tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64483007704172923442018-07-16T00:19:19.902-07:00Ms. Kelly at the LibraryMs. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125MsKellyAtTheLibraryhttps://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-82754212441077657612018-01-25T08:35:00.002-08:002018-01-25T08:35:40.855-08:00American Girl Club: Meet Nanea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After 7 years of running our library's American Girl Club, keeping the program new and interesting can be a bit of a challenge. This is one big reason I am always happy when American Girl introduces a new historical character. This fall they introduced Nanea Mitchell, an American Girl living in Hawaii during 1941. Recently our club focused on Nanea for the first time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3FhJQzAASM/WmjiiW3TYlI/AAAAAAAAEKA/mKS0KUxawkE3QJT7IqESsZw-0ieQ3jSWQCLcBGAs/s320/American%2BGirl%2BClub_Meet%2BNanea.png" width="320" /></div><br />To come up with ideas for Nanea I used the <a href="http://www.americangirlpublishing.com/marketing/printable-activities/nanea-digital-event-kit/">event kit</a> put out by American Girl. These kits are a great resource, but tend to be taken down after a period of time, so if you are interested in these printables I would download asap them. In general I found Nanea a pretty easy to plan for, because you can draw from both Hawaiian themed activities and patriotic ones that are related to WWII. <br /><br />We started the program with discussion about the time period, Hawaii and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I focused on Nanea's desire to help with the war effort by having them take the "Dip your Paddle in Quiz" found in the <a href="http://www.americangirlpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AG_AX_ActivityBooklet_nanea.pdf">activity booklet</a>.<br /><br />Next we played a game of Hukilau. It is pretty similar to London Bridges, but involves the well known Hawaiian tune, "Hukilau". Two kids link arms to form a "net" that the other kids walk through as "Hukilau" plays. When the line about the "ama-ama come swimming to me" comes, they drop their "net" and trap whoever is underneath. It definitely seemed to go over well.<br /><br />After that we did a version of Simon Says called Kuma Hula Says. Kuma Hulas, like Nanea's grandmother, are experts in their art and the kids got to take turns playing the part. We used hula moves as our actions, but you could let the kids get creative by including others.<br /><br />Our last activity was making leis. We used the <a href="http://www.americangirlpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AG_AX_FlowerCrown_nanea.pdf">printable flowers</a> that the America Girl event kit provides and pieces of colored straw to make them. They kids strung both on yarn to make their leis. I got this idea from <a href="http://thebirdfeednyc.com/2016/08/21/craft-for-kids-hawaiian-lei-grass-crown/">The Bird Feed NYC</a>. As we made our leis we had a snack of pineapple salsa, Rice Krispie treats (invented in the 1940s) and cookies with M&amp;Ms (also invented in the 1940s).<br /><br />It was definitely nice to change things up, and I think the kids at the program had a great time. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about this program or any others I have posted.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/GkVt60C-HWA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2018/01/american-girl-club-meet-nanea.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-36335958722618176782018-01-16T09:39:00.001-08:002018-01-16T09:39:35.282-08:00Winter Movement Cube PatternThe winter is here in full force, so I thought it would be appropriate to share one of my most recent creations: my winter themed movement cube pattern. After using our regular movement cube during storytime I provided this pattern as an extension. Kids had the chance to color it and use it to create their own movement cube at home.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkXxLJ73usQ/Wl0tVtN_zWI/AAAAAAAAEJw/L6Wkqs6NoAgi2mz5smxrxtOuU71TaoqEACLcBGAs/s1600/Winter%2BMovement%2BCube.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkXxLJ73usQ/Wl0tVtN_zWI/AAAAAAAAEJw/L6Wkqs6NoAgi2mz5smxrxtOuU71TaoqEACLcBGAs/s320/Winter%2BMovement%2BCube.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />In case you aren't familiar with movement cubes, they are a great storytime tool. The basic idea is to put a simple action on each side of a cube. Our movement cube is a purchased version, but homemade cubes can also be created by covering a small box (such as a tissue box) with paper. The cube is rolled during storytime and the kids must do the action that comes up. It allows kids practice in motor skills and following directions. It also just a really fun and interactive thing to do with toddlers and preschoolers.<br /><br />I was inspired to create this pattern by some other movement cube patterns I found through Pinterest. I liked the winter themed movement cube patterns I saw, but wanted something with blank pictures for the kids to color.<br /><br />To create this version I used pictures from <a href="https://pixabay.com/">Pixabay</a>. <a href="https://pixabay.com/">Pixabay</a> allows images to be downloaded and modified copyright free, so I used Microsoft Paint to remove the color from the pictures as necessary.<br /><br />Here is my pattern as a pdf: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DWvCxR-LJwxqhl4a2wQ5XUo6a8AH_eR8/view?usp=sharing">Winter Movment Cube</a><br /><br />Feel free to download and share as you'd like. Hope you enjoy the winter months and keep as warm as possible!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/vx4hDvpQAHg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2018/01/winter-movement-cube-pattern.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-28216694731540990902017-12-18T12:01:00.000-08:002017-12-18T12:01:09.998-08:00Library Services for Children Journal Club: Executive FunctionFar too long ago I blogged about a great professional development opportunity: the <a href="https://lscjournalclub.org/">Library Services for Children Journal Club</a>. This project was started by Lindsay Krabbenhoft of <a href="https://jbrary.com/">Jbrary</a> and provides a chance for children's staff in libraries to discuss research articles relating to our work. Before tackling January's articles I wanted to post my thoughts about the first two journal club articles on the topic of executive function.<br />&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxqUgTJ81rs/WjQyPfy6Y6I/AAAAAAAAEJg/E9JkYcG_GvMJit86nFLEX8h313nO1l07gCLcBGAs/s1600/lsc-journal-club-logo-v3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxqUgTJ81rs/WjQyPfy6Y6I/AAAAAAAAEJg/E9JkYcG_GvMJit86nFLEX8h313nO1l07gCLcBGAs/s1600/lsc-journal-club-logo-v3.png" /></a></div><br /><b>What is executive function?</b><br />Executive function is said to be the brain's "air traffic control" system, and involves areas such as working memory, inhibitory control and mental flexibility.<br /><b><br /></b><b>My favorite insights from the article</b><br /><ul><li>Developing these skills continues throughout childhood and through into adolescence. This is definitely a far longer time period than I had previously considered.</li><li>Executive function skills are important when it comes to school readiness. They provide a foundation upon which other knowledge and skills are built. </li><li>Childhood experiences help shape these skills Stressful childhood experiences and adverse environments can impair the development of executive function skills on neurological level.</li><li>Targeted interventions have been shown to help protect and improve executive function skills.</li><li>Kids who display a lack of executive function are not "bad" kids.</li><li>Parents and those who work with children can benefit from learning all the ways they can encourage the development of these skills at early stages.</li></ul><br /><b>How can we support executive function at the library?</b><br /><ul><li>Providing opportunities for play for all ages. As the first article on the topic states social play is considered "an important practice ground for the development of executive function skills." I try to provide opportunities for games in my storytimes and school age programs, so I was glad to have the benefits of this practice reaffirmed.</li><li>Creating an environment where kids have the opportunity to practice executive function skills in a fun manner. We do this through routine children's program activities. For instance, in storytime we take turns, repeat songs, and follow simple directions. </li><li>Making parents aware of how we are doing these things in our programs, and suggesting ways they can continue the practices at home.</li></ul><br />There is definitely a lot more to think about related to executive function. I've really enjoyed seeing others post on the topic, and appreciate the opportunity to think more deeply about it. I'm looking forward to reading and posting about the next Journal Club articles!<br /><ul></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/WHVpflrJ9Jk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/12/library-services-for-children-journal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-68386835587561302732017-10-04T10:46:00.001-07:002017-10-04T10:46:23.294-07:00Introducing Library Services for Children Journal ClubI'm happy to bring your attention to a great new opportunity for professional development for children's librarians: <a href="https://lscjournalclub.org/">The Library Services for Children Journal Club</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1oMsI_s2kY/WdQPLqZQMvI/AAAAAAAAEIw/jg5v1804XqQ3H_2gqsiYvqX06vJKFXnsACLcBGAs/s1600/lsc-journal-club-logo-v3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1oMsI_s2kY/WdQPLqZQMvI/AAAAAAAAEIw/jg5v1804XqQ3H_2gqsiYvqX06vJKFXnsACLcBGAs/s1600/lsc-journal-club-logo-v3.png" /></a></div><br /><b>What it is </b><br />This project was started by Lindsey Krabbenhoft (of <a href="https://jbrary.com/">Jbrary</a> fame) and a colleague named Christie Menzo. The goal is to encourage those working with kids in libraries to read and discuss relevant literature and think critically about how this research can inform what we do in the library.<br /><br /><b>How to participate </b><br />To participate all you need to do is read the suggested articles on the <a href="https://lscjournalclub.org/">LSC Journal Club</a> site and discuss them with colleagues. This can be done in formal or informal gatherings, through blog posts, or on social media. Lindsey and Christie will be hosting Vancouver area meet ups, and encourage the planning of gatherings anywhere and everywhere.<br /><br />You can participate right away. <a href="https://lscjournalclub.org/">November's articles</a> are already there for your learning pleasure. The first topic of discussion is executive function. New articles will be posted every two months on a different topic that fit into one of the designated research themes. To keep up to date on future topics you can keep checking the <a href="https://lscjournalclub.org/topic-schedule/">topic schedule</a>.<br /><br />I know I'm definitely excited to participate! I will be posting my thoughts on the latest articles here asap and on Twitter with the hashtag #lscjournalclub. I hope to see many of my fellow children's librarians doing the same! <br /><br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/ypa1w3J0f0o" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/10/introducing-library-services-for.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-20513865548439497532017-09-27T15:09:00.000-07:002017-09-27T15:09:57.343-07:00150th Anniversary CelebrationThe city my library is in celebrated it's 150th Anniversary this year. In honor of the occasion we were recently part of a city wide celebration that included our local history fair among other things. I thought I would share what we did in hopes that it would help inspire you to try some history themed activities in the library or anywhere else.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ekkvA_Rdyus/WcQQrPtIfiI/AAAAAAAAEH8/xJwrljpi_LwRH-Bdp4w7m-S9k28CwtyqwCLcBGAs/s1600/cool-cat-happy-birthday-gif.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="500" height="199" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ekkvA_Rdyus/WcQQrPtIfiI/AAAAAAAAEH8/xJwrljpi_LwRH-Bdp4w7m-S9k28CwtyqwCLcBGAs/s320/cool-cat-happy-birthday-gif.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />The two major components of our celebration were stations for kids and a historical speaker. I tried to keep the stations easy, inexpensive and somewhat historically relevant to the time the city was founded.<br /><br /><b>Station 1: Butter "churning"</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-802Ra-Pd7AE/WcweHdzKEQI/AAAAAAAAEIM/ctpPhzmN5lweLw7eykXKd0KTfsGUFA47ACLcBGAs/s1600/image%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1206" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-802Ra-Pd7AE/WcweHdzKEQI/AAAAAAAAEIM/ctpPhzmN5lweLw7eykXKd0KTfsGUFA47ACLcBGAs/s320/image%25281%2529.jpeg" width="241" /></a></div><br />I saw this idea several places and changed it around to fit my needs. The basic concept is to shake heavy whipping cream until it turns into butter. The best idea I had was to use the tiny plastic cups I found at Kroger as our butter churning containers. They are the ones that only hold a few ounces and come with lids. They really worked well and it only cost a few dollars for about 50 of them.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Station 2: Historical crafts</b><br /><br />Our historical crafts included coloring pages, paper dolls, and a variety of paper pinwheels I got for free from another local group.<br /><br /><b>Station 3: Weaving</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CpZXxXoy1Ew/WcwgA9o9oAI/AAAAAAAAEIg/mRES1ODAqUc8iaa_VKYGDZyDvB9oXheIQCLcBGAs/s1600/image%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CpZXxXoy1Ew/WcwgA9o9oAI/AAAAAAAAEIg/mRES1ODAqUc8iaa_VKYGDZyDvB9oXheIQCLcBGAs/s320/image%25282%2529.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />This is an idea I got <a href="http://ourhouse.typepad.com/full_circle/2008/04/over-under-over.html">here</a>. The one modification I made was using square plastic plates rather than the foam trays. I was having problems finding the right trays and the plates seemed to work just as well. I was somewhat surprised to see that this was the favorite station of the program. My one tip is that an odd number of strings on your "loom" allows you<b> </b>to tie up the extra strings at the beginning and end.