May Baskets & More

Prior to Easter, I found a packet of fun foam baskets in a variety of colors at Wal-Mart.  While I don't do an Easter storytime, I am planning a storytime on Baskets, Boxes, and Bags for the first week of May and decided to make some May Baskets.  I still need to finish the last two but here is a photo of the three I have done.

As you can see, I still need to finish the 2nd & 5th basket.  I'm using glitter fun foam flowers from a packet called "Peace & Love" that I also found at Wal-mart, but these would also work made out of felt.  (This was just quicker & I love quicker)

FIVE MAY BASKETS

Five May baskets sitting by my door.

One went to my neighbor and then there were four.

Four May baskets put together by me,

One went to my friend and then there were three.

Three May baskets, pink, orange, and blue.

One went to Grandpa and then there were two.

Two May baskets--I'm having so much fun.

One went to my cousin and then there was one.

One May basket--my task is almost done.

It went to my baby sister and now I have none.

Being from Nebraska, home of Arbor Day, I decided we would do Tree Top Tales for family & preschool storytime during the week of April 23. As I was planning it, a customer donated a small, metal tree to us which I thought was just begging for some monkeys.  I used it after reading CAPS FOR SALE and doing the activity, "Monkey See, Monkey Do".  I bought the game "Barrel of Monkeys" to get the right size monkeys and used a beanie baby croc.  Since I wanted to start with a lot of monkeys in the tree, I made up a rhyme to lead into "Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree".  The kids loved it!

See all the monkeys hanging in the tree,

Waving their arms and chattering at me?

How many monkeys do we see?

Count them now along with me.

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Ten monkeys laughing and feeling quite fine.

One chased a butterfly, then there were nine.

Nine monkeys busy throwing sticks,

Three ran after them, then there were six.

Six monkeys poking at a bee hive,

One got stung, then there were five.

Five monkeys climbing and enjoying the sun,

Saw a crocodile and thought they'd have some fun.

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree,

Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!"

Along came Mr. Crocodile, quiet as can be.

"SNAP" that monkey right out of the tree.

(continue to the end)

Ah-Choo!

     A few months ago, I did a preschool storytime on SNEEZES.  I was looking for all kinds of things that make us sneeze--allergies, colds, pollen, etc.  We had the pansy die from Ellison and I came up with this rhyme to use with the die cuts.  I cut them out of felt, and made separate stems and flowers and only glued the blue blossom to a stem.

A FLOWER FOR YOU

Out in the garden the flowers grew

Each with a different color and hue.

I picked the red one just for you,

Then took a sniff and went "Ah-choo!"

Away the head of the flower flew.

(This continues substituting the colors purple, yellow, orange, pink for red until only blue is left)

Out in the garden where the flowers grew,

All that was left was a flower that was blue.

I picked that flower just for you

But I didn't sniff and go "Ah-choo!"

Now I can give you the flower that is blue.

Sea Serpents for Flannel Friday

A few years ago, I stumbled across Stephanie Stokes' site, Library Palooza (http://www.librarypalooza.com/) and her archive of Puppet Tales newletters.  In the issue for June 2008, Sea Serpent Tales, she had a rhyme and pattern for FIVE GREEN SEA SERPENTS.  I tweaked it just a little to make it SIX LARGE SEA SERPENTS and cut my serpents out of varigated felt pieces.  I use these with storytimes on sea creatures or imagination or things that swim.

I don't find time to post as much as I'd like, but I've been enjoying and using the Flannel Friday ideas and wanted to join in the fun.