Shapes, Colors and Counting Felt Puzzle

 

We recently got in 2 adorable board books that have nice large clear pictures and minimal text that will be perfect with our toddler crowd at Storytime.  Miss Margaret asked for a puzzle felt set to  go with them and I noodled a bit and came up with this set. We'll add each row starting with 1 and hopefully they'll guess what it is by the time we get to 10. That's the plan right now...LOL! We'll see how it goes.  I used glitter fun foam for my shapes but I had some butterfly sequins that would fit for the number 10.  There were only 9 shapes in the shape book so we added the trapezoid shaped basket for number 10.  It will be fun to teach them that word!  Shapes and Colors and Counting to 10 are so much Fun with Friends at Storytime!

 

Mouse Loves Cheese Shapes!

 Here's a new game/rhyme for a Mouse that loves cheese shapes!  I had an old pattern sheet that I deconstructed for my mouse and the shapes were easy peasy. They're all about 3 1/2  to 4 inches tall.  I did make up a quick little repeating rhyme:  'Here's a little mouse looking for his lunch. He found a circle cheese to munch, munch, munch!'  Just change the name of the shape as you add another one to the flannelboard. Be sure to make munching noises as you have the mouse eat the shapes.  The kiddos always think that's hilarious! I can use this with a couple of fun mouse books...

We're having so much Fun with Friends at Storytime! 

Pirate Treasure!

While we were preparing to do a Pirate storytime Miss Margaret expressed a wish for an interactive rhyme with a treasure chest and 'treasure'. We collaborated and she made up the rhyme and I made the flannel set and it was a big hit! Those little scallywags at storytime loved adding their treasure to the treasure chest...yo, ho, ho!! We did a lot of 'Shiver me timbers!' and 'Arghhh, matey' and other piratey talk and we had a blast! I looked at several Google images and took parts from several to make my chest and I made my own glitter felt using glitter glue. If I make any other sets that need glitter felt I will spend the extra pennies for it!! Anyway, here they be, matey!!
Here's a link for the rhyme 'Pirate's Treasure Chest'.

Arghhh!  Pirate treasure is a lot of Fun with Friends at Storytime! There are more great ideas on the Flannel Friday Roundup! Check out the wonderful resources on the Flannel Friday Pinterest Boards. Here's the link for the official Flannel Friday blog for more info!

I'm Feeling Boxed In!

Here's a fun rhyme/game that a coworker shared with me. (Thanks Angie!)  I made my boxes have tops that come off. I used 3 shades of each color to get a 3D effect. We hide a laminated picture of something fun inside and put the top on the box and say this little rhyme. There's that wonderful element of peek-a-boo that little children love!
Little *pink box let me look inside and see
Do you have a treat hiding there for me?

We are having so much Fun with Friends at Storytime!  There are more great ideas on the Flannel Friday Roundup. Check out the wonderful resources on the Flannel Friday Pinterest Boards. Here's the link for the official Flannel Friday blog for more info! 

Another Jewel and Crown post!

I know, I'm slightly obsessive/compulsive. But here's one more post about a crown and jewels. I have some other posts, Here and Here. A couple of years ago I saw this post at LibErin about a crown and some shape jewels and was inspired to get out my glitter and make up a rhyme! This is a rhyme I made up that I used two different ways. I made a set of 5 colored 'jewels' the same shape and a set of 5 different shaped 'jewels'. Actually, the blue one works in both sets.

Crown Jewels

(by Kathryn Roach)

The royal king wears a crown

It sits upon his head.

Let’s add our first shiny jewel

A beautiful ruby Red

This kingly crown is lovely

I’m sure you’ll say it’s true!

We’ll add another jewel

A beautiful sapphire Blue

As the king sits on his throne

His crown will shine so bright!

Let’s add another jewel

This Orange one is just right!

This crown lets everybody know

The king is ‘His Royal Highness’

Let’s add this shiny Purple jewel

To make this crown the finest!

And now, we’ve almost finished

The most beautiful crown you’ve seen.

Let’s add the last bright jewel

This lovely emerald Green

The king is oh so happy

To wear this crown of gold

Each jewel in place makes his crown

A wonderful sight to behold!

Jewels and Crowns are so much 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.

Shape Up!