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Station 4: Hoop rolling</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b>We already own several hula hoops, so I figured why not bring them out and encourage the kids to "hoop race". It really didn't seem to catch on well, but probably would be a lot of fun with a bigger group.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Station 5: Make a hat</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMLg2XSB6pM/WcweswsjQrI/AAAAAAAAEIU/kn1y3Rpq3ToStqXGbESyL9sfnVFpVi8agCLcBGAs/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMLg2XSB6pM/WcweswsjQrI/AAAAAAAAEIU/kn1y3Rpq3ToStqXGbESyL9sfnVFpVi8agCLcBGAs/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div><br />No party is fun if you are not wearing the correct ensemble right? So we made bonnets and hats that seemed to fit the time period. I found the bonnet pattern <a href="https://www.skiptomylou.org/how-to-make-a-pilgrim-bonnet-out-of-paper/">here</a>, and the other hat was simply a template for a "cowboy" hat that didn't seem to obvious as such. <br /><b><br /></b>All in all this program brought in a small but dedicated group of kids who seemed to have a pretty good time. Most stayed for over 3 hours for both the program and the speaker. The stations were also pretty inexpensive, as the biggest cost was for snacks<b>. </b>I would definitely recommend this type of program for anybody looking for a way to celebrate this period in history.<b><br /></b><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/By5s2JTWfKg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/09/150th-anniversary-celebration.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-55405477511673086462017-08-31T09:34:00.001-07:002017-08-31T09:36:55.371-07:00Build your brain: Weeks 3, 4 and 5In my <a href="https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-your-brain-weeks-1-and-2.html">last post</a> I talked a little about the process of re-imagining my preschool storytime for the summer. Now that summer reading is over I have time to update you a bit about what we did for the final three weeks of the program. My overall goal was to choose a mix of activities that would show parents all the many and varied things they can do to enhance their child's brain development.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UqkDMmMTGXY/Wac3wAtBN4I/AAAAAAAAEGk/_e22CbNo-zw99CgRaQReF9Y6dxmkOp0XACLcBGAs/s1600/tenor.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="498" height="178" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UqkDMmMTGXY/Wac3wAtBN4I/AAAAAAAAEGk/_e22CbNo-zw99CgRaQReF9Y6dxmkOp0XACLcBGAs/s320/tenor.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><h4></h4><h4><b>&nbsp;</b></h4><h4><u><b>Week 3: Sensory Fun</b></u></h4><br />After our usual <a href="http://storytimewithmskelly.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-your-brain-for-preschoolers.html">book and songs</a>, we went into our meeting room for some slightly messy fun. My big message at this program was that sensory experiences help kids make brain connections. It also is a great way to introduce them to vocabulary they wouldn't hear otherwise. For instance, when you are doing sensory activities you may use fun words like squishy or gooey.<br /><br /><b>Station 1: Painting with pasta&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GH-l7lHmIpU/WagsKz61KcI/AAAAAAAAEG0/3UbwIhBAvWcRNT-HVE-RtP2InFFYMLy4wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GH-l7lHmIpU/WagsKz61KcI/AAAAAAAAEG0/3UbwIhBAvWcRNT-HVE-RtP2InFFYMLy4wCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0207.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />I had heard of this done several places online and wanted to try it out myself.&nbsp; It is a not too messy but very fun way to provide a sensory learning experience<b>.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Station 2: Car wash</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wqYebubJDeo/WaguKB9BoDI/AAAAAAAAEHA/HwlHXIMcTFspM-ioJjwMBSN1pYW4ek36ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wqYebubJDeo/WaguKB9BoDI/AAAAAAAAEHA/HwlHXIMcTFspM-ioJjwMBSN1pYW4ek36ACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0208.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />This station was extremely simple and a big hit. All I did was fill our sensory tubs with water and soap and allow the kids to wash some of the hot wheels cars I keep on hand. I think I got this idea from a parenting blog but cannot remember which one it was.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><br /><b>Station 3: Texture collage</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LX7hMujQ2Lc/WagumvvnfxI/AAAAAAAAEHE/TPTfSDg_VzMQc_b7dgErSxppxXRKohJqACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LX7hMujQ2Lc/WagumvvnfxI/AAAAAAAAEHE/TPTfSDg_VzMQc_b7dgErSxppxXRKohJqACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0204.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />I've done this at programs before and thought it would fit into the sensory theme perfectly. All I did was set out a variety of craft materials with different textures (cotton balls, tissue paper, feathers, etc) and have the kids create a collage. It allows the kids to be creative while at the same time using up the random craft supplies that always seem to be around.<b></b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><h4><u><b>Week 4: Art</b></u></h4><br /><b>Station 1: Sticker collage</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xs4X9B94BY4/WagwZ1i5K5I/AAAAAAAAEHY/Nw9YgT3Rap0ZIOrfIqaMlcEoDS4sFpCvACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xs4X9B94BY4/WagwZ1i5K5I/AAAAAAAAEHY/Nw9YgT3Rap0ZIOrfIqaMlcEoDS4sFpCvACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0234.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br />This is another easy art project that allows kids to be creative. I put out a variety of stickers and let the kids make another collage. As a bonus, it was great to see the kids practicing making words with our letter stickers. <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Station 2: Tape resist art</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B3cKRuSldSo/WagxtYlo8TI/AAAAAAAAEHk/TdUwwyPeZRc7FOaRdAYQx4NfcXRAS-JhwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B3cKRuSldSo/WagxtYlo8TI/AAAAAAAAEHk/TdUwwyPeZRc7FOaRdAYQx4NfcXRAS-JhwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br />Kids were asked to make designs on paper with tape and paint over them with watercolors. If I had to do it again I'd use regular paints so they would stand out a little more. <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Station 3:&nbsp; Stamping with toilet paper rolls</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kq9gESa7Wwo/WagyR1E643I/AAAAAAAAEHs/rwncu9BIjhEtevMe1OhMJkiNJKxXc7WdQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kq9gESa7Wwo/WagyR1E643I/AAAAAAAAEHs/rwncu9BIjhEtevMe1OhMJkiNJKxXc7WdQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0237.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />I had leftover toilet paper rolls from another program, so I put some out for the kids to use as paint stamps. I figured the circles would also tie into a little lesson about shapes.<br /><b><br />Station 4: Coloring pages</b><br /><b><br /></b>I do try to do coloring pages at my storytimes periodically for a few different reasons. Not only are they an easy addition, they are also great to help with kids fine motor skills. Coloring really helps young kids prepare the muscles they will need when they start to write. The ones I picked for this week were all art themed.<br /><br /><h4><u><b>Week 5: Parachute</b></u></h4><br />To end the summer we closed out with a whole program focusing on one of my favorite storytime additions, the parachute. We started out our small storytime room with my 6 foot parachute, as a read the book Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin. At the suggestion of <a href="https://storytimekatie.com/2015/08/24/discovery-parachute-2/">Storytime Katie</a>, we added flannel pieces corresponding to the colors in the story and mixed them with our parachute.<br /><br />We followed the story up with our first experience with our large 20 foot parachute. We did a variety of songs, all of which are detailed on my <a href="http://storytimewithmskelly.blogspot.com/">storytime blog</a>. It was great fun, so much so that our adult services staff commented on how many screams of joy they were able to hear through our meeting room wall.<br /><br /><br /><h4><u>How it went</u></h4><br />For the most part I think this program went pretty well. Attendance was definitely far better than my typical preschool storytime. I'm hoping this holds out into the fall and that the new day and time will be a success. As for the particular activities we did I'd have to say I saved the best for last with the parachute. I look forward to using it often in the future! I hope these suggestions have been helpful, and as always if you have any questions feel free to let me know via comments, email or Twitter.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/YVZGn5p9Vg0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/08/build-your-brain-weeks-3-4-and-5.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-65765044943108151972017-07-24T15:08:00.001-07:002017-08-31T09:36:42.561-07:00Build your brain: Weeks 1 and 2While my toddler and baby storytimes are going strong, my preschool storytime has been struggling with attendance for a while. Based on conversations with other children's librarians, this seems to be a common problem. Between preschool schedules (which seem to be increasingly offering all day options) and activities it can be hard to get preschoolers into the library.<br /><br />To solve this problem I figured a change was in order. I knew I'd be switching up the day and time of this program, but I also wanted to add another hook to get people's attention. Our summer CSLP theme of "Build a Better World" gave me the perfect inspiration. For this summer, my preschool storytime is being rebranded as "Build Your Brain".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUkE-h3grcE/WXOROXQk8QI/AAAAAAAAEFg/jxFB9UtPSmImUwggdln9CPaYWZYSxcxUQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Build%2Byour%2Bbrain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUkE-h3grcE/WXOROXQk8QI/AAAAAAAAEFg/jxFB9UtPSmImUwggdln9CPaYWZYSxcxUQCEwYBhgL/s320/Build%2Byour%2Bbrain.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />The idea behind this theme is to do something similar to the science based storytimes I did a few years ago: stories and songs, followed by interactive stations. The major difference this time is that there will be a little more emphasis on the brain/educational benefits of storytime. Each week we will focus on a different "brain building" thing and follow with stations related to that theme. This not only provides more fun for the kids, but also more useful information for the parents.<br /><br /><u><b>Week 1: Stories</b></u><br /><br />Our first session started out strong. We had great attendance, and started out with reading themed books and songs (specifics found on my <a href="https://storytimewithmskelly.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-your-brain-71017-stories.html">storytime blog</a>). Our literacy tip for the week was the loving feeling from sharing stories together can actually help build brain connections. Our meeting room wasn't available for stations for this session, so I adapted by doing a "Favorite Book Character" scavenger hunt in the kid's room. I made a simple form with some favorite characters and asked the kids to find where these character's books would be in the library. As a reward for completing the scavenger hunt, they received a reading themed sticker.<br /><br /><u><b>Week 2: Music</b></u><br /><br />Once again we began with a <a href="http://storytimewithmskelly.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-your-brain-for-preschoolers-71717.html">book and songs</a>, but this week we got to transition to a variety of stations afterward. We had four different stations related to music. Our literacy tip this week was that music helps our brains learn to identify the parts that make up words.<br /><br /><b>Station 1: Painting with a shaker egg</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LUxJX2dKh2g/WXOVrVNHikI/AAAAAAAAEFs/mxACuXHGlAwPYPM7qXwkuW-RsBqE7ivVgCLcBGAs/s1600/Egg%2Bshaker%2Bpainting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LUxJX2dKh2g/WXOVrVNHikI/AAAAAAAAEFs/mxACuXHGlAwPYPM7qXwkuW-RsBqE7ivVgCLcBGAs/s320/Egg%2Bshaker%2Bpainting.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I've done painting with objects in our plastic tubs several ways before. For instance we've painted with toy cars and our plastic sensory shapes. I chose shaker eggs this time because I thought they would work perfectly with our musical theme.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Station 2: Guess the object in the sour cream container</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-reaYY4F7568/WXOXNBFKQnI/AAAAAAAAEF4/uRg6Pwc4WywgO47rX68uXLO1WXwPVAA1gCLcBGAs/s1600/20106824_1398970426865879_8438346001701182897_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-reaYY4F7568/WXOXNBFKQnI/AAAAAAAAEF4/uRg6Pwc4WywgO47rX68uXLO1WXwPVAA1gCLcBGAs/s320/20106824_1398970426865879_8438346001701182897_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />For this station all I did was put some random objects (coins, marbles, cotton balls, etc) in a series of sour cream containers. The kids had to shake them to guess what was in each one. The best part about this station was it shows parents how easy it is to make your own instruments at home.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Station 3: Instruments</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lTVleWlgAPY/WXOXnigkmJI/AAAAAAAAEF8/m-GzyWFGjCgh0wap0IY4maB5qqIKrtzqQCLcBGAs/s1600/20106377_1398970380199217_423301190295188339_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lTVleWlgAPY/WXOXnigkmJI/AAAAAAAAEF8/m-GzyWFGjCgh0wap0IY4maB5qqIKrtzqQCLcBGAs/s320/20106377_1398970380199217_423301190295188339_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I couldn't have a music themed program without putting out the library's shakers and rhythm sticks. I supplemented these instruments with homemade "guitars" made out of pans and rubber bands. Not sure where I saw that idea but it is definitely a great one!