Flannel Friday 12/02/16: It's Not That Cold Outside

IT'S SNOWING IT'S SNOWING IT'S SNOWING IT'S SNOWING!

Okay, maybe not right this very minute, but now that I'm in Colorado, I expect it to happen all the time. This is ski country, right?!

For this week's extra special Winter Extravaganza Flannel Friday, I made a flannel that can accompany a song I'll be using in a program in February.

It's Not That Cold Outside

(to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

I don't want to wear my coat, wear my coat, wear my coat

I don't want to wear my coat

It's not that cold outside.

Repeat with scarf, boots, mittens, and hat

Aaaa CHOOOOOoooo!

--Laptime and Storytime

It can also be used for:

 Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat

Sung to: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

In wintertime we dress like that.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

--Mel’s Desk  

Wendy from Flannel Board Fun is hosting the roundup today. Don't forget to check her blog later to see all of the submissions from this week.

***Remember: you can also find Flannel Friday on Facebook, Pinterest, and at our Flannel Friday Blog. If you're new to Flannel Friday, don't forget to add your name and location to our Where Is Flannel Friday map.*** 

Wee Read - Baby It's Cold Outside

Early Literacy Tip of the Week:

Get your little one actively involved in telling the story by pointing to objects in the book and naming them.

Good Morning

Hello, How are You?

Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat

Sung to: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

In wintertime we dress like that.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

--Mel’s Desk

Open Shut Them

Book One 

No Two Alike by Keith Baker

Where is Baby? (with scarves)

Sung to: “Where is Thumbkin?”

Where is baby? Where is baby?

There you are! There you are!

I’m so glad to see you, I’m so glad to see you

Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo!

--ALSC

If You're Happy and You Know It (with scarves)

Sung to: "If You're Happy and You Know It"

wave your scarf, throw your scarf

hide your scarf, scrunch your scarf in your hands

--Story Time with the Library Lady

Mix a Pancake

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

I Wiggle My Fingers

Book Two 

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.

Four Little Snowflakes

One little snowflake with nothing to do,

Along came another and then there were… two!

Two little snowflakes laughing with me,

Along came another and then there were…three!

Three little snowflakes looking for some more,

Along came another and then there were…four!
Four little snowflakes having so much fun!

Out came the sun, and then there were none!

--Loons and Quines at Librarytime

My Mittens

Mittens for the snow time,

          (Fingers flutter down like snow)

When the world is white,

Mittens for my two hands

          (Hold up two hands)

Mittens left and right,

(Wave left hand, then right hand)

Mittens with a thumb in place,

          (Thumbs up)

Mittens warm and snug,

          (Hug baby)

Mittens make me feel like

A bug inside a rug

          (Hug baby snug)

--Michigan Library Association

Read Together 

What’s On My Head? by Margaret Miller

The More We Get Together

Wee Read - Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Early Literacy Tip of the Week:

Provide feedback - if a baby says "ma-ma-ma" answer her attempts at speech with "Yes, mama is right here."

Good Morning

Hello, How are You?

The Winter Pokey
Sung to: "The Hokey Pokey"

You put your mittens in,
you take your mittens out,
you put your mittens in
and you shake it all about.

You do the winter pokey
and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.

Additional verses:
You put your boots in . . .
You put your hat in . . .
You put your snowsuit in . . .

--PreschoolEducation

Open Shut Them

Book One

Snow! by Christine Ford

Putting on Mittens

Sung to: "The Farmer in the Dell"

The Thumb in the Thumb place
Fingers all together
This is the song we sing
When it is mitten weather.

--PreschoolEducation.com

Warm Hands Warm

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

Four Little Snowmen

Four little snowmen riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Frosty called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more snowmen riding on that sled!”
(Continue in this fashion until you get to zero)

--PreschoolEducation

I Wiggle My Fingers

Book Two

Baby Loves Winter! by Karen Katz

Two Little Snowflakes
Way up high in the winter sky,
Two little snowflakes caught my eye.
Down to the ground they fell without a sound.
And before very long,
It was snowing all around.

