Ladybug Release Party

Help spread ladybugs in the park, and make ladybugs to take home. A library program for children ages 4 to 12 years old.

Children listened to stories about ladybugs then went outside to the park to release a bag full of ladybugs. It was fun watching the children squeal with delight and fright as the ladybugs landed on them.

After the ladybug release, the children came back inside to work on two craft projects:

LADYBUG PET ROCK -
1. Choose a special rock.
2. Using the pens or paint provided, color your rock red.
3. Using a pen or paint, add a black head an dots.
4. Now take very good care of your new pet rock!

PAPER PLATE LADYBUG PUPPET -
1. Staple or tape two red paper plates together (put the eating surfaces of the plates on the inside facing each other). Be sure to leave one end of the ladybug open to put your hand in the puppet!
2. Cut off the rim of the plates where they were not staples or taped - this is where you will put your hand to move the puppet.
3. Using black paper, cut out six legs. Attach the legs to the ladybug.
4. Using black paper, cut out a head. Glue the head to the ladybug.
5. Use the colored paper to give your ladybug eyes.
6. Use the black pens or black paper to give your ladybug spots.
7. Now you have a great ladybug puppet!

The Bees Are A Buzzin'

A library program for children ages 4 to 12 years old.

A member of a local honey bee keeper group talked for 20 minutes about working with bees and gathering honey. Then we broke into stations:

Station #1 - Bee keeper equipment
Children got to look at and touch the equipment that the bee keeper brought.

Station #2 - Wind flying honeybee
(a) Draw stripes onto the yellow paper plate body.
(b) Cut out the head using the yellow paper. Decorate the head with button eyes and pipe-cleaner antennae. Glue or tape the head to the body.
(c) Cut out two wings using the tissue paper. Glue or tape the wings to the body.
(d) Glue or tape a black crepe paper stinger to the body.
(e) Use the hole puncher once on the paper plate body. Use yarn to create a loop to hang your honeybee. Now let it dance in the wind!

Station #3 - Fingerprint bumblebees
(a) Stamp your thumb in the yellow paint.
(b) Press your thumb onto the paper to make the bee's body.
(c) Stamp your pinkie finger into the black paint.
(d) Press your pinkie onto the tip of the yellow body to make a head.
(e) Stamp your index finger into the black paint.
(f) Press your index finger twice next to the yellow body to make 2 wings.
(g) Help the paint dry by gently blowing on the bee. When the paint is dry, use the Sharpie pens to draw in stripes and a stinger.

Station #4 - Design your own honeycomb
Use the pattern blocks to create your honeycomb design.

Mothers Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino, illustrated by Steven Kellogg (big book)
• Stand-up Activity - If You're Happy and You Know It (action song from Songs for Wiggleworms)
• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - 5 Little Ducks (counting backwards song)
• Sit-down Activity - Come A' Look A' See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the cd The Baby Redord by Bob McGrath)
• Book #2 - My Mom Is Fantastic by Nick Butterworth
• Activity – Do It For Your Mother (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your mother.

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As loud as loud can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your mother.
Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet
As hard as hard can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your mother.
Jump, jump, jump your feet
As high as high can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your mother.
Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your mother.

• Closing - Popcorn Calling Me (scarf song found in Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner)
• Craft – Make paper strip daisy flowers

Rabbits Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – What Can Rabbit See? by Lucy Cousins (lift-flap)
• Stand-up Activity - I Saw a Little Rabbit (action rhyme)

I saw a little rabbit go hop, hop, hop
(jump)
I saw his ears go flop, flop, flop
(flop hands on head)
I saw his eyes go blink, blink, blink
(point to eyes and blink)
I saw his nose go twink, twink, twink
(wiggle nose)
I said, "Little rabbit, won't you stay?"
(beckon with hand)
He looked at me and hopped away
(jump)

• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity -This Little Bunny (I'm not sure which website I found this rhyme on)

This little bunny has two pink eyes.
This little bunny is very wise.
This little bunny is soft as silk.
This little bunny is white as milk.
This little bunny nibbles away at cabbages and carrots the livelong day!

• Sit-down Activity - Here's a Bunny (fingerplay)

Here's a bunny with ears so funny
(bend two fingers over thumb)
Here is his hole in the ground
(make hole with other arm at side of body)
When a noise he hears
(clap hands)
He pricks up his ears
(straighten fingers)
And jumps in his hole in the ground
(bunny ears jump into hole at side of body)

• Book #2 - Peekaboo, Blueberry! by Barney Saltzberg (lift-flap)
• Activity – See the Birdie Flying (sign language song from Pick Me Up! by Sign2Me)
• Closing - Popcorn Calling Me (scarf song found in Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner)
• Craft – Decorate rabbit ear headbands