Burnham Bunch: Springtime

Spring! Oh, sweet Spring!

Read: Rabbit's Good News  by Ruth Lercher Bornstein and Wake Up, Spring! by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Flannel board:

Five Little Flowers

One little flower had nothing much to do,
Out popped another one, then there were two.

Tow little flowers were smiling at the bee,
Out popped another one, then there were three.

Three little flowers were growing but the door,
Out popped another one, then there were four.

Four little flowers were glad to be alive,
Out popped another one, then there were five.

Craft: Flower

Need craft paper for the flower (I used some colorful scrapbook paper), green craft paper -- cut into a leaf and a stem, ketchup cups, white glue, pony beads, and craft paper for the base (I have a nice sturdy manila).

• Prior to storytime, cut out flower shapes, cut green paper into leaves and stems, and squirt white glue into the ketchup cups.
• Have child glue onto the base paper: flowers, stem and leaves. I asked them to find the stem first ... "this grows from the ground." What else do we need: "Leaves .... glue those to your stem. "And what grows from the stem? Our beautiful flower!"
• We had the kiddos count out 10 pony beads and place inside the ketchup cup.
• Put there name on each ...
• After storytime, we hot-glued the cup to the center of the flower (carpel?)

Burnham Bunch: St. Patty's Day

We all need a little LUCK

Read: Lucky Tucker and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Clover by Patricia Colandro

Flannel board: There was and Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Clover 

Craft: GREEN painting
Need: Yellow and green paint, glitter, paint brushes and finger-painting paper.

Burnham Bunch: Miss Susan is in the HOUSE

Well, I will be away in sunny (I hope) and warm (pleeeeassse) Florida for the week visiting my favorite Mouse, Belle and, of course, Tink! So, Miss Susan will take over the reigns for storytime on March 2nd and 3rd. In honor of my trip to Disney World, she has decided to have a Mickey Mouse storytime.

M-I-C-(see you real soon) K-E-Y   M-O-U-S-E!

Burnham Bunch: Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat

Read: Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons and Pete the Cat and His White Sneakers by Paul Dean

Puppet: Pete the Cat

Super-cute early literacy and counting idea here at The Seeds Network

WHILE YOU READ:Before you read, have children put 4 circle/dot stickers on their OWN shirt (you can put 4 dots on each circle with a marker to make it look more like a button, if you wish). I also put 4 sticker buttons on my shirt as well. As you read the story and Pete looses a button, have the children take one of their sticker buttons off their shirt and put it onto their yellow paper shirt. Have them count how many buttons they have left on their own shirt – to go along with how many buttons Pete has left on his shirt.

Continue until all the buttons are off their shirts and onto their paper shirt.  They can then bring their paper shirt home to be able to re-tell the story.  Or they can use their paper shirt in the art center, draw a picture of Pete and glue the coat on.

Flannel board: Pete and His White Sneakers here on Libraryland

Craft: Button Bracelet

Need: Buttons, pipe cleaners

   

Burnham Bunch: For the Birds!

For the Birds!

I love birds. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to our fine feathered friends. We have a kiddos with multiple food allergies, so I try to be very cautious -- therefore, no peanut butter. Last year, the kiddos made Cheerio bird feeders. So, I was looking for another option ... and found this great idea on Pinterest (Gosh, I just love you Pinterest! Love, love love!)

Read:

Flannel Board: Two Little Birds from My Storytime Life

Craft: Bird Feeder from eighteen25 -- Visit for complete directions (and check-out her other great ideas)

Need: bird seed "batter" (bird seed, water, gelatin) twine or string, cookie cutters/molds and wax paper

• I decided to make the birdseed "batter" ahead of time. I brought in my electric tea kettle and prepared it in the office. 
• At each craft seat, I set out a small scoop of the bird seed "batter," a piece of wax paper and a piece of twine.
• We have this BIG set of cookie cutters ... so I let the kiddos select one/two.
• These need to dry, so I had paper plates handy for easy transport.

Burnham Bunch: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

I have been working with the idea that reusing your ideas was cheating. I am such a silly girl! Why fix what isn't broken?! If the kiddos love it and you are comfortable with it ... then go ahead. Reuse, reuse, reuse!

So, I have decided to use the same books and flannel board as last year. But, I added a new craft that I found via Pinterest. Enjoy!

Read: Guess Who? A Foldout Valentine's Adventure, A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy and Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond

Flannel board: Six Little Valentine's found on Pinterest from Flannel Friday. You can find the wording on the original here on the original post

Craft: Secret Message from Crafts by Amanda

Need: White and pink craft paper, red watercolor paint, paint brush, white crayon, glue stick.

• Prior to storytime, Susan cut out some chubby hearts for the secret message.
• At storytime, I set all the supplies out at each craft seat. We asked each parent/caregiver/grandparent, to write a secret message to their child on the white heart.
• After reading our books, the kiddos headed to their seats. I explained to each child, that there was a special secret message that would be revealed with the red watercolor. Like magic!
• We tried not to give them too much paint. Otherwise, the heart would have ended up as a soggy mess. 
• After they were done revealing their message, we glued the heart onto the pink craft paper. 
• So, cute!

Burnham Bunch: Groundhog Day

More winter?????

Read: Go to Sleep, Groundhog by Judy Cox

Flannel board: Groundhog's Shadow inspired by Read it Again!

Craft: Shadow Painting

Need: Black paper, groundhog figure in a light color and white paint, tape, and a sponge brush.

• Prior to storytime, find and cut out a groundhog figure and include a small tab of paper on the top. Cut one for each kiddo. I made a small slit in the paper, slipped the tab through and taped the gound hog to the back of the paper.
• At craft time, have kiddos sponge paint around the groundhog shape ... remove the shape and his shadow appears.