September Ideas

Welcome Back
Read: Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn and Maisy Goes to the Library by Lucy Cousins
Song: Welcome, Welcome Everyone (our storytime theme song)
Discuss libraries and library cards. (Let parents in on the "secret" that these are pretend library cards)
Craft: Make your own "library card"

• Print out template
• Provide crayons and stickers for child to design card
• Cut and laminate for child.

Our library does not give library cards to children patrons -- I completely disagree, but this policy is old and we are a small library, so.... We make "dummy" cards for the students in the nearby Burnham School, who frequent our library twice a month. These cards are kept at the library and when the child "graduates" fifth grade they are given a real library card. Otherwise, children patrons use their parents cards. Oh, well.....

New Friends / Friendship
Read: Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson and Bears on Chairs by Parenteau
Song: The More We Get Together
Craft: Friendship bracelets

• Pipe cleaners (or the P.C. chenielle stems) in various colors, dyed ziti in various colors.
• Have children string zitis onto pipe cleaner.

Explain that they can keep or exchange with a friend. Of course, most of them kept their creation. We then took pictures of the children together in one big group, and then in smaller friendship groups. Most of the children have been coming here for a few years, so they all know each other pretty well and have became outside-of-storytime friends. We are just one big happy family!!

Fall Leaves
Read: Leaves by Stein, Mouse's First Fall by Thompson and Fall Leaves (non-fiction)
Craft: Symmetry Leaves (modified from an idea from one of my fav blogs Preschool Daze)

• Cut out leaf shape and fold in half
• Have child paint one side of the leaf and then have them fold them in half, smoosh and voila the finished product!

Preschool Daze

Apples
Read: Ten Read Apples by Patricia Hutchins
Felt Board: Using book as prompt, apples, children count down to ).
Craft: Apple Printing (I modify my apple printing idea every year)