Saturday, November 23, 2013

Thanksgiving Storytime


Thanksgiving is next week! We celebrated this weekend with books, songs and fingerplays!

We began our storytime by learning the ASL sign for "Thank you." This image is from http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/t/thank-you/ There were plenty of opportunities to use this sign in our storytime!

Glad to see you
Hello everybody, glad to see you
Clap your hands and show you’re glad to see me too!
Clap your hands everybody, clap your hands.
Clap your hands and show you’re glad to see me too!

…Add additional verses, repeating all of the previous actions at the end of each verse….

Stamp your feet…
Shake your hips...

Nod your head...
Blink your eyes...

If you’re thankful
(tune: If you’re happy & you know it)
If you’re thankful and you know it,
Clap your hands.
If you’re thankful and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you’re thankful and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you’re thankful and you know it,
clap your hands.
… stomp your feet
… shout “I am!”

Bear says Thanks by Karma Wilson
I encouraged everyone to use their new sign, "Thank you" every time we read "Thanks" in the book.

Turkey in the brown straw
(tune: Skip to my Lou)
Turkey in the brown straw,
Ha, ha, ha
Turkey in the brown straw,
Ha, ha,ha
Turkey in the brown straw,
Ha, ha, ha
Turkey in the brown straw, my darling

 … green tree/ hee, hee, hee
… white snow/ ho, ho, ho
…red  barn/ harn, harn, harn
… blue sky/ high, high, high

For this flannelboard, I gave each child a feather and they brought it up and added it to the turkey when we sang about their color.



Turkey Feathers
(tune: Mary wore her red dress)
Turkey wore his red feather, red feather, red feather.
Turkey wore his red feather, all day long!
… orange feather
…yellow feather
…brown feather

Alternate version: 
Turkey Feathers
(tune: Frere Jacques)
Turkey feathers, turkey feathers,
Brightly colored, brightly colored,
Who has the red one, who has the red one, 
Bring it now, bring it now.

One little, two little, three little pilgrims by B.G. Hennessey
I did not read all of this book, but we sang "Ten little pilgrims, then Ten Little Wampanoag and finally Ten fat turkeys" as we read the lyrics in the book.

We repeated our song after the book was finished: 


Ten little pilgrims
1 little, 2 little, 3 little pilgrims
4 little, 5 little, 6 little pilgrims
7 little, 8 little, 9 little pilgrims
10 little pilgrim boys and girls.

We are trying out new egg shaker songs, and this one worked pretty well.
If you’re happy and you know it
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake.
If you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake.
tap your knees
…tap your toes
…beep your nose
… do all four

Ten Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
There was no mention of Thanksgiving in this book, but it was very cute and matched our theme, anyway. 

Turkey Pokey
You put your right wing in
You put your right wing out
You put your right in
And you shake it all about
You do the Turkey pokey and you turn yourself around
That's what its all about
… left wing
…left foot/ right foot
… tail feathers
… whole turkey self
Two Little Turkeys
Two little turkeys sitting on the hill
One named Jack and one named Jill
Fly away, Jack
Fly away, Jill
Come back, Jack, Come back, Jill

Shake my sillies out
I’m gonna shake, shake, shake my sillies out.
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out.
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out.
And wiggle my waggles away.
(Repeat with clap my crazies out, jump my jiggles out,  yawn my sleepies out,  stretch my stretchies out, and shake my sillies out.)

Goodbye Song
(tune: She’ll be coming around the mountain)
Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"
Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"
Now it's time to say goodbye,
Wave your hands,
Wink your eye,
Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"



Who will carve the turkey this Thanksgiving by Jerry Pallotta
We did not have enough time to read this book, but it was very cute and will be part of storytime next year!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Birthday Storytime

The Main Library is 8 years old!! A celebration is a must and so our theme this week is.... BIRTHDAYS!!


Hello Everybody
Hello everybody! Glad to see you.
Clap your hands and show you’re glad to see me too. 
Clap your hands, everybody, Clap your hands.
Clap your hands and show you’re glad to see me too.
Hello everybody! Glad to see you.
Stamp your feet  and show you’re glad to see me too.
Stamp  your feet, everybody, Stamp your feet.
Stamp you feet and show you’re glad to see me too.
Clap your hand and show you’re glad to see me too.
Hello everybody! Glad to see you .
Shake your hips and show you’re glad to see me too.
Shake your hips, everybody, shake your hips.
Shake your hips and show you’re glad to see me too.
(Repeat last two actions)
Hello everybody! Glad to see you.
Nod your head and show you’re glad  to see me too.
Nod your head, everybody, nod your head.
Nod your head and show you’re glad  to see me too.
(Repeat last three actions)
Hello everybody! Glad to see you.
Blink your eyes and show you’re glad to see me too.
Blink your eyes, everybody, blink your eyes.
Blink your eyes and show you’re glad to see me too.
(Repeat last four actions)

“A Birthday”
Today is everyone’s birthday
Let’s make us a cake (form cake with hands)
Mix and stir, stir and mix (stir)
Then into the oven to bake (push hands out)
Here’s our cake so nice and round (make a circle)
We frost it pink and white (spread frosting)

We put five candles on it (hold up han)
To make a birthday bright!

