Halloween Craft & Parade

Today I hosted a Halloween Craft and Parade program for children ages 2 to 6. During the program children made a paper plate ghost and Q-tip skeleton. Afterwards, we trick-or-treated around the library. It was a lot of fun!

Paper Plate Ghost

Craft was inspired by the blog Crafts by Amanda.  

Supplies:

• Paper plate
• Hole punch
• Black construction paper
• White construction paper
• Black marker to draw pupils
• Pink crayon for cheeks
• White streamers
• White yarn  
• Glue stick 

Q-Tip Skeleton

Craft was inspired by Busy Bee Kids Crafts.

Supplies:

• Black card stock
• White crayons for hands and feet
• Q-tips
• Skull clip art from  Cliparts.co. 
• Glue stick
• School Glue
• Scissors to cut Q-tips

Fall Toddler Time

This program was for children ages 18 to 35 months. 

Books

Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson
Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson

Songs & Fingerplays

Brown Squirrel
Courtesy of Bus Songs

Apple Seed
Courtesy of Perpetual Preschool

Busy Little Scarecrow
Courtesy of Preschool Learning 

I used a variety of movements for the fall songs. We mimicked each action. I usually add movements to songs and fingerplays, since it engages the group and keeps their attention.

Five Elephants in the Bathtub
Courtesy of Storytime Katie 

I created a flannel board to accompany the song.

Elephant image courtesy of Clipart Panda.

Bathtub image courtesy of Cliparts.co.  

Scarf Play

This is the Way
Courtesy of Anne's Library Life 

Let's Go Riding in an Elevator
Courtesy of Jbrary

We only counted to three.

At the end the kids were invited to dance! I played the song Celebrate from the CD Kids Dance Party by The Party Cats.

Fall Fun!

Today I hosted a fall themed storytime for preschoolers. It was wonderful! The caregivers were very engaged and the kids enjoyed the program.

Books

Aw, Nuts! by Rob McClurkan
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Songs & Fingerplays

Five Furry Chipmunks
Inspired by 123 Learn Curriculum

One furry chipmunk dashes by,
(bounce one finger)
Two furry chipmunks are way up high.
(wiggle two fingers in the air)
Three furry chipmunks with some nuts to hide,
(put hands behind back)
Four furry chipmunks play outside.
(wiggle four fingers)
Five furry chipmunks chase round and round,
(roll hands)
Scattering acorns on the ground.
(make sprinkling motion with fingers)

This is a variation on Five Furry Squirrels. I purchased an adorable Folkmanis chipmunk finger puppet at the New Jersey Youth Services forum. I needed a good reason to use it!

I'm a Nut
Courtesy of Jbrary

I added a few more movements to the song.

I'm an acorn small and round,
(make a circle with arms in front) 
Lying on the cold, cold, ground.
(point to ground)
People always step on me,
(stomp foot)
That is why I'm cracked you see.
(clap hands on cracked)
I'm a nut (clack, clack)
(tap head while making clacking noise)
I'm a nut (clack, clack)
I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut (clack, clack)

Activity

Shaker Eggs!

I haven't used the shaker eggs in a while with the preschoolers, so I thought it would be fun to break them out! Eggs, sticks, and scarves are always a hit with my group.

Egg Shakers Up
Courtesy of Jbrary

Shake it On Your Shoe
Courtesy of Jbrary

This is a fun way to count with the group!

Everyone Can Shake
Courtesy of Jbrary

In our version we tap the egg on our knee.

Craft

Fall Wreath

Supplies:

• Paper plate with center cut out
• Yellow paper
• Brown paper
• Red paper
• Orange paper
• Orange foam 
• Yarn
• Streamers
• Whole punch 
• Gluesticks
• Sequins

I used Ellison stamps to cut the leaves and apples. I traced  the pumpkins onto orange foam and cut out the shapes. If you don't have foam, simply use orange paper. I had extra from another craft and it added a nice 3D element to the wreath.

Firefighter Craft

I used this craft during Fire Prevention Week. It's a simple, inexpensive craft you can make at home!

Firefighter Hat

I found the craft idea through Pinterest. It's from the blog Easy Breezy.

Supplies:

• Paper plate with center cut out
• Popsicle stick
• Red tissue paper 
• Glue
• Tape or glue for the stick
• Yellow card stock for emblem

Love to Read Storytime!

I recently hosted a Love to Read storytime in honor of Library Card Sign up Month! This program was for children ages 3 to 6.

Books

Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn
Otto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson
Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier

Songs

If You're a Reader and You Know It
Courtesy of Storytime Katie

I added a few extra movements to the song. We stomp our feet and tap our knees.

Craft

Frog Bookmark!

Supplies:

• Light and dark green card stock
• Red ribbon
• Google Eyes
• Glue
• Black marker

Instructions:

I used a circle Ellison stamp to cut the circles. Then I folded one circle in half and glued half of it to the other circle. This will give you a mouth. Then I glued the ribbon inside the top circle. The smaller circles were used to make the eyes. I glued them to the top of the head, then placed the google eyes in the center. I simply drew the nose on with a black marker.

Bubbles and Bathtime!

I used this theme in my Toddler Time program. It was a lot of fun! The kids loved the bath books and bubble songs. The scarf play at the end was especially fun.

Books

Time for a Bath by Phillis Gershator
Bears in a Bath by Shirley Parenteau

Songs & Fingerplays

Bubbly Bath
Courtesy of Madison Public Library.

Five Elephants in a Bathtub
Courtesy of Storytime Katie.

Activity

Scarf Play

This is the Way We Wash Our Face
Inspired by Anne's Library Life.

In our version, we wiggle the scarf in front of each body part.  We washed our face, toes, knees, and tummies.

Let's Go Riding in an Elevator
Courtesy of Jbrary. 

Afterwards, I played the song Splish Splash by Bobby Darin from the CD A Child's Celebration of Rock 'N' Roll.

Following the program, the kids colored a bath and rubber duckie picture!

Image Courtesy of Sweet Clipart.

Farm Fun Storytime

Today I had my first preschool storytime after summer reading! The theme was farm fun. It was a hit! The kids, and caregivers, loved the books, songs, activity, and craft. I highly recommend the songs and materials for a preschool program.

Books

Cock-A-Moo-Moo by Juliet Dallas-Conte
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson

There was lots of laughter and excitement with these books!

Songs and Fingerplays

When Cows Wake Up in the Morning
Courtesy of Jbrary.


I accompanied this song with a flannel board. I made the animals out of foam sheets. I incorporated a few different animals than the Jbrary version. We sang about cows, sheep, ducks, horses, pigs, and hens.

The Animals on the Farm

There are many versions of this song, but mine is close to the version on Free Preschool Activities. Our version includes cows, chickens, sheep, pigs, and horses.

Little Duck
Courtesy of Storytime Katie.


Activity

Bubbles!
I used songs from the CD Kids Wanna Rock! by Mr. Al.

Craft

Baby Chick

Supplies:

• Yellow card stock
• Basket grass 
• Blue card stock
• White card stock
• Feathers
• Glue sticks
• Baby chick graphic courtesy of Sweet Clipart.