Classroom Crafts for Halloween

Something Crafty

this way comes

Full tutorial from Alisa Burke - click here  Please see red note below.

I once received an email from the Library Director inquiring ...where do you get all your creative ideas?  This was pre-pinterest...you know PP?  This was pre-Flannel Friday...PFF.  This was in the olden days...of covered wagons!  Well, not quite...maybe just 10 years ago!

When my nephew Dan was really little he asked his mom - were you alive when the world was black and white?  The old photos...all black and white - and a child's brain...and??  Who knows?  But I will say that simple and cute things (like Dan's question) inspire me.  Everything inspires me.  My brain is always scanning colors, creativity, shapes, patterns, nature, crafts, architecture, fabrics, everything ... and processing, then tweaking until the wonder of a black and white world from a little boy inspires something like this!  

                 Art Projects for Kids

Color photos - found in magazines or on the internet added to a black sharpie line drawing.  The hairy spider is my favorite...I like the inclusion of the spider's shadow but I would have to draw a screaming person on top of a building.  Or better yet...maybe a superhero coming to rescue the city?    With a little tiny splash of red!  My brain does not stop.

Check out Art Projects for Kids - go there for inspiration ...by grade level even!

Stone Sugar Skulls!

We love these Mexican Sugar Skulls - perfect for Dia de los Muertos, because you know we love diversity.  We found these with an excellent tutorial on our new favorite artist's blog...yes, Alisa Burke   We've used sharpies and painted on rocks many times and always protect them with a few layers of matte finish mod podge on top. You can purchase rocks at Michael's.

 Note: we do not use sharpies on top of paint - it totally stops the sharpie from working.  (Then you have to soak your sharpies in rubbing alcohol over night to restore their powers)

I love learning...Sugar skulls and Mexico add a layer of learning for classroom or library crafts.

Research-a-spider on the internet for your sharpie line drawing adds computer and arachnology skills!  Really, who doesn't want to be an Arachnologist?  

We'll be making spiders in Prime Time with Piper and Mrs. Breen on Monday night.  We found it on Pinterest, it's only an image...no directions.  But I'm pretty sure Piper and I can take it from here:  

P.S. (Piper Script) Now those monsters up top...you can think monsters and zombies.  We have it on good source that Zombies and Disney's Frozen Elsa and Anna are the favorite Halloween costumes this year.  Here's one more image to inspire your crafty creepy..wickedness...

Wouldn't he be "something" on a paper towel roll?

Visit Story Time Fun  and Art Smart to view creative ideas I've collected.  Leave comments, we'd love to hear about your Halloween crafts.  

Almost forgot about this Laurel Birch inspired cat. Not really Halloween for Halloween!  

You'll find him on our blog here.

Music and More for Preschool Programs

Fall into Flannel!

An abundance of felt, music, dancing and pumpkins!

I am all over the place today.  A snappy chill is in the air and I still want to be at the beach.  Fall is gorgeous yet I am forever dragging my flip-flops - unwilling to accept the season. This morning while waiting for the furnace repair man I was outside cutting late blooming roses for arrangements.  See what I mean? It's possible that Mother Nature and I are both confused!  Just sayin'

The library is not confused at all.  "Fall into a good book" greets you at the door.  Pumpkin Eyes watch over your family in the children's room...

...and we had two flannel board stories kick off Tunes for Tots yesterday.  The first one was an oldie but goody where each child brings a leaf to the flannel board as we sing, (to the tune of London Bridge is falling down)

Autumn leaves are falling down

falling down

falling down

Autumn leaves are falling down

Yellow, Green and Brown.

And you know I have to set that song up with a big ol' Piper goes out for a walk story! Because she does...and she loves to play in the leaves.  She snuffles them, eats them, chases them and runs around in circles until she finds a pumpkin! That's my Piper girl!  

Next I turned the flannel board around to the white board and look what we found! You know this story.  We all know this story.  

 Little Mouse, Little Mouse

Are you in the Pirate House?

(she's supposed to be hiding!)

This little game is so popular and I have way too much fun doing it with the families.  

Piper got us up and dancing next.  Here's our fancy playlist written in magenta sharpie because...well, we can!   Do you see that 2011 CD that says Jane in the photo below...it's a gift from Kari Ann.  I don't know the history of a number of the songs on that CD...but we started with...

1. Put your Finger on Your Nose (located this song, it's by Parachute Express)

2. Shake and Freeze (I'm sorry but I can't find this one anywhere...there are many versions)

3. The Crazy Dance (Go Fish Party Like a Preschooler)

Then we all sat down for a quiet song...  

