February 5, 2014 Story Time - Snowmen

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did:

(*marks the books we read)



Snowmen at Night  by Caralyn Buehner*
Sneezy the Snowman  by Maureen Wright
Snowboy 1, 2, 3  by Joe Wahman*
Snowzilla  by Janet Lawler*
S is for Snowman  by Kathy-jo Wargin
A Really Good Snowman  by  Daniel J. Mahoney

For our craft we decorated a snowman shape with winter stickers

Extra activities:

We talked about the letter "S", the sound it makes and words that start with "S"

I'm a Friendly Snowman (sung to "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'm a friendly snowman big and fat
(stretch arms out to sides)
Here is my tummy and here is my hat
(point to tummy and then to your head)
I'm a happy fellow, here's my nose
(smile, then point to your nose)
I'm all snow from my head to my toes
(point to head and then to toes)
I have two bright eyes so I can see
(point to your eyes)
All the snow falling down on me
(flutter fingers downward)
When the weather's cold I'm strong and tall
(stand up tall)
But when it's warm I get very small
(crouch down low)

Where is Snowman? (sung to "where is Thumbkin")
Where is snowman? Where is snowman?
(hide hands behind back)
Here I am. Here I am.
(hold up each index finger)
How are you today sir?
(wiggle each index finger as if talking)
Very well, I thank you
(wiggle each index finger again)
Melt away. Melt away
(hide hands behind back)

January 29, 2014 Story Time - Quilts & Blankets

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did

(*marks the books we read)



A Quilt for Baby  by Kim Lewis*
Grandmother Winter  by Phyllis Root
Quilt Counting  by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Oh, Brother  by Kathy Mallat
Flora's Blanket  by Debi Gliori*
Fly Blanky Fly  by Anne Margaret Lewis

The craft we made can be found at:
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/GroundhogPuzzle.htm

Extra activities:

We talked about the letters "B" and "Q", the sounds they make and words that start with those letters

Blanket Colors (guessing game)
I once had a blanket
it was fluffy and new
I once had a blanket
and its color was _____ (blue)

I once had a blanket
the prettiest I've seen
I once had a blanket
and its color was _____(green)

I once had a blanket
soft as a pillow
I once had a blanket
and its color was _____(yellow)

I once had a blanket
at the foot of my bed
I once had a blanket
and its color was _____(red)

January 22, 2014 Story Time - Hats & Mittens

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did:

(*marks the books we read)




The Hat  by Jan Brett*
Hats Can Help  by Alice K. Flanagan
One Mitten  by Kristine O'Connell George*
Zoe's Hats: a Book of Colors and Patterns  by Sharon Lane Holm
A Mountain of Mittens  by Lynn Plourde

For our craft we glued two mittens on paper, glued a piece of yarn from one mitten to the other and added cotton and sequins to decorate.

Other activities:

We talked about the letters "H" and "M", the sound they make and other words that begin with those letters

We played a matching mitten game

My Hat (make triangle with thumb and index fingers)
My hat has three corners (put triangle on head)
Three corners has my hat (hold up three fingers)
If it did not have three corners (shake head "no")
It would not be my hat (place triangle on head again)

Mitten Weather
The thumb in the thumb place
Fingers all together
This is the song we sing
When it's mitten weather

January 15, 2014 Story Time - Winter Clothes

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did:

(*marks the books we read)



The Jacket I Wear in the Snow  by Shirley Neitzel*
Froggy Gets Dressed  by Jonathan London
Ruthie's Big Old Coat  by Julie Lacome*
A New Coat for Anna  by Harriet Ziefert

The craft we made can be found at: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/winter/mpaper-winterwear.htm

Extra activities:

We talked about the letter "J", "H" and "B" (jacket, hat & boots) the sounds the letters make and other words that start with those letters

Five Little Snowflakes (magnetic board rhyme)

One little snowflake with nothing to do
Along came another and
Then there were two

Two little snowflakes laughing with me
Along came another and
Then there were three

Three little snowflakes looking for some more
Along came another and
Then there were four

Four little snowflakes dancing a jive
Along came another and
Then there were five

Five little snowflakes having so much fun
Out came the sun and
Then there were none!