I like Ellen Stoll Walsh's books! Check out this post at Read, Rhyme and Sing for some other Walsh inspired sets. I especially like Mouse Shapes. Our copy of the book is not as big as I like so I enhanced it a little.  I made some felt pieces to use as I read the book to my kiddos at storytime. I enlarged the pictures about 129% and used them as my patterns. I did use my sizzix diecut for the circles because they are just so hard to cut out. The pieces are glued to the white felt 'pages' on both sides. My coworker suggested that it would be easier to handle these pieces that way as I held the book too! I'm looking forward to the discussion we'll have as we see what these little mice can make out of shapes! Here's another way to make this set @ Read Rabbit Read. 

Mice and Shapes are a lot of Fun with Friends at Storytime! 

Get in Shape!

I'm starting the year off with a basic theme of Shapes! I saw this post about Summer Shapes @ Mel's Desk and loved the idea of using shapes to make seasonal items. I decided to make a winter set for our shape theme.  I've got circles for a snowman, a square shape for his hat, triangles for trees, a rectangle for a sled and for tree trunks. This game/activity will go well with the book, Shape Capers!

We have a Home Extension craft with this theme. A coworker programmed a paper with pictures of our mascot, Harvey and 5 different shapes. I diecut the circle, star, and heart shapes with my Sizzix diecuts. Squares and triangles are quick easy cutouts with the paper cutter.  The kiddos can play a matching game and then glue the shapes on their paper. Shapes are a lot of Fun with Friends at Storytime! Check out the rest of the Flannel Friday roundup @ so tomorrow for great ideas. Have questions about Flannel Friday? Check out the Flannel Friday official blog. Be sure to check out the Flannel Friday Facebook page too!

Play ball!

Everyone loves to play ball. I have a circle theme that I've done several times that involves a ball.  I have different types of balls as props; a basketball, baseball, and soccer ball. We talk about the shape of the balls; the difference in the sizes of the balls and how you play with them. I have a simple little rhyme to use with flannelboard pieces. We also repeat the rhyme using our hands and arms.  I've used this rhyme for years but here it is with other great resources for a sports theme. Also, you might check out this Flannel Friday post about baseballs from Maria at The Serpentine Library blog. I want to make a set like hers for my files!

A Little Ball

A little ball
A bigger ball,
A great big ball I see.
Now let's count them.
Are you ready?
1-2-3!

I made the balls out of pellon and painted the colors with acrylic paint. First I traced the balls with a sharpie, then painted them.  After the paint dried I went back over the black lines with a wide black sharpie and cut them out.  The paint does not affect the pieces sticking to the felt board at all.  I like the more even color coverage and it's quicker than crayon or marker.  I've got an adorable set of shoes I'll have to share in another post that I made with this technique.  

Clowning Around

The circus is in town where I live!  Even though I've pretty much outgrown the circus, I enjoy presenting a circus themed storytime every year.  The circus theme is an opportunity to do clown flannel board rhymes and monkey rhymes and seal rhymes and tiger rhymes and elephant rhymes... Whoa! I can get carried away in a hurry!  I have a couple of clown ideas to share today.  The first is the flannel board story, Clancy the Clown. The story I've been using was given to me by a coworker.  I have found several versions online but I can't find an original source. I found one version here, but the one closest to my version is here. I made Clancy's hair with variegated color yarn and a LOT of Aleen's Tacky glue.  I also couldn't resist adding some glitter to Clancy's big red nose!  He's always a big hit!

I also have a song/activity that I use with shapes. I hand out felt shapes and tell the children to listen for the shape that they are holding in their hand. Then they come up and add it to the board.  They love this activity. The younger children get help from their caregiver or sometimes from the preschooler sitting beside them!

♫Send in the Clowns

tune of "This Old Man"

The circus clown

Came to town,

Wearing (circles*) all around..

There were (circles) on his head

And (circles) on his toes...

He wears (circles) wherever he goes! 

Change the *shape each time you sing the song as the children bring up their shape and add it to the clown's funny costume.  I did find it here with some other really great ideas! I made my clown out of pellon and added felt hair and painted his nose with shiny fabric paint. Don't ya just love the multicolored pom pom on his hat!  I also added velcro to the back under the pom pom, and under the hands and shoes. He gets handled a lot by the children and I wanted him to stay on the board while we were playing.  We all celebrate his cuteness when he's covered in shapes!
*UPDATE* 1-8-2017 -  I was going through my felt sets and found this cute clown craft that is a Home Extension. He's made of shapes that are easily recognized by the kiddos. This is an opportunity for caregivers to talk (ECRR) with their kiddo about shapes and spatial concepts of middle, over, under, above, and below as they assemble Mr. Clown.

So much Storytime Fun!