4. It's Rainy Rainy Day (this one came from Kari Ann's CD and I can't locate it either)

5. Drivin' in my Car (Ralph's World)

Everybody up for:

6. I Know a Chicken (Laurie Berkner)

7. We are the Dinosaurs, (Laurie Berkner)

8. If You're Happy and You Know It (Go Fish Party Like a Preschooler)

9. Wave Goodbye Like a Windmill (The Fun Music Man)

Okay, that was our program.  Piper and I give hugs or we bring the flying monkeys in for monkey kisses.  They are absolutely not flying monkeys, not even at Halloween.  No flying monkeys - ever.  We have really cute monkeys.  We'll get their photo soon!

P.S. (Piper Script): We made pumpkins on Monday night.  Next week we're making spiders!  Be careful "there's a spider on the floor on the floor"...said Raffi!

We did another post about Tunes for Tots here, just click!  We love comments, cookies, smiley faces..but please no flying monkeys!  Thanks.  P&J

Flannel Friday! Hola a Todos!

Beautiful Colors Abound!

National Hispanic Heritage Month is absolutely beautiful in our library.  The dual language books and juvenile biographies are colorful and gorgeous.  We came up with a fancy song for our Tunes for Tots program - something to sing for this month of celebration - but really, why should we stop?  Everyone's singing in Spanish.  We are all bilingual for at least 60 seconds!  I vote we stick with it for awhile, a long while!

(to the tune of Are You Sleeping?)

Buenos dias, buenos dias

Como estas?Como estas?

Yo muy bien gracias.  Yo muy bien gracias

Y usted?  Y usted? 

(that Y has to be carried out for two notes: E-E usted)

Translation: Hello

How are you?

I'm very well thank you

And you?

Do you know about our dual language collection? We wrote about it here.  Check it out, it may surprise you.  Two languages in one book for our amazing multi-lingual community.  And we have Dual Language Kits that are fantastica! 

This is the perfect time to introduce Armando, "Mando" - the newest character on Sesame Street - and he speaks Spanish and English. He's from Puerto Rico.  Piper and I would love to have him visit us.  Fan-girls can dream!  Read about him here.   Speaking of Sesame Street, Cookie Monster made an appearance at Prime Time with Piper and Mrs Breen this week. "Me want cookies" always brings the giggles!  We all laugh in the same language!

If you're interested in reading about raising bilingual children please click here.  

And if you'd like some inspiration for making bilingual flannel stories - please visit the Flannel Friday Pinterest Page!    Really good stuff there.  Look!  Miss Mary Liberry's elefantes!

Thanks for visiting Piper Loves the Library.  Please leave a comment in English or Spanish -  Gracias!

P.S (Piper Script): Our story time kids love Dora, Diego and Boots....me too!  Oh and you may want to check out this book review in SLJ.  Betsy Bird timed it perfectly for our blog!

For more information on National Hispanic Heritage Month, just click.

   

How To "Tunes for Tots" on Flannel Friday

Tunes for Tots Parties in the House of the Fish!

Dance with Me by Charles R Smith

Well, we've hosted some form of Tunes for Tots, Music and Movement, or Dance Party Night for more than 15 years.  Both Piper and I love to dance.  In fact my New Year's Resolution for January 2013 was more dancing in the house, my house...a personal ...sort of ...party like 1972, 1982!  Music and dance programs with preschoolers are So. Much. Fun.   And currently Piper and I have about 50 big and little people who agree with us. 

I think our Tunes for Tots popularity is due to our willingness to change, explore, experiment and well, of course, there's Piper!  This fall we've mixed it up a little.  Not too long ago I realized that we needed a new opening for our program..something to make everyone comfy, silly and happy to play with their kids.  Our very own ice breaker for the wall flower moms/dads/kids.  Let's think of it as a gentle push to get out there and get your dance on!

For the past three weeks we've opened with flannel board songs inviting the kids to the board, encouraging bouncing, clapping, rhyming, counting, color recognition and best of all -they get to know the Piper girl!  Once the caregivers and kids realize that I am willing to be totally ridiculous...we do indeed get our dance on!  This has been an easy change.  And maybe the best part is that I get an up close-to-the-flannel-board-moment with most of the kids, it's friendlier...is that a word?  It's more friendly!

Now this is how I bring the awesome! It's old school.  I am a Sharpie Marker addict for all things creative.  With my clear pallet of folded white paper I write out my weekly hits list in detail and large print!  I am in love with my ipod and easily creating playlists but currently my "boom box" is not working with the ipod.  Budgets being what budgets are - I am back to spinning CD's!   And it's all good!

Here's the recipe for success for Week #1

Flannel Songs/participation:

Two Little Dickey Birds

Bumping Along in my Little Red Wagon(each child had a color square to place on the flannel board)

This Old Man

and then P-I-P-E-R song and meet the dog!  