A birthday for cow! by Jan Thomas
Another hit by Jan Thomas! The kids loved this book, much like ALL books by Jan Thomas.

Jell-o
Jell-O  in  the  bowl,
(cup hands and wiggle around)
Jell-O in  the  bowl.
Wibble Wobble
Wibble Wobble
Jell-O  in  the  bowl.
Cookies in the jar,
(form “jar” with hands and shake)
Cookies in the jar,
Shake ‘em up,
Shake ‘em up,
Cookies in the jar,
Candles on the cake, (hold up ten fingers)
Candles on the cake,
Blow ‘em out, (“blow out” fingers)
Blow ‘em out,
Candles on the cake.
(Tune of A Huntin’ we will go)

Shaker song- If you're happy and you know it
 If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake.
If you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, give a shake.
( Tap your knees, tap your feet,  beep your nose, do all  four)

Happy Birthday!
Cumpleaños  feliz  4X
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday, happy birthday
Happy Birthday to you.

Birthday Months
If your birthday is in January, turn around
If your birthday is in February, touch the ground
(March, march along; April, sing a song; May, wiggle your nose; June, shake your toes; July, jump up high; August, reach the sky; September, tap your shoe; October, call out “Boo!”; November, tickle your ears; December, give three cheers)


Flannel: Five Candles 
Five candles on a birthday cake
Five, and not one more
You may blow one candle out,
And that leaves four!

(There for all to see / three; Standing straight and true / two; Helping us have fun / one; We know its task is done / none)

Shake my Sillies out
I'm gonna shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out.
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out.
And wiggle my waggles away.
(Repeat with clap my crazies out, jump my jiggles out,  yawn my sleepies out,  stretch my stretchies out, and shake my sillies out.)

Goodbye Song
Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"
(clap hands to beat and wave during 'goodbye')
Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"
Now it's time to say goodbye,
Wave your hands,
Wink your eye,

Now it's time to say goodbye to all our friends, "Goodbye!"
Sang to the tune of “She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain”

Early Literacy Tip of the week: 
Infants and children have the most active brains and the more stimulation they receive, the more connections are made between brain cells. It is repetition that keeps these connections and makes them strong.

A secret birthday message by Eric Carle
We had so many birthday activities planned for this storytime, we actually did not get to the second book today!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Sensory Storytime- Fall

Sensory storytime is for children with Sensory Integration Issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders or other developmental delays, their friends and families.

The program includes fine/gross motor activities, songs, fingerplays and stories.  

A predictable, visual schedule guides our sessions.  

The program is open to all ages, but is geared towards a preschool interest level. 

This week our theme was Fall and we had a lot of fun!

Carpet squares are already in a circle and children are welcomed into the room and invited to sit on one of the squares, with their parents close to them.

I introduce myself and go over storytime rules. They are simple! 
1. Participate
2. If anyone gets too rowdy, they are welcome to go to the calming corner (where there is a calming caddy; a small caddy filled with fidgets, stress balls and other manipulatives) and come back to the circle once they are settled.
3. A little movement around the room is ok, but if the child gets too close to any materials that are being used, please bring them back to their square.

The visual schedule is already on a flannelboard. I go over the activities we are going to do today, pointing at each card as I talk.

Time to sing! We go around the room and welcome everyone by singing to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell:
___________ is here today, 
___________ is here today,
Everybody wave hello 
'Cause __________ is here today.

Then we sing "Open, Shut Them"  Click on the link to see how to do it at home.

Open, shut them
Open shut them, Open shut them,
Give a little clap clap clap!
Open shut them, Open shut them,
Put them in your lap, lap, lap!
Creep them, crawl them,
Creep them, crawl them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin!
Open wide your little mouth,
But do not let them in!
  
Falling, falling, falling, falling
Almost to the ground, ground, ground
Slowly pick them up again and turn them ‘round and ‘round, ‘round, ‘round
Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster
Clap, clap, clap
Slower, slower, slower, slower
Put them in your lap, lap, lap

We read There was an old lady who swallowed some leaves by Lucille Colandro.
I read it through completely the first time, asking questions along the way to ensure children are following the sequence of events. Prior to the storytime, 
I made 9 cards : 
1.
2. some leaves 
3. a pole
4. a rope
5. a pumpkin
6. some pants
7. some hay
8. a shirt
9. a scarecrow
I found the images on Teachers pay Teachers. It is a Freebie, but you will have to set up a free account to download the PDF:

After we read the book the first time, I hand out 4 of the cards. I read the book again, and ask the children to hold up their cards as we reach that part of the story.