<br /><b><br /></b><b>Station 4: Making a toilet paper roll shaker</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s3U7Oi7mGqk/WXOYARqmXuI/AAAAAAAAEGA/o77hTaq7SPgyrMrSOGgHvBPZrjY3821EgCLcBGAs/s1600/20140160_1398970383532550_6879625638062550812_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s3U7Oi7mGqk/WXOYARqmXuI/AAAAAAAAEGA/o77hTaq7SPgyrMrSOGgHvBPZrjY3821EgCLcBGAs/s320/20140160_1398970383532550_6879625638062550812_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Toilet paper rolls are always a staple craft supply, but they have seemed to come in more handy than ever this summer. We used rolls, tape and beans to make our own shakers. Afterwards they kids got to decorate them with crayons and markers.<br /><br />So far my plan seems to be working well and attendance for this age group has been up. We've got three more weeks to go and I look forward to updating you about them very soon! If you have any questions about this or any other program feel free to let me know.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/Y_4QfT1NZv4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com2https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-your-brain-weeks-1-and-2.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-59675518031734977862017-07-03T12:03:00.000-07:002017-07-03T12:03:35.793-07:00Build a Better World: Toys for the Humane SocietyIt's that time of year! The joys and chaos of summer reading are here once more. In honor of the "Build a Better World" theme many libraries are using I thought it would be a good time to share one of my favorite ways to help kids improve the world: making toys for the local Humane Society. It is not only a good tie in for the summer theme, but something great to do year round. This was one of our first summer programs this year, and it is definitely a program that I will do again.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FUMiDN_UWgc/WVZhnIcsTpI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/XV_lezltdMEyodmFRPprbZLN45bjJKLVQCLcBGAs/s1600/19657080_1379766892119566_7947353805848498842_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FUMiDN_UWgc/WVZhnIcsTpI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/XV_lezltdMEyodmFRPprbZLN45bjJKLVQCLcBGAs/s320/19657080_1379766892119566_7947353805848498842_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>How it worked:</b><br />I registered for 20 kids from Grades K-6. The program filled up pretty quickly and we wound up with a total of 24. I normally divide this age group into two, but thought combining would work better for the summer months. I explained several ideas for DIY pet toy crafts that I found through <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> and created instructional handouts on each. The kids were able to choose from these suggestions or make something completely of their own design. <br /><b></b><br /><b>Supplies needed:&nbsp;</b><br />Toilet paper rolls<br />Scissors<br />Construction paper<br />Crayons/markers<br />Wooden dowels<br />Yarn<br />Feathers or pom poms<br />Pipe cleaners <br />Fleece strips<br />Fleece pieces of various sizes<b><br />&nbsp;</b><br /><b>What we made:&nbsp;</b><br /><ul><li><b>Cat wands: </b>We used yarn to tie pom poms and feathers to wooden dowels. This was an idea I've used previously and one I thought would be easy enough for even the youngest kids.</li><li><b>Toilet paper tube toys:</b> I found two different versions of <a href="http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/5-diy-cat-toys-made-from-empty-tp-rolls">cat toys</a> made out of toilet paper tubes. One involves using pieces to create a small ball, while the other involves cutting the edges into the shape of a sunshine.</li><li><b>Yarn pom poms:</b> A fork, yarn and scissors are all that is needed to create your own <a href="https://recipebookandmore.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/yarn-pompoms/">pom pom</a>. This could stand on it's own or be added to a cat wand.</li><li><b>Fleece dog pull toys: </b>Our fleece toys were a big hit. We made braided rope toys, as well as a variety of others. Fleece can be expensive, but luckily ours was donated by one of my crafty coworkers, who was glad to get it out of her own stockpile.</li><li><b>Fleece tie blankets:</b> A few of the older kids already knew how to make tie blankets and were happy to make small ones for the animals. </li></ul><br /><b>Tips and tricks:&nbsp;&nbsp;</b><br /><ul><li>The handouts definitely seemed to help provide the kids with some needed direction.</li><li>The fleece toys were probably the biggest hit with the kids, as well as the ones I think the Humane Society will appreciate the most.</li><li>Kids may want to take supplies home and work on further crafts to donate. If you can allow some time between the program and when you drop off the toys this can work out great.</li><li>Call your local Humane Society before hand. Not only will they be able to verify that they accept donations, they may even have more suggestions for possible toys to make.</li></ul><br />Hopefully these ideas come in handy as you help kids do a little good at your library or anywhere else. If you have any questions you can get in touch with me here or via Twitter (@MsKellyTweets).&nbsp; <br /><ul></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/kCGVU7nwMsQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/07/build-better-world-toys-for-humane.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-6983685191910893872017-04-07T08:21:00.001-07:002017-04-07T08:21:56.240-07:00Flannel Friday: Little Chick, Little ChickMy contribution this week's Flannel Friday is a flannel set I made up to use at this week's "Chickens and Eggs" storytime. It is a modified version of the classic "Little Mouse, Little Mouse" activity using a chicken and barns.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmLidu5Agmw/WOeoNtEpDxI/AAAAAAAAEE4/5ibpYNpHkHU3y1OicgBpni3JZVNr1qoGwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmLidu5Agmw/WOeoNtEpDxI/AAAAAAAAEE4/5ibpYNpHkHU3y1OicgBpni3JZVNr1qoGwCLcB/s320/IMG_2025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />To make the barns I used a barn template I found online to cut out the shapes, and drew in the details freehand with a black marker. I also used a template to cut out the basic shape of the chick, but ended up doing freehand cutting as well. The beak and feet were cut freehand and glued on with craft glue.<br /><br />The idea, as in most "Little Mouse" style activities, is to hide the animal behind the object and have the kids guess which color object they are under. In this case it is the chick hiding behind colored barns.<br /><br />Here is one rhyme you could use. I found it at <a href="http://storytimesandmore.blogspot.com/2014/08/chicken-storytime.html">Storytimes and More</a>:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Little Chick, Little Chick,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come out and play!</div><div style="text-align: center;">What color barn are you in today?"</div><br />This set could also be adapted to use in other ways. For instance, you could use the barns to hide a different type of farm animal. Another fun way to adapt this for an older storytime group would be adding other flannel creatures to the mix and turning it into a type of memory game. <br /><br />The Flannel Friday Roundup this week is hosted by Bridget at <a href="http://whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com/">What is Bridget Reading</a>. To add your ideas head over to the <a href="http://whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com/2017/04/flannel-friday-roundup-for-april-7-2017.html">placeholder post</a> and share a link in the comments. To participate in upcoming roundups, or get more great storytime ideas head over to the <a href="http://flannelfridaystorytime.blogspot.com/">Flannel Friday Blog</a> or <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/flannelfriday/">Pinterest page.</a> You can also follow #flannelstorytime on Twitter.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/sF9LnmRwk4w" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/04/flannel-friday-little-chick-little-chick.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-31638872645764782822017-03-06T11:15:00.001-08:002017-03-06T11:15:35.599-08:00Harry Potter Party 2017As almost anyone who has met me knows, I am a huge fan of all things Harry Potter. I am always looking for reasons to celebrate the series, and had a great time when I held a <a href="https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/02/atlas-harry-potter-party.html">Harry Potter party</a> in 2015. It was a relatively small program (limited to 12 kids) but all in all a big success. I had a wonderful time, and the kids seemed to as well.<br /><br />Some time has passed since then, and with the recent resurgence of new books and movies related to the series I thought it would be great to revisit it again. We had also received a very generous donation of a set of Harry Potter movies on Blu Ray, and I wanted to chance to give them away to a lucky child.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4XltRanfQg/WLX7hE0k98I/AAAAAAAAEDs/X4zngyE0RjsEU3Dy0B2LeGYEVe39i3VDgCLcB/s1600/Harry%2BPotter%2Bmovies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4XltRanfQg/WLX7hE0k98I/AAAAAAAAEDs/X4zngyE0RjsEU3Dy0B2LeGYEVe39i3VDgCLcB/s320/Harry%2BPotter%2Bmovies.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br />I knew it would have to be a little bigger and better this time, so I decided to make it all ages, station based program. These always seem to work the best when I need to accommodate large groups. I scheduled it for a weekday when I knew the kids would be off of school for winter break.<br /><br /><h3>Here is what we did:&nbsp;</h3><h4>&nbsp;</h4><h4>Tabletop Quidditch</h4><h4>&nbsp;</h4><h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAXwRbfrLrE/WLsM77qygcI/AAAAAAAAED8/2dJL3Z4TAIgeo2HiUux2CIgODOhizT8uQCLcB/s1600/17098241_1254310267998563_7643060401924030555_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAXwRbfrLrE/WLsM77qygcI/AAAAAAAAED8/2dJL3Z4TAIgeo2HiUux2CIgODOhizT8uQCLcB/s320/17098241_1254310267998563_7643060401924030555_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></h4><br />No true celebration of Harry's world is complete without a game of Quidditch. I found this easy to replicate version <a href="http://blog.farmtofete.com/2015/07/easy-diy-quidditch-game.html">here</a>. The only necessary supplies are cups, hoops (formerly bought as bubble wands at the dollar store), aluminum foil (to make stands for the hoops) and ping pong paddles/balls (brought in by a coworker).<br /><br /><h4>Charms class</h4><h4>&nbsp;</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcV6zUp545E/WLsOmhGkkNI/AAAAAAAAEEE/g0BjfmgXx2ETK9NKNiEbzt_kcYGFlPXDgCLcB/s1600/17155375_1254310081331915_522062191377157197_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcV6zUp545E/WLsOmhGkkNI/AAAAAAAAEEE/g0BjfmgXx2ETK9NKNiEbzt_kcYGFlPXDgCLcB/s320/17155375_1254310081331915_522062191377157197_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><h4>&nbsp;</h4>We used grape juice and baking soda to practice a "color changing charm". As explained <a href="https://www.education.com/activity/article/Explore_Color_Science_with_Grape/?cid=50.200&amp;utm_source=Activity+of+the+Week+Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=b1383b78ba-activity&amp;utm_medium=email">here</a>, grape juice is an indicator of acidity. This means that a adding a base such as baking soda will turn the juice green. It also creates a nice bubbling effect which adds a fun element to the activity as well. The kids seemed to particularly like this station. It was the messiest activity we did but still relatively easy to clean up from. <br /><h4>&nbsp;</h4><h4>Potter themed crafts&nbsp;</h4><h4><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7XMP-Hno-hI/WLsQ1VQzWLI/AAAAAAAAEEQ/_QcATBNa8N0Ml6NdkiMOokk8zKPMF6iWQCLcB/s1600/17156270_1254310437998546_4589970521047251045_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7XMP-Hno-hI/WLsQ1VQzWLI/AAAAAAAAEEQ/_QcATBNa8N0Ml6NdkiMOokk8zKPMF6iWQCLcB/s320/17156270_1254310437998546_4589970521047251045_n.jpg" width="308" /></a></div></span></h4><h4><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;</span></h4><h4><span style="font-weight: normal;">I provide a crafts table at every large program I do for several reasons. It is mainly because it it provides a fun activity that is adaptable for many different age groups. It is also pretty easy to prepare and doesn't require too much supervision during the program.</span></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;</span></b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;<b>Dueling practice</b></span></b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>&nbsp;</b></span></b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q11Af1DntxY/WLsTDukQ0AI/AAAAAAAAEEc/OEbXz8XAumgHbFyBI9LKQw4xvv5rSHlIgCLcB/s1600/16832181_1254310357998554_6969454407786097967_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q11Af1DntxY/WLsTDukQ0AI/AAAAAAAAEEc/OEbXz8XAumgHbFyBI9LKQw4xvv5rSHlIgCLcB/s320/16832181_1254310357998554_6969454407786097967_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">This idea was based off the dueling club activity I found at <a href="http://meaningfulmama.com/straw-and-paper-shooters.html">Meaningful Mama</a>.</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b> </b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I liked the idea of paper shooters, but thought it would be much more fun to shoot paper at Voldemort (yes, I am brave enough to say his name).</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FFqd_dctlUg/WLsS-_yh0QI/AAAAAAAAEEY/2whwI4iT2HAOBovo0LC4699Um-z_XF-IgCLcB/s1600/17098274_1254310374665219_5096446355332873573_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FFqd_dctlUg/WLsS-_yh0QI/AAAAAAAAEEY/2whwI4iT2HAOBovo0LC4699Um-z_XF-IgCLcB/s320/17098274_1254310374665219_5096446355332873573_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h4><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;</span></h4><h4><span style="font-weight: normal;">I printed this picture as our target and we were good to go. The kids had fun shooting paper at him once they got the hang of making the shooters. If I were to do this station again I would provide a little more instruction on how to make the shooters in the beginning of the program.