Brave Superhero Books - Family Storytime

A Wednesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

  

Literacy activity flannelboard: Superheroes Move All Around Town (to the tune of “Wheels On the Bus” that I adapted from one I found on the Literary Hoots blog at http://www.literaryhoots.com/2015/04/superhero-storytime.html)

The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
flex and lift, flex and lift;
The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
All around town.

…_Eyes_ go zap, zap, zap.

…_Legs_ run very fast.

…_Cape_ flies with a zoom!

 

   

 

Book #1:  There’s a Superhero In Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

Theme activity #1: Did You Ever See a Hero? (adapted from an action song I saw on the Jbrary blog, to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero

Did you ever see a hero, flying through the sky?

Flying this way and that way

Flying this way and that way

Flying round and around

Flying round and around

Did you ever see a hero

Flying down to the ground?

  

Theme activity #2: "Grand Old Duke Of York" action song from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo

Transition: Dance Your Fingers (fingerplay adaption from a video I saw from New York Public Library)

Dance your fingers up;
(put fingers high in the air)

Dance your fingers down;
(touch the ground)

Dance your fingers from side to side;
(move hands from left to right side of body and back again, several times)

And dance them all around.
(hands move in a large wiggly circle in the air in front of your body)

Dance them on your shoulders;
(fingers wiggle on your shoulders)

Dance them on your head;
(fingers wiggle on top of your head)

Dance them on your tummy;
(fingers wiggle on top of your tummy)

And put them all to bed.
(fold hands in lap or tuck under armpits)

  

Book #2: Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley 

Book #3: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (big book) 

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner        

  

 

Art activity:  Make superhero armbands with slapbracelets, bingo dabbers, and stickers

Optional other books:
Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti 
Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman 

 

 

 

 

Brave Little Superheroes - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Wednesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more places to stick the gum)

 

 

Book: Supertruck by Stephen Savage 

Themed activity #1:  The Garbage Truck Rolls (fingerplay to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

The garbage truck drives down the street, down the street, down the street
The garbage truck drives down the street
As it picks up garbage

The garbage truck stops and goes, stops and goes, stops and goes
The garbage truck stops and goes
As it picks up garbage

...Turns the corner...
...Wiggle, wiggle, wiggles... 

 

Themed activity #2: "If You're Happy And You Know it" from Songs for Wiggleworms 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Little Owls Say Shhhh! (a quiet time or transition song I adapted from one I learned from Librarian Michelle A. to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”)

Little owls, little owls,
They say, “Who!”
They say, “Who!” 
All very quietly, all very quietly,
Now they say, “Shhhh!”
Now they say, “Shhhh!”

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

Transition: Dance Your Fingers (fingerplay adaption from a video I saw from New York Public Library)

Dance your fingers up;
(put fingers high in the air)

Dance your fingers down;
(touch the ground)

Dance your fingers from side to side;
(move hands from left to right side of body and back again, several times)

And dance them all around.
(hands move in a large wiggly circle in the air in front of your body)

Dance them on your shoulders;
(fingers wiggle on your shoulders)

Dance them on your head;
(fingers wiggle on top of your head)

Dance them on your tummy;
(fingers wiggle on top of your tummy)

And put them all to bed.
(fold hands in lap or tuck under armpits)

 

Letter of the day: “S” is for Superheroes  

 

 

 

Flannelboard:  Five Superheroes (counting down rhyme I found on the Jbrary blog at https://jbrary.com/preschool-storytime-superheroes/) 

5 superheroes ready to fly
Here comes the villain, Stop that guy!
This superhero can save the day.
Off they fly – up, up, and away!

Count down from 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

  

Closing song with egg shakers: “Shake With You” from Bouncy Blue from the Learning Groove by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael     

 

 

 

 

Superhero Academy Party

My library just pulled off our Superhero Academy program as part of our summer reading line-up of events.  This was a fun party where we took over most of the library.  I created a check sheet, similar to a scavenger hunt, of all the party games and crafts.  When the children finished the check list, they returned to our meeting room for a completion certificate and some "kryptonite" green rock candy.

I framed the check list around various superhero powers:

1. FLIGHT - Head due North (otherwise known as the North Meeting Room) to create your own hero in training who can fly through the air.  (art activity)

2. AGILITY – In the aisle where you can find great children’s books about true sport heroes, show us your ability to safely traverse a corridor of deadly laser beams. (party game using crepe paper as the laser beams)

3. BALANCE – In the Teen Zone of Dread on the second floor, walk the plank over the dangerous lava pit without falling in.

