Wacky Wednesday!

Celebrate Seuss with his 1974 book, Wacky Wednesday!


It all began 
With a shoe on the wall.
A shone on the wall...?
Shouldn't be there at all!

There's some wacky things happening in the children's department at the library today too!

My Favorite Dr. Seuss Book

I admit, choosing just one favorite Seuss book was rather difficult.  These are the other four that fought for my top spot!

• Green Eggs and Ham
• The Cat in the Hat
• Oh, the Places You'll Go!
• I Can Read With My Eyes Shut

But I finally choose, as my favorite Dr. Seuss book,  How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Or maybe a more appropriate title would be "How the Grinch Tried to Steal Christmas".  Or maybe "How the Grinch Found Christmas".  This book reminds me that Christmas is so much more than gifts and presents; decorations and lights! 

I really like the message of this story and the Grinch's own declaration

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. 

Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

"Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,

Was singing! Without any presents at all!

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!

IT CAME!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!"

Of course I can't read the book without "hearing" the Grinch from the cartoon, which first aired in 1966.  I grew up watching the cartoon every Christmas season on TV.  Back then if you missed the showing of it that evening, you missed it for the year!  Now I can watch it several times a year on DVD!

To learn more about the history behind How the Grinch Stole Christmas visit this informative website.

Seuss Week!

We are gearing up for a Seuss-stical  week leading up to Dr. Seuss's birthday, Saturday, March 2nd.

Activities to enjoy at the library...
Six different activities will be featured at our Do It Yourself Table this week--a different one every day!!  So help us celebrate "Seuss Week" by visiting the DIY table behind the children's computers!

Monday:  There's a Wocket in My Pocket!  Make your own wocket to pop out of your pocket!

Tuesday: Oh, the Places I'll Go!  Make a balloon picture showing something you want to do or someplace you want to visit!

Wednesday:  Wacky Wednesday!  How many "wacky" things can you find in the children's area?

Thursday:  What do you get when...??  In Scrambled Eggs Super Peter T. Hooper meet a animal that was a cross between a stork and a poodle called a Stoodle.  Make up your own creature, name it and draw it!

Friday:  Cat in the Hat!  The Cat in the Hat is one of the most recognized Seuss icons.  Take time to rhyme and do a word search with the Cat in the Hat.

Saturday:  Test your knowledge of Dr. Seuss and his works!

Seuss-athon!  An eight hour reading marathon!!  Saturday, March 2 from 9 AM - 5 PM!!  Children, families and youth are invited to come read Dr. Seuss anytime during the marathon and enjoy some yummy treats and fun Seuss prizes!

Activities to enjoy Online...

Follow the Bellevue Public Library on Facebook, leave comments to our daily Seuss questions, and earn extra drawing slips for the Seuss-athon door prizes!  What's your favorite Dr. Seuss book?  Finish a Dr. Seuss quote!  Tell us where and when you and your family are going to read this week!  Mrs. B and I will also have blog posts celebrating Dr. Seuss, like this one.  So join us for the fun!!

T is for...

Turtles and Tigers and Toads! Oh, My!  So many fun words that begin with the letter T!!  Unfortunately, we only had storytime on Wednesday because of a terrible snowstorm Thursday!

Books

Tabitha's Terrifically Tough Tooth by Charlotte Middleton

Great alliteration in this book that emphasizes the letter t!

Who's in the Tub? by Sylive Jones; illustrated by Pascale Constantin

Flannel Board/Songs/Rhymes

The Train

(adapted from storytimekatie)

Here comes the train on the railroad track!

Clickety-clack, clickety-clack,
Here comes ENGINE number one.
Clickety-clunn, clickety-clunn,
Here comes ______ (color) car number two.
Clickety-clew, clickety-clew,
Here comes ______ (color) car  number three.
Clickety-clee, clickety-clee,
Here comes ______ (color) car  number four.
Clickety-clore, clickety-clore,
Here comes ______ (color) car  number five.
Clickety-clive, clickety-clive,
Here’s the RED CABOOSE, that’s number six.
Clickety-clicks, clickety-clicks,

There goes the train on the railroad track!
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack,

Clickety-clack, clickety-clack!

I love to use a magnetic white board...so easy to copy,
color, cut out and put on a bit of magnet!

A Silly Song

Song  [tune: wheels on the bus]

I can make my hands go clap, clap, clap; clap, clap, clap; clap, clap, clap
I can make my hands go clap, clap, clap, 'cuz they're a part of me.

I can make my feet go stomp, stomp, stomp; stomp, stomp, stomp; stomp,stomp, stomp.
I can make my feet go stomp, stomp, stomp, 'cuz they're a part of me.