</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>&nbsp;</b></span></b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Divination class&nbsp;</b></span></b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>&nbsp;</b></span></b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ctu-9jOrvQ/WLsV3k1ksJI/AAAAAAAAEEk/cbuxl-k_s50bU3JmkCcSf9qm9gDmmrJQACLcB/s1600/16997809_1254310084665248_1987057593954076952_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ctu-9jOrvQ/WLsV3k1ksJI/AAAAAAAAEEk/cbuxl-k_s50bU3JmkCcSf9qm9gDmmrJQACLcB/s320/16997809_1254310084665248_1987057593954076952_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Cootie catchers are a classic idea that seemed perfect for doing a little Divination. The only things needed to be as accurate as Professor Trelawney are paper, scissors, markers and instructions. One of my favorite things about this activity was seeing the nostalgia it brought to some of the parents.<br /><h4><b>&nbsp;</b></h4><h4><b>Fantastic Beasts Hunt</b></h4><h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;</span></b></h4><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I also provided a scav</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">enger hunt for magical creatures in our children's area. I used pictures found online and taped them up around the children's area. The kids had to find all the beasts and cross them out on a provided <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27pID2WdJJab0p1RjNGMUhPRXc/view?usp=sharing">handout</a>.</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Their "magical </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">surprise" was a badge created and printed on shipping labels. </span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">So that's ou</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">r latest celebration of Harry! Feel free to use any and all of these ideas as you wish. I definitely plan on doing another party like this in the future and will keep you updated</span> when I do. <b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/Z4BzIl-WMnM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/03/harry-potter-party-2017.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-15693261204036894732017-02-23T07:45:00.005-08:002017-02-23T07:45:55.031-08:00American Girl Club: Meet GabrielaOur latest American Girl Club was one of my favorite meetings of the year. We got to learn about the newest American Girl of the Year, Gabriela McBride. It is always fun to focus on a new character, and I continue to enjoy the way the Girls of the Year provide an opportunity to talk about contemporary topics.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PmxHk778uc/WKttIEdZOBI/AAAAAAAAEDU/yuCvRP93kBYk4Xs3X2Rj0b7E1bHXIQqKQCLcB/s1600/175410_e16b1c10fa754e718392c8bf499c7574%257Emv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PmxHk778uc/WKttIEdZOBI/AAAAAAAAEDU/yuCvRP93kBYk4Xs3X2Rj0b7E1bHXIQqKQCLcB/s320/175410_e16b1c10fa754e718392c8bf499c7574%257Emv2.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br />When it came to Gabriela, the big ideas I wanted to discuss were community and voice. Gabriela helps raise money for her community's arts center. She also struggles with speaking out because she has a stutter. These two themes come together as she uses her love of poetry and dance to help save the center. As a group, we talked about these things in our brief discussion of the book, which was just enough to give an overview of Gabriela and her story.<br /><br /><h4>What we did:&nbsp;</h4><ul><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our first activity was MadLibs. It is a fun and easy way to play with words and story writing, so I thought it made perfect sense to use for this program. I found a free MadLibs app in the iTunes store (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mad-libs/id326885152?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mad-libs/id326885152?mt=8</a>), because I wanted to incorporate our iPads and new projector. I was very happily surprised to learn that the app actually had Gabriela themed MadLibs to complete. We each took turn entering words and then read our communal story aloud.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">After MadLibs, we did a poetry game I found called Poetry Charades. I found it on <a href="http://www.poetry4kids.com/news/classroom-poetry-charades/">Poetry4Kids</a>. Charades are a fun way to get kids up and moving, and always seem to go over well with kids at my programs. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I choose this version of the game in order to incorporate Gabriela's love of spoken word poetry. </span>I especially liked that it provides the kids with a set of actions to guess from. Definitely makes the game a little easier!</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our final game was Girl of the Year Bingo (found <a href="http://www.americangirlideas.com/american-girl-of-the-year-bingo-printables/">here</a>). My kids love Bingo, even if the prize is as simple as first crack at checking out one of our American Girl of the Year books.&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">We ended by snacking on modern delicacies such as cookies, chips and fruit snacks. The craft was meant to be word collages with letter stickers but we did not have a chance to get to that this time. I'll be saving that idea to try again at future American Girl programs.</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">As a take home activity, I also provided a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27pID2WdJJaVGhCZTJKQUJyZDg/view?usp=sharing">word search</a> about Gabriela and a template to create an acrostic poem.</span></li></ul><ul></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>For information on my other American Girl Club programs (including other American Girls of the Year) see the links below:</b><br /></span><br /><ul><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/10/american-girl-club-meet-cecile-and.html">Cecile and Marie Grace (from 1854)</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/01/american-girl-club-meet-samantha.html">Grace, 2015 Girl of the Year</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/01/american-girl-club-meet-samantha.html">Samantha, from 1904</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/10/american-girl-club-meet-caroline.html">Caroline, from 1812</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/09/american-girl-club-meet-kaya.html">Kaya, from 1764</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/04/american-girl-club-meet-addy.html">Addy, from 1864</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/03/american-girl-club-meet-josefina.html">Josefina, from 1824</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/02/american-girl-club-meet-isabelle.html">Isabelle, 2014 Girl of the Year</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/american-girl-club-best-friends.html">Best Friends</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/05/american-girl-club-summer-fun.html">Summer Fun&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/09/american-girl-club-meet-felicity.html">Felicity, from 1774</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/10/american-girl-club-meet-molly.html">Molly, from 1944</a></li></ul><br />Hopefully these ideas come in handy for any programs you may be doing about Gabriela this year. She still has two more books coming out, so I'm sure there is plenty more fun to come! If you have any questions you can get in touch with me here or via Twitter (@MsKellyTweets). <br /><ul></ul><ul></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/rH2D23l8zjU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com2https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/02/american-girl-club-meet-gabriela.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-30914267349940401932017-02-04T12:42:00.000-08:002017-02-04T05:52:47.383-08:00Flannel Friday Roundup for 2/3/17I am once again hosting Flannel Friday!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AsI_we9Yhfo/WI-kyLwpejI/AAAAAAAAECw/F7Pna3FCmLwuGA-NIuBaXZk3gs0yBj7HgCLcB/s1600/raw.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AsI_we9Yhfo/WI-kyLwpejI/AAAAAAAAECw/F7Pna3FCmLwuGA-NIuBaXZk3gs0yBj7HgCLcB/s1600/raw.gif" /></a></div><br />In case you aren't familiar with it, <a href="http://flannelfridaystorytime.blogspot.com/">Flannel Friday</a> is a weekly series where librarian bloggers share descriptions of flannel boards and other storytime props. We are always looking for new participants!<br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">For more information about Flannel Friday</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"> head over to the <a href="http://flannelfridaystorytime.blogspot.com/">Flannel Friday Blog</a> or <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/flannelfriday/">Pinterest page.</a> You can also follow #flannelstorytime on Twitter.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">We had some great ideas shared this week, so without further ado here they ar<span style="font-family: inherit;">e:</span></span></span></span><br /><br />Kathryn at <a href="http://kdr4xmom.blogspot.com/">Fun with Friends at Storytime</a> shared some <a href="http://kdr4xmom.blogspot.com/2017/01/winter-fun.html">winter themed sets</a> guaranteed to help keep us feeling warm at storytime this winter.<br /><br />Over at <a href="http://lauraperenic.blogspot.com/">One for the Books</a> Laura contributed a <a href="http://lauraperenic.blogspot.com/2015/11/reindeers-are-better-than-people-felt.html">Frozen themed feltboard</a> story starring everyone's favorite cartoon reindeer, Sven.<br /><br />Speaking of popular characters, Jenni of <a href="http://frenchizal.blogspot.com/">From the Biblio Files</a> posted about her <a href="http://frenchizal.blogspot.com/2017/02/felt-boards-not-just-for-littles.html">Pokemon feltboard</a>. I'd choose her recreations anyday!<br /><br />I always find it fun to see the different ways people adapt books into flannelboards, so I was glad to see Keith from <a href="http://felt-tasticflannelboardfuntime.blogspot.com/">Felt-tastic Flannelboard Fun</a> share his version of <a href="http://felt-tasticflannelboardfuntime.blogspot.com/2017/02/my-heart-is-like-zoo.html">My Heart is Like a Zoo</a> by Michael Hall.<br /><br />Kate at <a href="http://www.feltboardmagic.com/">Feltboard Magic</a> shared a great pattern and counting rhyme about <a href="http://www.feltboardmagic.com/three-jelly-fish-felt-board-set/">Three Little Jellyfish</a>.<br /><br />I wrote about the <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/02/flannel-friday-boo-boo-bear.html">"Boo Boo Bear"</a> I used at some of my most recent storytimes. <br /><br />Thanks for stopping by and thank you to all who participated! Next week's Flannel Friday is hosted by Emily from <a href="http://www.literaryhoots.com/">Literary Hoots</a>.<br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span> </span></span></span><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/uG2oHbGA9BY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com5https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/01/flannel-friday-placeholder-for-2317.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-30972208290667848542017-02-03T08:48:00.000-08:002017-02-03T08:53:14.436-08:00Flannel Friday: Boo Boo BearMy contribution this Flannel Friday is a flannel set I made up for a recent "Icky Sicky" storytime. I was inspired by the wonderful <a href="https://storytimekatie.com/2012/02/10/flannel-friday-band-aids/">Storytime Katie</a>. She had the kids place felt "bandaids" on her storytime mascot during her storytime on the same theme, and I adapted the idea into a flannelboard.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzhAsjXm5fU/WJOjlrsgntI/AAAAAAAAEDA/MuzaP8JHzXM9gEVhq8X5Od7eSBGJpdGKgCLcB/s1600/IMG_2009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzhAsjXm5fU/WJOjlrsgntI/AAAAAAAAEDA/MuzaP8JHzXM9gEVhq8X5Od7eSBGJpdGKgCLcB/s320/IMG_2009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />To make this set, all I did was use a bear template found online to trace the shape of the bear onto brown flannel. The other pieces were all cut freehand.<br /><br />When we used "Boo Boo Bear" in preschool storytime I passed out the bandaids to the kids and had them come up to place a bandaid on the bear as I called the colors. This helps them work on both turn taking and color recognition.<br /><br />For my toddler storytime I turned the bandaids into a way to teach about body parts using this song I found at <a href="http://onelittlelibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/08/preschool-fun-doctor-is-in.html">One Little Librarian</a>: <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bandage Song (to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)</b><br />Put a bandage on my knee,<br />Put a bandage on my knee,<br />Oh please take care of me,<br />Put a bandage on my knee.<br /><br />Put a bandage on my head,<br />Put a bandage on my head,<br />Please put me to bed,<br />Put a bandage on my head </div><br />Once again each child received a bandaid, but this time we put them on various body parts as we sang the song. This is a fun way of introducing the names for body parts, which is important vocabulary for this age group.<br /><br />The Flannel Friday Roundup this week is hosted by me! To add your ideas head over to the <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/01/flannel-friday-placeholder-for-2317.html">placeholder post</a> and share a link in the comments. To participate in upcoming roundups, or get more great storytime ideas head over to the <a href="http://flannelfridaystorytime.blogspot.com/">Flannel Friday Blog</a> or <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/flannelfriday/">Pinterest page.</a> You can also follow #flannelstorytime on Twitter.&nbsp; <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/t326Uc6Wszs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com1https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/02/flannel-friday-boo-boo-bear.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-71960874194253384162017-01-10T09:47:00.001-08:002017-01-10T09:48:15.876-08:00Kidding Around: Winter CraftsNow that the holidays are over and we are in the thick of another winter I thought sharing some winter crafts we did at a recent meeting of Kidding Around would be appropriate. There is still plenty of time to use them in winter programming. It is also before the point when we are all just a little sick of winter, which definitely a big plus.