4. KNOWLEDGE – Celebrate everyday heroes! What will you find on the shelf at j 356 and j 357?

5. IDENTITY – All great superheroes keep their true identity a secret. Head over to the open space between the checkout desks and the elevator for a chance to create your own mask. (art activity)

6. JUMPING – Jump over tall buildings in a single bound in the Picture Book area. (I found this idea on Pinterest. Decorated cardboard boxes to look like buildings.)

7. STRENGTH – The large print books is where you will go to demonstrate your awesome strength.  What a great photo opportunity! (Another idea I found on Pinterest. Two of our shelvers created a barbel out of a gift wrap tube and balloons.)

8. RESEARCH – Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.  Who is the author of the book Little Pink Pup?

9. ADAPTABILITY – Don’t be bored head to the Board room to reveal how you handle the surprise ahead. (Play tunnels to crawl through.)

10. CHARISMA – Thor and Loki may be from Asgard, but they are visiting your library to pose for pictures with you.  Head up to the Computer Lab on the second floor to meet these ill-fated brothers. Don’t have a camera?  Then test if you are worthy to give Thor’s hammer a pat. (The teen librarian picked up this pair of cardboard stand-ups for the MiniCon my library did back on Free Comic Book Day. Of course I had to get another use out of these guys!)

11. CRIME PREVENTION – Super villains have taken over the area between the chapter books shelves and the adult DVD shelves.  Take turns, follow the directions, and then knock out these criminals. (Another Pinterest idea. I taped pictures of villains onto empty water bottles. I then put out bean bags to throw at the bottles.)

My reflections: I think this program went well. I had a lot of parents tell me how pleased they were with the program. There were plenty of different things for the children to do. Some families who don't come to the library often maybe even learned a new thing or two about the library Cost wise, this program did not cost too much. But since the stations were spaced out around the library, I did need to recruit some 3 shelvers and the other children's librarian to help. My biggest takeaway -- Superhero Cinderella (with a purple cape) should not attempt to cross a laser beam field in her full ball gown!

Superheroes Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Supertruck by Stephen Savage

• Stand-up Activity – The Garbage Truck Rolls (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus")

The garbage truck drives down the street, down the street, down the street
The garbage truck drives down the street
As it picks up garbage

The garbage truck stops adn goes, stops and goes, stops and goes
The garbage truck stops and goes
As it picks up garbage

(use 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 Superheroes Ready to Fly (Counting rhyme I found on the Jbrary blog. A great big thank you to my coworker Debi for drawing these cute superheroes for me to use!)

• Book #2 – Superhero Me! by Karen Katz

• Activity – Did You Ever See a Hero? (adapted from an action song I saw on the Jbrary blog, to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero

Did you ever see a hero, flying through the sky?

Flying this way and that way

Flying this way and that way

Flying round and around

Flying round and around

Did you ever see a hero

Flying down to the ground?

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve 

 

 

• Art Experience – Put stickers on a plain white slap bracelet to create superhero arm bands (the slap bracelets were left over from our Dia celebration back in April)

Birthday and brave themed toddler art experiences

On March 7 I did a presentation at the Pierce County AEYC As a Teacher Grows Conference about creating art experiences for toddlers ages 1-3 years old.  (I mostly talked about what I wrote in my book, Artsy Toddler Storytimes.)  My presentation ended with an activity to get the educators thinking.

Here are their ideas on doing toddler art around a "birthday" theme:

• Crowns
• Puffy paint cupcakes
• Markers on balloons
• Cookie decorating
• Shape stamps
• Toilet roll candles
• Tube party blowers
• Hand held streamers
• Face painting
• Decorate a slice of cake
• Calendar
• Baking
• Games (pin the tail on the donkey)
• Play-dough with candles
• Self portrait and create card with all of their favorite things/family/hobbies - storybook

Here are their ideas on doing toddler art around a "brave" theme:

• Shield, knights - aluminum
• Lion puppets - use yarn for mane
• Sword
• Super heroes - mask, capes (towels)
• Firefighters - stickers on plastic fire hats
• Police - badge
• Siblings/family
• Doctor kit
• Army
• Adventure bite
• Food craft
• Place your picture on a superhero. Draw or write why you would want to be that hero. Who is your hero?
• Create cards that have the character traits of a hero (use shapes like hearts, etc.)