Read for the Record with Bunny Cakes

On October 21, my library participated in Jumpstart's 2014 Read for the Record nation-wide campaign to set a new world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day.

The book of choice this year was Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells.  A perfect choice for an audience of 3 to 7 year olds.  After the reading, we put out some activities to extend the fun.

Writing activity - We put butcher paper up on one wall with the words "Shopping List" at the top.  We invited the children to add to Ruby's shopping list by writing or drawing or gluing pictures cut out of magazines.

Art activity - We made simple bunny ear headbands that the children decorated with color pens and stickers.

Math activity - Max dumped all of the birthday candles, silver stars, hearts, and roses into one box.  We asked the children to sort these decorating supplies into their marked bowls.  (We actually used beads for the stars, hearts, and roses because they can be used again for a future program.)

Gross motor activity - Toss "Red Hot Marshmallow Squirters" (bean bags) into a stand up drawing of Max's cake (we cut holes into the cake drawing).

This program turned into a fun celebration of two well known characters, Max and Ruby!

Turkey Day Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds.

• Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

• Literacy activity - Create simple patterns using foam shapes handed out to the children (yellow hexagons, orange squares, and red trapezoids)

• Book #1 - One Is a Feast for a Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

• Movement activity - "I'm a Little Teapot" from This Little Piggy: Lap Songs, Fingerplays, Clapping Games, and Pantomime Rhymes edited by Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, et al.  

 

• Book #2 - Thanksgiving Cats by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm

• Book #3 - Biscuit Is Thankful by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories

• Activity - Turkey's Tail (action rhyme I found in a Mailbox magazine many years ago)

• Closing - Bubbles to the song "This Little Light of Mine" from Rise and Shine by Raffi

• Art experience - Glue and cut pattern worksheet

Community Workers

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Shhhhh! Everybody's Sleeping by Julie Markes, illustrated by David Parkins

• Stand-up Activity – I am a Policeman (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" found at http://www.hummingbirded.com/community-helpers.html)

I am a policeman, with my star

I help people near and far

If you have a problem, call on me

And I will be there 1, 2, 3

• 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 - Can You Guess My Job? (found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Community workers work far and near

This person helps people get well

Can you guess this job here?

...keeps the city safe

...delivers letters

...makes tasty meals

...keeps your pets healthy

• Book #2 – When Poppy and Max Grow Up by Lindsey Gardiner

• Activity – Busy Family of Workers (action chant found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

• Closing - Tambourines using the music "I Really Love to Dance" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

• Art Experience – Glue metallic-like wrapping paper ribbon to a drawing of a police badge

Thanksgiving Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated by Lynne Cravath

• 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 - Turkey Cheese Fondue (a counting rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

• Book #2 – Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon (board book)

• Activity – I'm a Little Turkey (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" found in The Mailbox Preschool magazine, Oct./Nov. 1999, page 37)

• Closing - Tambourines using the music "I Really Love to Dance" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

• Art Experience – Glue feathers to a turkey drawing

Lego My Library - Keeping Friends

A fun Lego building block storytime intended for children 4 to 9 years old.

Book: Being Frank by Donna W. Earnhardt, illustrated by Andrea Castellani

Lego challenge: Build something Mr. Pckles could use to sell his pickle relish

Friendship Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins

• Stand-up Activity – "Hey Little Friend" from Sing It! Say It! Stamp It! Sway It! Volume 3 by Peter and Ellen Allard (action song)

• 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 - Five Friends (I found this at the website http://www.stepbystepcc.com/friendship.html) 

• Book #2 – Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond

• Activity – Friends (a fingerplay I found at http://www.stepbystepcc.com/friendship.html)

• Closing - Tambourines using the music "I Really Love to Dance" fromBuzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

• Art Experience – Use color pens on paper towel tube friendship bracelets

Apple Picking Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Apples, Apples!: Lift-theFlap Book by Salina Yoon (board book)

• Stand-up Activity – "I'm a Little Teapot" from This Little Piggy by Adam Stemple, et al (action song)

• 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 - Five Red Apples (counting down chant written by Carol Hopkins)

5 red apples hanging on the tree

5 red apples, big and round and shiny

Along came a child with a hungry, grumbly tummy

And picked an apple right out of the tree

(continue counting down to zero apples)

• Book #2 – Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

• Activity – Four Red Apples (fingerplay to the tune of "This Old Man")

4 red apples, on the tree

2 for you and 2 for me

So-o shake that tree and watch them fall

1, 2, 3, 4, that is all

• Closing - Tambourines using the music "I Really Love to Dance" fromBuzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

• Art Experience – Use bingo paint dabbers to create designer apple colors on an apple drawing

Bead a Binary Bracelet

A library program for children ages 6-12 years old.

The inspiration for this program came out of the 2014 CLSP summer reading manual.  They had a wonderful handout listing the binary code 0's and 1's for each letter of the alphabet, upper and lower case.  We already had the plastic lanyard string on hand, lots of it.  We did need to buy some pony beads, but they are not very expensive.

Before the program started, I wrote out an example of a bead bracelet with color pens on the white board.

P = 01010000
P = 01010000
L = 01001100

0 = purple (p)
1 = orange (o)
spacers = turquoise (t)

As the children came into the room, I handed them the handout sheet and a pencil.  I instructed them to figure out the code string for their initials before coming up to get their beads.

tttpopopppptpopopppptpoppooppttt

The children then came up to the room to get a a length of lanyard string and a pie tin of beads, basically a small handful of three different colors.

Next they went back to their seats to get to work.

Pros:
- The children learned about patterns and some exposure to basic binary code.
- A craft program that appealed to boys and girls.
- A STEM program.
- Very inexpensive program.

Cons:
- The majority of the children and their parents actually did not understand what they were to do.  I had to go around the room and walk many kids through the process of creating the code string for their initials.  I did not anticipate this.
- Even using initials and not their names, the code strings were a little on the long side.  The bracelets were bigger than most child sized arms.