An Inspired Idea...Construction Vehicles

I thought I'd share my set of construction vehicles that go with the book, Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia. I was inspired Jane's amazing set at Piper Loves the Library here.  I made this set for my library, but I think I'll make a set for me too...just bigger!

I took a couple of liberties with the design...The cement mixer is 2 shades of purple and all of the tires are charcoal gray.  I used google eyes too. I took this pic while the glue was still wet so the crane looks a little goopy and for some reason the orange looks washed out in this pic. 

   

I also made this flannel dumptruck set based on the craft and rhyme here.  I used matching color, shiny sequins for the hubcaps!  Got a little bling in there! LOL! 

I am really looking forward to using both of these sets this summer. We'll have a lot of fun with friends when we Dig Into Reading this summer!

Sweet Dreams

Bedtime storytimes are so much fun.  They can be quiet and relaxing too!  There are so many cute bedtime books.  I like to use Nancy Stewart's cute songs; Dancing Pajamas and Fuzzy Slippers with this theme.  I used Google images to print out 4 different pairs of slippers that I mounted on colored paper and then laminated. I like to make my prints as big as I can!  I start with all the slippers on the board (velcro on the back) and remove a pair of slippers as we sing the song.  We're counting by 2's!   I used the same technique for this bedtime rhyme that I made up, except I put each pic up as I say the rhyme. (the color words are linked to a Google search page for the item in the verse)  I don't have a picture for the last rhyme but I pretend to go to sleep and then ...pause...snore!  Always big laughs.

Time to Go to Sleep!

By Kathryn Roach

In the evening after dark

It’s time to go to bed.

Before I sleep I’ll brush my teeth

With my toothbrush that’s red.

My teeth are brushed and shiny clean.

I’ve put my toothbrush up.

I want a drink before I sleep

In my small blue cup.

I’ve splashed around in the tub

With my favorite funny fellow;

I’ve scrubbed-a-dub and had such fun with

My rubber duck that’s yellow.

I’ve had my soapy, bubblebath

And now I’m squeaky clean.

I’ll put my soft pajamas on;

They’re my favorite jammies, green.

My bed is calling to me,

I’ll jump in quick as a wink!

I’m oh so comfy cozy with my

Blankets warm and pink.

I have my fuzzy lovey pal.

His tummy is soft and round.

I’ll snuggle on my pillow

With my teddy bear that’s brown.

Time for kisses all around.

Please turn off the light.

I’ll close my eyes to start to dream;

Good night, sleep tight,

Good night!......snore!

I like to do 5 In The Bed as a song/flannel rhyme. My version always ends with the 'little one' saying at the end, "Alone at last, goodnight!"   I have 5 cute colored pellon bears and a piece of fabric that looks like a quilt to use as I sing the song. This set is so old, I can't remember where I found the bear pattern.  Probably a Google clipart image??   The bears are about 8 or 9 inches tall.  As I said, I like my pieces BIG!    

Bedtime is Fun at Storytime!

Flannel Friday Roundup for 6-14

I'm so glad to be hosting my first ever Flannel Friday Roundup this week!  The generosity of this wonderful group has been so helpful to me. The affirmation for my own work has been motivating for me! The consistently great ideas have been inspiring!  Yessireee, I'm a Flannel Friday Fan!  
So, here we go with another week of terrific posts:
From Mrs. Andre's Library comes 5 Purple Dinosaurs.
From Lisa at Libraryland comes 5 Frogs.
From Miss Meg's Storytime comes There's Something In My Garden.
From Miss Sarah Storytime comes a Pop up Seed Flannelboard.
From Bridget at What Is Bridget Reading comes Gopher In the Garden by Jack Prelutsky.
From Rachee at Say It "Rah-shay" comes a craft/not a flannel Flower Garden post for Dig Into Reading.
From Katie at Story Time Secrets comes S is for Storytime with Sarah's Silly Socks.
From Dana and Lindsey comes their first Flannel Friday post; Jamberry.!
From Sarah at Read Rabbit Read comes Build a Gingerbread Person.
From Linda at Notes from the Story Room comes a vegan version of Herman the Worm.
From Thrive After Three comes great tips for Using Puppets with a Picture Book.
From Miss Mary at Miss Mary Liberry comes A Watermelon Contest.
From Leah at Time For Storytime comes a not a flannel post of shadow puppets for The Lego Song.
From Jane and Piper at Piper Loves the Library comes Simply Stars.
My post this week is a Bucket of Blueberries.
Thanks everyone for making my first hosting of the roundup so easy and fun!
Jane at Piper Loves the Library will be the host next week.  Have questions about Flannel Friday? Check out the Flannel Friday official blog.  Be sure to  join us on the Flannel Friday Facebook page too!  

'Berry' Good Berries!

