Counting Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean

• Stand-up Activity – "Jumping and Counting" from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem And More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill 

• 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 - Berries in a Bowl 

Count the number of berries (circles) placed above the bowl. 

• Letter of the Day - "C" is for cat and counting

 

• Book #2 – One, Two, Three! by Sandra Boynton (board book)

• Activity – Lots of Pairs (fingerplay I found in Preschool Mailbox Magazine, Dec./Jan. 2011-12, page 33)

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

• Art Experience – Glue buttons onto a counting strip (practice self control to place only 10, no more than 10, on the strip of paper)

Family Fan Club: Star Wars

Last year I tried out a very successful Harry Potter Book Night.  This year I wanted to create a program around a different type of fandom.  I chose Star Wars because of the release of Rogue One in December.

I basically advertised this library event as a family-friendly party to celebrate all things Star Wars. During the one hour party, there were craft stations, creation stations, and party games that children of all ages could take part in.

Droid Shooting Gallery - I taped pictures of different droids to empty water bottles.  The children then threw bean bags at the bottles to knock them down.  Such an easy game to make.

Jedi Training Course - In two rows of non-fiction shelving I set up some obstacles for the children to go through. First was to manuever over and under the laser beams (red crepe paper taped across the shelves). Next, the children had to jump over lava pits (hoola hoops). Then, crawl through an underground tunnel (expandable kiddy tunnel).  The lava pits were mostly ignored but the tunnel and "laser beams" were what most kiddos wanted to do over and over again.  We had to retape the crepe paper a couple of times during the party.

Silly Sabers - Create very silly looking light sabers by wrapping different colored duct tape (the hilt) around one end of a long skinny balloon (the kind used to make balloon animals).  I think this was the most popular craft station. My volunteers who were blowing up balloons were kept busy the entire evening.

Mad Libs - I found these wonderfully created Star Wars themed Mad Libs at this Packed With Fun blog.

Clone Trooper Paper Dolls - A coworker and I created some cardboard templates for this station. The kids could free hand their own paper troopers, but tracing the pre-made troopers was much more popular.  I like how most of them never seemed to look clones of each other.  Legal size paper worked best.

Straw Connectors Space Stations - I felt like I needed one more station so I grabbed the two boxes of Straw Connectors out of storage. These were a perfect fit. I placed them on the floor where there was a lot of room and the kids really went to town with these.  I saw some structures that were taller than the kids making them. A little STEM added in does not hurt anything.

Volunteers - Of course this evening could not be as fun as it was without my wonderful volunteers! Five members of the local high school Key Club were on hand to make things run smoothly.  These teens were super helpful.  I also got some wonderful appearances from the 501st Legion. The two Storm Troopers and the Boba Fett were just plain awesome interacting with the children (and adults).

Reflection - This program was well worth the time to create it. I had fun, the families in attendance had fun, and even the staff at the check out desk had fun.  Cost wise, it was rather inexpensive.  I had paper, scissors, crepe paper, and coloring pens on hand.  The balloons were left over from a Dia event a few years back.  I brought the water bottles from home.  The only thing I really needed to purchase was the duct tape. I spent less than $125 on the whole event.  With about 110 people in attendance, that is good ratio.  There are tons of great party ideas out there so I could easily do another event with a totally different set up of stations.  May the force be with you!

Monsters Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

• Stand-up Activity – Monster, Monster (action rhyme, based on the rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

Monster, monster turn around.
Monster, monster touch the ground.
Monster, monster reach up high.
Monster, monster bug out your eyes.
Monster, monster bend your knees.
Monster, monster give a sneeze.
Monster, monster sit on your bed.
Monster, monster rest your head.

• 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 - If You See a Monster (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" written by Carol Hopkins)

If you see a little monster, little monster, little monster,
If you see a little monster, wave your hand hello.

If you see a medium monster, medium monster, medium monster,

If  you see a medium monster, bow your head in greeting.

If you see a great big monster, great big monster, great big monster,

If you see a great big monster, run away and hide!

...Then turn around and say, "You Don't Scare Me!" because...

When you see any monster, any monster, any monster,

When you see any monster make a silly face!

• Letter of the Day - "M" is for monster

 

• Book #2 – Five Ugly Monsters by Todd Arnold

• Activity – I'm a Little Monster (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little monster hear me growl

Here are my big ears

Here are my claws

When I get all sneaky, I tip toe up

I jump in the air and give a big ROAR!

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Art Experience – Glue craft foam shapes and eye stickers to doorknob hanger to make a door monster

Frozen Winter Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Frozen Noses by Jan Carr, illustrated by Dorothy Donohue

• Stand-up Activity – This Is the Way We Play In the Snow (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Here We go Round the Mulberry Bush")

This is the way we stomp through the snow, stomp through the snow, stomp through the snow.
This is the way we stomp through the snow,
When we go out to play.

This is the way we hop through the snow, hop through the snow, hop through the snow.
This is the way we hop through the snow,
When we go out to play.

(Repeat with other action words)

• 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 Little Snowmen (counting backwards rhyme I found somewhere many years ago)

Five little snowmen all made of snow.
Five little snowmen all in a row.
Out came the sun and shone all day.
And one little snowman melted away.

(continue rhyme counting down until you get to two snowmen)

The last two snowmen made a good plan.

Into my kitchen They both ran,

Hopped in my freezer where the temperature's right,

And they come out to play on very cold nights.

• Letter of the Day - "S" is for snow

• Book #2 – Millions of Snowflakes by Mary McKenna Siddals, illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles

• Activity – Itsy Bitsy Snowflake (fingerplay I found in a Mailbox Preschool magazine, December/January 2007-8, page 26)

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the "Milkshake" song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

 

      Art Experience – Q-tip painting with white paint onto blue construction paper

Sweet Foods Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Maisy Bakes a Cake by Lucy Cousins (pop-up)

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

• 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 Little Cookies (a counting rhyme I found at Sunflower Storytime)

• Letter of the Day - "C" is for cookie or cake

• Book #2 – Ice Cream Colors by John Fosberg (board book)

• Activity – Alligator Pie (fingerplay I found somewhere, I have seen it on numerous websites)

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie
If I don't get some
I think I'm gonna cry
You can take away the grass
Take away the sky
But don't take away
My alligator pie!

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

      Art Experience – Coloring sheet