Reading Super Stars!

I "FELT" like a Super Hero!

And this is how I did it!

It's all in the cuffs...really.

We did this project in the library well over a year ago but I never posted our felt super hero wrist bands/cuffs.  So here they are.  And look at the simple construction:

I visited my local  and very friendly Starbucks 

where they willingly provided about 60 of these. 

I had middle school volunteers helping the younger kids.

We used some simple clip art for patterns.

(stars, rainbows, smiley faces, moons,etc.)  

Lots of felt remnants.  Of course some 

of us kids used glitter!  Glue your design right 

onto the cardboard.  And there you have it.

This one size fit every kid and all of the middle schoolers.  

Warning: This Starbucks cup holder does not fit all adults! 

 Improvise because it is so much fun to walk around the library

 wearing super hero cuffs, or just to have them on your desk 

when the kids come up.  You can say....

Shhhh!  I am a librarian by day and...SUPER HERO AT NIGHT!

You may want to visit Lisa at Thrive After Three.  She's been posting some wonderful super heroes for story time on her blog.  And she's also the host for this week's round up.

Piper and I are happy to say that Flannel Friday keeps us creative.  Thanks to all!  

P.S. (Piper Script) I keep my super hero cuffs in my bed, under my pillow...just in case! 

Yes I Want to Build a...

                               Snowman!

Need I say more?  O.M.Gosh.  We love this guy.  He begged to be flannelized this past Monday.  I kid you not!  On the last day of March many parts of Connecticut woke up to a crazy snow storm.  Big fat flakes brought three inches of snow and everyone was singing the very popular song, Do You Want To Build a Snowman?, from Disney's hit movie - Frozen.  

Our Main Library had shown Frozen over the weekend to a packed house.  When I arrived at the little branch library on Monday with that new fallen snow I knew I had to do something with Olaf.  I "Google-imaged" him.  (Whoa, that's the strangest verb I ever wrote).  And I found that Disney had created a cut and paste Olaf...for free.  Yippee!  And thank you very much!

Disney's directions say "pose him however you want, there's no wrong or right way to build a snowman!"  

You know I love that freedom for the kids.  Okay, I confess, this one's mine!

I printed up 25 copies for our Prime Time with Mrs Breen and Piper, we already owned the music...so, let me just tell you...it was magic in the library.  Yup, yep, yes-sir-ree!  As the families entered the story time room at 6:30 pm the soundtrack was playing and twenty Olafs were on the craft table.  I decided to start with the craft - "yikes!  that's crazy, Mrs Breen!", I heard from one of the little ones!  We never do that!  While crafting, (I'm making up verbs tonight), they sang, "let it go..."  Yes,  I was in heaven!  Piper too.  We love it when the universe aligns for story time.  

Now just look at the snowman's parts - are they not made for Piper and Jane? This is how I make my felt pieces - in pieces!   So, I did it, I flannelized him today.  And I sang the whole time!  

I took the following photo with hopes that you could see the black backing on the white .  I did not back-up the branches, (arms and hair) with black. 

The very coolest part of this comical character in flannel is that he can be posed again and again and again.   You know I will the kids will just love that.   It's all good here at the library! 

We tried to sing head shoulder knees and toes...maybe, not so good! 

We'll practice!

We thank you for visiting our blog.  Here's another blog to check out:  from whole cloth witten by my niece, Cate.  Talk about the universe aligning...she made kid-sized Anna and Elsa capes and posted them on that same snowy Monday!  Total surprise for me...but you know, great minds run in a family think alike!  

Comments are always welcome ~ Piper & Jane

Maisy! Maisy! Maisy!

Off We Go!

     And yes...I'm talking heads.  If you caught last week's post - you'll get it!  Maisy's friends have heads that come off!  That's the only way they could get on the bus!  So here they are looking cute.  I generally back my pieces with black flannel, so once I thought about it ...I realized I could take their heads off.  Lucy Cousins creates her characters with bold black lines which lend themselves perfectly to this stained glass style I use in flannel.

To be clear, I didn't cut off their heads, rather, I never glued them on.  This means the heads are removable!  Pretty cool, huh? 

headless friends

And now take a look at the heads rolling along on the bus! 

...the heads on the bus go bump bump bump!

Here's the whole gang!  Note: removable bus door

                                              removable heads

                                              removable numbers for the bus stop post

I used these flannels three times this week and only once did someone say, "why did you do that?" I was placing Tallulah's head on the bus while quickly moving her body out of sight when a front row little guy, who was paying very close attention, caught the trick!  Busted!  So, I showed everyone, (kids and parents), how I created the pieces to fit on the bus.  It was genius.  It was perfect!

