Update those spider crafts with S.T.E.A.M.

  ........SPIDERS        

Please let me introduce you to the

 Very Big and Very Busy Spider!

These gorgeous inspiring spiders were a Pinterest find and we tweaked them; of course!  Besides we had to talk about spider eyes...S.T.E.A.M. people!  Our inquiring kids deserve the truth on spider eyes.  It's cool stuff.

Eight legs and eight eyes for web-spinning spiders.  And you just know that everyone made a web-spinning spider because he was so bouncy with the white silky super strong yarn thread   

Jumping spiders have two eyes - and all the kids knew about jumping spiders!  Some spiders have 4 eyes, some 6 - and some have no eyes. 

*We used pastels a.k.a. colored chalks on 9x12 black construction paper to make the spider's  body.  BTW a 9x12 spider body is huge! 

*I had strips of purple and blue for the kids to fold in order to get the springing legs which we  taped on.  

*All those yellow eyes were secured with glue sticks. 
*I tipped each piece of yarn with tape and made a double knot on the other end

*We made a tiny slit on the top of the spider and pulled his silky thread through from  underneath.  That was sort of like a magic trick.  I kid you not.  These spiders came to life  once the yarn was attached.  

We did a few flannel stories including Black Cat, black cat, what do you see?  Oh my...look what the cat brought home - a jumping spider!  I still love that repeating thread in story time. It's not always a theme at Piper Loves the Library programming...but themes can be outstanding.

 I hope you know that we really love Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider. 

But we might have to make him a few more eyes!

 

Holy smoking spider eyes!  There goes Batman!

P.S.(Piper Script): What? Were you expecting Spiderman?!  Check out these spiders...adorable!  Research told me that spider eyes come in equal numbers only.  Like I said ...it's all about the S.T.E.A.M.

We are always grateful to our Flannel Friday Friends for inspiration and support.  Please visit the round-up for fun flannels and tips.  If you'd like to learn about this creative group please click here.  Thanks for visiting Piper Loves the Library.

Black Cat, Black Cat

What do you see?

Welcome to Piper Loves the Library as we approach Halloween.  Today's post started with the creation of a craft.... that was inspired by a Flannel Friday comment two weeks ago.  I am so sorry that I do not remember who mentioned that for Halloween stories they do" Black Cat, Black Cat, what do you see?"  You're brilliant!  You turned the light on to hundreds of possibilities for me...Butterfly, Butterfly what do you see?  Unicorn, Unicorn, what do you see?!!  Honestly - brilliant!!  Thank you.   

So I made  a black cat puppet. It is a paper cat on-a-paint-stirrer-puppet!  It does indeed resemble Pete the Cat.  Pete's popularity continues to grow ...just about everywhere!  Piper and I love Pete and we will be reading one of Eric Litwin's Pete the Cat books this coming Monday night for pajama story time.  And we'll make this craft. 

Here's a photo of the back of the paper puppet,  taped with painters tape, (have I mentioned that I have a Sherwin Williams Paint Store next door to the library?)

I knew right away that this cool cat needed to be made again, and this time with felt!  So here is the flannel board version:

I just love him!!

Now, I have absolutely no idea why I decided that everything the black cat would see should begin with the letter S but something sparked this in my brain!!  Why S?  Not a clue!  I only know that I didn't want to make this black cat Halloween exclusive. (yet I guess I was thinking seasonal stuff!!)

Black Cat, Black Cat what did you see? 

I saw a snake looking at me!

a squirrel

and...a spider!  

I am looking forward to the craft...we make our share of paint-stirrer-stick puppets in Pajama Story Time but this one feels extra special to me.  I think this black cat's personality is a combination of Pete the Cat and The Pigeon.  Really!  Take a look!

Hey!  How about we read a book?

Or maybe bake?  Look, a lemon bar recipe.  I like lemon bars.

and we could sit on the couch and read about Daisy while they bake.  

Wait!  Are you drinking chai?  

Are you taking a break without me?

Do you have a lemon bar in your mouth???

Help your children build their story telling, narrative skills.  Get out your smart phone, take some photos and have some fun!  They can review the pics and tell the story over and over!  (to daddy, to grammy, to auntie Dorothy) 

Please do not let Piper know that this happened at home today.  She will be sad.