Mushrooms in the Rain

 

I have a new set of fingerpuppets to go with this adorable theme of mushrooms.  I already have a fun set HERE, but I can't leave anything alone lol. 

                   Two Little Mushrooms growing in the rain

                   One named Luther and one named Lorraine.

                   They stand in the rain and never complain!

                   Two little Mushrooms, Luther and Lorraine.

We have 2 adorable books to use and we'll sing When I'm Feeling Up and play with the parachute! Mushrooms are so much Fun with Friends at Storytime!

                           

  

Rainbow Rain Felt board Activity

 

April Showers are supposed to bring May flowers. Right?! I needed a felt board interactive rhyme that included a rainbow concept for our theme. I made up a rhyme; Rainbow Raindrops and cut out a bunch of colored raindrop shapes.  I will hand out the colored shapes and the kiddos will bring up the matching color raindrop as I put a glittery raindrop above the big umbrella. The giant umbrella will make another appearance later with my set of children when we do an umbrella theme in June. I have some other posts from past years with some cute Rain and umbrellas themes HERE!   Rain and Rainbows are a lot of Fun with Friends at Storytime!

Umbrellas

Umbrellas are so much fun for preschoolers! There's something cozy and safe about being under an umbrella that preschoolers really love. This is such a fun and easy theme for storytime. Using a real umbrella as a prop is always a big hit. I have an activity/rhyme that I like to use called 'It's Raining'. I've used it so long that I don't remember where I got it originally! I have noticed that this set has no glitter or shine?! *gasp* I will certainly fix that before I use it again! I put the big umbrella on the board and the kiddos with that color little umbrella bring it up to the board.  I say the rhyme slowly and pause after each color to give the kiddos time to bring their umbrella up. My little umbrellas are an Ellison diecut. This is always a big hit as we recognize colors and play together! I also have a song we sing to the tune of 'Ring around the Rosie'. It's called 'Listen to the Raindrops'. We pretend we're holding an umbrella over our heads as we sing and do the actions to the song. Big Fun!!

I also offered a Home Extension/craft with this theme that is a lot of fun. I cut out the umbrella and handle shapes and then used 2 primary color washable markers to make stripes on the umbrella part. A piece of tape or a dab of glue make it an umbrella and then the fun really starts! The kiddos 'paint' with water and watch the 2 colors blend to make a new color... Magic! Rainy days and umbrellas are a lot of Fun with Friends at Storytime! There are more great posts on the Flannel Friday Roundup. Check out the wonderful resources on the Flannel Friday Pinterest Boards. If you want more info about Flannel Friday here's the link for the official Flannel Friday blog.

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head!

April showers are here! We've had a lot of rain and even bad storms lately. This is a chance to do some fun Rainy Weather themes. I have used several really fun 'rain' books. I'm sure you can find many others! Check out the Flannel Friday Weather Pinterest board.


I like to use a fingerplay, Five Little Raindrops go Bye-Bye, as well as my raindrop felt set. There's a fun, sweet song by Dr. Jean that I like to sing too. I like her version the best, The African Village Song (storyteller's perogative LOL!)  I found a pretty version of When the Rain Comes Down by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer. Here's the link for the rhyme, Five Little Raindrops Jump, that I've used for years. 

I also offered a craft. This is an easy prep. I did have an Ellison diecut for the raindrop shapes but if you don't they are a quick easy shape to cut several at a time. I used shiny curling ribbon but you could use mono filament  or even thread and tape or a dab of glue. I had the paper plates cut, the holes punched and the curling ribbon threaded through, including the hanging one. The kids could tape or glue on the raindrop shapes and color the rainbow with markers. Ta da! Now they have a mobile to hang in the window or on the doorknob of their room! 
Rainy Weather is a lot of Fun With Friends at Storytime!! 
Check out the other great ideas at this week's Flannel Friday Roundup! There are more wonderful resources on the Flannel Friday Pinterest Boards. If you want more info about Flannel Friday here's the link for the official Flannel Friday blog.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We are celebrating springtime here at my library!  I'm ready for warmer weather and playing outdoors.  The daffodils, Bradford pears and dogwoods are in bloom. They are sooo pretty.  At storytime we wrote a big S for Spring, in the air with our fingers.  I sang/shared a book that is a song; Inch by Inch; the Garden Song by David Mallett.  It's an older book with nice big illustrations.   I found a great Youtube video of John Denver singing it on the Muppet show here.  I also read, My Garden by Kevin Henkes. Here is a flannelboard rhyme I made up a few years ago.

Flowers Grow In Flowerpots   
(by Kathryn Roach)
Here are 10 flowerpots ready for some fun.
I'll sit them outside in the bright warm sun.
(we say the color of the pot as I put it on the board)
I have 10 flower seeds that need a spot!
I'll plant each of them in a color flowerpot.
(we count as I put the 10 seeds in the pots)
Each little seed will grow to be,
A beautiful flower for all to see!
(I place matching flowers to pots with kid's help)
With sunshine* and water* the seeds can grow
Into 10 pretty flowers. 
See my lovely flower show!
(* = add sun and raincloud)

The flowers and flower pots are Ellison diecuts.  I couldn't resist adding some glitter on the flowers and the sun and rain clouds.  I used metallic pipe cleaners to represent rain. I used a couple shades of blue, pink and purple as well as orange and red and yellow for my pots and flowers.  We talked about the difference in the light blue and dark blue or light pink and dark pink shades.

I also sang  The Flower Song by Nancy Stewart, with the kids. I printed, cut out and mounted on green construction paper squares, Google images for a daffodil, yellow rose, tulip and iris. I laminated them and handed them out and we 'planted' each flower as the song played.  They were careful to keep the squares in nice rows!  I always identify the flowers before we sing and this time the children started to call out the kind they wanted.  I've trained them though to be happy with what they get by the little rhyme...(they can say it with me)..."Take what you get, and don't pitch a fit!". There's usually a lot of laughing as we say that rhyme together.   Actually, as I handed out the cards they were excited and showed each other what they had.  When the song was over and they saw the flannelboard full of flowers they were happy and proud.  I'm so glad spring is here!