops around them    

Optional other books:
The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates and Juniper Bates
Singing In the Rain based on the song by Arthur freed and Nacio Herb Brown, illustrated by Tim Hopgood

 

 

 

 

Magnets - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

 

·         Read the book Magnets Push Magnets Pull by David A. Adler, illustrated by Anna Raff

·         Show the word card for magnetism.  Talk about what the definition of this word. 

·         Talk about where we see magnets in our world.   

·         Talk about how a metal object can become a magnet when it is touching a magnet.  Hand out large metal paperclips to each child.  Count how many paperclips can stick together in a long line with magnetism. 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Crazy Hair (inspired by what I saw at https://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2013/10/preschool-lab-magnets.html)   

The children played with two wand magnets and cut up pipe cleaners. 

 

Station #2 – Magnetic Stick Craft (inspired by what I saw at https://intentionalstorytime.wordpress.com/storytime/magnets-science-storytime/)  

The children can take home their own decorative magnet.  Glue small magnets onto one side of a decorated craft stick. 

Supplies:

-          Tape magnet strip cut into small pieces

-          Large craft sticks

-          Coloring pens

-          Small stickers

  

Station #3 – Magnetic letters on magnetic flannelboard 

 

Station #4 – Magnetic or not magnetic (inspired by what I saw at https://intentionalstorytime.wordpress.com/storytime/magnets-science-storytime/)  

The children explore magnetism with wand magnets and a variety of small objects.

 

Station #5 – Magna-tile building toy

 

 

 

 

 

Weather Fun - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: Weather by Ruth A. Musgrave (National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Board Book series)

Stand-up activity: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” traditional fingerplay

Sit-down activity: Rain Is Falling Down (fingerplay I found at https://kcls.org/content/rain-is-falling-down/)

Rain is falling down, splash!
Rain is falling down, splash!
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.
Rain is falling down, splash!

Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!
Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!
Peeking here, peeking there,
Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!

 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when we read to them.  This builds vocabulary.          

Transition: Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

Letter of the day: "U” is for umbrella

 

 

Flannelboard: What a Windy Day (rhyme to the tune of "The Wheels On the Bus" that I found in Mailbox Preschool magazine, April/May 2008, page 33)

The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
Blowing in the wind, blowing in the wind.
The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
What a windy day!

Other verses:
The leaves on the trees…
The clouds in the sky…
The flag on the lawn…
The hair on my head…

 

Closing song with scarves: “Alabama, Mississippi” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Songs by Jim Gill  

Optional book:
What Can You Do in the Wind? By Anna Grossnickle Hines, illustrated by Thea Kliros (board book)

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: BeeBots & Blocks

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Name tag table: 

Invite participants to create a name tag using the die cut shapes, tape, and pens.  

 

Activities of the day: BeeBots & Blocks

Building toy:

-          Wood blocks from the block cabinet

 

STEAM table:

The children explored simple coding using the BeeBot robots.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star Wars Day - Silly Lightsabers

 

May the 4th be with you!

Last May, my library celebrated Star Wars Day with a passive craft table.  It was out all day long. This craft was to create a pretend lightsaber using balloons and duct tape. 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive, activity with some fun results.  After playing with the duct tape, some of the little kids would swing their pretend lightsabers, they were adorable!

 

 

 

 

Truck Love - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: I Love Trucks by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern

Stand-up activity: “Little Red Wagon from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music  

Sit-down activity: Some Cars (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Some cars are big
Some cars are small
Some cars can honk their horns with a BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The wheels on the cars go fast
The wheels on the cars go slow
The wheels on the cars go really, really fast
And then come to a stop!

 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Play sorting games with your child.  Use items you can find around the house.  Talka bout what is the same and different out these items.        

Transition: Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

 

Letter of the day: "F” is for firetruck

 

 

Flannelboard: "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

(One) firefighter(s) went out to spray
Water on a flame one day.
It was such an enormous fire,
He called for another firefighter. 

(Keep on counting up to five firefighters) 

Final verse:
Five firefighters went out to spray
Water on a flame one day.
They sprayed the water till the fire was out.
Their work was done; we heard them shout! (Hooray!)

 

Closing song with scarves: “Alabama, Mississippi” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Songs by Jim Gill