Knights of Veritas

Summer Reading has (finally!) started!!  Our first presenter were the Knights of Veritas!  We had a great turn out and learned a lot about knights and the Middle Ages!  

This is officially called "mail" NOT chain mail
Took two years to make this by hand!

The kids loved seeing the knight get into all his armor!

We learned about the Code of Chivalry

Courage * Courtesy * Prowess * Humility * Justice * Faith * Loyalty  Generosity *  Honor

(Makes me think of the Knights' song in Quest for Camelot!)

We also got to look at some artifacts--super cool!

The best part?  Everyone got the opportunity to put on the helmet and hold a sword!

Guessing Books

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A great way to have children participate in storytime is to read a guessing book.  If your group is large you can have children “tell their grown-up” what they think the answer is; if your groups is small you can have children call out what they think before turning the page or lifting the flap to reveal the answer.

One of my favorite books to share with children is Laura Hulbert’s Who Has These Feet? 

The children love to guess what animal has each set of feet…some are easily guessed right away; other times the feet are a little more tricky, but it makes the kids stop and think.  Sometimes I will give them additional clues to help them figure out the animal.

Other guessing books you may enjoy sharing in storytime:

Who has this tail? 

by Laura Hulbert; illustrated by Erik Brooks

Guess what I see? 

Liesbet Slegers

I Spy [Pets; On the Farm; In the Sky; Under the Sea] 

by Edward Gibbs

The Foggy, Foggy Forest 

by Nick Sharratt

Q is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game 

by Mary Elting & Michael Folsom; illustrated by Jack Kent

(for older children) 

How will we get to the beach? 

by Brigitte Luciani

What other “guessing” books have you used in storytime?

Birthday Storytime

Although it's not any one's birthday that I know, who can resist a birthday theme?!

Books

Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake

by Eileen Christelow

Birthday Pet

by Ellen Javernick; illustrated by Kevin O'Malley

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

Flannel Board: Five Birthday Candles

5 birthday candles
wish there were more
Blow one out,
then there were 4.

4 birthday candles,
pretty as can be.
Blow one out,
then there are 3.

3 birthday candles,
Hope my wish comes true.
Blow one out,
then there are 2.

2 birthday candles
Birthday cakes are fun
Blow one out,
Then there is 1.

1 birthday candle,
the party’s almost done.
Blow out one,

Then there are none.

Play and Learn

Playdough and straws--"candles" on a "cake"

Make a birthday party hat!

Birthday Sensory Bin-- Make confetti with paper strips, crepe paper, tissue paper, and straws [scissor practice!]

Block Train (from Melissa and Doug)

Coloring Sheet--draw in the candles

Summer Reading Kickoff--Cardboard Car Drive-In Movie!

Last Friday night we hosted our Summer Reading Program kickoff event!

Cardboard Car Drive-In Movie: The Incredibles

We partnered with a nearby elementary school--so we would have plenty of room to build in their gym!

A LOT of cardboard was collected during the past month.  

All sizes--so kids could get creative in their designs!

Lots of tape!  Masking and colorful duct tape.  

We went through A LOT of tape!

Supplies to decorate and embellish the cars--construction paper, crayons, markers, paper plates (made great wheels and steering wheels), aluminum foil.  And of course scissors and glue sticks!

Creativity exploded as kids designed their cardboard box cars!

This one became a submarine!

A creative librarian designed a cardboard van to match our outreach van!

We had a great turn out and a wonderful time watching "The Incredibles" at our drive-in!

New Books (and old songs) Outreach Storytime

I took all new(er) books to read to the older two classes (preschool and Pre-K) at my outreach storytime today.  I really enjoyed getting into some new books!

Dinosaur Parade

by Shari Halpern

My Bike

by Byron Barton

Home Tweet Home

by Courtney Dicmas

Books For Me

by Sue Fliess; illustrated by Mike Laughead

Wolfie the Bunny

by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Zachariah OHora

Monkey and Duck Quack Up!

by Jennifer Hamburg; illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

This Book Just Ate My Dog

by Richard Byrne

(Old) Songs we sang

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

If You're Happy and You Know It

I also did a storytime for babies and another one for toddlers.  They loved the puppets I took (duck, pig, kitten, cow) to use while we sang Old MacDonald Had A Farm.  We also sang 3 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and  The Wheels on the Bus.  We read John Butler's Whose Nose and Toes and a variety of board books.

Hand and Feet Storytime

Although this theme was kind of "flat" on outreach storytimes, it was great fun at our in-house storytime!

Books

Hands Can

by Cheryl Willis Hudson; photographs by John-Francis Bourke

Who Has These Feet?

by Laura Hulbert; illustrated by Erik Brooks

Beach Feet

by Kiyomi Konagaya; illustrated by Masamitsu Saito

Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

If You're Happy and You Know It
Clap your hands
Stomp your feet
Shout hooray!
Do all three

I Can Walk on Two Feet
I can walk on two feet
On two feet, on two feet
I can walk on two feet
All day long.

I can run on two feet
On two feet, on two feet
I can run on two feet
All day long.

I can tiptoe on two feet
On two feet, on two feet
I can tiptoe on two feet
All day long.

I can jump on two feet
On two feet, on two feet
I can jump on two feet
All day long.

I can march on two feet
On two feet, on two feet
I can march on two feet
All day long.

I can hop on one foot
On one foot, on one foot
I can hop on one foot
All day long.

Play and Learn

Water Beads Sensory Table

Hand and Foot Craft

Samples

4 year old creation!

Stamps

Tools

Baby Storytime--June 5

This week I highlighted books with photographs instead of illustrations and talked about how much babies love to look at faces!  This was also our first session with new songs/rhymes/bounces for the summer--so those always start off a little rocky.  Next year I think I will try to do the add one new one and take one away approach...then I will have done it both ways and see what works best for the babies, parents, and me.

Songs/Rhymes/Bounces

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Clap, Clap, Clap (Welcome)
We Sing Hello
Little Bear
Here are Baby's Eyes
As I Went Walking to Town One Day
This Little Piggy
Popcorn
Hug, Hug, Hug (Good-bye)

Read Aloud Book

A Kiss Means I Love You

by Kathryn Madeline Allen; photographs by Eric Futran

Shared Reading

Today I highlighted a new board book series we recently received at the library that features photographs instead of illustrations:  Rookie Toddler

Including Red Apple, Green Pear and Ears, Eyes, Nose

Play and Learn

In addition to our "regular" toys I also brought out our soft plastic blocks.