After School Read-Aloud & Craft: Monsters Theme, 4/12/12

After the success of Wednesday's all-ages Jazz program, I decided to revert to the old afternoon story time format - songs and stories first, then a craft. I'm still not sure which format is better, but this program seemed pretty successful.

The Read-Alouds (and Songs and Rhymes):
All About Monsters

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Book:  Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)
This is one of my all-time favorite books to read aloud. 

Rhyme: Dinosaur Stomp
I intended to change this action rhyme to suit the monster theme, but somewhere along the line started saying "dinosaur" instead of "monster" and just went with it.

Book: The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Monster Party by Leslie Patricelli (2010)

Song: One Little Monster

Book: There's an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer (1987)

The Craft: Monster Faces 

I. Supplies

• Paper Plates
• Glue
• Glue stick
• Crayons
• Markers
• Pipe Cleaners
• Feathers
• Sticker eyes
• Cupcake wrappers

II. Prep
My coworker came up with this project, so she did all the prep. This really only included making the example and setting out the craft supplies. I added the feathers and eyes to the pile of supplies at the last minute, when the kids seemed  confused as to what to glue on their plates.

III. Process
Eight kids came to this program, ranging in age from around 2.5 to 7, and each of them took a different approach to making a monster face. The smaller kids enjoyed coloring more than gluing, while the older ones experimented with multiple eyes and mouths. Some used feathers for hair; others, pipe cleaners. It was a great all-ages craft, and one I'll definitely revisit around Halloween!

The Display: More Monstrous Books 

• Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley
• The Monster Returns by Peter McCarty
• There's a Nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer 
• What's Under the Bed? by Joe Fenton
• Don't Climb Out of the Window Tonight by Richard McGilvray
• Substitute Creacher by Chris Gall
• Scary Godmother by Jill Thompson
• If You're a Monster and You Know It by Ed and Rebecca Emberley
• Sipping spiders through a straw : campfire songs for monsters by Kelly DiPucchio

Baby Lap Time, 4/12/12 and 4/13/12

Week Two was much MUCH better than Week One. So much better. I was better prepared. There weren't quite as many families. I picked better books. Everything was just calmer and more relaxed, and I actually got the chance to enjoy myself. This is the repertoire I used for both sessions.

Opening Song: Say Hello 

Rhyme: Cheek Chin

Rhyme: The Baby in the Cradle

Song: Mr. Sun

Book: Binky by Leslie Patricelli (2005)
I heard several parents say to each other, "That was a good one," as I finished this story. 

Rhyme with Puppets:  I'm a Little Bumblebee 

Song: Bumpin' Up and Down in my Little Red Wagon 

Book: Counting Duckies by Begin Smart Books (2010)
This book has a nice refrain to it - "Let's get wet!" The Thursday morning group got really into it, saying it along with me. The Friday group was a bit more reserved but they reacted more favorably to the ending.


Songs with Shaker Eggs: 

• Can You Shake Your Egg With Me?
• ABC Song
  

Song: Face, Fingers, Feet and Toes

Song: Tony Chestnut 

Song: If You're Happy and You Know It

Song: All the Little Babies (Session 2 only)

Goodbye Song: Open, Shut Them Goodbye Song