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--7qvCYAp-30/WG6VApWkAPI/AAAAAAAAEBg/qgiYeOedV9kiOj4p72jndwlUmz_AZUdaQCLcB/s1600/tenor.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--7qvCYAp-30/WG6VApWkAPI/AAAAAAAAEBg/qgiYeOedV9kiOj4p72jndwlUmz_AZUdaQCLcB/s320/tenor.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />As usual for Kidding Around, I registered for 12 kids in Grades K-2. I tried to keep the crafts simple enough that the kids could do them with very little guidance. I also tried to use spend as little on materials as possible. All I ended up having to buy specifically for this program was cotton balls and Q-Tips (about $4).<br /><br /><h3><b>Here is what we did:&nbsp;</b></h3><h4><b>&nbsp;</b></h4><h4><b>Snowglobes</b></h4><h4><b>&nbsp;</b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-slwPNilhBjY/WG-_ogqbpVI/AAAAAAAAEBw/zWR0TS_2P2EstgaiXSGgh5ClLVgRXEQFQCLcB/s1600/Snowglobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-slwPNilhBjY/WG-_ogqbpVI/AAAAAAAAEBw/zWR0TS_2P2EstgaiXSGgh5ClLVgRXEQFQCLcB/s320/Snowglobe.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><b>Supplies needed:</b><br />Construction paper/Tagboard<br />Cotton Balls<br />Crayons<br />Glue<br /><br />This is a craft I found on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>. These snowglobes are an adaptation of the pom pom painted ones I found on <a href="http://www.craftymorning.com/pom-pom-painted-cardboard-snow-globe-craft/">Crafty Morning</a>. The top portions of the snowglobes were cut out by tracing a paper plate on tagboard. The bottom pieces were cut out freehand. I allowed the kids to decorate however they wished using paint, crayons, cotton balls, etc.<br /><br /><br /><h4>Q-Tip Snowflakes</h4><h4>&nbsp;</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jH6KS78Zv5Q/WG_B0R6BLJI/AAAAAAAAEB8/NzxD-tesUpY6MQOHYaAx3dLrI1umGMgzgCLcB/s1600/QTip%2BSnowflakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jH6KS78Zv5Q/WG_B0R6BLJI/AAAAAAAAEB8/NzxD-tesUpY6MQOHYaAx3dLrI1umGMgzgCLcB/s320/QTip%2BSnowflakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>Supplies needed:</b><br />Construction paper<br />Q-Tips (I used about at least a 100 with my group)<br />White Paint<br />Glue<br /><br />I first saw this craft at <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Q-Tip-Snowflake-Decorations/">Instructables</a>. The great thing about it is it requires absolutely no preparation. It also leaves a lot of room for creativity. All the kids came up with their own versions of snowflakes, which was very nice to see.<br /><br /><br /><h4>Tape Resist Snowflakes</h4><h4><b>&nbsp;<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VftkYGQnydU/WG_GvocoTKI/AAAAAAAAECM/0Ywmsz3t-Q8KvUEni8NsWzPxTru8NV2rwCLcB/s1600/Tape%2BResist%2BPainting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VftkYGQnydU/WG_GvocoTKI/AAAAAAAAECM/0Ywmsz3t-Q8KvUEni8NsWzPxTru8NV2rwCLcB/s320/Tape%2BResist%2BPainting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b></h4><br /><b>Supplies needed:</b><br />Tape<br />Paint<br />Construction Paper<br /><br />Painting and tape are always a winning combination with kids, so tape resist art is a favorite at my programs. As a bonus it teaches a little bit about art concepts (positive vs. negative space), and even a little physical science (the paint will not go through the tape). <a href="http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/snowflake-painting-tape-resist-stencil-fun/">Little Bins for Little Hands</a> gave me the idea to make snowflakes.<br /><br /><br /><h4>Winter Themed Bingo Dauber Art</h4><h4>&nbsp;</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWD6Ka-SrpQ/WG_KRpAsG6I/AAAAAAAAECc/Lc_-BZw2QLkStZqIdpIuobVmGB27Ewm6QCLcB/s1600/Printouts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWD6Ka-SrpQ/WG_KRpAsG6I/AAAAAAAAECc/Lc_-BZw2QLkStZqIdpIuobVmGB27Ewm6QCLcB/s320/Printouts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><b>Supplies needed:</b><br />Printouts (found at <a href="http://www.theresourcefulmama.com/winter-dot-painting-free-printable/">The Resourceful Mama</a>)<br />Bingo Daubers<br /><br />I always like to use my bingo daubers when I have smaller groups, so this was a great chance to bring them out. These printables definitely came in handy in keeping some of the kids busy while I was helping others with the more complex crafts.<br /><br />All in all I thought this program went quite well. The kids seemed to have fun and I got a lot of positive feedback from parents. There are so many craft ideas out there and never enough time to sort through them, so I hope you find these few useful. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.<br /><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/bBBavOtbc8Y" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/01/kidding-around-winter-crafts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-36434606791394929662016-10-29T07:57:00.000-07:002016-10-29T07:57:02.659-07:00ATLAS: Halloween CraftsIn the spirit of the season, we made Halloween themed crafts at this month's ATLAS (At The Library After School). Craft programs are some of my favorites to do, and definitely make a great go to theme for my monthly programs ATLAS (3rd-6th grade) and Kidding Around (K-2nd grade). I do them often and highly recommend them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRmenv4fQ88/WBJPRrcqbxI/AAAAAAAAEAQ/n1MlzCKjKB8QsVnX5IEx_nZq12c-bo5RgCLcB/s1600/new-girl-jess.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRmenv4fQ88/WBJPRrcqbxI/AAAAAAAAEAQ/n1MlzCKjKB8QsVnX5IEx_nZq12c-bo5RgCLcB/s320/new-girl-jess.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />For this program I came up with a few suggestions by searching Pinterest and let the kids take the reins from there. These ideas are probably too late for use in library programs this year, but hopefully will come in handy in the future.<br /><br /><b>Popsicle stick art:</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iX7d_VuuEBo/WBJQNjmNnqI/AAAAAAAAEAg/Nu_rS2ikI-Am9zyKv_UbqVv2PgrS7nSZQCLcB/s1600/Posicle%2BStick%2BFrankenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iX7d_VuuEBo/WBJQNjmNnqI/AAAAAAAAEAg/Nu_rS2ikI-Am9zyKv_UbqVv2PgrS7nSZQCLcB/s320/Posicle%2BStick%2BFrankenstein.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />This is a Frankenstein version, but it could also be done as a pumpkin, ghost, etc. I've done popsicle stick crafts like these before, but was also inspired by the pumpkins found <a href="http://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g2543/creative-halloween-pumpkin-ideas/?slide=10">here</a>. I love the simplicity of taping several sticks together and applying paint, pipe cleaners, etc. It is fun, easy and allows for a great deal of flexibility.<br /><br /><b>Coffee filter spider webs:</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLBg5l358u4/WBJSGU-PCXI/AAAAAAAAEAo/WqLbLkBJAWgiU8cGVu72d_jLGmZpRcvKwCLcB/s1600/Coffee%2BFilter%2BGhost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLBg5l358u4/WBJSGU-PCXI/AAAAAAAAEAo/WqLbLkBJAWgiU8cGVu72d_jLGmZpRcvKwCLcB/s320/Coffee%2BFilter%2BGhost.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I was originally thinking that the kids would cut these in a manner similar to paper snowflakes, but this was definitely a fun approach too. Hooray for creativity!<br /><br /><b>Pipe cleaner pumpkins:</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mqe5MRj1R9U/WBJTCyDI7lI/AAAAAAAAEA0/HX4unruHbX8ARRszy8i5W2VbLcufsP5cgCLcB/s1600/Pipe%2BCleaner%2BPumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mqe5MRj1R9U/WBJTCyDI7lI/AAAAAAAAEA0/HX4unruHbX8ARRszy8i5W2VbLcufsP5cgCLcB/s320/Pipe%2BCleaner%2BPumpkin.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I've learned over the years that pipe cleaners are one of the most versatile and useful craft supplies in a children's librarian's arsenal. Orange and green ones make a pretty cute little pumpkin that will stick around even after Halloween is over.<br /><br /><b>Marshmallow ghosts/pumpkins</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wumek5MX2MA/WBJVGp2JVwI/AAAAAAAAEBA/zdKaSB62UlQTWjwTZLg7QlKnyVJhiW2EwCLcB/s1600/Marshmallow%2Bpumpkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wumek5MX2MA/WBJVGp2JVwI/AAAAAAAAEBA/zdKaSB62UlQTWjwTZLg7QlKnyVJhiW2EwCLcB/s320/Marshmallow%2Bpumpkins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />After seeing the ghosts stamped with marshmallows at <a href="http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/halloween-marshmallow-ghost-craft/">Coffee Cups and Crayons</a> I thought marshmallows would be a good addition to our program. Kids can dip them in paint to stamp out the shapes of ghosts, pumpkins, etc. They can also just cover them in paint as this young artist has done to create a pumpkin patch. <br /><br />As always I'm happy to answer any questions about these crafts you may have. You can reach me here, on Twitter (@MsKellyTweets) or by email (marrak at libcoop dot net). Happy Halloween!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/6F0-URyFujQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com2https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/10/atlas-halloween-crafts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-52850848997530999612016-10-11T09:33:00.002-07:002016-10-11T09:33:12.668-07:00American Girl Club: Meet Cecile and Marie Grace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a while since I've blogged (due to the fall programing lull and general lack of time) so I figured a good place to get back in the groove is to give another American Girl Club update. The most recent girls we covered for this program were Cecile and Marie Grace, from 1854 New Orleans. Their series is the only American girl series where two characters' stories are combined into a single six book collection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0O1mBIzCPs/V_wSphoW-yI/AAAAAAAAD_w/eYSz-b-FkYUW9Xe_Mka0n0CiwsFi4ST6gCLcB/s320/American%2BGirl%2BClubMeet%2BCecile%2Band%2BMarie%2BGrace.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><br /><b>In case you've forgotten, here is a quick overview of my format for this monthly program:</b><br /><ul><li>One session of 12 kids is registered.&nbsp;</li><li>Age group: 3rd-6th graders.&nbsp;</li><li>Length: One hour </li><li>The only cost involved is usually for snacks (about $10).</li></ul><br /><b>Here's what we did this month:</b><br /><ul><li>We started out with our usual discussion of the books. I highlighted some interesting facts, in particular I talked a little bit about the uniqueness and diversity of New Orleans during this time period. For instance, we talked about the idea of Cecile being a "free person of color" during that time period.</li><li>The girls completed a quiz to determine whether they are more like Cecile or Marie Grace. This quiz has since been taken off the American Girl site, so get in touch if you need more information.&nbsp;</li><li>We played a game that I called "BABY". It is based off a game found <a href="http://www.gameskidsplay.net/frame_alphabetical_listing.htm">here</a> and is a combination of HORSE and volleyball. The basic concept is that when a team scores a point the other team gets a letter. The first team that spells "BABY" loses. I chose this game based on the connection to not wanting to get the baby in the traditional Mardi Gras king cake. It was fun and easy to set up, only requiring a beach ball, fitted sheet and two chairs.</li><li>I cut paper plates in half to decorate as Mardi Gras masks. The decorating was more time consuming than expected but the attendees definitely seemed to enjoy it.</li><li>To close out the program we had a snack of french bread, powdered donuts (standing in for traditional New Orleans beignets), and juice.</li><li>Other ideas I've used with this theme in the past are Mardi Gras musical chairs (musical chairs with Mardi Gras music), and a version of Hot Potato called "Pass the Baby".&nbsp;</li>&nbsp; </ul><b>For information on my other American Girl Club programs see the links below:</b><br /><ul><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/01/american-girl-club-meet-samantha.html">Grace, 2015 Girl of the Year</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/01/american-girl-club-meet-samantha.html">Samantha, from 1904</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/10/american-girl-club-meet-caroline.html">Caroline, from 1812</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/09/american-girl-club-meet-kaya.html">Kaya, from 1764</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/04/american-girl-club-meet-addy.html">Addy, from 1864</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/03/american-girl-club-meet-josefina.html">Josefina, from 1824</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/02/american-girl-club-meet-isabelle.html">Isabelle, 2014 Girl of the Year</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/american-girl-club-best-friends.html">Best Friends</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/05/american-girl-club-summer-fun.html">Summer Fun&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/09/american-girl-club-meet-felicity.html">Felicity, from 1774</a></li><li><a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/10/american-girl-club-meet-molly.html">Molly, from 1944</a></li></ul><br />Hopefully these ideas come in handy for any Mardi Gras, New Orleans or American Girl programs you might be doing with kids. If you have any questions you can get in touch with me here or via Twitter (@MsKellyTweets).<br /><br /><br /><ul></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/vWYyVlBm_cE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/10/american-girl-club-meet-cecile-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-9263320363225800922016-08-24T09:41:00.001-07:002016-08-24T09:41:27.951-07:002016 Summer Reading Finale PartyIt's that time of year again. Summer reading is finished at my library, and I am busy planning my fall programs. I also finally have time to look back a little on the summer, and share with you my finale party. Like <a href="https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/08/2015-summer-reading-finale-party.html">last year</a> and <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/08/fizz-boom-read-summer-reading-finale.html">the year before</a>, this party involved a variety of stations loosely related to the summer theme. It is invite only, and meant as a reward for kids that finished their reading logs. Without further ado, here's what we did this year.