Gettin Crafty Post #3: Family Finger Puppets

For an introduction to this new series of Gettin' Crafty posts, visit Post #1.

Family Finger Puppets

The template for this activity came from Crayola.com's coloring pages section. It looks like this:

In addition to the coloring page, I also provided the following:

Scissors

Glue Sticks

My manager has asked me to stop using white glue. 

Crayons

 I made sure to put out extras of the colors that I thought kids would want as hair and skin colors.

Markers

I also made an example craft. I colored each of the people, cut out the puppets and glued the paper ring shut. The paper ring was way too long, so I trimmed it down until I felt the puppet would fit comfortably on my finger. Later, some of the preschool kids had trouble with that part, so I stepped in to show them how to trim it down, too.

This is the perfect rainy day craft. It's something you can always have on hand in the event of a large unexpected after school crowd, and it uses basic materials that every library is likely to have on hand. Many kids who visited the library on that day got really excited about this craft and spent a long time completing it.

Next time: Sticker Collages. 

Baby Lap Time, 10/12 & 10/13

I usually write this up immediately following the Wednesday session, but that didn't work out, so I'm posting it this morning before the Thursday sessions!

Opening Song: Clap Along With Me 

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big  

Rhyme: Where Oh Where Are Baby's Fingers? 

Song: I'm a Little Teapot 

Song with Shaker Eggs: Sodeo

Song: Brown Squirrel  

Book: Eat! by Roberta Grobel Intrater (2002)

Song: Head and Shoulders

Song: Tony Chestnut 
Normally, we do this a cappella, but I found a nice gentle recording of it in our new music this week and gave it a shot. It was a nice change of pace.

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Little Leaves

Song: ABCD Medley

Song: Mr. Sun 

Goodbye Song: Open, Shut Them (Goodbye Version)

I got my first compliment about the program this week, and some families expressed their interest in participating again in the winter. I really had no sense of how it was going, so it made me feel like I am actually on the right track after all! 

7 Kids' Books About Moving

	Moving Day by Meg Cabot This book introduces fourth-grader Allie Finkle as she moves to a strange house in a brand-new neighborhood.
	Moving Day by Fran Manushkin Katie Woo worries that won't adjust to her bedroom in her new house.
	Ira Says Goodbye by Bernard Waber Ira must say goodbye to his best friend, Reggie.
	Nini Here and There by Anita Lobel Nini the cat worries that her people will leave her behind when they move.
	Who Will Be My Friends? by Syd Hoff Freddy is new in town and is looking high and low for new friends.
	Starting with Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor This prequel tells of Alice's move  to Takoma Park and her new friendship with Donald Sheavers.
	The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston A quilt helps two generations of girls feel comforted in a new home.

Baby/Toddler Lap Time, 10/7

Opening Song: Hello, how are you? 

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big (twice)

Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers (twice)

Book: This is NOT a Pumpkin by Bob Staake (2007)
I really had no idea how this was going to go over, but it was a surprise hit. I think they liked the simplicity of the illustrations, and the punch line. My only criticism of the book itself is that it beats the punch line over the head, resulting in a somewhat anti-climactic ending. But it would make an awesome flannel board adaptation. I might make that happen, since all I'd need to do is make a jack-o-lantern and memorize the story. We'll see.

Song: Brown Squirrel 
This was great! Babies love to watch puppets move around, and my makeshift popsicle stick puppet works really well for this one. I am going to start doing more of those.

Song: You Are My Sunshine (a cappella, sung twice)

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Song: Head and Shoulders


Flannel Board Song: Five Little Pumpkins
I sometimes find silence unnerving during story time, but I realized about halfway through this song that they were silent because they were engaged and interested in the song. That is such a great feeling!


Song: One Little Finger 

Song: Tommy Thumb

Book: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr. (1989)
I have apparently never done this book at story time in our new location, which means it's going on a year since the last time I did it! That is appalling. This is a great story time book, and it's going right back into my repertoire!  

Book: Old MacDonald by Rosemary Wells (1998)
I thought doing this with a book would be a neat change of pace, but it actually kind of bombed. I think the book was too small. And I also don't think my audiences actually like this song. Oops.

Song: The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi)

Song: Chickadee
I keep saying I'm retiring this song, but there are two nannies who come on Fridays who love it, so I keep playing it when they're here. Also, I was running short today, and needed one more song to make it 20 minutes.

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
No more story time for me until Wednesday. That sounds relaxing, but I also know I will kind of miss it.  Still, it will be nice to have a two-day weekend instead of one day. Happy Friday!