December 18, 2013 Story Time - Santa

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did:

(*marks the books we read)



Santa Claus is Comin' to Town  by J. Fred Coots*
Santa Duck  by David Milgrim
Who Will Help Santa This Year?  by Jerry Pallotta*
Are You Grumpy, Santa?  by Gregg & Evan Spiridellis
Little Santa  by Jon Agee*
Where, Oh Where, is Santa Claus?  by Lisa Wheeler

We made a Santa ornament from Oriental Trading Company

Extra activities:

If You're Jolly and You Know It
(sung to If You're Happy and You Know It)
If you're jolly and you know it say, Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho
If you're jolly and you know it say, Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho
If you're jolly and you know it,
Then you're face will surely show it
If you're jolly and you know it say, Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho

Cap, Beard, Belly, Boots
(sung to the tune of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes")
Cap, beard, belly, boots, belly, boots
Cap, beard, belly, boots, belly, boots
Fill a stocking, take a snooze
Cap, beard, belly, boots, belly, boots

Here is the Chimney
Here is the chimney (make fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top (put palm of hand on top of fist)
Open the lid (remove hand quickly)
And out Santa pops (Pop up thumb)

December 11, 2013 Story Time - Missouri Building block Nominees 2013-2014

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did

(*marks the books we read)

We are reading the Missouri Building Block nominees for 2013 and voting on which book is our favorite.



One Special Day  by Lola M. Schaefer*
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?  by Mo Willems*

Our craft was a family Christmas tree. We wrote family names on ornaments and glued them to Christmas trees.

Extra activities:

Flannel board story
Five Ginger Cookies
Five ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and flew away
Four ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and hopped away
Three ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and swam away
Two ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and hopped away
One ginger cookie lying on a tray
It jumped up and flew away
No ginger cookies lying on a tray
I should have eaten them right away!

Baby's Nap
This is baby ready for a nap (hold up finger)
Lay him down in his mother's lap (place finger in palm of hand)
Cover him up so he won't peep (wrap other fingers to cover him)
Rock him 'till he's fast asleep (rock hands to and fro)

December 4, 2013 Story Time - Missouri Building Block Nominees 2013-2014

If you missed this weeks story time here is what we did

(*marks the books we read)

We are reading the Missouri Building Block Nominees for 2013 and voting on which book is our favorite.

Oh No, George!  by Chris Haughton*

Cat Secrets  by Jef Czekaj*

We made a picture of George from "Oh No, George". Children were given a picture of George, a recycling bin and paper to tear and glue. They had to decide whether George was good and kept the trash in the bin or if he was bad and spilled the trash all over.

Extra activities:

5 Little Kittens

5 little kittens, all black and white (hold up fist)

sleeping very soundly all through the night

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow (stretch up a finger on each word)

Time to wake up now! (wiggle fingers)

Where is Big Cat (sung to Where is Thumbkin)

Where is big cat, where is big cat (hide thumbs behind back)

Here I am, here I am (bring out thumbs one at a time)

How are you today, cat (wiggle one thumb)

Very well I thank you (wiggle other thumb)

Meow, meow, meow (put thumb behind back)

Meow, meow, meow (put other thumb behind back)

5 Little Puppy Dogs

5 little puppy dogs by the kennel door (hold up five fingers)

One left the crowd, and then there were four (bend down thumb)

Four little puppy dogs running around a tree, 

Mother called one home, and then there were three (bend down a finger) 

Three little puppy dogs playing with a shoe, 

One ran after a cat, and then there were two (bend down another finger)

Two little puppy dogs having so much fun,

One went to find a bone, and then there was one (bend down another finger)

One little puppy dog sitting in the sun,

She went in the kennel, and then there were none (bend down last finger)