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHOxLTU3NX0/V7y2MuLw2qI/AAAAAAAAD-g/GYkJo4YyQwgbVoL_Msjhhda3mfZD1WSUACLcB/s1600/The_Sandlot_Play_Ball.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHOxLTU3NX0/V7y2MuLw2qI/AAAAAAAAD-g/GYkJo4YyQwgbVoL_Msjhhda3mfZD1WSUACLcB/s1600/The_Sandlot_Play_Ball.gif" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Our stations this year:</b><br /><br /><b>Sports themed crafts:&nbsp;</b> Crafts at this station included painting cut outs of balls, decorating a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27pID2WdJJab1d6c3hjX1Rpa1E/view?usp=sharing">baseball pennant</a>, and making a medal using aluminum foil.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL3_kv08N3M/V7yu94qCprI/AAAAAAAAD-A/2IYAQOip_9g0rzDiJcPtLpNwhhqTIZHRQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL3_kv08N3M/V7yu94qCprI/AAAAAAAAD-A/2IYAQOip_9g0rzDiJcPtLpNwhhqTIZHRQCLcB/s320/IMG_1952.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Fun with bubbles: </b>Our bubble pool has become somewhat of a tradition at these parties. The bubble recipe I use is simple, easy and has definitely served me well. 3 gallons is usually enough to use in my small kiddie pool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My recipe:</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 gallon of water</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup Dawn Dishsoap</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 tablespoons of glycerin (purchased at craft stores like Michael's or at the pharmacy)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2NTu34LOPRM/V7yw-M6cuHI/AAAAAAAAD-M/6LZ6vo96i4Mue2lqhSs8kRiKDZ4OfWU9QCLcB/s1600/IMG_1953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2NTu34LOPRM/V7yw-M6cuHI/AAAAAAAAD-M/6LZ6vo96i4Mue2lqhSs8kRiKDZ4OfWU9QCLcB/s320/IMG_1953.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br /><b>Board games:</b> With the theme of sports and games I thought it was only fitting that I bring out a few of the library's board games. One of my goals with this station was to provide a station that would engage the slightly older kids at the party.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rBRz9ed0RFk/V7yx2XUGv_I/AAAAAAAAD-U/luC5CYFiH-Eb4X0wBxfOt8_H7gPhUWkCwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rBRz9ed0RFk/V7yx2XUGv_I/AAAAAAAAD-U/luC5CYFiH-Eb4X0wBxfOt8_H7gPhUWkCwCLcB/s320/IMG_1954.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><b>Legos:</b> As you've probably realized by now I will use any excuse necessary to bring out our collection of Legos. Hooray for what is quite possibly the most useful donation my library has ever received!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zsOvCBuXC6k/V7y3h25INKI/AAAAAAAAD-o/CDKOU25YQ18pNkEMUixxilTi3Go0G7VBwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zsOvCBuXC6k/V7y3h25INKI/AAAAAAAAD-o/CDKOU25YQ18pNkEMUixxilTi3Go0G7VBwCLcB/s320/IMG_1951.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Cup tower knockdown:</b> A tower of red plastic cups managed to keep several of the kids in attendance entertained for the majority of the program. The goal was to knock them down by throwing various implements, including balls, pieces of pool noodle and paper plate rings.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-88u0LM1qDs0/V73FgAjeDbI/AAAAAAAAD_M/2TSOMP7M1BoiPy1bnWoD9N5J3RQJS0FBACLcB/s1600/AlanSpeak-PlasticCup-800px.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-88u0LM1qDs0/V73FgAjeDbI/AAAAAAAAD_M/2TSOMP7M1BoiPy1bnWoD9N5J3RQJS0FBACLcB/s320/AlanSpeak-PlasticCup-800px.png" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://openclipart.org/">openclipart.org</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Pin the football in the goalposts: </b>Twists on "Pin The Tail On The Donkey" are a staple of my programs. What I like about this game is how versatile it is in terms of age level. Toddlers and preschoolers can enjoy it just as much as school age kids. For this version of the game I used clip art football<b>s </b>and made goalposts on the wall out of masking tape.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-50DGWXzCpAk/V73GaFBlfPI/AAAAAAAAD_U/r8YG3RHyfcIeiAfCHbQLKdtpodT0LbkPACLcB/s1600/football-297151_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-50DGWXzCpAk/V73GaFBlfPI/AAAAAAAAD_U/r8YG3RHyfcIeiAfCHbQLKdtpodT0LbkPACLcB/s320/football-297151_1280.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://pixabay.com/">pixabay.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b><br />As always, if you have any questions about this party or any other program feel free to get in touch. You can reach me here, on Twitter (@MsKellyTweets), or by email (marrak at libcoop dot net). Can't wait for the fall to start so I have more fun ideas to share with you all!<br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/Fj_Pp0LYLr0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/08/2016-summer-reading-finale-party.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-21237849240625837122016-08-17T10:10:00.001-07:002016-08-17T10:13:03.240-07:00On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!: Balloon OlympicsWith the CSLP theme of sports, and the actual games themselves, it was pretty much a no brainer that I was going to tie the Olympics into my library programming. My tweens really love competition and "Minute to Win It" style games, and in the past we've done similar programs based on other themes. For instance, we did <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/01/chocolate-olympics.html">Chocolate Olympics</a> awhile back. When I was searching Pinterest for summer ideas I noticed some fun games involving balloons and figured that would be another great theme to base a few competitive games on. Thus our first ever Balloon Olympics was born.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzUB81c_FhA/V7OIZk1rtlI/AAAAAAAAD9o/wGaVEwFCJ2U-yDDO2u0tys-1QtrZFD3tACLcB/s1600/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzUB81c_FhA/V7OIZk1rtlI/AAAAAAAAD9o/wGaVEwFCJ2U-yDDO2u0tys-1QtrZFD3tACLcB/s320/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>The Opening Ceremony (a.k.a. my basic overview of the program):</b><br /><ul><li>I limited this event to 12 kids and to Grades 3-6.</li><li>The only expense involved was for about 6 packs of balloons, all purchased at my local dollar store. These balloons could have probably accommodated an even bigger group than I had.</li><li>The program ran just short of 1 hour. </li></ul><br /><b>The Events:</b><br /><ul><li><b>Hula Hoop Toss: </b>I got this idea from this <a href="http://www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com/balloon-games.html">site</a> and thought it fit perfectly. The basic idea is that you label balloons with point values and tape them to the floor. The kids toss the hula hoops and earn points for each one that lands over a balloon.&nbsp;<b> </b></li><li><b>Balloon Volleyball: </b>An old sheet, some chairs and a balloon are all the equipment you need for this one. Split the kids into teams and let them enjoy!</li><li><b>Balloon Baseball:</b> We used a balloon as the ball and a piece of pool noodle as our bat as we played a simple and quick game of baseball.</li><li><b>Balloon Races: </b>The kids had to race while they hit balloons to keep them in the air.&nbsp;</li><li><b>Waddle Races: </b>For this race, they had to race with balloons between their legs. Definitely one of the funnier moments of this program!</li><li><b>Sweep the Balloon: </b>I found this race at <a href="http://findingsanityinourcrazylife.com/10-fun-balloon-games-for-kids/">Finding Sanity</a>. We didn't get to this race, but the way it would have been done would have been having the kids use a broom to sweep a balloon across the room as fast as possible. </li><li><b>Balloon Popping Competition:</b> To end the program we all raced to pop as many balloons as they could within a few minute time period.&nbsp;</li></ul><br /><b>The Closing Ceremony (a.k.a. my tips and tricks):</b><br /><ul><li>Blow up the balloons beforehand to save as much time as possible.</li><li>Make sure to review the rules of games such as baseball and volleyball before playing the balloon versions. It will come in handy in resolving any situations that arise during play.</li><li>Prizes aren't necessary, but can be fun. All my kids got a simple <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B27pID2WdJJaS0FyUTBfbXQ4ZW8">certificate</a> to take home in honor of their participation.&nbsp;</li></ul><br />If you have any questions about this program (or any others on this site) feel free to get in touch. Looking forward to the fall and updating you on all the fun stuff we'll have going on!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/vRZrP0UPADk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/08/on-your-mark-get-set-read-balloon.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-17504813381388251352016-07-11T11:39:00.000-07:002016-07-11T11:40:17.751-07:00On Your Mark, Get Set, Craft!One of the first programs I do every summer is crafts related to whatever the summer's theme is. It always seems to go well, and provides a fairly low key program for the week of the Fourth of July.&nbsp; Doing this program relatively early in the summer also means there is time to share the crafts with you all as a source of last minute inspiration!<br /><br />The "On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!" theme was relatively easy to plan for. The majority of ideas were found by searching <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> for "Sports Crafts". As for supplies, the only thing I had to purchase were the visors ($1 each at <a href="https://www.michaels.com/">Michaels</a> before coupon) and the medals (from the CSLP catalog).<br /><br />As usual, I held two sessions of this program (one for kids in Grades K-2 and another for kids in Grades 3-6). Both were pretty well attended with 8-10 kids. Each had about 4 craft suggestions to choose from, but they could also use the materials to create any other crafts they desired.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;">K-2nd graders</h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"></h2><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Foam visors&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewfLUc0bfkk/V4PmsZwj0iI/AAAAAAAAD9I/J9x-Z7A16n000fP0O3ZmzldRqsLhoC6GgCKgB/s1600/Visor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewfLUc0bfkk/V4PmsZwj0iI/AAAAAAAAD9I/J9x-Z7A16n000fP0O3ZmzldRqsLhoC6GgCKgB/s320/Visor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Supplies:</b>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">Foam visors</div><div style="text-align: left;">Random foam craft pieces and stickers</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cost:</b> Less than $10</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My splurge for this session was foam visors for the kids to decorate with some of my extra foam stickers. I had thought of making visors with paper plates and yarn (like the older group did), but figured with the younger ones it would be easier to have premade ones.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Golf ball Painting </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lDiO0E8Tg10/V3_6ej0xNhI/AAAAAAAAD8E/WoeusN1NCyMgXB_V9QF_qKSwVsW1N0JZwCLcB/s1600/Golfball%2Bpainting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lDiO0E8Tg10/V3_6ej0xNhI/AAAAAAAAD8E/WoeusN1NCyMgXB_V9QF_qKSwVsW1N0JZwCLcB/s320/Golfball%2Bpainting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Supplies:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Golf balls</div><div style="text-align: left;">Plastic bins</div><div style="text-align: left;">Paint</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cost:</b> Nothing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We put some of my old golf balls in a pin with paint and painted by rolling them around. Probably the messiest of all the crafts, but definitely the most fun! One warning, some of these did have to dry overnight before the kids could take them home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">3rd-6th graders </h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mini Skateboards </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--pII-4kD4KA/V3_--SIzUGI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/t2CdWm1mrxUhAKekHjyUs11HCgRzCQH9ACLcB/s1600/Mini%2BSkateboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--pII-4kD4KA/V3_--SIzUGI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/t2CdWm1mrxUhAKekHjyUs11HCgRzCQH9ACLcB/s320/Mini%2BSkateboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Supplies:</b><br />Popsicle sticks</div><div style="text-align: left;">Toothpicks</div><div style="text-align: left;">Beads</div><div style="text-align: left;">Markers or crayons</div><div style="text-align: left;">Glue or tape&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Cost: </b>Nothing</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is an idea I saw a few different places, including <a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/mini-skateboards/">PBS Parents</a>. You make a small "skateboard" by decorating a popsicle stick and adding toothpick and bead "wheels". It was easy but did take some tape to make the beads stay on the toothpicks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Q-Tip Painting Basketballs</h3><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp; <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HrqJKmf1WP0/V4ABk2K949I/AAAAAAAAD8c/pDb78nP9lZ8Z6WGhIbAwX0QoK0X3mInoQCLcB/s320/Basketball.jpg" width="240" /></div></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Supplies:</b><br />Q-Tips</div><div style="text-align: left;">Paint</div><div style="text-align: left;">Basketball printout</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cost:</b> Nothing</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I found this idea at the <a href="http://www.dolendiaries.com/2015/03/q-tip-painting-basketballs.html">Dolen Diaries</a> and I knew when I saw it that it would be perfect for a sports themed craft. I chose to do it with the older kids because I knew they would have the patience and precision to cover the basketballs with small dots of paint.