Ninjas

I wanted to do a fun theme, that was a little different, this week. In keeping with the summer reading theme, it still had lots of movement and was tons of fun. The kids loved it!

Books:

Toddler Books:

Nighttime Ninja - Barbara DaCosta

Ninja Bunny - Jennifer Gray Olson

Preschool Books:

Nighttime Ninja - Barbara DaCosta

Ninja Bunny - Jennifer Gray Olson

Ninja Red Riding Hood - Corey Rosen Schwartz 

Ninja Baby - David Zeltser

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Five Little Ninjas:

Five little ninjas, in their dojo,

Practicing the ninja way.

'Til one little ninja gets his mojo:

"HIYAH! Read to save the day!"

Source: Literary Hoots

Ninja Banana:

I had planned on doing an activity song ("If You're a Ninja Song and You Know It", also found on Literary Hoots) but I had so much fun the other week, that I did the Banana song again...this time he was dressed as a ninja. For the Banana Song, see my Fruits and Vegetables theme from two weeks ago OR go to Jbrary where I learned it first.

Ninja Turtle Hiding Game:

Ninja Turtle, Ninja Turtle, come out to play.

What colored turtle shell are you hiding behind today?

Source: I found the inspiration for the game at Anne's Library Life but we made our own version that was similar to the Little Mouse game since it's always a hit at our library.

Dancing

In keeping with the CSLP theme, this week our theme is Dancing! We are boogie-ing with the best of them and having all the fun!

Books:

Toddler Books:
Dancing Feet - Lindsay Craig
I Got the Rhythm - Connie Schofield-Morrison

Preschool Books:
How Do You Wokka-Wokka? - Elizabeth Bluemle
Dancing Feet - Lindsay Craig 
One More Dino on the Floor - Kelly Starling Lyons
I Got the Rhythm - Connie Schofield-Morrison

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Hokey Pokey (the simpler version):

You put your hands up, you put your hands down,

You put your hands up, and you shake them all about.

You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around,

And that's what it's all about!

Repeat with: elbows, shoulders, knees, toes, etc.

Source: Traditional (with a little flavor added from me)

Song: Let's Dance Today - Rock 'n' Rainbow (Let's Boogie!)

Five Ballerinas:

Five little ballerinas, prancing on their toes. 

They twirl and spin and jump, then off the stage she (he) goes. 

Count down...4, 3, 2, 1

Source: Storytime Katie

Penny Pointers:

Penny pointers up and penny pointers down,

Penny pointers dancing all around the town.

They're dancing on your shoulders,

They're dancing on your head,

They're dancing on your tummies,

Now put them to bed.

Repeat with: Tommy Thumbs, Polly Pinkies, Finger Families

Source: Traditional

Fruits and Vegetables

In keeping with the collaborative summer reading theme, Get in the Game, we are talking about eating healthy foods! 

Books:

Toddler Books:

The Watermelon Seed - Greg Pizzoli

Rah, Rah, Radishes!: A Vegetable Chant - April Pulley Sayre* 

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR - Don and Audrey Wood

Preschool Books:

Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli - Barbara Jean Hicks

How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans - David LaRochelle

Rah, Rah, Radishes!: A Vegetable Chant - April Pulley Sayre* 

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR - Don and Audrey Wood

*Rah, Rah, Radishes was one of the Flip Books that I made. We only have the board book version in our library system so, in order to share it with the large crowds at storytime, I scanned the photos to make a larger, laminated, version.

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Five Big Strawberries (flannel):

Five big strawberries in a bowl, (make bowl with arms)

One fell out and started to roll. (roll arms)

Where did it go? It hit my toe! (touch your toes)

How many strawberries left in the bowl?

Count down...4, 3, 2, 1..

One big strawberry in a bowl,

It fell out and started to roll.

Where did it go? It hit my toe!

No more strawberries left in the bowl.

Source: Sunflower Storytime

Mr. Rabbit:

Oh, Mr. Rabbit, you've got a mighty habit, (hop like a rabbit)

Of running through my garden and eating all my  peas . (run in place)

Repeat with: broccoli, strawberries, corn, etc.

Source: My flannel drawer

Bananas Unite:

*If you'd like to make your own flannel banana, head on over to Mr. Keith's blog. He led a crafting party for librarians to make our own based on his creations.

Bananas Unite Song:

Peel bananas, peel peel bananas, (make peeling motion)

Peel bananas, peel peel bananas.

Repeat with:

Chop bananas

Mash bananas

Eat bananas

And end with...Gooooooo BANANAS!!!!

