Fathers Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – My Dad by Anthony Browne

• Stand-up Activity – Do it for Your Father (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As loud as loud can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

(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 - Daddy Mouse (rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

(On the flannelboard put out 5-8 houses of different colors.  Make sure the little baby mouse is under one house. Say the rhyme with the children and peek under the house color the children request until you find the baby mouse.)

Daddy mouse, daddy mouse where is your baby?
Daddy mouse, daddy mouse look for your baby under the _________ house.

• Book #2 – Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch

• Activity – Come A' Look A' See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the cd The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

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

 

 

 

 

• Art Experience – Chalk coloring on a construction paper fish shape

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!

Construction Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Big Machines! Big Buildings! by Kevin Lewis, illustrated by Reg Cartwright

• Stand-up Activity – I'm a Little Dump Truck (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little dump truck, watch me go
Here is my hopper
Here is my cab
When I get all filled up, to the work site I go
Just tip me over and dump the rocks out

• 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 - All Around the Construction Site (to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

All around the construction site
I see lots of busy trucks
Here's one coming down the street
Hey, it's a dump truck!
(repeat with other construction trucks)

• Book #2 – One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Todd Ouren

• Activity – Cranes Reach (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Cranes reach up high
(reach high)
Cranes reach down low
(touch ground)
Cranes reach really, really far picking up their load.
(stretch arms out)

Cranes turn to the right
(with arms out, turn to the right)
Cranes turn to the left
(with arms out, turn to the left)
Cranes reach up really, really high dropping off their load.
(reach high)

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

 

 

 

• Art Experience – Use a paintbrush to paint on a picture of a crane truck

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)

Bears Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Bears On Chairs by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by David Walker

• Stand-up Activity – Teddy Bears, Teddy Bears Turn Around (traditional jump rope rhyme)

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear dance on your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear jump to the sky
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your feet
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your seat

• 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 - All Types of Bears (flannelboard rhyme written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Grizzly bears are big and brown.
Big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown.
And live in the woods.

Polar bears are soft and white.
Soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white.
And live where it is cold.

Panda bears are black and white,
Black and white, black and white
Panda bears are black and white.
And live with bamboo.

Koala bears have great big ears,
Great big ears, great big ears,
Koala bears have great big ears,
And live high in a tree.

Teddy bears are just my size.
Just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size.
To cuddle with at night.

• Book #2 – One Bear, One Dog by Paul Stickland

• Activity – The Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

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

• Art Experience – Bear coloring sheet with crayons

Summer Reading School Visits: A Silly Game

Over the last couple of weeks, me and my coworker have been extremely busy going out to the area schools to talk up summer reading.  At many of the schools we are requested to speak and then entertain individual classes for 30 minutes (usually during the students weekly library time).  The other children's librarian is a Master Storyteller and can easily involve and entertain the older elementary students for the whole 30 minutes.  As for me, I feel a little lost on how to hold the attention of 5th and 6th graders after doing my 5 minute summer reading talk.  This year I got a little inspired to try something new after reading some posts on other blogs and on PUBYAC.  This year, we played a silly game.

I started my game by dividing the room into two teams, usually right down the center.  Then I asked the teacher for assistance in choosing one student volunteer from each team that can be silly but knows when to turn off the silliness.  These volunteers were my score keepers.  I would keep score by dressing up the volunteers as superheroes.  I had a cape, a mask, a super power arm band, a button, and mustache stickers.  I had questions or challenges written up on note cards.  A student would pick a card at random and then the whole team could answer the question or complete the challenge.  The questions and challenges usually related to an event happening at the library so I would talk about the event before asking the question.

Here is a sample of the questions and group challenges:

The Tacoma Rainers baseball team is sending their team mascot to the library for a meet and greet.  What is the mascots name?  What animal is it?

The Pacific Science Center is bringing their Mathfinder Science Show to the library.  Each scorekeeper is given 4 dice.  The team with the highest roll gets a point.

What is the official start date of the summer reading program?

The library is having two superhero events.  Name 5 superheroes.

The library will be showing the movie The Man Who Walked Between the Towers followed by building towers with marshmallows and toothpicks.  Each table has a set of straw connectors.  The table with the tallest free standing structure gets a point for their team.

In one of our superhero events you can learn to sew a superhero cape and mask.  Who is the famous superhero costume designer who claims that no superhero should wear capes?

A packet of Wikki Stix is one of the registration prize choices.  Each table has 2 Wikki Stix and must create a butterfly.

How many hours do you need to read to get a free book and other goodies?

This game went over really well.  The kids seemed to like the mixture of questions and group challenges.  Almost everyone had a chance to get involved.  I only had one class of 6th graders who wanted nothing to do with it.  The school librarian warned me about this class before hand and we had a plan in place for when they chose as a group that talking among themselves was more important than listening to me.

I look forward to trying a game like this next year during my summer reading talks at the schools.

Summer Reading School Visits: Books

I just completed my last summer reading school visit today.  Unlike the other children's librarian at my library, I am not a Master Storyteller.  Therefore, I rely on using books to entertain the lower grades.

This year I could not get excited about any of the picture books that related to the "Every Hero has a Story" theme.  I usually look for books that has humor enough to make a kindergartner laugh as well as make a third grader laugh.  During the last couple of weeks, I used these books as my three main reads when visiting with classes:

• The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
• Peter Spit a Seed at Sue by Jackie French Koller, illustrated by John Manders
• I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow

I had a great time sharing these books with the students.  You know you have winning books when there is a hippo named Boo Boo Butt, watermelon seeds in underwear, and a kid covered in paint.