I tell this story with the bus in a hill-filled town!  I move the bus stop up or down on the flannel board when I change the number of the stop.  And then we... brrmm brmmm... the bus or eeek, eeek the breaks!  Oh, you may have noticed that Maisy's tail gets caught in the door - I decided to let that happen and see if it played out as funny.  Shall I say...daring creative risk here?!!  Just so you know - it was hysterical!  They loved saying "Ouch, my tail!" each time Maisy closed the bus door.  

P.S. (Piper Script): Since there's a Little Black Cat...maybe we can add a  Little Black Dog to the story?  

Maisy Drives the Bus!

                                 Oh Maisy!

It's Flannel Friday and Maisy is making her first appearance here at Piper Loves the Library.  So much fun!  Lucy Cousin's Maisy and all of her pals maintain their popularity with the preschoolers in the library.  It always helps that Piper is a fangirl!  

This week I ordered lots of Maisy books.  I had to replace the worn, torn and loved-to-death copies plus buy new titles because....big announcement here....tah-dah.... Maisy is on our summer reading list for the pre-k kids! *squee*

Right now...Maisy is on the coffee table and the cozy couch.  Look!

Maisy makes things fun.  Her pals are easy to remember ...Cyril, Tallulah and Little Black Cat! 

I'm taking my time with this project...I think the friends will have detachable heads!  Sounds awful but they'll look really cute in the bus!  Stay tuned! 

P.S. (Piper Script): Maisy has her own Fun Club with interactive games and coloring pages.  This link will take you there...I'm sending you to the page with all her books.  It's incredible!  Have fun!

Update on Maisy:  click here to see the removable heads!

Flannel Friday! They Say It's Your Birthday!

Happy Birthday Flannel Friday!

from My Storytime Life and Piper Loves the Library!

And yes! We're wearing flannel!

Piper and I are celebrating with fellow FF'ers this week by sharing our favorites.  If you want to visit Flannel Heaven - visit the Flannel Friday Pinterest Page - click here!

My personal flannel ah-ha moment arrived when I discovered storytimekatie and flannel bandaids for her puppy.  Eyes wide open to connecting my puppets to the flannel board.   Sadly I had no idea who storytimekatie was or where to find her inspiring blog again until I discovered Mel's Desk and it all came together.  Many thanks to storytimekatie for the inspiration and helping Piper be ever-so-dramatic!

Please check out storytimekatie

Piper has tons of bandaids now and her "intro" story is a flannel song!  

Take a look at Piper's girl

Picture book flannels have been the mainstay of my collection and here are some that have inspired me from FF:

http://cfkidslibrarian.blogspot.com/2012/05/boo-hoo-bird-flannel-story.html

http://busycraftingmommy.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/first-day-of-winter-felt-board-flannel-friday/

http://mystorytimelife.blogspot.com/2012/03/flannel-friday-hippity-hop-part-2.html

http://libraryvillage.blogspot.com/2014/03/flannel-friday-rainbow-stew.html

http://librarystorytimeabcs.blogspot.com/2013/05/flannel-friday-dont-let-pigeon.html

http://thriveafterthree.com/2013/02/07/this-is-not-a-box/

http://sarah-readrabbitread.blogspot.com/2011/12/flannel-friday-what-color-is-bears.html

http://mystorytimelife.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html

And here are a couple of mine:

http://piperlovesthelibrary.blogspot.com/2013/02/hi-ho-flannel-friday.html  

http://piperlovesthelibrary.blogspot.com/2013/02/flannel-feathered-flock-friday.html


I am a big fan of flannel rhymes and songs, here are some of my 'favs"

http://storytimekatie.com/2012/07/13/flannel-friday-four-little-rockets/

http://loonsandquines.blogspot.com/2013/01/flannel-friday-five-currant-buns-with.html

http://missmaryliberry.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/flannel-friday-sorting-socks-game/

http://piperlovesthelibrary.blogspot.com/2013/03/snow-snow-snow-it-is-undeniably.html

This is one of the best stories in a box I have ever witnessed.  Watching Kari Ann do this is very dear, sweet and loving.  The audience loves it and her in this story.  Maybe some day I will make it.  But for now, I can borrow hers!  Amen to that.
http://mystorytimelife.blogspot.com/2012/01/flannel-friday-time-for-cake.html

Here's my favorite new thing learned on FF!
http://lessordinarylibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-spy-colored-rice.html

And this is a one-of-a-kind amazing project that brings tears to my eyes.  xo
http://www.sotomorrowblog.com/2012/06/flannel-friday-very-special-delivery.html

Let's get this party going!  

P.S. (Piper Script):  I'll get the bubbles!

FIZZ, BOOM, READ!

It's International Women's Day!

