Arbor Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being a Nebraskan, I'm very proud that Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City.  Since today is Arbor Day, I wanted to share this flannel board I created using wooden shapes from the craft store and paper tree décor sheets from the dollar store.  I found the trees and brainstormed until I figured out how I could use them.

 

 

WHAT'S IN THE TREE?

 

Red bird, red bird,

What do you see

Hidden high up

In the tree?

 

 

Red bird, red bird,

Look with me

There a __________

In the tree.

 

 

We talked about how footballs, soccer balls (or a helicopter) could end up in a tree.  I thought it might be fun to find things that DON'T belong there as well.  I may also do a set with pictures behind the trees of nests, birds, and fruit.  On group of kids kept guessing apples each time.

 

 

Kate at Feltboard Magic is our hostess today so visit her page for more sharing.

Treetop friends

A few months ago, I found a dog toy that was a plush tree stump with a chipmunk, a mouse & a hedgehog inside.  I knew I wanted to use it as a storytime prop but wasn't sure how until we were planning an Earth Day/Arbor Day storytime. 

 

 

We added some beanie babies we already had at the library & tucked all the creatures into the tree.

 

 

Another storyteller & I discussed our ideas and this was the finished project:

 

 

WHO IS HIDING IN THE TREE?

(tune: Frere Jacques)

 

 

Who is hiding

 

Who is hiding

In the tree

 

In the tree

 

I spy a hedgehog

 

I spy a hedgehog

 

Yes, indeed.

 

Yes, indeed.

 

 

Our other entries were mouse, chipmunk, ladybug, snake, frog, butterfly, lizard--basically anything you might find in a tree & have handy.

 

Our kids love "finding" hidden things during storytimes and this was a really big hit.  Another popular activity was "Five Bottles of Juice" that I found on What Happens in Storytime... and adapted a little bit.  We had five empty plastic bottles & a blue recycle tub that we used while we sang:

Five bottles of juice that we drank,

Five bottles of juice.

Put one in the recycle bin.

Four bottles of juice that we drank.

 

We continued until all the bottles were recycled.  Then you could end with:

 

 

No bottles of juice that we drank,

No bottles of juice.

They all are in the recycle bin,

All those bottles of juice that we drank.

 

Happy storytelling and for more ideas visit Andrea who is hosting Flannel Friday for April 26 on her blog, RovingFiddlehead KidLit  Check it out.  I always find something interesting when I do.  For more on Flannel Friday visit its homepage.

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)