--PreschoolEducation

Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Dance around (wiggle fingers)

Touch the ground (touch floor)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

In the air (flutter fingers upward)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Everywhere (flutter fingers outward)

-- PreschoolEducation.com

Read Together

What Do You Do? by Mandy Stanley

Storytime - Snowmen

Toddler

Books: Snow! by Christine Ford and Snowy Blowy Winter by Bob Raczka

Songs / Rhymes: “Good Morning”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, “Open, Shut Them”, “The Hokey Pokey”, “Four Little Snowmen Riding on a Sled” on the felt board, “I Wiggle My Fingers”, and “The More We Get Together”. 

Craft: Make a Snowman. Materials: snowman printout, cotton balls, crayons, glue, and tape. The toddlers colored in their snowmen and then used their fine motor skills to glue the cotton balls to him. The snowman printout came from Early Learning Activities.

Preschool

Books: Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright

Songs / Rhymes: “Welcome to the Library”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, “Open, Shut Them”, “The Hokey Pokey”, “Four Little Snowmen Riding on a Sled” on the felt board, and “The More We Get Together”.

Special Activity: I brought in Snow in a Can. You can check out the post I made about it here.

Craft: There was no craft today. I sent home a snowman worksheet and homemade playdoh so the preschoolers could make their own snowmen. I used this recipe courtesy of Mommy Moment. 

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

The Hokey Pokey

You put one arm in,

You take one arm out.

You put one arm in,

And you shake it all about.

You do the Hokey Pokey,

And you turn yourself around.

That’s what it’s all about!

Substitute different body parts. For more advanced children, use left and right.

--Traditional

Four Little Snowmen

Four little snowmen riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Frosty called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more snowmen riding on that sled!”
(Continue in this fashion until you get to zero)

--PreschoolEducation

Storytime - Winter is Here

Toddler

Books: Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin and Mouse’s First Snow by Lauren Thompson.

Songs / Rhymes: “Good Morning”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “The Winter Pokey”, “Open, Shut Them”, “Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat”, “Four Little Snowflakes” on the felt board, “I Wiggle My Fingers”, and “The More We Get Together”. 

Craft: Snowy Pictures. Materials: Elmer’s glue, shaving cream, silver glitter, dark blue construction paper, and paintbrushes. Mix equal parts shaving cream and glue into a cup and add glitter. The toddlers painted their blue paper with the snow paint. When the paint dries, they will have a three dimensional picture of a winter wonderland!

Preschool

Books: Snow by Manya Stojic and The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson (non-fiction title).

Songs / Rhymes: “Welcome to the Library”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “Hi There, So Glad You Came”, “The Winter Pokey”, “Open, Shut Them”, “Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat”, and “The More We Get Together”. 

Craft: See Toddler craft above.

Songs/Rhymes

The Winter Pokey
Sung to: "The Hokey Pokey"

You put your mittens in,
you take your mittens out,
you put your mittens in
and you shake it all about.

You do the winter pokey
and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.

Additional verses:
You put your boots in . . .
You put your hat in . . .
You put your snowsuit in . . .

--PreschoolEducation

Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat

Sung to: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

In wintertime we dress like that.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

--Mel’s Desk

Four Little Snowflakes

One little snowflake with nothing to do,

Along came another and then there were… two!

Two little snowflakes laughing with me,

Along came another and then there were…three!

Three little snowflakes looking for some more,

Along came another and then there were…four!

Four little snowflakes having so much fun!

Out came the sun, and then there were none!

--Loons and Quines at Librarytime

*note: my set only has four snowflakes. 

Original last line for "Five Little Snowflakes":

Four little snowflakes dancing a jive,

Along came another, and then there were…five!

Five little snowflakes, having so much fun!

Out came the sun, and then there were none!

(Not a) Flannel Friday - Snow in a Can

Happy Flannel Friday! Today's post is brought to you by Old Man Winter and his lack of influence in Texas this January (seriously, it's going to be 68 this weekend). But I won't let that get in the way of some freezing fun in storytime!

My niece and nephew back home in New York sent me a perfect gift this past holiday season: Snow in a Can. I thought it would be perfect to make with my preschoolers.

I opened the can before storytime even started, since all of the videos I watched had to use a can opener when their pop tab broke (I didn't have a problem, though). Be careful, the edge is sharp! The directions say to make the snow in the can, but I used a clear plastic container.

I made a big production out of reading the instructions, emphasizing to the parents that doing so helped their children realize that those words were important!

