Birthday Parties Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

• Stand-up Activity – "Clap Your Hands" action song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• 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 - Ten Little Candles (counting backwards rhyme I got from a librarian at the Whatcom County Library System www.wcls.org/youth/Themebook.pdf)

• Letter of the Day - "P" is for party

• Book #2 – Happy Birthday Sophie! by Dawn Sirett, designed by Polly Appleton (pop-up)

• Activity – "If You're Happy and You Know It" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

  

 

• Art Experience – Glitter glue on craft foam birthday cupcakes

April Library Lady

I visited four classes this month.  The children must be getting comfortable with me, they were making requests.

  

Bunnies on the Go: Getting from Place to Place by Rick Walton, illustrated by Paige Figlio
Butterfly Butterfly: A Book of Colors by Petr Horacek (pop-up)
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

  

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow
Jasper's Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

Minecraft Build Competition: Spring Break Edition

Theme: Fantasy safari

Hosted another successful Minecraft Build Competition during spring break. (To read how I run my Minecraft program, please read my past post on the topic.) This program is a lot of fun to offer. 

The kiddos who attend this program never cease to amaze me. At this event I witnessed some incredible acts of helpfulness between the contestants.  Two tweens who had never met each other before, decided to team up and complete a world together. In another case, an older tween (who had won twice before), assisted her younger brother (who had never won) with his competition world.  This was a day that did my heart some good! 

Colorful Books Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Color literacy activity - Colorful Music Notes

Each child is handed a felt music note.  Every child brings their note up to the board when their color is called.  

  

    

• Book #1 - Color Dance by Ann Jonas 

• Stand-up activity - "Color Game" from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill 

• Sit down activity - I Look and Look (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

I look and look and what do I see?

A bright red apple hanging in the tree.

I look and look and what do I see?

A yellow sun shining right on me.

I look and look and what do I see?

A great orange fruit, shiny and round.

I look and look and what do I see?

Some green grass growing on the ground.

I look and look and what do I see?

The blue waves on the ocean and sea.

I look and look and what do I see?

All of the colors around you and me!

• Book #2 - Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood 

• Book #3 - Snappy Little Colors by Kate Lee and Caroline Repchuk, illustrated by Derek Matthews

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Silly Dance Contest" from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill

 

 

• Art experience - Water color painting on card stock paper

Rabbits on the Go Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – Bunnies on the Go by Rick Walton, illustrated by Paige Miglio

• Stand-up Activity – Jumping Bunny (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Jumping bunny, jumping bunny jump so fast

Jumping bunny, jumping bunny jump so slow

Jumping bunny, jumping bunny start to run...

Running bunny, running bunny run so fast

Running bunny, running bunny run so slow

Running bunny, running bunny start to spin...

Spinning bunny, spinning bunny spin so fast

Spinning bunny, spinning bunny spin so slow

Spinning bunny, spinning bunny start to slide...

(continue 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 - Little Bunnies in a Field of Clover (counting flannelboard rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

One little bunny hopping onto a field

Finding lots of yummy clover to eat

He eats and he eats until he is full

So he asked for another bunny to join the fun

Two little bunnies hopping onto a field

Finding lots of yummy clover to eat

They eat and they eat until they are full

So they asked for another bunny to join the fun

(repeat as many times as you wish)

Now the bunnies dance

Now the bunnies jump

Until the pitter-patter of the rain sent them all running for a dry rabbit hole

• Letter of the Day - "R" is for rabbit

• Book #2 – What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Maggie Smith

• 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)

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Shake Your Scarves" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing

 

• Art Experience – Crayon coloring on rabbit ear headbands

My Colors Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – My Colors, My World by Maya Christina Gonzalez

• Stand-up Activity – Colored Shoes (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Walking in my red shoes, red shoes, red shoes

Walking in my red shoes, here at storytime.

Running in my blue shoes, blue shoes, blue shoes,

Running in my blue shoes, here at storytime.

Sliding in my green shoes, green shoes, green shoes,

Sliding in my green shoes, here at storytime.

Twirling in my pink shoes, pink shoes, pink shoes,

Twirling in my pink shoes, here at storytime.

Sitting in my white shoes, white shoes, white shoes,

Sitting in my white shoes, here at storytime.

• 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 - Shape Match Up 

Hand out one shape to each child. This particular set contains blue rectangles, yellow triangles, and red circles. Have the children place their shape on the flannelboard when their shape is called. 

• Letter of the Day - "C" is for colors

• Book #2 – Freight Train by Donald Crews (big book)

• Activity – "Little Red Wagon" bouncing song from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

 

 

• Art Experience – Watercolor painting sheets