Summer Bunch: Music

I Want to be a Rock Star!

I decided to have a bit of fun with sounds. I chose two books with fun beats to bring together the idea of words as music. And of course, a cool guitar doesn't hurt! This is the easiest craft in the world. But, the most fun!

Read: Cock-a-doodle-doo, Creak, Pop-pop, Moo by Jim Aylesworth and Who Bop? by Jonathan London

Flannel board: From Rain Makes Applesauce via a hundred other links:

Flip-Flap Jack
Song to the tune of Aiken-drum

There was a man made of food.
Made of food? Made of food!
There was a man made of food.
His name was Flip-Flap Jack.

Verses (sing as many as you want!)

His head was made of a spaghetti.
His eyes were made of fried eggs.
His hair was made of ice cream.
His mouth was a hot dog.
His ears were made of tomatoes.
His body was a golden waffle.
His arms were 2 bananas.
His legs were strips of bacon.
His feet were made of apple pie

And he danced upon a table.
A table, a table.
He danced upon a table.
And his name was Flip-Flap Jack.

Craft: Guitars

Need: Take-out containers (can be purchased a party store), rubber bands, paint sticks, stickers and hot glue.

• Prior to storytime, I attached 3 rubber bands per guitar and hot-glued a paint stirer/stick to the back of the aluminum bottom of the take-out container.
• At each craft seat, I placed a guitar and a bunch of stickers. I asked the kiddos to decorate the guitar.
• Well, I thought it would be easy peasy -- but it wasn't. Be careful with the containers. If the kiddos use "hulk" strength rather than "baby" strength to apply their stickers ... the whole thing collapses. We had lots of repairs .... oh, well! Kids loved it and didn't mind waiting for me to fix them up.

Summer Bunch: Llama, sheep and a bit of sleep

Llama, sheep and a bit of sleep

Read: Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton and Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Flannel Board: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Using Microsoft Publisher, I created numbers 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. As we sang, I added the number to the flannel board. You really can't beat singing this tune. Always a crowd pleaser.

Craft: Russel the Sheep

Need: A drawing of a sheep-like shape, cotton balls, glue sticks and a long blue and white striped hat.

• I asked the kiddos to "color" the inside of the sheep-shape with the glue stick and then stick the cotton balls to the glue.
• Final flourish .... Russell's hat, of course!

Summer Bunch: Nighttime

Nighttime

Read: Owlet's First Flight by Mitra Modarressi and Moonlight by Helen V. Griffith

Flannel board: Let's Go Out on a Summer Night via In the Children's Room

Craft: Starry night sky found at Sun Hats and Wellie Boots

Need: Sturdy black paper, glow-in-the-dark paint, white glue, glitter, silvery stars (bought a package of stars used to decorate tables for parties), silver glitter, glow-in-the-dark stars and foam brushes.

• I mixed together the glow-in-the-dark paint with a bit of white glue and silver glitter. At each craft seat, I set a small cup of silver stars and the glow stars and a cup of the paint mixture (we use recycled plastic fruit cups)
• I had the children paint their papers with the paint-glue-glitter mixture. 
• Then I had them add their silvery stars and glow stars.
• Simple, easy and sooooo starry!

Summer Bunch: Aliens

Aliens!!!!

Read: Hush, Little Alien by David Kirk and The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers

Flannel Board: What Will We See in Outer Space found on Pinterest from Catch the Possibilities

What will we See in outer space, outer space, outer space?
What will we see in outer space, away up in the sky?

We'll see some tiny twinkling stars ...
We'll see the moon with a smiling face ...
We'll see some astronauts ...
We'll see a rocket ship flying by ...
We'll see a planet that spins around ...
We'll see a martian with 3 big eyes ...

I handed out the pieces to the kiddos (thank goodness I printed out more than needed!) and had them place them on the board as we sang our song.

I can not figure out how to rotate this!!!

Craft: Alien headbands on No Time for Flash Cards

Need: Glittery-green sticky-back foam, eyes, silver pipe-cleaners, white paper, green crayons, and tape.

• Prior to storytime, I had my helpful teen volunteer cut-out glittery-green circles and eyes. I trimmed the pipe cleaners in half. We cut 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper in half and they tapped it together to form a head band.
• I instructed the children to color their paper with their green crayon. I told them they could make a design, or color the whole thing....their choice.
• After that step was completed, I had the kiddos remove the sticky-back from the glittery-green circles.
• Then I asked them to stick their pretty silver antennae to the sticky part of the circle.
• Next, stick the eyes on top, to make a "eyeball sandwich"
• When they completed all their steps, I taped the pipe cleaners to the back of the headband. Then I fitted it to their heads, and taped.

We had 17 kiddos today! Oh, my! It was a mad-house. Plus moms, plus siblings. Yikes! I had the last two days off and I was not ready for the crowd! Sooooo ..... I am ready for another few days off.