Summer Bunch: Trucks

Diggin' Trucks

Read: The Little Dump Truck by Margery Cuyler and Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha

Flannel board: Pick-up Trucks found here at Storytime Sparks check it out here!

For our first Summer Bunch storytime, we will not be making a craft. Instead, I have found a "Friend" of our library that is bringing a tractor to our library for a Touch-a-Truck type storytime. So after we read a few books, the kids will have a chance to sit on the tractor ... We will take a picture and put it in a trucky frame.

Super-fun!

Burnham Bunch: Let's Celebrate!

Let's Celebrate!

Today was our last school-year storytime. We will resume our Summer Bunch storytime in a few weeks. I decided that we would celebrate the end of the "school-year," a year full of birthdays, and say goodbye to our kiddos who will be entering Kindergarten next year.

So, I bid you adieu .... We will return in a few weeks with our Summer Bunch posts.

Oh, and we are going to EAT some CUPCAKES! Hurrah!

Read: If you Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff and Fancy Nancy and the Delectable Cupcakes by Jane O'Connor

Flannel board: Barney Bear and the His Birthday Cucpake inspired by 1234 More Storytimes


Craft: Cupcake

Need: Construction paper in three different colors (white ideally for the "frosting" shape). You will also need, shaving cream, white glue, red glitter and food coloring. Glue sticks, small bowls and plastic spoons.

• Prior to storytime, we cut out a "frosting" shape from the white paper, and a cupcake liner out of another color. We also mixed the glue, shaving cream and food coloring together in a large batch. Then we put a little in each bowl/cup.
• At storytime, we placed the craft items at each craft seat.
• Have them glue the liner and "frosting" shapes to a larger base paper. 
• Now all that was left was to frost their cupcake and add their "sprinkles"

Caveat: Make certain the kiddos know that the frosting is pretend and therefor super-yucky!

Burnham Bunch: Bugs and Bees

Bugs and Bees

Read: The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carl and Buzz Said The Bee by Wendy Lewinson

Flannel board: Buzz Said the Bee inspired by Storytimer

Craft: Click Beetles found on Pinterest

Need: Sturdy paper, crayons, sticker eyes and clothes pins ... as well as hot glue.

• Prior to storytime, I cut out oval shapes for the bugs.
• At storytime, I had the kiddos color their beetles and put on the eyes. 
• I then hot-glued the clothes pins onto the belly of the beetle (this will make it nice and sturdy AND they will immediatly be able to play with it)
• DONE!

Burnham Bunch: Pizza!!

Pizza Pie .... 

Read: Tony and the Pizza Champions by Tony Gemignani

Flannel board: Silly Pizza Song by Rachel Carson. Here is a live version on YouTube. I found the lyrics via Signing Time

Craft: Make your own "pizza" found via here at Filth Wizard

Burnham Bunch: Mother's Day

Let's Celebrate Mom!

Read: I Love It When You Smile by McBratney and Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino (Illustrated by Steven Kellogg)

Song:

M-O-M-M-Y (Song to Bingo)

There is a lady I love a lot
And Mommy is her name-o
M-o-m-m-y, M-o-m-m-y, M-o-m-m-y
And Mommy is her name-o!

Craft: I Love You Mom Flower Pot

Need: Craft paper: yellow, green, pink, and red.

• Prior to storytime, I cut out shapes: red = heart, yellow = pot, green = 2 leaves and grass, pink = flower. And I wrote I Love You Mom on each piece.
• At each craft seat, I placed all the pieces needed for our craft.
• Glue it together and there you go!

Burnham Bunch: Ducks

Ducks

Ok, it is coming down to the last month of storytime. I am beyond exhausted with coming up with ideas ... Thank the stars for the invention of Pinterest!! As well as planning and presiding over storytime, book club, and science club, I am also responsible for updating this blog, our website, our Facebook page, and the library calendar. AND, I am the planner of Summer Reading. My eyes are exhausted from looking at the computer screen. And most days I want to crawl under my desk and hide.

I am telling you all this because I have a sneaking feeling that May's storytime and craft is most likely going to go hobo. Meaning: "Hello. Here is your glue stick. The end." Hahaha.

Ok, ya'll. Please don't judge me :)

Read: Dimity Duck by Jane Yolen & Sebastien Braun and Duck Tents by Lynne Berry

Flannel Board:

5 Little Ducks

5 little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Momma duck said, "quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four little ducks came swimming back.
Four little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Momma duck said, "quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only three little ducks came swimming back.

You get the idea ... count down until "But no little ducks came swimming back."

Final Verse:

Sad momma duck
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Sad momma duck said, "quack, quack, quack, quack."
And all five little ducks came swimming back.

Craft: Duck

Need: Yellow and orange craft paper, duck template and sticker eyes.

• Prior to storytime, have your faithful assistant cut out all the parts: yellow = head, body and wing, orange is beak and feet.
• At each craft seat, place duck-parts (that sounds so gross!? hahah) and a glue stick.
• Have them glue-it! That's it!

Burnham Bunch: Butterflies

Butterflies

Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Butterfly Butterly by Petr Horack and Butterful or Moth: How Do You Know? by Melissa Stewart

I learned a lot of interesting facts reading Butterfly or Moth: How Do You Know? I would highly recommend including it in your storytime.

Flannel board: Very Hungry Caterpillar

Craft: Butterfly Symmetry Painting

Need: Paint, white craft paper, brown craft paper, paint brushes.

• Prior to storytime, I folded and cut-out butterfly shapes from the white craft paper. I also cut "body" shapes from the brown.
• At each craft seat, I placed a butterfly on a tray, a few paint brushes, and paint.
• I explained the concept of symmetry .... "The butterfly is the same on one side as the other." I also, demonstrated the craft  ....
• I noticed that some of the kiddos did not understand the concept of painting on only one half of the butterfly, so I suggest that you keep the butterfly folded in half.
• We kept the finished products to dry. Then I glued a body to each butterfly.