At the end of the storytime, I give each child the rest of the cards (on the back, I put the numbers 1-9) so they work on sequencing and can retell the story at home.

I created a sensory bin; a plastic shoe box filled with different hand-on fall materials. Our bin included fabric leaves, pumpkins, gourds and various foam shapes. I took the bin around and allowed each child to put their hands in and tell me about the first thing they felt. Then I handed each child 2 leaves from the bin.


We held the leaves as we sang: 
The Leaves in the air 
(tune: The Wheels on the Bus)
The leaves in the air go up and down,
Up and down,
Up and down,
The leaves in the air go up and down.
All through the fall.
.... round and round
...go whooshing by
...fall gently down


The children are allowed to keep their leaves so they can sing the song at home, so I instruct them to put them to one side as we move on to the next activity.

 This is actually a Flannelboard song. I handed out a couple of feathers to each child and sang: 

Turkey Feathers
(tune: Mary wore her red dress)
Turkey wore his red feather, 
Red feather, red feather
Turkey wore his red feather
All day long
...yellow
...orange
...brown


The children brought their feathers up to the board and put them onto the turkey as we sang about the colors they were given.

Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber. This book is filled with colors. It was a little long, so I paperclipped a couple of pages to shorten it.

Before reading the book, I gave each child a Ziploc bag with a blob of red and a blob of yellow paint in it, secured with packing tape across the opening.

We discussed the colors in the bag and asked what color we would make if we mixed the colors. I instructed children listen to the story and I asked if we had the colors mentioned in the book in our bag; Do we have brown in our bag? Gold? Yellow?

We did not have orange in our bag when we read about that color but by the end of the book, the bags were mixed enough that we could say we did have orange!



 I give a scarf to each child, they make a "bird" with their scarf and we sing:

There's a bird in the air
(tune: There's a spider on the floor)
There's a bird in the air, in the air (pinch scarf in the middle, then flap it in the air like a bird)
There's a bird in the air, in the air
There's a cird in the air, now he's flying in my hair! (put bird on hair)
There'a a bird in the air, in the air.

There's a bird on my leg, on my leg (put bird on leg)
There's a bird on my leg on my leg,
There's a bird on my leg and he's getting pretty big,
There's a bird on my leg, on my leg.

There's a bird on my hand, on my hand
There's a bird on my hand, on my hand. 
There's a bird on my hand, but look, he's my friend!
There's a bird, on my hand, on my hand.

We then use our scarves to hide and sing song:
Peek-a-Boo, I see you- I see you in the morning
Peek-a-Boo, I see you- I see you in the afternoon
Peek-a-Boo, I see you- I see you in the evening!

We sing a clean up song as I take the scarves and transition into:


Our opening and closing songs, our scarf song and this rhyme/ fingerplay are the same across all storytimes. Click on the link to see how to do it at home.

Two little blackbirds, sitting on a hill, 
One named Jack and one named Jill,
Fly away Jack,
Fly away Jill.
Come back Jack and come back Jill.

Tickle the Clouds
Tickle the clouds, 
Tickle your toes
Turn around and tickle your nose
Reach down low
And reach up high
Storytime's over- wave good-bye!

As a parting activity, I hand out bubbles and play a song and allow children to blow bubbles around the room.

It is important to give children an opportunity to play and parents an opportunity to socialize, so I open our play room; you could bring out toys.

I remind parents and children about the items I have given them and instructions on how to continue the activities at home.


I gave them all a sensory bag, filled with colored rice and fall foam stickers as an additional home activity.

My final words are to remind parents and children about our next storytime.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Snack Time!

 About to decorate a cookie...or two.. or three : )
 Alligator and Helen enjoy making a cookie sculpture.
 Fresh made cookies!
Who took a bite?
Yawn...well, it's time for all stuffed animals to head to bed.  Hmmm.... I wonder if we have enough time for a game of hide and seek or a chance to slide down the stairs before our children come to get us?  Check later to see if we did have enough time : )

Playing a great game!

 Everyone gets a turn!
 Give it a good spin : )
 Alligator is about to go up a ladder.
 Helen is having such fun!
 Enjoying your game?
Yes! Yes! Yes!

Another Story!

 Ready to hear " When the Library Lights go Out"?
Ready!  It's our new favorite book : )

Hanging out with our new friend, Ms. Owl

 First , the twins climb up...
 Next comes Helen, Alligator and our monkey friend..
 And finally Hello Kitty!
What a great friend Ms. Owl is and she tells the very best stories!

Time for a ride!

Off on an adventure!