I can make my legs go jump, etc.

I can make my bottom go wiggle , etc.

I can make my tongue go in and out, etc.  [Make sure you say "'cuz it's a part of me" with your tongue out!]

Rub-a-dub-dub

Rub-a-dub-dub three men in the tub
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker
And all of them going to sea!

Enrichment Activities

Teddy Bear Manipulatives and pattern cards
Tambourines and other musical instruments
Teddy Bear Counting Books

V is for Valentine

A little stray from our regular alphabet storytime since we have plenty of time to finish up the alphabet this spring!  It was very fun celebrating Valentine's Day with my preschool children!!

Books

If You'll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Funi Kosaka

Sweet Hearts by Jan Carr; illustrated by Dorothy Donohue

Flannel Board/Songs/Rhymes

The Valentine Tree (Totline, January/February 1994)
I know a very special tree
That lives among the pines.
it has no leaves upon its boughs,
It just grows valentines.

It grows some pretty red ones,
And others that are blue.
It grows some fancy lace ones
With flowers on them, too.

It grows some little pink ones
And great big ones of green.
It grows the nicest Valentines
That I have ever seen!

One day I walked up to it
And shook that special tree.
Down feel a valentine
Especially for me!

Valentine's Day Movement
With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

Step forward
Step back
Step to the side
Give a hug!


With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

Step forward
Step back
Step to the side
Blow a kiss!


With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

With your arms give a hug
With your lips blow a kiss
With your toe tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!



Queen of Hearts
The queen of hearts,
She made some tarts
All on a summer’s day.
The knave of hearts,
He stole those tarts
And took them clean away.

Enrichment Activities

Valentine Match

Make a Valentine  (in the center of a die cut heart cut "doors" that can be folded open and closed.  glue a white piece of paper on the back.  The child will decorate or write on the inside.)  (Idea from Susan Olson Higgins, Totline, Jan/Feb 1999, p. 20)

Conversation Heart Sort and Count (This is a great mat from Pre-Kinders)

Hugs and Kisses

This storytime was presented at Kindercare and Welcome School this month.

No More Kissing!
by Emma Chichester Clark

H-E-A-R-T
(Sung to Bingo, words by Tammy Henry)
Glue the letters h, e, a, r, t onto construction paper squares; glue a heart on the back of each letter square; add string or use magnets and a magnet board to display letters to point to while you sing.  When you "take away a letter" turn the card over to show the heart.  This reminds the child to clap.

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
H-E-A-R-T
H-E-A-R-T
H-E-A-R-T
A heart shows that I love you!

It may seem "backwards" to you, but taking a letter from the end of the song actually makes it easier for kids to say the letters and clap.

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
H-E-A-R-(clap)
H-E-A-R-(clap)
H-E-A-R-(clap)
A heart shows that I love you!

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
H-E-A-(clap)-(clap)
H-E-A-(clap)-(clap)
H-E-A-(clap)-(clap)
A heart shows that I love you!

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
H-E-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
H-E-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
H-E-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
A heart shows that I love you!

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
H-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
H-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
H-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
A heart shows that I love you!

There is a shape that I can make that shows that I love you
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
A heart shows that I love you!

Full, full, full of love
by Trish Cooke; illustrated by Paul Howard

Hug and Kiss Dance (adapted from Totline, Jan/Feb 1999, p. 21)

With your toe, tap, tap, tap!
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!

Step forward
Step back
Step right.
Give a hug!

With your toe, tap, tap, tap!
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!

Step forward
Step back
Step left
Blow a kiss!

With your toe, tap, tap, tap!
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!

With your arms give a hug!
With your lips blow a kiss!
With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!

I can hug

I can hug, hug, hug
I can hop, hop, hop
I can kiss, kiss, kiss
I can stop, stop, stop
I can nod my head for yes
I can shake my head for no
I can sit down oh so low.

A Hug for You
by Margaret Anastas; illustrated by Susan Winter

S is for...

S is such a great letter!  Letter sounds just like it's name and there are so many words...you get the idea!

Books

Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen

Aaaarrgghh! Spider!  by Lydia Monks

Flannel Board/Songs/Rhymes

One Snake

 *can be sung to “She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain” 

There was 1 snake hiding in the grass: sss sss

There was 1 snake hiding in the grass: sss sss

Oh, he slithered ‘round the bend where he met a new snake friend.

And the friend came and joined him at the pass: sss sss.

(Repeat for 2, 3, 4)

(Marilyn Lohnes from ABC Literacy Storytimes, p. 178)

There's a Spider on the Floor
There's a spider on the floor, on the floor
There's a spider on the floor, on the floor
Who could ask for any more than a spider on the floor
There's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

There's a spider on my leg, on my leg
There's a spider on my leg, on my leg
Oh he's really very big, this spider on my leg
There's a spider on my leg, on my leg.