And I'm creating a blog post to focus on STEAM for young participants in our 2014 summer reading program:

STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math are always a part of the library, but right now - it's the focus, big time!  * and we're lovin' it!*  The trend for the past 8-10 years is that GEEK is cool.  Amen!  Many of us in the library sciences field - full of detail, information, technology and literacy got here because we really like STEAM.  (Geek or not, it's what we love)

We're always incorporating learning in our story times and now...well, we're bringing it!  Rockin' it!  And the whole world is making sure that we are reaching our young girls as we spread the math, science, technology, engineering and art to our community.  So, I say...Full STEAM Ahead for International Women's Day!

This summer you will find all sorts of techie specials in our library system.  MaKey MaKey, Squishy Circuits, Goldie Blox, and so much more.

You'll also find me leading the group with techie art projects with school age children, because I just can't resist these sorts of displays around the children's department!

               



 And still there's more...the youngest participants in our Summer Story Times...they need BUBBLES and BOOKS and FLANNELS!  Here's a mini- how-to Fizz, Boom, Read your preschool story times: 

Use bubbles...we all love them.  Make it summer fun.  Kendra has a Hello Bubble song - check it out!  Piper and I will blow bubbles with all of our groups.  (actually, Piper's better at watching bubbles!)  Anyway...moving on to..
Dinosaurs.. are always big!  Yes, I wrote that!  BIG.  And yes, indeed some were little.  I know, I know!    Take a look here for Dinosaur Flannels and more dinosaurs for story telling.  Or let's make some robot flannels - look here @ Library Quine's!

    

Space ships, rocket ships are totally inter-gallactical-ly fantastic! (I wish I did not write that sentence!)  Storytime Katie made some beautiful rocket ships that I plan to flannelize very soon.  Take a look at her post. 

And if you are thinking rocket ships and aliens, please think: Mr Wuffles! by David Wiesner.  A cat, a space ship, aliens and even ants.  I haven't figured out how to share this book in story time, but I love it.  Any ideas?

If you made monster flannels...maybe you can use them as space aliens this summer.  

Or make a set of space aliens in their space ship - just like Katie's! 

I have ants!  Flannel ants, whew!  They work for science and singing!

And I have the science of the bird nest and the baby bird!  In My Nest by Sara Gillingham is a perfect story for little ones.  Click here!

No doubt there is plenty more STEAM if I go through all of my Flannel Board inventory. (math with Pete the Cat and his four groovy buttons! oh yeah!)   Look at your collection through your science safety goggles!  Pair up your flannels with different books.  I strongly suggest checking out the FIZZ, BOOM, READ graphics via the catalog or Google images.  It will spark your thinking!  Or maybe sparkle it!   Hmmm, glitter on my safety goggles?  why didn't I think of that before?  We may post photos, or not!  

P.S. (Piper Script):  More science with Swirl by Swirl, Turtle Splash, from Catch the Possibilities you'll find Butterflies , Oh Dear No Eggs Here features finding eggs on the farm.  Some engineering with Tip Tip Dig Dig - love this book!

...and you can always sing good bye with the song Wave Goodbye Like A Windmill  on the Little Green Music CD: 31 Exciting Earth Songs by The Fun Music Man

Common Ground Art Smart
                      ....a "how to" for your library

                                  You can see where mom's touch comes into this masterpiece -

                                                                   shaping the heart, encouraging patterning and writing Lylah

Last year I proposed,  planned and started a new program for our library.  Inspired by S.T.E.M. becoming S.T.E.A.M. we introduced an arts program for parent and child, together, creating art side-by-side.  This is dream-come-true-programming for me.  Patrons have asked for something along this line from time to time and now with Common Core State Standards in place, I discovered a foundation to support building this type of program.  Common Ground Art Smart was instantly successful.  Parents wrote to the director to keep this going and to fund it!  (we actually do not have a budget for story time supplies) Impressive support!  I want to say that I am not surprised by the enthusiasm but I guess I am surprised that it's taken the controversy over the rigor of the CCSS to get all hands on deck for the arts.  And that's okay.  It takes a village.

                                                Again, a mom's touch can be seen in directing the heart shape.

Our program combines the common ground of literacy needs for children, the CCSS and adds the fun of creativity and imagination with the experimentation of artistic technique.  We are CCSS mindful in the selection of the project and CCSS purposeful in the use of language during the program....but we are open to every bit of your imagination in the process.  Hence I don't make a sample of our artwork.  Communication skills are gigantic here.  It is not about making something that Mrs. Breen made.  It is more - with this method you may create your own.  

Lately I find that I am reluctant to enter any conversation about the CCSS.  Parents, teachers, administrators and politicians are very vocal on the subject and I just don't have the desire to go there.  I am intentionally avoiding any opinion and that's my advice to anyone who wishes to do a program built on the CCSS.  In my position with children's services I am helping, assisting, providing, guiding, recommending to children and families all things literacy.  As a reference librarian I do a million more things but with intent to focus on my priorities in children's - I am the go-to-gal for the what, when, and why to read.  

