Painting to Learn with Shapes

This was a special painting program the library did where children and their caregivers paint together, each on their own canvases.  The point of the program is to make children and their parents aware of shapes, patterns, or colors while creating art.  All a part of making the young children of our community ready to start kindergarten.  

Opening - "My Ups and Downs" action song from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Me On His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill and Tommy Thumbs fingerplay 

Tommy Thumb is up (thumbs up)

and Tommy Thumb is down. (thumbs down)

Tommy Thumb is dancing all around the town.
Dancing on your shoulders,
dancing on your head,
Dancing on your knees,
then tuck him into bed.

Theme intro - 

Hold up a variety of shapes
How many sides does this shape have?
How many corners does this shape have?
What does this shape remind you of in your world?
Shapes are all around us.  In just a few moments you will have the opportunity to paint a picture, and maybe you will include some of these shapes in your painting. 

Flannelboard - Shape Match Up (adapted by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Muffin Man")

Directions: Hand out a red circle, blue rectangle, or yellow triangle to the children (only one shape per child). Review the different aspects of each shape (sides, corners, etc.). Then sing the song for each shape and allow the children to place their shapes on the flannelboard.

Can you find a [red circle, a red circle, a red circle]?
Can you find a [red circle], then bring it up right now. 

Book - Shape by Shape by Suse Macdonald 

Painting intro - Are you ready to paint with shapes? 

Show the materials we are working with:

• Aprons

• Paint brushes

• Canvas

• Paint palette on a paper plate

• Water cups

• Paper towels

Be sure to rinse off your paint brush with the water cup in between colors.  We will be sharing water cups.
There is more water, paper towels, and paints if needed.
There is no wrong way to do this!  Start with a shape and see where it takes you. 
Dip your paint brush in paint.  Use it to paint a shape, any shape, on your canvas.  What will you do around this shape?  What will your shape turn into?  

Happy Family Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Literacy activity - Matching Mother and Baby Animals

I found some "Animal and their young" matching card print outs on the Twinkl education resource website. I made multiple copies of the baby animals and handed them out to the children. When I put a mother animal on the board, the children with the corresponding baby animal would then place their card on the board. 

       

  

  

• Book #1 - Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

• Stand-up activity - "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays by Wee Sing

• Sit down activity - "Where Is Thumbkin?" from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo 

• Book #2 - Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang 

• Book #3 - My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Julie Flett

• 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 - Finger painting with shaving cream.  Our storytime families will work together to clean the meeting room tables with the shaving cream.

Sunny Skies Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

   

 

• Book #1 – Rain by Robert Kalan

• Stand-up Activity – "Eensy, Weensy Spider" fingerplay song from Toddler Tunes 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 Sunshines (counting chant)

1 little, 2 little, 3 little sunshines,

4 little, 5 little, 6 little sunshins,

8 little , 9 little 10 little sunshines,

10 little sunshines smiling at me!

• Letter of the Day - "S" is for sun

• Book #2 – Kipper's Sunny Day based on the books by Mick Inkpen (lift-flap)

• Activity – Rain is Falling Down (action chant I found in the book What'll I Do With the Baby-O? by Jane Cobb) 

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

   

• Art Experience – Metallic pen coloring on paper sun visors

Minecraft Build Competition: Summer Edition

Theme: Abandoned temple

Hosted another successful Minecraft Build Competition this summer. (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.  This theme worked well because there were so many different interpretations of a temple. My Key Club volunteers were awesome judges and all around great helpers.    

Garden Ups and Downs Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

• Stand-up Activity – "My Ups and Downs" action song from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee 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 - Flower Song (a song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" about the parts of a flower that I found at Everything Preschool)

• Letter of the Day - "F" is for flower

• Book #2 – Jasper's Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen

• Activity – Little Flower Open Up (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Little flower begin to grow

Open up your petals bright

Swaying in the sunshine light

Come and let the bees buzz right

Little flower in the night

Closing up your petals tight

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

 

 

• Art Experience – Glue beanstalk leaves to the picture of a beanstalk stem

Garden Seeds Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Color literacy activity flannelboard - Spring Flower Colors

I got a song at a workshop a few years back about the colors of spring flowers written by Lorraine Burdick. I passed out different colored flowers to the children. Then I sang the song changing the color of the flower each time I sang it.  The children with the colored flower that I just said comes up to place their flower on the board.  

  

  

  

• Book #1 - Dandelions: Stars In the Grass by Mia Posada

• Stand-up activity - "Baby Bumblebee" action song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• Sit down activity - A Little Plant (adapted action rhyme)

In the heart of a seed
Buried oh so deep, a little plant lay fast asleep
"Awake," said the sun
"Come up through the earth."
"Awake," said the rain
"We are giving you birth."
The little seed heard and giving it a try
Pointed its leaves
Up to the sky

• Book #2 - Call Me Tree by Maya Christina Gonzalez

• Book #3 - If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

• 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 - Glue, cut, and color with a "Seed Munch" worksheet I found in a Mailbox magazine, using gluesticks, color pens, and scissors