Burnham Bunch: Halloween!

Oh, Sandy! How can you do this to us ...

Second year in a row that Halloween is in jeopardy! Hurricane Sandy visited the East Coast ... devastation is evident everywhere along the shoreline. We were lucky in our little piece of Connecticut. Mostly fallen trees and downed wires. Power is out in many towns ... but otherwise we are fine. Many businesses are closed and almost all schools as well. I am without power and it is killing me! Pioneer life is highly overrated ... please give me back my television!

I wasn't sure if we would be having storytime today, so I couldn't really prepare for our annual Storytime Halloween Party. But, we are open for business today. I emailed my storytime parents last night -- from my local library! -- and informed them that the "official" party was cancelled. But, we were open and, if they wanted to get out of the house for a bit, they could stop-in and hear a story and hang-out!

*Costumes encouraged!

Read: The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills and 10 Trick-or-Treaters by Janet Schulman

Flannel board: Using the book The Spooky Wheels on the bus, the kiddos placed story pieces as the story progresses.

Burnham Bunch: Ghosts

Ghosts

Read: Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood and Halloween Mice by Bethany Roberts

Flannel Board: Found this fun activity via Pinterest from Storytime with Miss Tara and Friends

Chocolate Chip Ghost!

"Ghosts are white!  They are supposed to only eat white things...milk, yogurt, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, mashed potatoes....Well these ghosts got adventurous and wanted to try new foods! 
This ghost ate an apple. What color do you think he turned? This ghost drank some grape juice.  What color do you think she turned?
Etc....
This ghost ate a chocolate chip cookie.  What color did he turn?"  

Craft: Puffy Paint Ghost found here at No Time for Flashcards

Need: Sturdy construction paper, shaving cream, white glue, black construction paper and googly-eyes.

• Prior to storytime, I drew a ghostly shape onto the study paper and cut out the shape. I also cut out a oval shape for the mouth and mixed together the shaving cream and glue. 
• I spooned the mixture into individual bowls -- one for each kiddo.
• First they "finger-painted" their ghostly-shape
• We had the kiddos clean their hands ... and then add the eyes and mouth shape.
• This is definitely a "leave-to-dry" craft. But, so boo-tiful!

Burnham Bunch: Owls

Owls

Read: Wow, Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood and Little Owl's Night by Divya Srinivasan

Story extender/ Flannel board: Using Wow! Said the Owl display color-appropriate story-pieces as the story progress. Give children the chance to "shout" the color that coordinates with the text.

Craft: Paper plate Owl

Need: Dinner-size white paper plate, brown markers/crayons, white, black, brown, orange and yellow construction paper, glue stick.

• Prior to storytime, I folded the plate into a "owl" shape. Then I cut: white circles = eyes, orange triangle = beak, yellow half-circles = feet, yellow circle = moon and brown = tree limb.
• At storytime, the kiddos colored their owls brown.
• Then they glued the entire thing together.

Burnham Bunch: Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Read: It's Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall and The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis

Flannel board: Build a Jack-o-Lantern found at Rain makes Applescauce

Craft: Mummy Pumpkins inspired by a craft found on Pinterest

Need: A smallish/medium-sized pumpkin (a sugar pumpkin would be perfect). Cheesecloth, white glue, large googly-eyes, and a foam paint brush.

• Prior to storytime, I cut the cheesecloth into 2x12 inch pieces.
• Have kiddos "paint" their pumpkin with white glue.
• Then place strips of cheesecloth over the wet glue.
• If there were dryish spots, I had them paint a bit more glue on top.
• Final touch ... googly-eyes.

Burnham Bunch: Apples

Apples

Read: Out and About in the Apple Orchard by Diane Mayer and Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

Flannel Board: Felt tree and apples numbered 1-10. Using Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins, count down from 10 to zero with the farmer.

Craft: Paint 'n collage Apples inspired by Little Running Teacher

Need: Small paper plates, red paint, red tissue paper, brown and green construction paper, sponge brush and white glue.

• Prior to storytime, I cut the tissue paper into circles, the brown paper into stems and the green paper into leaves.
• I placed materials at each craft seat -- mixing the red paint with a little white glue.
• The children painted their apples red and then placed the tissue paper on top. 
• Then they glued on their leaf and stem.