October Library Lady

I have once again started visiting the local ECEAP program on a monthly basis.  It is so much fun being the "Library Lady" to this group of preschool students.  For my October visit I used a combination of short and long books so I could get a handle on the attention spans for the different classes. 

Short books:

Maisy Drives the Bus by Lucy Cousins
Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker (pop-up)
Peekaboo, Blueberry! by Barney Saltzberg (lift-the-flap board book)

Longer books:

Bark, George by Jule Feiffer
The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Cookie's Week by Cindy Ward, illustrated by Tomie dePaola
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

Little Chick Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

    

 

• Book #1 – Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting

• Stand-up Activity – Here's a Little Chick (action rhyme I found a long time ago on an old GeoCities webpage)

Here's a little egg, so smooth and white
(sit criss cross, head down, arms in lap)
Peck, peck, peck, there's something inside!
Peck, peck, peck, here comes a little beak.
(move head up and make beak with fingers)
Peck, peck, peck here come two little feet.
(extend feet)
Peck, peck, peck, here come the wings.
(flap arms as wings)
Peck, peck, peck, and a pick, pick, pick,
(move to squatting position)
And crack, crack, CRACK!
Out pops the baby chick!
(stand up, arms above head)

• 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 - Hens of a Different Color (color rhyme I picked up somewhere many years ago)

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

• Book #2 – Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker (pop-up)

• Activity – Little Chick, Little Chick (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins from the "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around" jump rope rhyme)

(Suite actions to words.)
Little chick, little chick turn around.
Little chick, little chick scratch the ground.
Little chick, little chick strut on your toes.
Little chick, little chick touch your nose.
Little chick, little chick reach up high.
Little chick, little chick flap to the sky.
Little chick, little chick wiggle your feet.
Little chick, little chick find your nest seat.

• Closing - Egg shakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner 

  

 

• Art Experience – Bingo paint dabbers on a chicken drawing

Halloween Humor Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

   

 

• Book #1 – Snappy Little Halloween by Dugald Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews

• Stand-up Activity – Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern turn around.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern roll on the ground.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern dance on your toes.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern light up your nose.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern reach up high.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern jump to the sky.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern smile with heat.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern 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 - Three Little Pumpkins (Not sure where I picked up this rhyme a long time ago.  I love using it.)

Three little pumpkins, sitting very still
In a pumpkin patch on a great big hill
The first one said, "I'm very green,"
(show green side)
"But I'll be orange on Halloween."
(show orange side)
The second one said, "Oh me, oh my,"
(show orange pumpkin side)
"Today I'll be a pumpkin pie."
(show pumpkin pie side)
The third one said, "I'm on my way,"
(show pumpkin side)
To be a Jack-O-Lantern today."
(show face side)

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

• Book #2 – Julius's Candy Corn by Kevin Henkes (small book)

• Activity – I Know a Little Pumpkin (fingerplay from the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

I know a little pumpkin who sat on a wall
(large circle in front of body)
I know this pumpkin had a great fall
(touch ground)
He rolled out the garden
(roll hands)
He rolled down the street
He rolled to a stop in front of a gate
(one hand palm out for stop)
Along came kid with a design update
(tap head)
Later that night as the kids trick or treated
By the door sat the pumpkin with a smile that greeted
(point to smile)

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Fruit Salad Salsa" from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner 

   

 

• Art Experience – Use bingo paint dabbers on a candy corn drawing

Jumping Monsters Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

    

 

• Book #1 – Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter 

• Stand-up Activity – "Jumping and Counting" action song from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense 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 -  If You See a Monster (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" written by Carol Hopkins)

If you see a little monster, little monster, little monster,
If you see a little monster, wave your hand hello.

If you see a medium monster, medium monster, medium monster,

If  you see a medium monster, bow your head in greeting.

If you see a great big monster, great big monster, great big monster,

If you see a great big monster, run away and hide!

...Then turn around and say, "You Don't Scare Me!" because...

When you see any monster, any monster, any monster,

When you see any monster make a silly face!

• Letter of the Day - "M" is for monster

• Book #2 – Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

• Activity – Monster, Monster (action rhyme, based on the rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

Monster, monster turn around.
Monster, monster touch the ground.
Monster, monster reach up high.
Monster, monster bug out your eyes.
Monster, monster bend your knees.
Monster, monster give a sneeze.
Monster, monster sit on your bed.
Monster, monster rest your head.

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

 

 

• Art Experience – Stick eye stickers and color with crayons on a faceless monster drawing

Cows on the Farm Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall

• Stand-up Activity – "Milkshake Song" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music 

• 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 - "Old Macdonald Had a Farm" traditional song

• Letter of the Day - "C" is for cow

• Book #2 – Maisy's Morning on the Farm by Lucy Cousins

• Activity – The Bell on the Cow action song I found in Storytime Crafts by Kathryn Totten

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

  

• Art Experience – Thumb print spots on a cow drawing

Cubelets Kits at the Library

Thanks to a state library grant, my library offered a special program using a number of Cubelets Robot Blocks kits.  If you are not familiar with this fun robotic toy, each kit comes with blocks that connect and can do things.  These kits combine technology, engineering, and, to a certain extent, coding.    

I started my hour long library event by talking about what makes a robot.  

• Robots are devices that can sense, think, and act

Then I pointed out what was in each Cubelet kit that the groups were about to use.  

• Black blocks sense things (like our eyes and ears)
• Clear blocks have action parts (they do things)
• Colored blocks think or do logic
• Every kit comes with a list of blocks and what they do
• Each kit also comes with some Lego adapters (there are two types of adapters, male and female)
• Each kit comes with two power/battery cubes (notice where the on/off switch is located and the green indicator light)
• At the end of the hour each group is to return everything to the box according to the picture inside the box  

Now I had the students gather around me so I could demonstrate how to make a simple robot using the Cubelet blocks.  I used:

• The battery cube.
• The brightness cube.
• The flashlight cube.

I showed how this very easy to make robot can dim and brighten the light on the flashlight block.  What is the robot sensing?

Then I switched out the brightness cube for the distance cube.  Once again, I showed how this robot brightens or dims the light.  Now what is this robot sensing?

Next is the fun part.  Now they could explore the blocks in the kits.  But before they started I wanted them to think logically about how the pieces go together, because sometimes the order of the blocks can make a difference.  So I made each group try a challenge.  After the challenge was completed they could play with the cubes anyway they wanted.  

Challenge (written on the board at the front of the room): 

I loved the exploratory nature of the Cubelets kits.  I also like how there is no right or wrong way to use the blocks if you are not trying to make a robot do something particular.  This one hour  library program was a great way for children to play with an expensive robotics toy.