 Over the years of my career I have worked with a number of educational trends, movements, and plans and I see no reason to criticize.   I am there to support - not only the families but the teachers and classrooms as well.  I am the book selector, collection builder and I need to be sure that the collection supports today's child, the whole child. (meaning not only the CCSS)

I hand out circles to all and let them go-to-it on the flannel board

The "how to" in creating a Common Ground Art Smart program  

                    

Here's what I did:
Visited our BOE (Board of Education) website to pull up the suggested book titles in the CCSS    for pre-k and K .  Ordered 8 copies of each title I thought worked for the library.
Started a pinterest page for Art Smart art projects and pinned the night away repeatedly!
I developed art projects that supported the CCSS books.
With a budget of $75.00 I visited the local art store and bought art supplies.
      Good paper is most important - watercolor paper is the best!  lots of good paper!
       Oil pastels, (open them, break them in half and double the fun!)
       Black sharpies, at least one for everyone (permanent black, assorted tips)
       New markers...the little short fat ones!  All colors
       Fat paintbrushes
       Watercolor paints (I use the good old-fashioned paint trays)
       Lots of glue sticks
       Blue painters tape, (the stuff you use when painting walls in your house!)
        
We announced the program on the library's website.  CG Art Smart is offered for children ages 3-5 with an adult on Thursdays 10:30 - 11:15am  

                                                 Are you willing to come up and find the matching pairs?  

We begin the program cozy on the carpet with an interactive flannel board.   Matching mitten designs, warm and cool colors, Kandinsky's circles, dots for playing and sorting - whatever I introduced to those little ones - they got it!  They totally got it within a very short time.  I would follow with info on today's book, why it was important developmentally and the broad theme of our artwork.   We then find our places to sit at the table.  The moms and dads are incredibly helpful and the kids know the routine completely.  We spend a good thirty minutes creating our art project.  With  7-8 minutes remaining, I take all the kids back to the cozy carpet and bring out Piper for a story, a song, and some silliness.  During this time the parents crop, mat, double mat, date,  the art work.  

I encourage the parents to take the books home and I tell them what are doing next week - just in case they want to take next week's book home.  Some people, (like me) always want to be prepared.  I would be the child taking next week's book home!  

                 

The first 4 week session of this program we worked mostly with circles featuring the books: Kitten's First Full Moon - Henkes - a water color background with a white out moon and a black, (crayon) shadow tree
We made a torn paper and modge podge collage cats
Pancakes for Breakfast - DePaola  - we created overlapping printed circles in a variety or sizes and colors using tempera paint in many colors!
Over In The Meadow - Keats - with watercolor paint we created circular shapes, after they dried we added arms, legs, faces, wings, tails, etc; with black sharpies bringing our shapes to life
(I am so sorry that I did not take photos of the first session)

The second 4 week session we have used mostly hearts featuring the book -  I Read Signs by Hoban.  We created an assortment of hearts using heavy oil pastels recognizing warm and cool colors.  We have scissors with assorted pattern edges, very cool.  We tried them here.  

 We painted an entire sheet of paper with water color paints and later cut that paper into hearts

                                                                                          Watercolor hearts

Using a crayon resist we wrote names or messages or designs on paper and then painted the paper with watercolor paint exposing our message or design.  We used scissors again for heart shapes.

    Crayon resist

And this week we used the book Kitten's First Full Moon and found inspiration with Laurel Burch's cats.  Because this was our last program for this session I "rewarded" the parents with 15 minutes of time with the artwork.  I had a feeling that they really wanted to go to town with the silver and gold markers and background colors.  And Piper was very willing to bring her kitty friend," Speedo" to story time.  Needless to say ...Piper and I had a blast with the kids.  

Parents drew the cats and outlined with black sharpie, kids colored the cats with oil pastels.  Kids colored in and out of the lines!!!  Some did patterns encouraged by parents, or color block.  Parents then cut the cats out...so magically it appeared that all the coloring was "in the lines"  This is a great trick and makes the art work more definable.  (if you want that)  

After ^ photo

the mother/daughter pair placed gold dots around the cats

and counted them aloud in sets of 20!  You know I love that!

I am a big fan of black matting

...especially with the gold marker!

Picasso inspired?  Maybe!

This was her favorite project, can you tell? 

So much fun!

One of the neat things about this program was introducing techniques to parents and children and watching them both experiment and learn at the same time.   We are offering the program again in the summer.  It's an exciting challenge to continue to find projects that work with our books.  I believe I will be ordering more titles from the CCSS picture book list for CT.

P.S. (piper script):  Maybe they'll create an art project all about me?