Monday, November 28, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #9

Fall Story Time (Week #9)
Weekly Theme: Winter (All About Ice and the Arctic)

Icebreaker: talked about the Arctic and its animals

Books: Kumak's Fish by Michael Bania, Omar on Ice by Maryann Kovalski

Activity: ice fishing activity

Craft: watercolor paintings with colored ice cubes
Pictures of this week of story time are up in the next post, so... 
Keep reading!
Shaen

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Looking for Some Great Gift Books?

The New York Times Book Review has released its list of the Ten Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2011, and they are gems!!  Whether you decide to purchase Frank Viva's Along a Long Road, with its striking color and twisting bike ride...


Cover image from Amazon.
...or take a sweet journey through memory in Lane Smith's stunning Grandpa Green, you're guaranteed to find a great gift among the lineup! 


Cover image from Baker &
Taylor Online.
Keep reading!

Shaen

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Quotability #4

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.  ~G.B. Stern

Of course, we're thankful for the big things in life: family, friends, health.  But I'm interested in everyone voicing all those other small wonders that make our hearts overflow with gratitude.  It might be a memory of a favorite tasty meal or particularly good book, a lovely sunset, or an unexpected snow day spent in pajamas!

What tiny things are you grateful for this Thanksgiving week?

Keep reading,

Shaen

Monday, November 21, 2011

Pulled From the Vault- Thankful Turkey

So, I've been doing story time programming for a little shy of seven years now (in fact, the conclusion of this year's Fall Story Time session clocks me at the 2000-th program mark!  That's a lot of glitter and glue!!), and needless to say, I have binders full of old craft ideas stashed on my office shelves.  Since we don't keep our regular story time schedule the week of Thanksgiving, here's a craft idea from the vault for you to try at home, just in case there's any downtime with the kids after eating all that turkey and visiting with friends and family. 

Thankful Turkey
Supplies Needed:
-paper lunch bag
-construction paper in fall colors (red, yellow, orange, brown) or white paper and markers
-scissors
-pencil
-stapler (younger kiddos: use the stapler with adult supervision!)

Craft Steps:
1) Open up your paper bag, roll down the top a few times, and staple the opening shut.
2) Cut out four or five feathers from construction paper.  Have your child write down simple things he or she is thankful for on these feathers (i.e. Mom, Dad, pizza, my bike, my baby brother, etc.).  Staple the feathers to the back of the bag.
3) Draw a simple turkey head on the front of the bag.  If you think you might need a little artistic help, check out these cute turkey head and feather printable patterns from Kaboose!
4) Use your gorgeous gobbler as a handmade centerpiece or a coffee table decoration.  It might even start some conversations among the grownups about all we have to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving, and keep reading!

Shaen

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #8 Photos

Coloring our polar bear pictures
at the Recklein Memorial
Library at Cuba.

A completed polar bear
with white rice fur!


Keep reading!

Shaen

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #8

Fall Story Time (Week #8)
Weekly Theme: Winter (All About Cold Weather)

Books: A Splendid Friend Indeed by Suzanne Bloom, Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwartz, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.

Activity: hibernation dancing game

Craft: polar bear white rice picture
Pictures of this week of story time are up in the next post, so... 
Keep reading!
Shaen

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #7 Photos

Every week, we sing our library
song and try out a new
instrument from the band
basket.

Our book picks for this week's
fall leaves theme.

We held an acorn hunt
for our game.

Decorating our pictures
with markers and colorful
fabric leaves.



Keep reading!

Shaen

Monday, November 7, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #7

Fall Story Time (Week #7)
Weekly Theme: Fall (All About Leaves)

Icebreaker: tree losing leaves demo

Books: Ruby's Falling Leaves by Rosemary Wells, Leaves by David Ezra Stein, Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson

Activity: acorn hunt

Craft: leaf birds

Pictures of this week of story time are up in the next post, so... 
Keep reading!
Shaen

Friday, November 4, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #6 Photos

Playing an apple sweeping game (can
you tell this story time took place on
October 31st?).

Putting together our paper apple pies.

Finishing our pies off with a
dash of cinnamon and a few
sweeps of color!

Keep reading!
Shaen

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Four Seasons- Week #6

Fall Story Time (Week #6)
Weekly Theme: Fall (All About Apples)

Icebreaker: talked about how to make a pie

Books: Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel), The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin by Margaret Wise Brown (yep, we threw in a pumpkin story for good measure)

Activity: pom pom apple sweep game

Craft: cinnamon-scented apple pie pictures

Pictures of this week of story time are up in the next post, so... 

Keep reading!

Shaen