Source: Jbrary

Project: Visual Storytime Schedule

If a visual schedule of storytime isn't familiar with you, it's a concept that many libraries are using. For children with special needs, or are on the autism spectrum, it shows them a timeline for the storytime. They have an idea of what is coming next and can prepare for it, and it also gives them an idea of how much time is left within the storytime. Some examples are like the one found on Seattle Public Library's site or the one on the blog post by Association for Library Services to Children about Sensory Storytimes.

I've watched several webinars (and read many books) regarding this practice for library storytimes. There are also many other ways to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for children with special needs, but not every idea is conducive to every library or community. The one idea that is easy enough to include in a storytime that isn't labeled as a sensory storytime is the visual schedule. Plus, younger children will benefit from the visual schedule even if they do not have autism or other special needs. It's a win-win, all around!

In my search for visual schedules for ideas, I found "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" story/craft on A Spoonful of Learning blog. It was such a cute idea, that I decided to create my own template based on the craft as my visual schedule. 

Here's what I did:

Before I laminated them, I cut out the circles and glued appropriate Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) words as well as pictures to go along with the activity for the different parts of our storytime: 

After I laminated them, I put Velcro on the inside so that they will close. After we do the activity on the storytime schedule, we will close that part of the caterpillar before we move on to the next one:

I also put sticky hook-only Velcro on the back of them to hang it from the felt board:

I added loop Velcro to the edges of my flannel board that I use at storytime:

And then I put my storytime schedule up on the board:

This was a fun project but I can't wait to use it at storytimes! If you're interested in making your own, and want to use "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle as your schedule, here is my template I created: 

Information regarding service children with special needs can be found here:

1. Programming for Children with Special Needs: Association for Library Service to Children

2. SNAILS (Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services): Resources Pages

3. Oklahoma Autism Network - Their 2012 Autism Conference included several handouts regarding Sensory Storytimes:

a. Tulsa City-County Library: Sensory Storytime How-To Guide

b. Tulsa City-County Library: Sensory Storytime Resources

4. "101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism, Aspergers and Sensory Processing Disorders" by Tara Delaney

Camping

Part of 'Get in the Game' is getting outside and playing. So, this week, we learned about camping and the great outdoors!!!

Books:

Toddler Books:

Tap the Magic Tree - Christie Matheson

Green - Laura Vaccaro Seeger

I Went Walking - Sue Williams

Preschool Books:

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild - Peter Brown

Tap the Magic Tree - Christie Matheson

Sheep Take a Hike - Nancy Shaw

Scare a Bear - Kathy-jo Wargin

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Campfire Hokey Pokey (Tune: "The Hokey Pokey"):

You put your marshmallow in,

You put your marshmallow out,

You put your marshmallow in and you shake it all about,

You do the campfire pokey and you turn yourself around,

And that's what it's all about!

Repeat with: corn dog, corn on the cob, chicken (on a stick), hotdog, etc.

Source: Preschool Education

*I laminated pictures of all of the items we roasted in our campfire and had the kids do the hokey pokey with their imaginary marshmallows and other food. 

Five Little Fireflies:

Five little fireflies blinking in the night,

Looking at the glow of each other's light.

Then whoosh went the wind and whistle went the breeze,

And out went a light with a great big sneeze!

Count down...4, 3, 2, 1...

One little firefly blinking in the night,

Looking at the glow of his very own light.

Then whoosh went the wind and whistle went the breeze,

And out went his light with a great big sneeze!

Source: Miss Alison is Blogging

Sports

This week is my library's official start for the Collaborative Summer Reading Program, so our theme is Sports!

Books:

Toddler Books:

Spot Loves Sports - Eric Hill

Football Opposites - Mark Weakland

Preschool Books:

Take Me Out to the Ball Game - Jim Burke 

If I Were a Jungle Animal - Tom and Amanda Ellery 

Soccer Hour - Carol Nevius 

Football Opposites - Mark Weakland

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Five Little Footballs (Flannel):

Five little footballs, trying hard to score.

One makes a field goal, hear the crowd roar!

Countdown...4, 3, 2, 1

Source: Sturgis Kids

This is the Way (Tune: "Round the Mulberry Bush"):

This is the way we bounce the ball, 

Bounce the ball, bounce the ball.

This is the way we bounce the ball,

When we play basketball.

Repeat with:

Kick the ball (soccer)

Swing the bat (baseball)

Hike the ball (football)

Source: Sunflower Storytime

Football Helmet Hiding Game (Flannel):

Football, football, where do you hide?

Under the  red  helmet? Let's peek inside!

Repeat with different colors

Source: Jbrary