Community Parade

My 2nd community parade!!  It was a really nice day--not too hot!

A few of my very talented co-workers created the Very Hungry Caterpillar for parades.  Ours was the first parade of the season so we were the first to actually USE it!

It's a little complicated to put together (at least a 3-man job!)

But look how cute it was in the parade!!  The kids absolutely loved it!

We even had some "fruit" for the caterpillar to munch on

Instead of candy, the library supervisor and I passed out seed packets to promote our Seed Library.

Following the parade there is a gathering at the school with booths, food, etc.

 At our booth this year we invited kids to decorate a paper pot and then plant pumpkin seeds to take home!  It was a HUGE hit!  We talked with almost TWICE as many people as last year (over 100)!

Hopefully we will have lots come in for our summer reading program and to check out seeds!

P.S.
Here's a totally cool bike that was in the parade!

Guerrilla Storytime

An internal blog post

I attended WLA’s pre-conference all about storytimes.  Part of that session was a guerrilla storytime!  I have been intrigued with the idea of a guerrilla storytime and was so excited to learn the ins and outs of doing one!

American Libraries journal explained that the “theory of Guerrilla Storytime is to create a chance to show the power of storytime in actual practice and offer youth services librarians a chance to meet in person and build their professional networks.”

A group of youth services librarians, and others if they feel so inclined, sit in a circle for an informal sharing of best practices in storytime.  Often a question is posed such as “What do you do when the children are restless during storytime?”  Anyone can then answer the question.  Then someone else can add their ideas and soon you have an armload of ideas that others have used (and that work)!  This usually organically morphs into more questions and more responses and ideas, however, if there is a lull, pre-written questions can be passed out to spark more ideas.

And it’s not just talking!  You get to demonstrate your silly dance, sing your good-bye song, showoff your favorite parachute activity, and the best part…everyone joins in!

The hardest part though was jotting down the words of songs and rhymes and remembering the tunes that were used.

The Show Me Librarian has samples of questions that could be asked to help spark sharing.

I am hoping to do our own district Guerrilla Storytime!

May Outreach Storytimes (Daycares)

The theme for the month of May was Spring.  It was almost getting too late in the year for it, however, I had enough spring "things" sprinkled in that it didn't focus exclusively on the seasons changing.

Toddlers
3 of the following books, depending on age and interest

Kitten's Spring

by Eugenie Fernandes

Baby Loves Spring

by Karen Katz

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

In the Garden

by Elizabeth Spurr; illustrated by Manelle Oliphant

Peek-a-Bloom

by Marie Torres Cimarusti; illustrated by Stephanie Petersen

Lola Plants a Garden

by Anna McQuinn; illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Itsy, Bitsy Spider

Plip-Plip-Plop
(tune: chorus of Jingle Bells)

Plip, plip, plop
Plip, plip, plop
Rainy, rainy days
Springtime showers water flowers
So they'll bloom in May
Plip, plip, plop
Plip, plip, plop
Rainy, rainy days
Springtime showers water flowers
So they'll bloom in May!

(I have the kids shake jingle bells during the song.  Then we use the bells to make our own "storm", soft and slow, to loud and fast, then back to soft and slow.)

There's Something in My Garden

A magnet board hide and seek

There’s something in my garden,

Now what can it be?

There’s something in my garden

That I can't really see.

Hear its funny sound….

Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

A frog is what I found!

Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak)

Bird (tweet-tweet-tweet)

Bumblebee (buzz-buzz-buzz)

Rabbit (thump-thump-thump)

Preschool
3 of the following books (There is a wide range of how daycares define "preschool"!)

Spring Is Here!

by Will Hillenbrand

I Love Bugs

by Emma Dodd

Sleepyhead Bear

by Lisa Westberg Peters; illustrated by Ian Schoenherr

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

We're Rabbits

by Lisa Westberg Peters; illustrated by Jeff Mack

Hello Springtime
(Magnet Board)
(tune: Good Night Ladies)

Hello springtime
Hello springtime
Hello springtime
We're glad you're here today!

Hello blue sky
Hello blue sky
Hello blue sky
We're glad you're here today!

Continue with additional springtime things you see outside:
Bunny
Raindrops
Sunshine
Rainbow
Flowers
Bluebird

There's a Ladybug in the Air
(each child got to hold/make fly a felt ladybug I had made)

There’s a ladybug in the air, in the air

There’s a ladybug in the air, in the air

There’s a ladybug in the air, she flies without a care

There’s a ladybug in the air, in the air.

There’s a ladybug in my hair, in my hair…

Try to catch her if you dare

There’s a ladybug on my toes, on my toes

She stopped there for a doze.

There’s a ladybug on my thumb, on my thumb

Chewing bubblegum

Chin

It makes me stop and grin

Chest

Time to take a rest!

