Snow in October!!??!!

All library activities were cancelled this week because New England has been hit by a freak snowstorm which has downed trees and power lines. Most towns are without electricity....including us! Trick-or-treating was cancelled or postponed for most towns. And Bridgewater's town Trunk-or-Treat was moved to the Burnham School parking lot.

We were finally "back on the grid" as of noon yesterday! So, the library staff is catching up on work -- weeding shelves, cataloging books, cleaning up Halloween and putting up Thanksgiving bulletin boards and books.

Storytime will resume next Wednesday ... same time, same place! (Hopefully?)

Burnham Bunch: Halloween Part Deux

Halloween = PARTY!

Read: There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro and Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills (super-cute non-scary Halloween book!)

Flannel Board: Bring out our Old Lady again and also used The Spooky Wheels on the Bus. 

No craft today because we must focus on all the super-cute costumes the kiddos are wearing, as well as our snacks and dancing. In years past, we would plan a party, for our kiddos and their families, on the Saturday prior to Halloween. But, it was usually at lot of work (and money!) with a little showing. So, last year we decided to just have a party during storytime...and it is a total success. Plus it gives the parents a chance to get some mileage out of these costumes! Let's party! Woo Hoo!

Burnham Bunch: Spiders

Halloween = Creepy, Crawly Spiders

Read: Aaaarrggh! Spider! by Lydia Monks and A Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle.

I storytime time is typically a great mix of kiddos between two and five years old. But, this year, the two's outweigh the group. I also have a pretty large Wednesday session. So, I am finding that the simpler the craft the better. I was trolling Pinterest for some inspiration, when I found this super-easy spider craft from my fav blogger No Time For Flash Cards.

Craft: Spotty Spider from No Time for Flash Cards

• Need: Paper plates, circle stickers, pipe cleaners and sticker-eyes.
• Prior to storytime, punch four small holes at the edge of the plate (both sides).
• Set out materials: At each craft seat place one plate, two sheets of dot stickers, two sticker-eyes and four pipe cleaners.
• Instruct the children to spotify their spider. When they have finished, stick on their sticker-eyes.
• Then have their parent help to thread the pipe cleaners through the holes.
• There you have it!

Burnham Bunch: Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Read: Pumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo, Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night by Anne Rockwell, Five Little Pumpkins illustrated by Ben Mantle

I have a horrible head cold. So, I used one of my easiest craft options. Sticky-back paper and tissue paper. Really, it can't get much easier than this. Little prep and clean-up. Perfect ....

Craft: Pumpkins

• Need: Sticky-back paper, pumpkin pattern, tissue paper (I used a orange/black tissue paper that I had lying around) and a brown crayon.
• Prior to storytime cut a pumpkin shape and then cut out the middle. Place shape, face down, on sticky-back paper (not including the stem). Trim tissue paper into small squares.
• At each craft seat, lay out the pumpkin -- sticky side up. Instruct children to cover the entire shape with tissue paper.
• When completed, trim and have them color in stem brown.

Burnham Bunch: Apples

Apple Time!

Read: Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.

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

Craft: Apple printing bunting via The Crafty Crow

• Need: Apples cut in half, poster paint (green, red, yellow), popsicle sticks, newspaper, black markers, foam brushes and string.
• Prior to storytime, cut apples in half. One half per child. Stick a popsicle stick in the skin side to use as a stamping-handle (this will help the wee ones to hold onto the apple). Also, cut rectangle shapes ( 3x5 inches) out of the newsprint. For each child, string three rectagles to create the bunting.
• Begin with one color per plate per child. Have children dip apple into pain.
• Instruct them how to stamp apple onto one of the rectangles.
• Wipe apple with paper towel and have them apply second color and stamp the second rectangle. And then repeat for the third. One red, one yellow and one green.
• I usually offer to keep the painting craft at the library to dry. When the banner is dry, I will draw on a stem and green leaf. Easy-Peasy.

Burnham Bunch: Owls (again)

Whooooooo! Owls (again)

Read: Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton and Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood.

Story extender/ Story 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.

Decided to do owls again, because I love owls and they are super-popular and there are TONS of great owl ideas out there in the blogosphere. So, I modified a craft that I found via Pinterest from a blog from Lisa Storms. She has some great ideas!

Craft: Owl

• Need: Paper lunch-size bag. Brown, white, and black craft/construction paper and white copy paper. Glue sticks.
• Prior to storytime, cut out 3 sizes of circles for the eyes: large = brown, medium = white, small = black. Also cut some smallish sized triangles for the beak (I used brown). I used the copier to copy text from a book, and then cute a half-oval for the owl's belly. Finally, I trimmed the top of paper bag to form a triangle.
• Lay all the bits and bops at each craft seat.
• I find the craft to run more smoothly, if I call out the shapes (in turn) and have the kiddos glue on accordingly. I "quiz" them ... "Ok, lets find the large brown circles. How many do you have? Ok, let's glue those first." and etc.
• After all is glued into place. Fill the bag with some crumpled newspaper and staple shut.
• Super owl-cuteness!

Burnham Bunch: Fall

It's Fall Again!!

Read: Let It Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves! by Lucille Colandro

Flannel board: There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Leaves. Using the story to prompt the kiddos to place flannel pieces on our Old Lady's apron as the story progresses. I LOVE these books. I use them for almost every season/holiday. I have an Old Lady flannel figure and for each book, I change up the pieces. I simply copy the pages, color, laminate, and apply a Velcro-dot. I make as many pieces as needed for every child to have a turn. So, for this story I had to copy out and extra 2 leaf bushels and an extra 1 hay bushel.

Craft: Fall Tree

• Need: Poster paint in brown, green, yellow and orange. Paper plates. Sturdy construction paper for background and brown for tree trunk. Sponges and/or foam stamper.
• Prior to story, I cut a tree trunk shape out of the brown paper and glued it to the background paper.
• Lay out the tree shape at each craft seat along with paper-plate of paint and sponges. I bought a few sponge and cut it into squares for the older children. For the little ones, I gave them foam stampers because they have little wooden handles which make it easier to hold.
• Show the kiddos how stamp their sponges into the paint and then onto the paper. As you fill your paper, show them how you create different colors and shades as you layer one color on top of the other.
• Really fun. Easy. And very little clean-up. The end....