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Both groups </h2><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Medals</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0anZJNJ8xA/V4ADfqcb9pI/AAAAAAAAD8o/izyg1_1ft38Wziq5LeCyWIyAolSFdIsnQCLcB/s1600/Medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0anZJNJ8xA/V4ADfqcb9pI/AAAAAAAAD8o/izyg1_1ft38Wziq5LeCyWIyAolSFdIsnQCLcB/s320/Medal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>Supplies:&nbsp;</b><br />Medals (from CSLP catalog) or homemade<br />Markers or crayons<br /><br /><b>Cost:</b> $7.00<br /><br />I ordered these medals as a craft for both groups to do. They weren't all that expensive and came in a pack of 24, which was perfect for my purpose. If you wanted to make your own that could probably work too.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Desk wrap</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-EPCNdJh7U/V4AFrCwwkVI/AAAAAAAAD80/Ig3b1jGiHrUY-bO7pinO70yGAPUPC-PmwCLcB/s1600/Desk%2Bwrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-EPCNdJh7U/V4AFrCwwkVI/AAAAAAAAD80/Ig3b1jGiHrUY-bO7pinO70yGAPUPC-PmwCLcB/s320/Desk%2Bwrap.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Supplies:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Butcher paper&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">Markers</div><div style="text-align: left;">Crayons</div><br />Last year I had the kids decorate paper to wrap my desk in, and figured I would carry on the tradition. It is a fun way to make the kids feel included in our summer decorating.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />I hope these ideas are helpful, and that everyone is having a great summer. Feel free to get in touch with any questions via Twitter (@MsKellyTweets), email (marrak@libcoop.net) or in the comments.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/MFnm7UdWuKg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/07/on-your-mark-get-set-craft.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-51159167131073791042016-06-17T08:48:00.000-07:002016-06-17T08:53:53.723-07:00Toddler/Preschool Dance Party 2016We are slowly but surely getting started with summer reading at my library and during our current storytime break I thought another dance party for toddlers and preschoolers would make a great evening program. It is fun, easy to plan and the active nature of it fits the "On your mark, Get set, Read!" theme.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-2usxj44Ss/V2QNeWXNNUI/AAAAAAAAD7o/aAOvq9uUyFQ1puwMeSvOe9AkTWcawIA-ACLcB/s1600/Preschool_Toddler%2BDance%2BParty%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-2usxj44Ss/V2QNeWXNNUI/AAAAAAAAD7o/aAOvq9uUyFQ1puwMeSvOe9AkTWcawIA-ACLcB/s320/Preschool_Toddler%2BDance%2BParty%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />For those who have not tried doing this kind of program yet, I highly recommend it. If you need a playlist to get you started, here are the songs I used this time. For more ideas you can also see my previous <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/search/label/Dance%20Party">dance party post</a> or <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/marrakel/dance-party-ideas/">Pinterest board</a>.<br /><br /><ul><li><b>Body Talk on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Motion-Greg-Steve/dp/B00000AG63/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1424447411&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kids+in+motion">Kids in Motion</a> by Greg and Steve</b>: One of the few songs I reused from my previous dance party. It is just such a good warm up song. As a bonus it introduces many great vocabulary words for body parts.</li><li><b>Body Rock on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Motion-Greg-Steve/dp/B00000AG63/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1424447411&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kids+in+motion">Kids in Motion</a> by Greg and Steve: </b>This is another favorite song with a variety of directed motions. It is also a little faster tempo so it seems to get the kids excited.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>I Really Love to Dance on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buzz-BERKNER-LAURIE/dp/B00004S36S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1424447620&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=buzz+buzz+by+laurie+berkner">Buzz, Buzz</a> by Laurie Berkner:</b> My other repeat song from my previous dance party. It is a fun song that fits into a dance party perfectly.</li><li><b>Let's Go Swimming on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Top-Tots-Wiggles/dp/B00015HSCM/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466175283&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=top+of+the+tots">Top of the Tots</a> by the Wiggles: </b>I liked the idea of including a few summer related songs to get into the spirit of the season.&nbsp;</li><li><b>Wipe Out by the Surfaris:</b> Another summer themed addition. I had the kids pretend to surf then yelled "Wipe Out" throughout the song so they could pretend to fall down.</li><li><b>Rockin Robin on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Wiggleworms-Various-Artists/dp/B003HO0RQS/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466176108&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=old+town+school+of+folk+music">Songs for Wiggleworms</a>: </b>We pretended to be birds and flew around the room to this classic.&nbsp; </li><li><b>Twist and Shout on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Wiggleworms-Various-Artists/dp/B003HO0RQS/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466176108&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=old+town+school+of+folk+music">Songs for Wiggleworms</a>: </b>This song was chosen as one of my designated shaker songs. I also included it because I wanted another song the parents would recognize. </li><li><b>I know a chicken on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Whaddaya-Think-That-Laurie-Berkner/dp/B00004SR1J/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466175893&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=whaddya+think+of+that">Whaddya Think of That?</a> by Laurie Berkner: </b>Another terrific shaker song. My kids are familiar with it from storytime, so that was another definite plus.</li><li><b>Wimoweh (the Lion Sleeps Tonight) on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Whaddaya-Think-That-Laurie-Berkner/dp/B00004SR1J/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466176655&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=whaddya+think+of+that">Whaddya Think of That</a> by Laurie Berkner:</b> As an ending song this worked wonderfully. We sat on the floor and pretended to sleep when the lion did. When it got to the chorus of "Wimoweh" we waved scarves around.</li></ul><br /><b>Logistics:</b><br /><ul><li>Once again I made a playlist on my iPhone and connected it to my CD player with an auxiliary cable. I would definitely recommend this as a method if your group is small enough. Mine was about 30 people and it worked well.</li></ul><br /><b>What I learned:</b><br /><ul><li>Getting parents to participate can be hard. I made several requests for grownups to get up and dance at the beginning of the program but still didn't get the participation I hoped.</li><li>Participation may look different for toddlers vs. preschoolers. This is totally normal developmentally. Both are benefiting from participating and having fun. </li><li>Digital music collections such as Freegal are a good resource to recommend to parents at a dance party. They often contain some great kids music.&nbsp;</li></ul><br />I hope these ideas have help if you are planning a dance party, or just provide some good song suggestions for the kids in your life. If you have any questions you can always comment here or email me at marrak at libcoop.net. Thanks for reading!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/VUHRDcG4JX8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/toddlerpreschool-dance-party-2016.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-55432477147236912732016-06-03T09:23:00.002-07:002016-06-06T06:18:43.066-07:00Flannel Friday: Going On A PicnicMy contribution to this week's Flannel Friday is a set of flannel food I created for a picnic themed storytime I did this past week. I am always up for talking about food at storytime so this seemed like a very seasonally appropriate way to do so!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QPqDbxORyGw/V1Gk2QlQBkI/AAAAAAAAD7I/l2WTMpZclgMp0b97371G54IPhiXnXCHpACLcB/s1600/Picnic%2BFlannelboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QPqDbxORyGw/V1Gk2QlQBkI/AAAAAAAAD7I/l2WTMpZclgMp0b97371G54IPhiXnXCHpACLcB/s320/Picnic%2BFlannelboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A few pieces were reused from previous flannel sets. For instance the apple is from my <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/08/flannel-friday-five-little-apples.html">Five Little Apples</a> set, the cupcake is from the <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2015/05/flannel-friday-five-little-cupcakes.html">Five Little Cupcakes</a> set I created, and the strawberry was made to go with my <a href="http://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2014/09/flannel-friday-baby-bear-sees-blue.html">Baby Bear Sees Blue</a> flannelboard. The other pieces were traced using templates I found online.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here is the rhyme I used with these pieces:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Going on a picnic</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going on a picnic,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gotta pack a lunch.</div><div style="text-align: center;">What should we bring to munch, munch, munch?</div><br />I found this rhyme at <a href="https://sunflowerstorytime.com/2014/02/28/picnic-storytime/">Sunflower Storytime</a>. Not only does it fit the theme, I also liked that it encourages kids to participate and provide their own input as they suggest what we should bring on our picnic. One major benefit of this is that it gives kids practice taking turns, which I consider an important school readiness skill.<br /><br />We followed our rhyme up with a game of "I Spy" using these same pieces. This is something I've been meaning to do in storytime since I heard it mentioned in a webinar I viewed awhile back. This game encourages color recognition and categorization. It also allows kids to see the patterns that exist among the pieces.<br /><br />The Flannel Friday Roundup this week is hosted by Melissa from <a href="http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/">Mel's Desk</a>! Check it out <a href="http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/?p=6221">here</a> to see what was shared. To participate in upcoming roundups, or get more great storytime ideas head over to the <a href="http://flannelfridaystorytime.blogspot.com/">Flannel Friday Blog</a> or <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/flannelfriday/">Pinterest page.</a> You can also follow #flannelstorytime on Twitter.&nbsp; <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/oABSXEhnsbA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com2https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/flannel-friday-going-on-picnic.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-67887702792621228472016-05-23T15:52:00.001-07:002016-05-23T15:52:52.942-07:00Summer Reading Graphic: On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Summer is just about here, and like most other children's librarians I am getting prepared for our summer reading program. Our program starts a little later than most, but I figured it was still time I kicked off the summer fun here on my blog.<br /><br />For all you other librarians that are also using the CSLP theme and already getting things underway I figured I'd share a graphic I made. It can be downloaded <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27pID2WdJJaS3BwcjFDbUVWR1E/view?usp=sharing">here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWRrID9PmAA/V0OFQKfR8bI/AAAAAAAAD64/PfFyo-svBdgzDaUwWGbuHzAG4epF-qRhgCKgB/s1600/SRP%2B2016%2BFacebook%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWRrID9PmAA/V0OFQKfR8bI/AAAAAAAAD64/PfFyo-svBdgzDaUwWGbuHzAG4epF-qRhgCKgB/s320/SRP%2B2016%2BFacebook%2BCover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I created this graphic with the design website <a href="https://www.canva.com/">Canva</a>, using free images taken from <a href="https://www.canva.com/">Canva</a> and from <a href="https://pixabay.com/">Pixabay</a>. These are definitely great sources to use for free photos and graphic creation if you aren't familiar with them. This particular graphic is formatted to be a Facebook cover photo but could be used as a&nbsp; picture on advertising as well. Feel free to use it and share it as you'd like. Hoping for a fun and successful summer for us all!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/fXlMfgvnnoo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/05/summer-reading-graphic-on-your-mark-get.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-43909918046702251102016-05-04T09:01:00.000-07:002016-05-04T09:01:40.102-07:00Money Smart Week: Money Madness for Grades K-6Like a lot of other libraries, my library recently participated in the national <a href="http://www.moneysmartweek.org/">Money Smart Week </a>initiative. One new addition to this year's money themed programming is a program for Grades K-6 that I called "Money Madness". It gave us an opportunity to collaborate with our local bank, teach a little about money, and shower the kids with some money related swag (from the Money Smart Week people and our local bank).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nkyoj8_fr1s/VykP-3PjjII/AAAAAAAAD50/nY8xRHSLZtg703MBXVa8Gq8dhEQ_gMEsgCLcB/s1600/money-gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nkyoj8_fr1s/VykP-3PjjII/AAAAAAAAD50/nY8xRHSLZtg703MBXVa8Gq8dhEQ_gMEsgCLcB/s320/money-gif.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />The format of this program was simple: A brief discussion of money and saving (led by representatives of our local bank), followed by a series of money related stations. I tried to include a variety of activities to suit the children's interests and age range. We had 20 kids come, which is pretty good attendance for us. <br /><br /><b>Bank on It</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-28QAWXcuYis/VykSnLTe0EI/AAAAAAAAD6A/q3dzyCEUBPg8z9oiox2hqhpVm8TXhJyWgCLcB/s1600/Piggy%2BBank%2BGame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-28QAWXcuYis/VykSnLTe0EI/AAAAAAAAD6A/q3dzyCEUBPg8z9oiox2hqhpVm8TXhJyWgCLcB/s320/Piggy%2BBank%2BGame.