Monday, July 30, 2012

Storytime - Olympics

Book
D.W. Flips by Marc Brown

Songs
At the Olympics
Sung to: “Did You Ever See a Lassie?”
When we’re at the Olympics, the Olympics, the Olympics
When we’re at the Olympics we’ll raise our torch high.
Hooray for the USA!
Hooray for the USA!
When we’re at the Olympics, we’ll raise our torch high.
--Miss Mollie

If You’re an Olympian and You Know It
Sung to: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re an Olympian and you know it, run in place.
If you’re an Olympian and you know it, run in place.
If you’re an Olympian and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re an Olympian and you know it, run in place.
Repeat with kick the ball; swim, swim, swim; do all three
--Miss Mollie

The Olympic Games
Sung to: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
See the swimmers swim, swim, swim,
Swim, swim, swim,
Swim, swim, swim.
See the swimmers swim, swim, swim,
At the Olympic games.
Repeat with runners run, gymnasts flip.
--Miss Mollie

Activities
Here’s a Ball
-- from Lapsit Services for the Very Young by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.





Gold Medals
I purchased gold medals from Oriental Trading for this week's theme. After singing "If You're an Olympian and You Know It", I gave all attendees a gold medal. They were so excited to wear them!

Torch Parade
After we finished our craft (see below), I led the preschool class on a parade around the library with our torches. They held them up high throughout the march. When we reached the circulation desk, we sang "At the Olympics" for the staff and patrons.

Craft
Olympic Torches
Materials: cardboard tubes; red, yellow, and orange tissue paper squares; foil squares.
Wrap the foil around the tube and tuck in the ends. Stuff the tissue paper into the top of the tube and arrange like a flame. No tape or glue needed!



Friday, July 27, 2012

Flannel Friday - Foxy by Emma Dodd

It's Flannel Friday once again! This week, I'm happy to share with everyone my felt version of Foxy by Emma Dodd.


Emily is about to start at a new school and she's worried that she doesn't have what she needs for her big day. Foxy uses his magic to come to her rescue, but he has his work cut out for him!



Amanda is this week's host at her blog Toddler Tales. There are several ways to get involved! Check out the Flannel Friday blog for more information about FF, see submissions on our Pinterest page, and talk about all things Flannel Friday on our Facebook page.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Flannel Friday - Six Yummy Cookies

Hooray for Flannel Day!  I didn't expect to have a post for today, but my creativity came through at the very last minute (fifteen minutes before we closed last night, actually).

I was planning to read The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems in storytime, and wanted a cookie-themed activity to do. I already had one cookie felt board, but I felt like doing something new. I quickly found a picture of a chocolate chip cookie, printed out six of them, laminated them, and glued magnets to the back.

Now all I needed was a poem to go along with it. Thus, "Six Yummy Cookies" was born at approximately 3:00 AM last night (you know you're a children's librarian when...). Enjoy!



"Six Yummy Cookies"
Mama made six cookies and she placed them on a tray.
Let's listen in and hear what they say!
The first cookie said, "I bet I'm really good!"
The second cookie said, "I'd like some milk if I could."
The third cookie said, "I'm going to be great!"
The fourth cookie said, "I hope we're not too late."
The fifth cookie said, "It's getting hot in here."
The sixth cookie said, "The time is almost near!"
Then DING went the bell and out came the tray,
And the six yummy cookies were gobbled up right away.
--Miss Mollie

I also used the same clip art picture, just a tad bit bigger, and taped it to the top of a tiny frisbee from Dave and Busters. We used it to play "Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar?". 

This week's Flannel Friday Round Up is hosted by Katie at storytime katie. Want to become more involved? Check out the Flannel Friday blog, join our Facebook group (now at 300+ members!), and go pin-crazy on our Pinterest page.

If anyone's ready for a laugh, here's what my 3:00 AM poetry effort looks like. Don't mind the crayon, it's all I had available... 



