Burnham Bunch: Football

Touchdown!

Read: Football and Falling Leaves: A Fall Counting Book by Rebecca Fjelland Davis and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro

Flannel board: Football and Fall -- Countdown 1 to 10

Craft: Football inspired by No Time For Flash Cards

Need: Brown and white craft paper, glue sticks, brown crayons, stapler and newspaper.

• Prior to storytime, cut out football shape -- 2 per child -- and staple 2 together. Leave an opening at the end, in order to fill with the newsprint. Cut white trim pieces. Use paper cutter to cut strips of newsprint. After Wednesday's session, I realized it was difficult for the kids to position the white trim pieces. So, for Thursday's class, I marked each place with a marker.
• At each craft seat, place all the supplies (minus the glue stick -- this new group LOVE the glue sticks, so I need to keep them hidden until it is time to glue).
• First they colored their football. Then I asked them to glue the trim pieces on.
• Last step for the kiddos, is to crumple the newsprint and fill their football.
• We stapled it up ... and it is time for Kick-off!!

Burnham Library: Apples

Apples

Read: Apple Harvest by Calvin Harris and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Flannel board:

(To the tune of This Old Man)

Way up high, in a tree
(Ten) red apples smiled at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
Down came the apples
Mmm mmmm, good.

Craft: Red Confetti Apples

Need: Craft paper in red and white, hole punch, glue sticks and green crayon.

• Prior to storytime, I used my super-hero strength to hole-punch a zillion red dot confetti from red craft paper. I copied-off a bunch of "worksheets" with "A is for Apple" and an apple shape.
• When the craft began, I first asked the kiddos to color the leaf green. 
• I instructed them to very carefully "color" the inside of the apple with their glue stick.
• Then sprinkled their confetti onto the apple and patted down the confetti to make it stick. (I shook off the surplus to use for the next craft)
• That's about it!

I bought and sliced some apples for the kiddos to share. I also sliced two apples in half: one to reveal the "star" inside and the other to reveal the core. We talked a bit about the differences between the two as they enjoyed their apple snack.

Burnham Bunch: Fall Leaves

Fall leaves

It has been chilly the last few days, and I can just FEEL the Autumn coming! This is my favorite time of year. I like to "nest." I put my jam-jams on and drink hot tea and eat apple pie and go apple picking and wear cozy sweaters and wear tights and curl up under my down comforter .... geez I can go all day!


Read: Mouses's First Fall by Lauren Thompson and Let It Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Flannel Board: Leaves on the Trees .... from Awesome Storytime via Pinterest

Craft: Falling Leaves Mobile via No Time For Flash Cards

Need: Green, red, yellow and orange paper, glue sticks

• Prior to storytime, we cut out swirly-swirls from the green paper. I used my amazing Silhouette cutter to cut out leaves in red, orange, and yellow.
• At storytime, the kiddos glued leaves to their swirly-swirls ...
• And that is that!

Burnham Bunch: Welcome Back

Welcome Back!

We're back!! First day of storytime! Actually, it is the first day of our new school year programs. We have a bunch of new stuff planned ... and we are very excited to get started. Our storytime group is a bit small this year: five on Wednesdays and six on Thursdays. Also, they are ALL boys with only one girl. So, this should be interesting. But, I am up for the challenge. I love that every year it is a bit of different.

Stay tuned ....

Read: Book! Book! Book! by Deborarh Bruss and I Love Going Through This Book by Robert Burleigh

Flannel board: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books
Our copy of the book went "missing" (a.k.a. never returned) so, I had to improvise on some of the text.

Craft: Book Worm Book Mark

Need: Sticky-back paper, tissue paper scraps, green paper, yarn and hole-punch.

• Prior to storytime, I cute 3 x 14 inch book marks from the sticky-back paper. We have a ton of tissue paper scraps from various projects ... so that was handy. And Susan, cut out worm shapes from the green paper.
• We folded the book marks in half (to make a back and front) and taped it to craft table. We left one half exposed and the other half covered.
• After we read our booky stories, I asked the kiddos to select a craft seat.
• At this point, the kiddos explored the sticky-paper. (We don't need ANY glue!!)
• Then they stuck on their worm and then the colorful paper.
• While we were creating our book marks, I asked the kiddos if they knew what was the purpose of a book mark. And we discussed the proper care of books and etc.
• When they finished, I folded the sticky-paper together to make a book mark. We also punched a hole on top and threaded a piece of yarn. And finished it up with their name and date on the back.

Summer Bunch: Pirates

Arrrrrrr! The Pirates Life for ME!

Read: Shiver me Letters by June Sobel and Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies by Carolyn Crimi

Flannel board: Pirate Pete and his Colorful Patches found at Loons and Quines 

Craft: Pirate Hooks found here Pinterest  -- I couldn't find the actually link to this project.

Need: Solo Cups (mine are the smaller size), aluminium foil, Exacto knife and scissors, gemstone stickers (found these at Oriental Trading).