Marshmallows!!

To promote April's Afterschool Library Club, we sent a picture home with each Fall Creek School District elementary student. They were asked to complete the picture and bring it back to the Public Library by March 20. Normally, I try not to have this type of competition, but every once in a while it can be fun and....

We had 31 entries!!!

And the winners are....

Congratulations to 1st graders Lydia Williams and Carson Ziegler, 3rd grader Megan Johnston, 2nd grader Maissy Nall, and 5th grader Isaiah Kaufman for winning a free book and king size candy bar! Their marshmallow pictures are highly creative and are leaving the Fall Creek Public Library staff hungry and excited for next month's Afterschool Library Camp!

Winners can pick up their book and candy bar this Thursday-Saturday.

Congratulations and well done, everyone, for creating such unique pictures!

Registration is now open for our April 7-10 Afterschool Library Camp for K-5th graders. Each child must be registered each day they will be participating. Please call or stop in to register! 715-877-3334. Space is limited!

Up In the Air Storytime

Today, we focused on things we can find in the sky and in the air.

Hello Songs

Fingerplay: 10 Little Birds

10 little birds high up in the sky (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 9.

9 little birds fly to a gate (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 8.

8 little birds avoid a fox den (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 7.

7 little birds out gathering sticks.
7 little birds out gathering sticks.
1 flew away and now there are 6.

6 little birds start to dance and jive (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 5.

5 little birds pecking on a dirt floor. (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 4.

4 little birds sleeping in a tree (repeat).
1 flew away now there are 3.

3 little birds cheep, chirp, and coo (repeat).
1 flew away and now there are 2.

2 little birds in a pond having fun (repeat).
1 flew away and now there is 1.

1 little bird dozing in her nest so cozy (repeat).
Her eggs all hatched and now there are plenty!

Book: Egg Drop by Mini Grey

With Ribbon Wands: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jack Hartmann

Book: Fred and Ted Like to Fly by Peter Eastman

Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk

Bubble time

Activity: I put a blob of white paint in the middle of a blue piece of construction paper. They smushed it in half, opened it up, and figured out what it looked like. Then I helped them write down what it looked like.

Reminder: NO storytime on March 26.

Cow Storytime

Due to car issues last Wednesday, I decided to postpone last week's theme to today. Here is what we did:

Welcome Songs

Fingerplay: 1 little 2 little 3 little cows 4 little 5 little 6 little cows 7 little 8 little 9 little cows 10 cows standing in the field. 10 little 9 little 8 little cows 7 little 6 little 5 little cows 4 little 3 little 2 little cows 1 cow laying in the barn.

Book: Chilly Milly Moo by Fiona Ross


















Then we put together a cowboy picture I cut up ahead of time. It was a group puzzle. Each kid was given a piece of the puzzle, with a number written on the back. When I called their number, they came up and put their piece on the other ones. Then we talked about and acted out different things cowboys do (boots, chaps, rope, riding a horse.)

The activity led directly into the song You're a Young Cowboy by Cathy Bollinger. We danced and acted like cowboys and horses.

Book: Moo! by David LaRochelle










Sorting Activity: What Comes From Milk? I had laminated pictures of both dairy (chocolate milk, ice cream, cheese, etc.) and non-dairy items (robot, fishing pole, oranges, etc). Using our flannel board, I made two sections using a picture of a cow (dairy items) and a picture of a cow with a big old red X over top (non-dairy items). Each child picked a picture out of my bucket and then placed their picture under the correct cow/ crossed out cow. I had enough pictures for each child to do this two times. It was great for discussing dairy products, following multi-step directions, and taking turns.

Book: There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch - they helped me with the sounds.

















Goodbye songs and bubbles.

The kids got to then choose to make a paperbag cow puppet or take it home.

This Saturday is our next Family Storytime at 10:15am! Next Wednesday, we'll read about things that are Up In the Air!

Pete the Cat Party

This was a fun program! We really only did a few activities compared to what I normally offer, but I think everyone had a good time.

First, we read Pete the Cat: Play Ball and Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons. Then the kids got to vote which book was their favorite by placing a marker in the correct bucket. At last count, 4 Groovy Buttons is the winner! Next week, I plan to turn this into an interactive display and let patrons vote, as well.

Then we had a Pete the Cat snack - we frosted a graham cracker and added M&M buttons to make it look like Pete's coat. YUM! Big hit!

Before we began!

Then (my favorite and thank you somebody I saw on Pinterest for the idea!!!): we listened the the recorded version of Litwin's Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes as we acted the story out with buckets of "strawberries," "blueberries," "mud," and water (actually water). FUN FUN!

Oh no! Pete stepped in a large pile of strawberries!

A color trail!

We will be having another Pete the Cat party AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! So much fun!