Purple Cow

Who is this?!? 

Come meet Purple Cow at our first Fall Storytime on Wednesday, September 12. 

Storytime for our youngest library patrons is free! Registration is not required. The doors open around 9:25M and Storytime begins at 9:30am. Storytime generally lasts 1/2 hour.

All ages and abilities are welcome to attend. If your child is not used a storytime setting, do not just come once. Many families experience a "getting used to it" time period. If your child requires a potty break or a chance to get up and move for a brief period of time, this is fine. We ask you please assist your children as needed so the storytime experience is pleasant and learner-friendly for all participants. This could mean reminders to stay seated, active participation by adults during songs, or removal from storytime if your child becomes to loud or needs a re-grouping moment. It is also helpful to remind your child about Library rules and let him or her know what to expect.

Sooo....what can you expect at Storytime? We read stories, sing songs, and interact with one another. Stories are often participatory, meaning I may have them say sounds aloud, take turns during a feltboard story, or create a picture on the white board. Musical instruments, scarves, or parachute activities are often included in our Wednesday Storytimes. (This is always my favorite part!) A planned activity or snack may also be provided. If a snack is planned,  I will announce and post it ahead of time. 

I will post more information regarding our up-coming Spectrum Night Storytimes. These will begin on the 4th Tuesday in September at 7pm and will recur the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays through November and our final one for the year on the 2nd Tuesday in December. These storytimes will be facilitated with children on the autism spectrum in mind, BUT all children are welcome. Registration will be required for each storytime and a parent or therapist will be required to attend with their child(ren). I am very excited to offer this program to our families and I hope we have a great turn-out. 

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact Jenna at jgilles@fallcreekpubliclibrary.org or 715.877.3334. During the Fall, Jenna will typically be at the Library 130-530 on Tuesdays, Wednesday mornings until 2,  and Thursdays 130-530. 

Storytime Party August 8

Today was the last Summer 2012 Storytime. We will start back up on Wednesday, September 15 at 9:30am. Thank you to all the kids and families that came in throughout the summer. Wednesday is by far my favorite day of the week! It always starts out great with such great children!

Setlist
Hello, How are You? By Dr. Jean

Bed, Bed, Bed by They Might Be Giants - as the song played and we turned the pages, we pretended to put our heads on pillows when these words were sung, "bed, bed, bed, bed."

Dogs in Space by Nancy Coffelt

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars (see a previous post for words)

Zoom, Rocket, Zoom by Margaret Mayo

Song with instruments: Turn the World Around by Tom Pease

Martian Rock by Carol Diggory Shields

Then we said the nursery rhyme "Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick" and took turns jumping over the candlestick. Then we ran around the candlestick and then crawled under the candlestick.

Then we had our PARTY! :)

First we did a moon rock hunt. I stuck toys inside plastic eggs and then wrapped them in tin foil. I hid these moon rocks throughout the library. We got in our pretend space ships, counted down, then blasted  off to look for them. Because of unusually low numbers, each child was able to find two rocks on their hunt. After everyone found two, we opened them together to see what we could discover about the moon. Silly me, I forgot to take photos!

After they played with them briefly, we made planet cookies. Each child was given a plate with one cookie, some frosting, and a plastic knife. They could decorate their "planet" with mini chocolate chips, dried blueberries, dried cherries, and crushed Andes mints. Some children made mountains, others had flowers, and one girl said aliens lived on her planet. What fun!

Another Reading Program Come and Gone...

With 898 hours read since June 4, Fall Creek area youth shot for moon and grabbed onto the stars! 59 youth ages birth-18 actively participated in Fall Creek Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program. By reading and recording how many hours they read or were read to, children and teens earned prizes purchased by the Library and donated by local community members and businesses.

Youth were also able to forego prizes and instead have money donated in their name to Beaver Creek Reserve Observatory. “We want to encourage kids to think about others in their community. By offering this choice, children can see how their actions positively benefit others,” said Youth Programs Coordinator, Jenna Gilles. A total of $50.00 will be donated to Beaver Creek Reserve Observatory for Kael, Aiden, and Allie Sanfelippo and Brian, Megan, and Katie Johnston. Thank you, friends, for thinking of BCR :)

This summer’s Top Readers read 504 hours, which is over half the total hours read by all participants!  Top Readers are: 

In Birth - 4K group: Eliana P with 57 hours.

In Kindergarten-11 group: Kael S. with 46 hours, Aiden S. with 104 hours, and Olivia F. with 167 hours. 

In our eldest age group: Mayachel S. with 23 hours, Sophie K. with 51 hours, and Jamie P. with 56 hours.

A huge congratulations to all our readers and read-to-ers and a great big “thank you!” to our numerous sponsors and donors.

Frosting Nose!

Jamie making planet cookies with Trax

August 1: Things that Go Bump in the Night

Our storytime today focused on many different sounds that we might not know.

Welcome Song: Hello, How are You? by Dr. Jean

Floop in the Dark by Carole Tremblay

Full Moon Walk by Brady Rymer on his CD Every Day is a Birthday - we used shakers

Eak! Creek! by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Monster Under the Bed Poem
Monster, monster under the bed
(cup hands around mouth and shout) You should go somewhere else instead!
(shake finger) Go, Monster, go!
(stamp feet slowly) Go, monster, go!
(stamp faster and louder) Go, Monster, go!
(faster! louder!) Go, Monster, goooo!

