Take & Make Craft Kit: DIY Troll Hair Headbands

 Another successful craft kit that my library gave away.  

Supplies provided in the kit:

Headband
Tulle cloth
Paper ruler
Rubber band
Yarn for tying

What you will need from home:

Scissors
Optional: Ribbon, colored paper, felt, craft foam, etc. for decorating 

Instructions: 

1. Cut your tulle cloth

a) Cut strips of tulle cloth.  Length should be approximately 20 to 24inches long.  Width should be approximately 2-6 inches wide.  Measurements do not need to be exact!

b) For each headband, you will need about 10-30 strips of tulle, depending on how wide you make them and how thick you want your troll hair.  

2. Attach your tulle to the headband.

   

a) Fold each strip in half to make a loop.

b) Place the loop part way under the headband.

c) Reach through the loop to pull the ends of the strip through the loop.

 

d) Tighten gently.

e) Repeat for all the strips or until the headband is full of loop knots.  

3. Trim and decorate

a) Once all the strips are on the headband, personalize your troll hair.  Spread the strips apart or push them together for different looks.  One popular style is to loosely gather the ends together and tie with the provided yarn (this helps the hair stand up, too).  

b) Optional: Add decorations like stars or flowers made of paper, felt, or craft foam. 

There is no wrong way to create your troll hair!

Dance Together Toddler Storytime

 After two year, in-person storytimes are starting up again!

I started with a change in my usual storytime plan, doing some experimenting.  But things are starting off good!

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 body parts)

Letter of the day - "D" is for dance

Transition #1 - 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 

Book - Hop Jump by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Stand-up activity - Clap Your Hands (action song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids)

Activity - If I Was a Bird (action song from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music) 

Transition #2 - Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Flannelboard - Five Little Dancers (counting down rhyme I found at the Jen In the Library blog)

Closing - Jumping and Counting (action song from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem & More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill) 

Sing-a-Song Storytime: Little White Rabbit

 Last year when the pandemic closed all large gatherings, my library continued offering virtual storytimes.  I created this video storytime series along with a coworker, who is a talented musician, to get young children moving around and singing.  It is filled with lots of favorite storytime songs and rhymes, and of course a book!  I really wanted the grown-ups watching along with the kiddos to learn the songs, so I used a split screen technique on the videos to display the words to the songs/rhymes while I am singing and acting them out.  

Opening song - Skinnamarink (https://youtu.be/95JkQfANW9M) 

Action song - A-Tisket, A-Tasket (traditional nursery rhyme sung with a stuffed animal)

A-tisket, a-tasket,
(swing stuffed animal back and forth)
A green and yellow basket.
I bought a basket for my love,
And on the way I dropped it.
(drop animal on the floor)
I dropped it! I dropped it!
(throw animal up in the air and let it land on the floor)
Yes, on the way I dropped it.
(throw animal up in the air and let it land on the floor)
A little baby picked it up,
(pick up animal)
And gave it to their love.
(hug animal)

Transition sit down song - I Have Ten Little Fingers (traditional fingerplay)

I have 10 little fingers

They all belong to me!

I can make them do things

Would you like to see?

I can close them up tight

I can open them up wide

I can raise them up high

I can put them at my side

I can wave them to and fro

And I can fold them - just like so.

 

Book - Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes (read with permission by HarperCollins Children's Books)

 

Action song - 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)

Action song - Bunny Jump Over the Great Big Stick (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins, use a sock as the stick on the ground to jump over)

Bunny be nimble, bunny be quick,

Bunny jump over the great big stick

Bunny be nimble, bunny be slick

Bunny swim under the great big stick

Bunny be nimble, bunny go click

Bunny run around the great big stick

Bunny be nimble, bunny be fine

Bunny sit down for storytime

Closing song - Down By the Bay (traditional rhyming camp song)

Down by the bay
Where the watermelons grow
Back to my home
I dare not go
For if I do
My mother will say
"Did you ever you ever see a goose kissing a moose?"
Down by the bay!

..."Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail?"...

..."Did you ever see a fly wearing a tie?"...

..."Did you ever see a fairy inside a library?"... 

Take & Make Craft Kit: Spin Drum

 I introduced this to-go craft kit as a New Year celebration art activity.  But really, it could be used to celebrate anything!  

Supplies provided in the kit:

• 2 soup lids
• 1 sponge brush
• 2 styrofoam squares (these were needed to make the soup lids stick to the sponge brush handle)
• 1 piece of yarn 
• 6 beads
• 1 roll of washi tape
• 1 glue stick

Supplies needed from home:

• Scissors

Directions:

1. Grab the piece of yarn and beads.  Take one bead and tie it to one end of the yarn.  Thread the next 5 beads onto the yarn, tying the last one to the other end of the yarn.  Slide the beads on the yarn so that 2 beads sit on either side of the yarn.

2. Grab one of your soup lids and drape the yarn over the inside of the lid, making sure there are 3 beads on either side of the lid. Tape the yarn to the inside of the lid with one piece of tape on each side of the lid.