Repeat 1st verse

Pre-K
2-3 of the following books

I Love Bugs

by Emma Dodd

One Duck Stuck

by Phyllis Root; illustrated by Jane Chapman

In the Rain with Baby Duck

by Amy Hest; illustrated by Jill Barton

My wonderful mentor, Mrs. B, taught me that you can sing Baby Duck's little songs to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"

The Very Lazy Ladybug

by Isobel Finn and Jack Tickle

999 Frogs Wake Up 

by Ken Kimura and Yasunari Murakami

Hello Springtime
(see above)

There's a Ladybug in the Air
(see above)

Ants' Picnic
magnet board

Four hungry ants marching in a line
They came upon a picnic where they could dine.
One marched into the salad, then he marched into the cake
He marched into the pepper, but that was a mistake
Aaah..Aaah...Choo!

Continue counting down 

It's Spring! Preschool Storytime

I finally got used to doing an "all ages" storytime and now I have been switched back to Preschool Storytime.  It was a lot of fun with a good size crowd!
Books

Spring is Here!

by Will Hillenbrand

What Does Bunny See?

by Linda Sue Park; illustrated by Maggie Smith

Magnet Board/Songs

Hello Springtime!
(magnet board)

Hello springtime
Hello springtime
Hello springtime
We're glad you're here today!

I give clues to children to guess what we will sing about next.  Such as "in the winter the ground is covered in white snow, but in the springtime there is now..."

Blue Sky
Green Grass
Sunshine
Raindrops
Rainbow
Bluebird
Butterfly
Bunny

Last verse: Springtime


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.

Run
March
Tiptoe
Jump
Hop on 1 foot

Last verse: Walk

There's Something in My Garden
(magnet board)

There’s something in my garden,

Now what can it be?

There’s something in my garden

That I can't really see.

Hear its funny sound….

Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

A frog is what I found!

Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak)

Bird (tweet-tweet-tweet)

Bumblebee (buzz-buzz-buzz)

Rabbit (thump-thump-thump)

Play and Learn

Five Flowers

Children draw five stems (adding leaves if desired), glue crumpled pieces of tissue paper on top for "flower"

Blocks
Puzzles
Giant Sandwich

Busy Bags
Whiteboards
Craft Stick Connectors
Colored Paper Clips

Children's Book Week

In honor of Children's Book Week I wanted to share my top five children's books.  Let me tell you, it was not an easy task to narrow it down to just five!!

Hug!

by Jez Alborough

This is the best one-on-one book to share with your young child! Nearly wordless, the warmth, caring, and longing are expressed vividly in the illustrations.

Where's My Teddy?

by Jez Alborough

I read this book so many times to my daughters that I memorized it...and I still have it memorized after all these years.  I love to use this book when I am modeling Mem Fox's tips for reading aloud: fast, slow; loud, soft; and pauses.  A great read aloud book!

Ella Enchanted

by Gail Carson Levine

This is one of the first fairy tale retellings I remember reading.  Ella is a bright, determined, strong, yet sweet young lady who takes her destiny into her own hands.

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

This is the book that got me hooked on reading children's books as an adult.  Deeply thought-provoking and 

The Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall

A sweet story of four sisters, their widowed father, and a new friend.  The girls are wonderfully creative and full of energy.  A wonderful story of family and friendship.

Harry Potter

by J. K. Rowling

OK.  I threw in a bonus.  I just couldn't bypass a book (series) that changed the face of children's literature!  A classic tale of good versus evil; the underdog finding inner strength to bet the odd; and the power of love and friendship.

Springtime Baby Storytime!

A small, young crowd today, but still a lot of fun!

Song/Rhymes/Bounces
(words can be found here)

Clap, Clap, Clap
Hello Song
Little Bear
I Have a Little Duck
Tiny Little Babies
Pat-a-Cake
I'm a Little Teapot 
Hickory Dickory Dock
Acak Backa Soda Cracker
One Bright Scarf

Read Aloud

Kitten's Spring

by Eugenie Fernandes

Shared Reading

A variety of board books that have a "spring-ish" theme including:

Go Baby Go!

by Marilyn Janovitz

In My Flower

by Sara Gillingham & Lorena Siminovich

Play and Learn

Animals on the Farm Baby Storytime

Our last week of farm animals!

Song/Bounces/Rhymes
(words can be found here)

Clap, Clap, Clap
Hello Song
Little Bear
I Have a Little Duck
Tiny Little BabiesThe Rain is Falling Down*
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Jack and Jill 
Acak Backa Soda Cracker
One Bright Scarf

Read Aloud Book

Peek-a-Moo!

by Marie Torres Cimarusti; illustrated by Stephanie Peterson

Shared Reading

A variety of board books about farm animals including:

Rookie Toddler: Baby Animals

Baby Animals: Flip-a-Face

by SAMi

Play and Learn

Today we pulled out the long tube and the shaker balls.  Two little ones in particular loved rolling the balls down the tube!

* The Rain is Falling Down

(tune: Farmer in the Dell)

The rain is falling down

Splash!

The rain is falling down

Splash!

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter

The rain if falling down

Splash!