It's strawberry pickin' time around here! Yummers!  The blueberries will soon be ready too, so I'm thinking it's time for a berry theme.  I have a strawberry rhyme I made up a few years ago that I used when I read, The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood.  I also did a couple of blueberry rhymes and read, Jamberry by Bruce Degen.  I had a craft for the kiddos too. I used the shape of the strawberry and let them paint with strawberry kool-aid paint.  Nobody spilled or drank the paint! LOL!  The whole library (we're a one room branch) smelled wonderful too.  It was a lot of fun.

                               Strawberry Pickin'

by Kathryn Roach

Out in the berry patch in the bright sun,

picking juicy strawberries is so much fun.

Here's a big red berry, I know it will be sweet.

Here's another and one more to make a pie to eat.

I'm looking under the green leaves to find a berry treat.

I'll pick one more, so now there's 5. 

Hooray! Strawberries can't be beat!

The berries are red and green felt and I painted the 'seeds' with shiny yellow fabric paint. They look good enough to eat. I'm so glad it's almost summertime.  Or I should say, "I'm berry glad it's almost summertime!"  Here's some more strawberry ideas from Storytime Katie and I found some really cute ideas at this site too.   Enjoy those juicy berry treats! 

More Berry Goodness!

The blueberries in my yard are almost ready! Yummers! I've kinda got berries on the brain. I'll just mention a few blueberry books; the classic, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey; Blueberry Mouse by Alice Low; Blueberry Shoe by Ann Dixon; One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano; and for older preschoolers there's George Shannon's White Is For Blueberry.  

backside of pieces.

I have a blueberry rhyme that I made up that's a twist on the classic, 1 little, 2 little counting rhyme.  To start this rhyme I have a little clear bucket and 10 medium sized blue pom pom 'blueberries' that we count together as I drop them in the pail.  Then, I finish the rhyme with the flannel pieces that I made.

Bucket of Blueberries

by Kathryn Roach  

(drop pom pom's in bucket as you count)

1 berry, 2 berry, 3 berries 4,

5 blueberries...let's count some more!

6 berry, 7 berry, 8 berry, 9

10 blueberries are mighty fine!

Now, I've got a bucket of blueberries

that I want to eat...

It's time to cook up a great berry treat.

I'll mix up some things

and stir with all my might

        Then I'll have a delicious

         Blueberry delight.

      (I pantomime holding a bowl and 

stirring as fast as I can)

Blueberry pancake (place felt pancake)

           blueberry pie (place felt pie)

           blueberry muffin (place felt muffin)

          My, oh my! (rub tummy and smile big smile)

             I hope you can use the patterns here.  I scanned them from my original patterns but reduced them by 78%.  I cut out a blob pancake shape and added the blueberries to it.  Usually when we talk about foods at Storytime, I ask the children to give a 'thumbs up' if they like the food I name.  I'm trying to teach them that everyone doesn't have to talk at the same time! Ha!

I've also added the pattern that I used to cut out 'buckets' for a thumbprint blueberries craft.  I cutout the handle shape so that the kiddos could carry their bucket of blueberries home. We used blue inkpads for printing. You could just as easily use blue paint and a pencil eraser for stamping 'blueberries' in the buckets.  They really liked this craft. It was quick and easy prep and minimal mess so I really liked this craft too!
Blueberries are so much Fun at Storytime!

Froggies R Playing it Cool!

I love doing a frog theme because there are so many cute frog books!  We just did frogs again at my library and it was a blast!  I read one of my favorites ever, The Wide Mouthed Frog: A Pop-Up Book by Keith Faulkner. The caregivers always laugh too when I purse up my lips very small to read the last line from the frog right before he jumps into the water, "SPLASH"!  I also used 2 other popup books;  Ten Tiny Tadpoles by Debbie Tarbett and Mo Willems', Big Frog Can't Fit In: A Pop Out Book. Of course, I did 5 Green and Speckled Frogs and Little Frog Are You Hiding.  I know someone has done Little Frog with paper?  but I can't remember who? *update...found it here! My version is made of pellon (the little frog) and different colored felt 'logs'*   Anyway, I wanted something new and interactive so...I cut out a bunch of different colored felt frog Ellison diecuts and made up a simple rhyme.  As I snapped  my fingers for the beat, and said the rhyme in a cool and groovy way (as cool and groovy as a white-haired librarian assistant/grandmother type can be; HA!)  the children brought their froggy to the flannelboard 'pool'.

Froggies in the Pool

by Kathryn Roach

Little Froggies *red, if you want to be cool,

Come right up and jump into the pool!

*blue, green, orange, yellow, purple, pink

Next time I'll have to wear sunglasses to help with the coolness factor.  Have a 'hoppy' time at Storytime with froggies!