Dancing/Singing:

Johnette Downing's -Shake Your Scarves

                                 and Flitter Flutter  (using scarves)

Laurie Berkner's - We are the Dinosaurs

                            and I Know a Chicken (with our shaker eggs)

Everyone sits down and we sing:

                      Go Fish, Party Like a Preschooler's - ABC's

                       Ralph's World - Driving in My Car

We stand up again and we sing

                        Songs About Me - Piece of Paper  (with a piece of paper)

                        Go Fish's - If You're Happy and You Know It

                         and Fun Music Man's - Wave Goodbye Like a Windmill

...and then there's lots of hugging good-bye!  Did you know we need at least 4 hugs a day?  Thank goodness for Tunes for Tots...I get my "dance on" and my hugs!  

P.S. (Piper Script):  One of our favorite songs is on the Go Fish Party Like a Preschooler CD - If You"re Happy And You Know It.  Go get your kids and click this link.  It's too cool!  You want to party in the House of the Fish...are you with me?  Cole?  Daniel?  Let's do it!

 Giant Dance Party by Betsy Bird

I Went Walking on Flannel Friday

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign!

We hope you've met Kaden, our newest friend.  He's on the flannel board with all those road signs.  We wrote about him here.  Piper and Kaden are enjoying books and snuggling and taking long long walks together.  I go with them because I'm their grown-up ... ut-oh "Jane is the grown-up"...hmmm,  maybe not be a good sign!

When we went walking the other day we saw this...yes! a STOP sign.  

S-T-O-P spells STOP!!!!! Yes! We liked the sign!  Yes! We shouted (((STOP))) again and again. We marched on the sidewalk and STOPPED!!   Then we all decided to walk and walk 

and walk in West Hartford and find more signs.  It was pretty easy to do.  

And then we made a flannel board story.  You can too.

I went walking ... did you go walking Kaden?  Did you go walking Piper?  Okay...let's all say this together...

I went walking and what did I see?  I saw a stop sign in front of me!

I went walking and what did I see?  I saw a ....

Curves in the Road sign in front of me!

I went walking and what did I see?  I saw a One Way sign in front of me.

I went walking and what did I see?  I saw a DO NOT ENTER sign in front of me.

There are lots of signs to see when you go walking and even more when you go for a drive.  We talked about the EXIT sign on the highway and the EXIT sign in the library.  Can you find them on Kaden's flannel board?

There's so much to learn about signs.  We see them, spell them, we read the pictures or the words.  We learn the colors and the shapes.  We learn the pointy part of the arrow.  We can point our pointy fingers...at things...but it's not polite to point at people, totally not.  We can draw arrows.  We can draw curvy roads.  We love signs.  

Just so you know - we found these signs on Google Images. (gotta love google)  I printed them out and taped cardboard to the back and then added felt with my tried and true tacky glue.  I don't have a laminator in my little branch so we'll take good care of these pieces.  Plus there are so many more signs to make...trains, planes, superheroes!  

So, do what we did...go sign-seeing in your neighborhood!  Maybe the grown-up could bring a camera and take pictures.  Now that would be smart!  You could place magnets on the back and tell the story on your "fridge" if you don't have a flannel board.

P.S. (Piper Script): lots of our friends know this song, it's from Ralph's World.  Check it out  Driving in My Car.  It's fun!  Lots of stopping!  Red light ((((STOP)))).  Wait! What? A stop light??? and a stop sign???  Omgosh...this is too good.

~ always grateful to Flannel Friday where we share, support, collaborate and create in a safe place.  Come visit our neighborhood!  

Flannel Friday, are you feelin' it?

Feel the Love

Here's our new friend...we told you he was coming.  Just last week on Piper Loves the Library, we said we were making a new flannel friend and he was going to be a young man of color.  So, we did it.  Intentional casual diversity for my story time friends! 

And Kaden is his name-oh!  Yep, this handsome fella's name is K A D E N.  One letter for each of the space holders on the flannel board.  And it's a name the kids can learn with the Bingo song.  Here's our version.  (oh, sorry, we didn't make the letters yet)

Piper met a friend at school

And Kaden is his name-oh

K A D E N

K A D E N

K A D E N

And Kaden is his name-oh

From the moment I thought of making this young man, I knew I wanted to use the flannel band aids with him, so look...tough day for Kaden.  He's keeping a brave smile on his face.

We take care of him with all these band aids but sometime you just need to ask...are you feelin' it Kaden?  Are you feelin' the love.  Can we make it better?  Now look, I adore this part! " Feel better" hearts!  You know you need to make some...for everyone!  We're feelin' the love!!  (And you know that Kaden will make a flannel board appearance on Valentine's Day!)

We practiced some stories today.  We had so much fun.   Kaden loves Tip Tip Dig Dig.  Name those trucks my friend - then we can read the book.  