We successfully followed the instructions and were rewarded with fluffy snow, as promised!

The children were invited up the front to touch the snow after storytime was over. They were shocked to find that it was even a little cold, just like real snow!

Make sure you check out this week's round up hosted by Kathryn at Fun with Friends at Storytime. You can also find more Flannel Friday at our blog, Facebook page, and Pinterest page.

Wee Read - Polar Bears

Early Literacy Tip of the Week: Repeat words - this strengthens the neural pathways used for language.

Good Morning

Hello, How are You?

Up, Down, Turn Around

Up, down

Turn around.

Touch the sky,

And touch the ground.

Tickle your tummy,

Tickle your nose,

Blow a kiss,

And say “Hello!”   

--Jim Thomas

Open Shut Them

Book One

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle

Cheek Chin

Cheek, chin, cheek, chin

Cheek, chin, nose.

Cheek, chin, cheek, chin

Cheek, chin, toes

Cheek, chin, cheek, chin,

Up baby goes!

--Sharing Soda

Roll Roll Sugarbabies

Roll, roll sugarbabies (arms roll)
Roll, roll sugarbabies.
Push, pull,
Clap, clap, clap!

--Rain Makes Applesauce

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream!

--Traditional

I Wiggle My Fingers

Book Two

Polar Bear Morning by Lauren Thompson

This is the Way

This is the way we

Bounce, bounce, bounce.

Bounce, bounce, bounce.

Bounce, bounce, bounce.

This is the way we bounce, bounce, bounce

Early in the morning. Wheeee!

--Manly Library

Warm Hands Warm

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

Read Together

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Peek-a-Boo! by Judith Moffat

The More We Get Together

Wee Read - Winter

Early Literacy Tip of the Week: Respond to your baby's interest. Imitate his responses.

Good Morning

Hello, How are You?

The Winter Pokey
Sung to: "The Hokey Pokey"

You put your mittens in,
you take your mittens out,
you put your mittens in
and you shake it all about.

You do the winter pokey
and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.

Additional verses:
You put your boots in . . .
You put your hat in . . .
You put your snowsuit in . . .

--PreschoolEducation

Open Shut Them

Book One

That’s Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt

My Mittens

Mittens for the snow time,

          (Fingers flutter down like snow)

When the world is white,

Mittens for my two hands

          (Hold up two hands)

Mittens left and right,

          (Wave left hand, then right hand)

Mittens with a thumb in place,

          (Thumbs up)

Mittens warm and snug,

          (Hug baby)

Mittens make me feel like

A bug inside a rug

          (Hug baby snug)

--Michigan Library Association

Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Dance around (wiggle fingers)

Touch the ground (touch floor)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

In the air (flutter fingers upward)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Everywhere (flutter fingers outward)

-- PreschoolEducation.com

Four Little Snowmen

Five little snowmen riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Frosty called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more snowmen riding on that sled!”
(Continue in this fashion until you get to zero)

--PreschoolEducation

Three Crows

--Mother Goose on the Loose by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006.

Two Little Snowflakes
Way up high in the winter sky,
Two little snowflakes caught my eye.
Down to the ground they fell without a sound.
And before very long,
It was snowing all around.

--PreschoolEducation

Read Together

Where is Maisy? by Lucy Cousins

The More We Get Together

Storytime - Winter Wonderland

Toddler

Books: No Two Alike by Keith Baker and Snowby Christine Ford.

Songs / Rhymes: “Good Morning”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “Open, Shut Them”, “My Mittens”, “Four Little Snowmen Riding on a Sled” on the felt board, “Snowflakes, Snowflakes”, “I Wiggle My Fingers”, and “The More We Get Together”.

Craft: Warm Hats. Materials: half of a paper plate, aqua construction paper strip, blue construction paper circle, cotton balls, glue, tape, and crayons. The toddlers colored their plates and glued on the strip and circle. When they were finished, they glued on their cotton balls and pretended it was snow on their hats. The idea came from storytime katie.

Special Activity: During the song “Snowflakes, Snowflakes”, I handed out cotton balls and spread out a white sheet on the ground. When the toddlers sang the word “everywhere”, everyone threw their “snowballs” on to the sheet.

Preschool

Books: Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright.