Monday, July 9, 2012

Storytime - Feet

Books

  • My Two Hands, My Two Feet by Rick Walton
    • Toddler
    • This is reversible. The other side is My Two Feet.
  • Hooray for Feet by Susan Pearson
    • Toddler
  • Whose Feet are These?: A Look at Hooves, Paws, and Claws by Peg Hall
    • Preschool
    • This book makes a great guessing game.
  • Hello Toes! Hello Feet! by Ann Whitford Paul
    • Preschool

Songs/Rhymes

If You’re Happy and You Know It: Feet Version
If you’re happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet.
If you’re happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet.
If you’re happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet.
Repeat with run in place, jump up and down, do all three.
--Miss Mollie

The Hokey Pokey: Feet Version
You put your right foot in,
You take your right foot out.
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you shake your feet about.
That’s what it’s all about!
Substitute left foot and both feet.
--Miss Mollie

Hi, My Name is Joe
Hi, my name is Joe.
I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss comes up to me and says,
“Hey Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “No.”
“Then turn the button with your right hand.”
Continue with:
Left hand, feet, head, whole body
­--Traditional

Head and Shoulders
Head and shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes
Head and shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes!
-- Traditional

Craft
I made this template using Publisher and gave one to each child. They traced their feet on it and colored them in.



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Wee Read - Father's Day

Early Literacy Tip: Name objects, feelings, or events as they happen to your baby.

Books
I Love My Daddy by Giles Andreae










Daddy Cuddles by Anne Gutman










Who Uses a Hammer? by Nancy Davis
Read-Together Book





Songs/Rhymes
*Before singing our songs, I showed everyone how to do the ASL signs for Daddy and Grandpa.

Bend and Stretch
--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Acka Backa
-- from Lapsit Services for the Very Young II by Linda L. Ernst. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2001.



I Love Daddy
--from Toddler Storytime Programs by Diane Briggs. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1993.

Daddy’s Ties

Sung to: Mary Wore a Red Dress

Felt Board

Daddy wore his purple tie,

purple tie, purple tie.

Daddy wore his purple tie

All day long.

Continue with blue, green, yellow, and red.


Clap Hands, Clap Hands
--from Babies in the Library by Jane Marino. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2003.



Blue Bird, Blue Bird
Blue bird, blue bird,
On my window.
Blue bird, blue bird,
On my window. 
Blue bird, blue bird,
On my window. 
Oh, Daddy I'm tired.
*Substitute Grandpa, Grandma, or Mommy for Daddy. 


Monday, July 2, 2012

Storytime - Jungle

Books
If You're Happy and You Know It: Jungle Edition by James Warhola
Toddler and Preschool








Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen
Toddler and Preschool









"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," Said the Sloth by Eric Carle
Preschool










Songs/Rhymes 
If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re happy and you know it,

Clap your hands.

Repeat with stomp your feet, shout hooray, do all three.

--Traditional

Five Little Monkeys Swinging In a Tree

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree,

Teasing Mr. Crocodile, “You can’t catch me!”

When along comes Mr. Crocodile

AAAAAAAAAND SNAP!

Four little monkeys, etc…

--Traditional
*I'll admit I'm a sap. I change the end so that all the monkeys come back to tease Mr. Crocodile another day.  

Parachute - Toddlers
Row Boat, Row Boat

Row boat, row boat go so fast (shake the chute fast).

Row boat, row boat go so slow (wave the chute slowly).

Row boat, row boat the waves are getting worse (shake fast again).

Row boat, row boat put it in reverse (stop the chute by pulling towards you).

--from Kendra at Delectable Dabbling

Come Under My Umbrella

Come under my umbrella,

Umbrella, umbrella.

Gently wave the parachute up and down.

Come under my umbrella,

It’s starting to storm.

Move parachute faster.

There’s thunder and lightning

And wind and rain.

Come under my umbrella,

It’s starting to storm.




Ring Around the Rosie

Lead the group around in a circle.

Ring around the rosy
A pocketful of posies
"Ashes, Ashes"
We all fall down!

Everyone falls down.

--Traditional 

Worksheet - Preschool
I handed out this letter L worksheet from First School: http://www.first-school.ws/t/alpha1/l.htm