There's a spider on my tummy, on my tummy
There's a spider on my tummy, on my tummy
Oh it really isn't funny, there's a spider on my tummy
There's a spider on my tummy, on my tummy.

There's a spider on my arm, on my arm
There's a spider on my arm, on my arm
It doens't mean any harm, this spider on my arm
There's a spider on my arm, on my arm.

There's a spider on my face, on my face.
There's a spider on my face, on my face
Oh, what a big disgrace, there's a spider on my face
There's a spider on my face, on my face.

There's a spider on my head, on my head
There's a spider on my head, on my head
Oh, I wish I was in bed, there's a spider on my head
There's a spider on my head, on my head.

(speak)  Then the spider jumps off...

There's a spider on the floor, on the floor
There's a spider on the floor, on the floor
Who could ask for any more than a spider on the floor
There's a spider on the floor, on the floor.

Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away!

Enrichment Activities

• Paper Star Fans (left over from Summer Reading Program)
• Sewing cards
• Sorting starfish
• Spiders and bug counters

Happy Chinese New Year!

February 10th marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year.  We will celebrate the Chinese New Year all month long at our Do It Yourself station, located behind the children's computers.

Activities this month include:

• Make your own snake (to honor "The Year of the Snake")
• Learn to write the Chinese symbol for "Good Luck"
• Solve some Tangram puzzles
• Complete a Chinese math worksheet

You can find also learn about the Chinese Zodiac!  There 12 animals that appear on the Chinese Zodiac calendar: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.  Your Chinese zodiac animal is determined by the year you were born (those who have birthdays in January or February may have the previous year's animal, depending on when the Chinese New Year started that year).  You can use this calculator to find out your animal.

Each animal has characteristics that supposedly describe you.  Miss Tammy was born in the Year of the Pig.  Do you think these characteristics describe her? 

• People born in the year of the Pig are "good students.  They are honest and brave.  They always finish a project or assignment." 

What is your Chinese Zodiac animal?  Do you think the characteristics describe you?  Fill out a survey at Miss Tammy's desk this month!

Penguins

Throughout the month of January we have had a wonderful time at the library learning about penguins and doing some fun penguin crafts!!

Here are all the penguins that were added to the bulletin board.  That looks like a lot, but we had many more that were taken home!  In fact, 185 penguins were made!

We also had 56 children guess the number of days it takes for an Emperor Penguin egg to hatch.  According to seaworld.com  it is 62-66 days.  We had 17 children guess right (or maybe they used the library to find the correct answer!) 

Congratulations to these winners of a penguin prize!! (I'll be calling these winners on Monday, Feb. 4)
Sophie W.
Edward A.
Robyn
Miniam
Brooke G.
Kathryn D.
Dige
Harper

Thanks for participating in our Do It Yourself Station!

R is for...

R is for...raccoon, rain, rainbow, raisin, rake, rattle, rat, rattlesnake, raspberry, rectangle, read, recipe, red, rhino, remote control, ribbon, rice, ring, river, road, robin, robot, rock, rocket, roller coaster, rooster, rope, rose, rubber band, rug, ruler, rabbit, reindeer, Rudolph, refrigerator...

Books

I choose two "newer" books to share with the preschoolers this week. 

Catty Jane who Hated the Rain  by Valeri Gorbachev (2012)

Rabbityness by Jo Empson (2012)

Flannel Board/Songs/Rhymes

My Rocks (adapted from a poem I found online)
Last year the library received a small rock collection from a patron.  I held up these rocks as I read the poem.

On a cold and rainy day
When I can't get out to play,
I open up my treasure box
And look at all my pretty rocks.

I have rocks from here and there
I have rocks from everywhere.
Some are smooth, some are rough
I never think I’ll have enough!

I have one that's shining clean
Another one that's white and spiny.
All of them recall good times
Places I've been, hills I've climbed.

When the sun comes out to stay,
I'll put all my rocks away.
Close the lid and safely hide
All my treasures safe inside.

Ring Around the Rosie

(traditional)

Ring-a-round a rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes! Ashes!

We all fall down.

Fishes in the ocean

Fishes in the sea

Let's jump up with a 1, 2, 3!

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb

It's fleece was white as snow

And everywhere that Mary went

The lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day

It was against the rules

It made the students laugh and play

To see a lamb at school!

Enrichment Activities

• Rainbow Rice Bottles with hidden objects
• Ribbons
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
• Rocks and magnifying glasses
• Rocket Name