3. Grab one of your Styrofoam squares and glue it down to the inside of the lid on top of the yarn.

4. Grab the remaining soup lid and Styrofoam square.  Glue the Styrofoam square to the inside of the lid.

5. Cut a small notch on one side of each soup lid; you want the dowel of the sponge brush to fit inside the notch.  The notches should be cut below the yarn.  Stack the lids on top of each other to make sure the notches line up with each other.  You can use the dowel of the sponge brush itself as a measuring guide. The dowel should line up perpendicular to the yarn.  

6. Once you’ve determined the sponge brush will fit into the notches on the lids, apply glue around the edges of the notch and on the Styrofoam square in the center of the lid. Place the sponge brush inside the notch on the lid, making sure the dowel sticks to the notch and the sponge on the brush is sticking to the Styrofoam square in the center of the lid.

7. Take the other soup lid and apply glue to the notch and the Styrofoam square, then stick it on top of the lid with the sponge brush, making sure that the notch fits over the dowel and the sponge part of the brush is securely inside the two lids.

8. Set your drum aside and place books, rocks, or other heavy items on top of it as the glue dries.  The weight will allow two lids to stick together more firmly so that the sponge brush will be held more securely.

9. Once the glue has dried, use washi tape around the edge of the soup lids to keep the two lids held together. (You might need to use two layers of washi tape.)  Once this step is complete, you will have a spin drum!  Have fun!

Preschool field trips return!

 After an absence of two years, the opportunity to conduct preschool field trips at my library presented itself.  I worked with one of the local preschools to create a socially distant field trip experience inside the library building.  

The group sizes were smaller, we couldn't go into the staff area, and masks were worn.  Otherwise, I was still able to show these three, four, and five year olds fun things about the library.  We ended each field trip with two book readings and a chance to play in the children's area.  

I found these two cow books in my cubicle as I was preparing for the field trips.  So I went with a cow theme for my storybook readings.  

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall

Crash, Splash, or Moo! by Bob Shea

In order to fit in all of the classes at this particular preschool it took dividing the classes into 12 different groups.  I think it was a very positive experience for everyone involved.  

Sing-a-Song Storytime: Biscuit's Valentine's Day

   With the pandemic closing the library and all large gatherings last year, my library offered virtual storytimes.  I created this video storytime series along with a coworker, who is a talented musician, to get young children moving around and singing.  It is filled with lots of favorite storytime songs and rhymes, and of course a book!  I really wanted the grown-ups watching along with the kiddos to learn the songs, so I used a split screen technique on the video to display the words to the songs/rhymes while I am singing and acting them out.  

Opening song - Skinnamarink (https://youtu.be/95JkQfANW9M) 

Action song - Valentine's Day Is Here to Stay (action song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" written by Carol Hopkins)

Hug a friend, hug a friend, hug a friend today

Valentine's Day is here to stay

Let's celebrate all day!

Blow a kiss, blow a kiss, blow a kiss today

Valentin'es Day is here to stay

Let's celebrate all day!

(repeat with more actions)

Transition sit down song - 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 music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a'look a'see,
Here's my mama, (point to thumb)
Come a'look a'see,
Here's my papa, (point to index finger)
Come a'look a'see,
My brother tall, (point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, (point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. (kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

 

Book - Biscuit's Valentine's Day by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories (read with permission by HarperCollins Children's Books)   

 

Action song - I Have a Little Heart (action chant I picked up someplace, I have seen different adaptations of it in many places)

I have a little heart
(hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump
(pat chest with fingers)
It keeps right on beating when I jump, jump, jump
(jump)
I get a special felling when I look at you
(point to children)
It makes me want to blow a kiss or two
(blow kisses)

Action song - Hi Ho a Valentine (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" written by Carol Hopkins)

A walking we will go,
A walking we will go,
Hi ho a Valentine,
A walking we will go.

A jumping we will go...

A running we will go...

A stomping we will go...

A sitting we will go...

Closing song - Down By the Bay (traditional rhyming camp song)

Down by the bay
Where the watermelons grow
Back to my home
I dare not go
For if I do
My mother will say
"Did you ever you ever see a goose kissing a moose?"
Down by the bay!

..."Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail?"...

..."Did you ever see a fly wearing a tie?"...

..."Did you ever see a fairy inside a library?"... 

Miss Carol's Favorite Book Finds of 2021

 Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  The pandemic along with the lack of a in-person storytimes, made for a sporadic book reading year.  

PICTURE BOOKS: 

The Three Billy Goats Buenos by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez
A rhyming twist on the classic tale in which the goats help fix what is making the troll so grumpy in order to cross the bridge.

Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson
Kai, a merboy, loves to share hugs with his mother, but learns that some friends prefer fin bumps, tail claps, tentacle shakes, or claw pinches.

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller by Kate Read
An illustrated counting book in which one famished fox finds five snug eggs but must face three plump hens to get them.

NON-FICTION BOOKS:

 

Facts Vs. Opinions Vs. Robots by Michael Rex
Robots try to figure out the difference between facts and opinions.

Seeds by Carme Lemniscates
Seeds harbor immense potential. They defy their size by sprouting and growing into plants. And these plants develop beautiful flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables. Even in the most unlikely environments, seeds manage to thrive. Like seeds, we can cultivate and nurture something wonderful. There is much we can learn from seeds.