Songs / Rhymes: “Welcome to the Library”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “Open, Shut Them”, “Four Little Snowmen Riding on a Sled”, and “The More We Get Together”.

Craft: There was no craft today. We had a special event instead.

Special Activity: Over the winter holiday, I set up a table for the Snowflakes for Sandy Hook event. The Connecticut Parent Teacher Student Association had asked for volunteers to donate paper snowflakes in order to help the students of Sandy Hook recover from the tragic events in December. The snowflakes would be used to turn SHES into a winter wonderland. The CTPTSA received such an outpouring of snowflakes that they had to ask volunteers to stop sending them in. Instead, they said, they wanted those who made snowflakes to create their own winter wonderlands. I hung the donated snowflakes from the ceiling of the meeting room. When the preschoolers arrived, I explained the project to them and said that the students of SHES needed good wishes sent to them. In order to do this, we’d have fun playing in our winter wonderland! We sang winter songs, read snowy books, and even had a snowball fight!

Songs

Four Little Snowmen

Four little snowmen riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Frosty called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more snowmen riding on that sled!”
(Continue in this fashion until you get to zero)

--PreschoolEducation

Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Dance around (wiggle fingers)

Touch the ground (touch floor)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

In the air (flutter fingers upward)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Everywhere (flutter fingers outward)

-- PreschoolEducation.com

Storytime - Who Hibernates?

Toddler

Books: Sleepy Bear by Lydia Dabcovich and Forever Friends by Carin Berger.

Songs / Rhymes: “Good Morning”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “Open, Shut Them”, “The Leaves are Falling Down”, and “The More We Get Together”.

Preschool

Books: Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming and Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows.

Songs / Rhymes: “Good Morning”, “Hello, How Are You?”, “Open, Shut Them”, “The Leaves are Falling Down”, and “The More We Get Together”.

The Leaves are Falling Down

Sung to: "The Farmer in the Dell"
The leaves are falling down,
The leaves are falling down.
Red, yellow, green, and brown,
The leaves are falling down.

--PreschoolEducation
*I threw fake leaves in the air while singing this song. When the song was over, the children helped “rake” them up and put them back in the bag.

Craft

Pine Cone Bird Feeders. Materials: pine cones, yarn, Sunbutter (a peanut-free alternative to peanut butter), birdseed, small paper bags, and popsicle sticks. A piece of yarn was tied to each pine cone by a volunteer. The children spread the imitation peanut butter on to the pine cones with their popsicle sticks. When their cones were covered, I gave them a paper bag with birdseed inside. The children placed their cone in the bag and shook, making sure the birdseed covered the cone.

This craft was a community service project for the Spring Creek Forest. The pine cone bird feeders were given to them to place on their trees for their annual For the Birds event. The children were eager to help feed the birds for the winter. Each child who participated received a sticker for helping with the project.

Walking in a Snowy Storytime

I just had to show off my winter bulletin board in our storytime room:

The idea came from Bulletin Board Ideas, a great website for seasonal bulletin boards.

Wee Read - It's Winter!

Books

No Two Alike by Keith Baker

That's Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt

Touchy-feely books are a way to engage the baby through tactile means. I always walk around with the book, giving each baby a change to touch it.

 

I am Small by Emma Dodd

Puppy Love by Patti Jennings

This was our Read Together book.

Special Songs

Boots, Jacket, Scarf, and Hat

Sung to: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

In wintertime we dress like that.

Boots, jacket, scarf, and hat,

Scarf and hat.

--Mel’s Desk

Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Dance around (wiggle fingers)

Touch the ground (touch floor)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

In the air (flutter fingers upward)

Snowflakes, snowflakes,

Everywhere (flutter fingers outward)

-- PreschoolEducation.com

The Winter Pokey
Sung to: "The Hokey Pokey"

You put your mittens in,
you take your mittens out,
you put your mittens in
and you shake it all about.

You do the winter pokey
and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.

Additional verses:
You put your boots in . . .
You put your hat in . . .
You put your snowsuit in . . .

--PreschoolEducation

Four Little Snowmen

Four little snowmen riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Frosty called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more snowmen riding on that sled!”
(Continue in this fashion until you get to zero)

--PreschoolEducation

Warm Hands, Warm

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

Roly, Poly

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