And then there's this!  These two cool cats met today.  "My buttons, my buttons, my four groovy buttons!"  And check it out! They both like tie dye!

Next week Kaden can meet the dinosaurs.  I wonder which one he'll like best?  We love the dinosaurs and we love making new friends.  

Before we left the story time room we intentionally placed some diverse books on display. And we took a photo for the blog.  Maybe you can't see that bottom book on the right...it's a biography of Maya Moore.  Oh yea, we're feelin' the UCONN love!  Piper and I hail from Connecticut.  We are loud and proud of basketball star and UCONN graduate, Maya Moore!  (((((yay)))))  Can you hear the love?  

P.S. (Piper Script): Go Huskies!  I hope Kaden likes basketball.  Maybe we can make him a UCONN shirt!  Our story time kids will love him.  

We need diverse books

...and we need Diverse Flannels

Just in case you missed Miranda Paul's #WeNeedDiverseBooks, I have attached it here.  Please click the link.  You don't have to go any further on our blog today...just watch this Youtube slideshow.  
WeNeedDiverseBooks Slideshow by Miranda Paul on Youtube

Thank you...You liked it, didn't you?  I  know.  And I also know that we all read books with wonderful diversity in our story times.  Thou shalt not preach to the choir!  But the other day I thought: hmm,I should look at my flannel sets from the perspective of diversity.  I had the thought, (yay, me), but for those of us working public libraries in the midst of Summer Reading...thoughts don't automatically turn into actions with any immediacy.  All in good time.

My library community, where Piper and I work, is extremely diverse - culturally, ethnically, racially...we are the United Nations!  Our families represent more than 60 languages - truly something wonderful.  It is the library's job to be sure our families know the value of literacy and shared reading.  We embrace our neighbors and each unique culture. We make sure to build our town's collection with an eye always on diversity.  It is our hope that each child sees himself or herself in our diverse books and in our creative story times.   

Our SRP kids made this on Wednesday:

(inspired by Pinterest)

Today I'm making a kid for the Flannel Boad...a kid of color.  He'll interact with lots of my flannels.  I look forward to using him with Piper's bandaids and allowing both Tanika and Isabella well deserved breaks from having to "do everything!"  

Here's the template on the stiff felt backing, (he's almost 16" tall!). Need to tape him down and cut around the entire template.  Think I'll lengthen and beef up those skinny legs a tad.  

Skin color, hmm...check these felt colors!  I often use the caramel color to show diversity...but today I am selecting the dark brown.  And I'll use black for the hair.  Thinking of changing the hair style to something that spikes up!  

I really want to make a tie-dye T-shirt but possibly Batman would be better?  Or a shirt with a dinosaur or bugs or what?  Advice, anyone?

Okay, you'll need to come back next week because I'm short on supplies.  Blaming the Summer Reading Program again, this girl's too tired to shop.  

P.S. (Piper Script): We're going to miss these S.R.P. kids, I may have to visit them at school.  

If you like diversity in flannels, you may also like this one...looks like I drew the same kid.  wow!  Thanks for visiting Piper Loves the Library.  Please comment, we love to hear from you.  

We love Flannel Friday!  Story Time with Miss Tara and Friends is hosting this week's round-up.  Come visit us...click here!

Update to this post, already!  I changed up the kid drawing!  Look at the new template:

How to Shark-Week your Library!

Our Royal Sharks-ness!

Shark Week has come to a close but honestly there is an abundance of "sharkness" out there and we have to address it here on Piper Loves the Library...even if Piper is not a fan of sharks.

We have a fantastic Summer Reading Program this year...if I do say so myself!  Students show up faithfully for Maker Monday, Tech Tuesday and Wild Card Wednesday.  Along with our daily theme we have 20-30 minutes of book buddy reading and an art project each day.  We have one more week to go!

We "sharked out" the library.  Take a look!

We had these all around the front of the Circulation Desk

These were on the glass behind the Circulation Desk

Needless to say..the Circulation staff were SHARK BAIT all week!

They were very good sports!

Our library sharks made their mark...

Bookmarks!  for our patrons.  Everyone needs a little shark!

Library sharks don't bite...they pinch!  

(thank you Pinterest, we love this!)

Then there's our video, you don't want to miss it! Click here.

Here are a couple of popular shark books

Everyone wanted this Fly Guy!

And then, my friends, there's this...which is why Piper still isn't shark friendly.  Can't say I blame her. 

Yikes  Land sharks!  Run!!

Thanks for visiting Piper Loves the Library.  You can find more shark-goodness here and here.   My Flannel Friday friends celebrated Shark Week as well...and you know...it's always good to have a friend during shark week.  Check out the Round-up!