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

Game: Shadow Guessing Game. I printed out pictures of different objects (football, lamp, slide, kitty, hammer, potted plant, etc.) and cut out their shadows. The kids guessed what they thought the shadows were and then I showed them the real picture. They did REALLY well!

Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson

We then sang "Sally Go Round the Sun: again. I had the lights turned off in one section of the library and set up a glowstick sun/moon. We did the song and went around the sun/moon. Afterwards, each child was able to take home a glowstick.

Next week: Your well-earned Storytime Party! Plan to be here a little longer than a typical storytime for an extra game and snack!

Storytime Setlists Update

Sorry for the late postings! Below you will find the stories, songs, and felts we did at storytime on June 27, July 18, and July 25. (I was ill on July 11 so there is no posting for that day.) We had large attendance each day and even a larger amount of fun!

June 27: Night Sounds

Welcome Song: Hello, How are You by Dr. Jean

The Night is Singing by Jacqueline Davies

It's Sleeping Time Poem
Down comes the sun (arms in sun shape go down)
And up comes the moon. (raise back up)
It will be sleeping time soon. (rest head on hands)
Birds are quiet in their trees. (shhh motion)
Cows and horses rest on their knees. (go to knees)
Sleepy children are tucked into beds, (sleeping motion)
With goodnight kisses upon their heads. (blow kisses) We did this a few times.

The Bravest of the Brave by Shutta Crum











Three Little Smelly Skunks by Colleen & Uncle Squatty We used feltboard pieces.

Felt: Brown Skunk, Brown Skunk, What do You See? (felt pieces - different colored skunks) We did it a few times.

Goodbye Song: Twinkle Friends by Dr. Jean with scarves
Goodbye Song: The Other Day I Read a Book

July 18: Night Creatures

Welcome Song: Hello, How are You by Dr. Jean

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Song: ZZZ! ZZZZZZ! Snort Snort by Dr. Pam Schiller on Leaping Literacy - We used a drum  stick and rhythm stick to rub together to make the zzz zzz noise.

10 Flashing Fireflies by Philemon Sturges

I'm a Little Firefly poem
I'm a little firefly, (flap wings)
Look at me! (pretend eye glasses)
I'm as happy as I can be. (large smile)
See my light flicker and shine so bright! (flicker hands and fingers)
Now watch me fly into the night. (flap wings and "fly" around)

Home Sweet Cave by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann

Bats are Sleeping song
Bats are sleeping, (sleeping head)
Bats are sleeping,
Upside down (hang head "upside down)
Upside down.
Sleeping in the morning (sleeping head)
Waiting for night to come (jump and open wings)
To fly around (flap wings)
To fly around (fly around the room). We did this a few times.

Head, Thorax, Abdomen song by Johnette Downing on her CD Boogie Woogie Bugs

Goodbye Songs: Twinkle Friends by Dr Jean
and The Other Day I Read a Book






July 25: Solar System

Welcome Song: Hello, How are You? by Dr. Jean

Astronaut Piggy Wiggy by Christyan and Diane Fox

The Martian Hop on Joanie Bartels's CD Dancin' Magic - we danced and hopped around with maracas and egg shakers

I Want to be an Astronaut by Byron Barton

I'm a Little Astronaut
I'm a little astronaut
Going to the moon.
The rocket is ready,
We blast off soon.
I will climb aboard
And lock the latch.
Fire the rockets and off we blast! We did this a few times.

Countdown! by Kay Woodward and Ofra Amit

Sally Go Round the Sun
Sally go round the sun (walk in a circle in one direction)
Sally go round the moon (walk in the other direction)
Sally go round the chimney pots (twirl)
On a Sunday afternoon (sit down). We did this song faster and faster.

Sofia's Dream by Land Wilson

Twinkle Little Star with star stickers on our fingers
Twinkle, twinkle little stars,
Stand and twinkle where you are.
Twinkle high and twinkle low.
Twinkle fast and twinkle slow.
Twinkle, twinkle little stars.
Now sit and twinkle where you are. (We did this a number of times because it was so much fun.)

Goodbye songs: Twinkle Friends with Dr. Jean and The Other Day

Remember: Our storytime kiddos and families have read over 200 books, therefore earning their Star Readers Party! The party will be on August 8 at 930am. Expect a normal storytime for 1/2 an hour followed by a half hour of treasure hunting, a craft, and snack!

Next Week: Things that Go Bump in the Night - you an expect a great game to play!

Family Fun Night with The Golden Trunk Players

Many thanks to The Golden Trunk Players for their take on The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, and Jack & the Beanstalk. 

Did you miss their performance? They will be back on July 31 at 330pm! Don't miss that one!

Wands & Spaceperson Capes

The kiddos and I made wands, shooting stars, and capes this Tuesday. So much creativity and teamwork at this event! It was great fun! Thanks for coming over for this free event. 

Next week we will have guests from Beaver Creek for a program about butterflies. Stop by at 330pm next Tuesday! All ages are invited.

Decorating her wand.

Pause for an impromptu puppet show!

One of the completed wands.