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />One of the stations we did was a game I found at <a href="http://oceansoffirstgradefun.blogspot.com/2010/11/money-honey.html">Oceans of First Grade Fun</a>. The idea is to roll dice and fill in coins on the piggy bank corresponding to each dice roll. Very easy because the only prep I had to do was print off the provided printable and take some dice from our library's collection of board games.<br /><br /><b>Coin rubbings</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6on-G7CqVes/VykVNTd7kOI/AAAAAAAAD6M/_Yl2CFkPSHQK8LilP6uxpc0EAqy8zwuywCLcB/s1600/Coin%2BRubbings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6on-G7CqVes/VykVNTd7kOI/AAAAAAAAD6M/_Yl2CFkPSHQK8LilP6uxpc0EAqy8zwuywCLcB/s320/Coin%2BRubbings.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I provided the kids with paper, pencils, crayons and coins and instructed them to make coin rubbings. I also gave them some aluminum foil to create 3D coin rubbings. This is a great way to get the kids familiar with the different coins in a fun way. It also has the side benefit of adding a little art to program as well.<br /><br /><b>Aluminum Foil Boats</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iZw9q9J6TY/VykWr1fakFI/AAAAAAAAD6Y/fzR8FfNE034S4s_gA47kGL-QWPl1ai-7gCLcB/s1600/IMG_1763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iZw9q9J6TY/VykWr1fakFI/AAAAAAAAD6Y/fzR8FfNE034S4s_gA47kGL-QWPl1ai-7gCLcB/s320/IMG_1763.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />This classic activity has always been well received any time I've done it with kids in the past. It is a great way to teach kids a little about bouyancy, weight and other scientific concepts. The twist this time was that instead of real coins we used fake plastic money I bought at my local dollar store. The real money probably would have been the better choice, because the fake money was pretty light and floated just a little too easily.<br /><br /><b>Heads or Tails</b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AD5dnmSyo4/VykYXRjrw8I/AAAAAAAAD6k/DOaApWPIEyYw9BLz_cZSsSF6JWTMYU7ugCLcB/s1600/coins-1277095_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AD5dnmSyo4/VykYXRjrw8I/AAAAAAAAD6k/DOaApWPIEyYw9BLz_cZSsSF6JWTMYU7ugCLcB/s320/coins-1277095_960_720.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/coins-currency-money-cash-quarter-1277095/">Pixabay</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The idea for this activity came from a compilation of ideas given to me by the Money Smart Week coordinators. The way it worked is to put a group of different type coins into a cup and have the kids use the cups to do a coin toss. They must then determine how many heads came up, how many tails came up, and the value of each. To record I made up this <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B27pID2WdJJaakVLNkxvbUJEX0k">sheet</a>. As they played the game the kids has the opportunity to practice counting, coin value, and addition.<br /><br />In addition to these stations I had printables available. A <a href="http://firstgradealacarte.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-honor-and-memory-of.html">color by coin worksheet</a> was definitely a hit with the older attendees, while a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27pID2WdJJaaUU2ZlBTcDMzVHc/view?usp=sharing">design your own money</a> template was a little less popular.<br /><br />All in all, this program seemed to go pretty well. Any opportunity to work with another local organization is a win in my book. I hope to find other ways to collaborate with this bank in the future. Any ideas you can suggest are always greatly appreciated!<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/rPFqG4Rcybs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/05/money-smart-week-money-madness-for.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-77839398413543735452016-04-26T10:05:00.000-07:002016-04-26T10:05:21.549-07:00Toddler/Preschool Art ExplorationIn my quest to provide more evening and weekend programming for my library's patrons I decided to get a little artistic with my toddlers and preschoolers this month. Art has many literacy benefits for kids in this age group. First of all, it is a great opportunity for sensory experience and motor skills development. Holding a paintbrush is perfect practice for holding a pencil! Art also provides a great opportunity to use some unusual vocabulary with your child and promotes creativity/imagination. Not to mention it is just plain fun!<br /><br />For all these reasons I figured a program focusing on art would be a terrific program for a weekday evening. Alas my plans were foiled by the beautiful spring weather that did a number on my attendance.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O5IolTK7CkQ/Vx6LcRY7FuI/AAAAAAAAD4o/TrhZPw-aRt89LyckBiRqd-Q075QviufsACLcB/s1600/no-way-jose.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O5IolTK7CkQ/Vx6LcRY7FuI/AAAAAAAAD4o/TrhZPw-aRt89LyckBiRqd-Q075QviufsACLcB/s320/no-way-jose.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />I wanted to share my plans here in hopes that others might try these ideas when the weather is on their side. I arranged the room in 5 stations, each focused on a different art related concept or medium. The majority of the stations were found on Pinterest or are adaptations of art ideas I've used previously.<br /><br /><b>Station 1: Exploring texture with collage</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9mKAMt5F34/Vx6Pg6-gJfI/AAAAAAAAD40/EgxBkjibfEQM5HQ_X-uAuJj3GxTUvSLKwCLcB/s1600/Texture%2Bcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9mKAMt5F34/Vx6Pg6-gJfI/AAAAAAAAD40/EgxBkjibfEQM5HQ_X-uAuJj3GxTUvSLKwCLcB/s320/Texture%2Bcollage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />This station (inspired by <a href="http://kcato.blogspot.com/2013/09/our-five-senses.html">Keep Calm and Teach On</a>) was about as simple as you can get. I put out some random materials (such as torn paper, yarn, tissue paper and cotton balls), and let the kids make collages. I have always liked collage because it is a very open ended medium that encourages creativity. The end product of a collage doesn't have to look any certain way. That's part of the beauty of art, and something I wanted to get across to the kids and their parents.<br /><br /><b>Station 2: Color mixing in shaving cream</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQVPtOH8MFg/Vx6QURcMgFI/AAAAAAAAD48/ed2D-UFdL0ca9zyVU-lYK_edGbIjF8YpQCLcB/s1600/Shaving%2Bcream%2Bart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQVPtOH8MFg/Vx6QURcMgFI/AAAAAAAAD48/ed2D-UFdL0ca9zyVU-lYK_edGbIjF8YpQCLcB/s320/Shaving%2Bcream%2Bart.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><br /><br />Color is an important aspect of art, so to explore this concept I figured this idea I found at <a href="http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/shaving-cream-painting/">In Lieu of Preschool</a> would work perfectly. All the kids had to do is put two different colors of paint in a pile of shaving cream and mix it together. This gives them the opportunity to see how the colors combine, and also provides for a unique sensory experience.<br /><br /><b>Station 3: Painting with sensory balls</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oN6AYJH_Zs4/Vx6Rd0kVz7I/AAAAAAAAD5I/TghGHFlGhG8jFU2sIYuNxWg-uetKCFqPwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oN6AYJH_Zs4/Vx6Rd0kVz7I/AAAAAAAAD5I/TghGHFlGhG8jFU2sIYuNxWg-uetKCFqPwCLcB/s320/IMG_1756.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Our Friends of the Library were nice enough to purchase some soft plastic sensory balls for baby storytime attendees to play with. I'm all for using what we already have for many different purposes, so I thought they'd make a fun tool to paint with. The toddlers and preschoolers put the sensory balls in plastic tubs, added paint, then rolled them around. Definitely a fun and easy way to make a masterpiece!<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Station 4: Learning about positive and negative space using tape</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M6rxfG_M59I/Vx6TpMXx0DI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/ck97DHzmIPYTdpAfkRzwXxCsN2qhrCw7ACLcB/s1600/Dot%2Bart%2Bpicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M6rxfG_M59I/Vx6TpMXx0DI/AAAAAAAAD5Y/ck97DHzmIPYTdpAfkRzwXxCsN2qhrCw7ACLcB/s320/Dot%2Bart%2Bpicture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />To learn about this art concept we put tape on a piece of paper and went over it with our bingo dauber paints. I liked the large motor skills involved in the dotting motion and the fine motor skills involved in peeling the tape off. Our bingo daubers don't often get brought out for storytime crafts (too many kids!), so any chance to use them is a plus. <br /><br /><b>Station 5: Coloring table</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVo3Flq_TUU/Vx6VhV7RoII/AAAAAAAAD5k/mKBTselJQMo-FbRXuVR1aT2ZDgvhETJdQCLcB/s1600/Coloring%2Btable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVo3Flq_TUU/Vx6VhV7RoII/AAAAAAAAD5k/mKBTselJQMo-FbRXuVR1aT2ZDgvhETJdQCLcB/s320/Coloring%2Btable.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />This is probably the simplest station of them all. I covered our table with butcher paper for the kids to color on. I've done this before with the older kids, and thought it would be a great thing for the little guys to try as well. Not the most popular station, but an easy one I'd definitely include next time I try this program.<br /><br />Despite the weather getting in my way I was pretty happy with the way this program turned out. I think it could accommodate a big group of kids pretty well, and look forward to trying it again in the future.<b> </b>If you have any questions about this or any other programs feel free to let me know!<b><br /></b><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/RyuwJePvvRM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/04/toddlerpreschool-art-exploration.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448300770417292344.post-73806878927383533842016-04-11T12:43:00.000-07:002016-04-11T12:43:52.121-07:00Kidding Around: Going BattyIn honor of Bat Appreciation Week (from April 3rd until April 9th this year), this month's meeting of Kidding Around celebrated the bat. The winged creature, not the piece of sports equipment. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smG018A2dpI/VwfUNHFN6pI/AAAAAAAAD34/Fcb1nQe5WDE3URt5pwSO7dBhVwh5usWAg/s1600/41544-Flying-Bats.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smG018A2dpI/VwfUNHFN6pI/AAAAAAAAD34/Fcb1nQe5WDE3URt5pwSO7dBhVwh5usWAg/s320/41544-Flying-Bats.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />This was originally an idea I used during the summer when the CSLP theme was "Dream Big, Read." My primary objective when I do celebration programs like this one is to get the kids into the library to have fun. The secondary goal for this program was to give them a little basic knowledge about bats.<br /><br />We started out by reading a simple nonfiction book about bats. I chose "Bats" by J. Angelique Johnson, because the simple text and clear facts seemed perfect for this age group (Grades K-2).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDgBL7cGm0g/VwfW1cYAegI/AAAAAAAAD4E/fmEbcRELlpY1dEiRdNKkGCHuu7uJJ0OJg/s1600/Bats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDgBL7cGm0g/VwfW1cYAegI/AAAAAAAAD4E/fmEbcRELlpY1dEiRdNKkGCHuu7uJJ0OJg/s320/Bats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />After reading, we talked a little about the facts in the book. I made sure we discussed echolocation in particular, because it was the topic of the two games I had planned.<br /><br />The first game involved using my rhythm sticks to practice locating via sound. I gave each kid two rhythm sticks and had them stand in a circle. One child stood in the middle and was our "bat". The bat closed their eyes while I chose a child to bang their rhythm sticks together. When the bat opened their eyes they needed to guess who had made the sound. After a few rounds I made it more difficult, by instructing all rest of the children to bang at a slow pace while the chosen child hit their sticks faster than the others. Adding this "background noise" was meant to make the kids see how difficult it can be to isolate a single sound.<br /><br />Next, we moved on to our second game, a modified version of Marco Polo that I found <a href="http://twigglemagazine.com/October-activities/Bats-kids-lesson-kindergarten.html">here</a>. One child is the bat, who closes their eyes and calls "Beep!". The rest of the kids are insects, who reply "Buzz, Buzz!". The bat's goal is to find the insects and tag them. This provided an additional lesson on how movement might play into echolocation. It also gave the kids an opportunity to burn off a little extra energy.<br /><br />Our final activity was using a bat template to explore positive/negative space. I gave each child a bat template cut out of cardstock. They needed to place it on a white sheet of paper, and paint over or around it to create a bat out of white space.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QZDAfsRy3No/VwfbZ2YaJoI/AAAAAAAAD4Q/U99iYJ5XzHIyTBbEDB_9LX1YO6rcUQQeg/s1600/bat%2Bcraft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QZDAfsRy3No/VwfbZ2YaJoI/AAAAAAAAD4Q/U99iYJ5XzHIyTBbEDB_9LX1YO6rcUQQeg/s320/bat%2Bcraft.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One child diligently working on her bat :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We ended the program with juice, fruit snacks (because bats eat fruit), and cupcakes topped with bat cutouts. Overall I'd say this program went pretty well. I think the kids enjoyed themselves and learned a little at the same time. Many of the bat books I put out were checked out after the program, which is always a good sign! <br /><br />Next month's Kidding Around is a Star Wars Party. Any related tips and ideas are more than welcome. You can contact me here, on Twitter (@MsKellyTweets) or by email at marrak at libcoop dot net.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MsKellyAtTheLibrary/~4/Bq8khN54H2w" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Ms. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05707873117965838485noreply@blogger.com0https://mskellyatthelibrary.blogspot.com/2016/04/kidding-around-going-batty.html
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