Children's Area Updates

Do you know the stories behind our former murals in the children's area? The Friends of Fall Creek Public Library came up with the idea for the paintings about 10 years ago. Working with a foreign exchange student and school staff, Clifford was painted.

Clifford the Big Red Dog, painted by a foreign exchange student 10 years ago

Michelle Kuehn and Karen Strasburg worked together to paint the caterpillars.

Warm Up to Books, painted by Michelle & Karen 10 years ago

But now it is time to say a loving goodbye and thanks for the long run to both Clifford and the caterpillars. Fall Creek Public Library strives to not just update our Library's materials and programming. We are also working towards a more usable space for staff, volunteers, and most importantly our patrons.

In place of Clifford, you will now see a blanker wall. With help from Michael Turner (Jenna's husband), the wall now boasts a clean color complete with a white board. The wall is usable for rotating displays, artwork done in the library by youth, and is white enough for us to project movies onto for your viewing entertainment. For a list of this summer's family movies, visit our website.

Throughout the summer, we will be replacing the caterpillars with another clean wall with bulletin board strips in order to display signs, program announcements, and neat things children have done in the Library.

We give our heartfelt thanks to all former and current volunteers who have appreciated our Library and have given their time, energy, and passion to maintaining a thoughtful and well-kept physical and emotional environments.

We could not do it without you.

Getting the primer on

First coat of primer!

First coat of eggshell white - Thanks, Mike!

Mike working hard and not getting paint anywhere except the walls!

Finished product: white wall with whiteboard paint

Current Display: Wall of Fame - bring in those comics you made and we will display them here!

Jenna's hero: her Grandma Mary Gilles

Jenna also (finally) finished painting the Young Adult Area sign!

Being Brave AND Feelings

Being Brave Storytime (from a while ago... oopsie)

For this storytime, we borrowed the Being Brave kit from IFLS.

We had our good morning song.

Book: When Lions Roar by Robie H Harris

Felt: Rhyming Dust Bunnies (see picture below)

Book: My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

Book: Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Song: Squirrel, Squirrel (we sang this song at the Girl Scout Camp I went to and worked at - always a favorite) which we sang about 3 times.

Squirrel, squirrel shake your bushy tail.
Squirrel, squirrel shake your bushy tail.
Wrinkle up your nose and crinkle up your toes.
Squirrel, squirrel shake your bushy tail.

Book: Ol' Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein

Goodbye Songs and Bubbles

For Playgroup, I had a balancing obstacle course set up, set out the dust bunnies, and we also made shoebox paintings with rocks, paint, paper, and a shoebox.

Feelings Storytime

A kit from IFLS was borrowed this week, as well.

Good morning song

Book: Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

Felt: Go Away, Big Green Monster - each child brought up part of the face when it was their turn

Puppet: I told David Ezra Stein's story, Pouch, using the puppets.

Game: Pass the Face 

We sat in a circle semi-circle. I showed a silly face to the child next to me. They copied me and passed the face on to the next person, continuing around the circle down the line. They quite enjoyed this game!

 Song: Old MacDonald Had Some Feelings -
Instead of singing about the animals, we sang about his feelings. I completely stole this idea from Jill Patchin at LE Phillips Memorial Public Library and used their wheel die cut machine. (Thanks, Jill!)



















We ran out of time for Drum Dream Girl, which I kinda expected but had it there anyway.

Goodbye Song and Bubbles

For playgroup, I had playdoh, our mini "post office," the kangaroo puppets, and the big green monster puppet set out.

Next week: Woodland Creatures!

April 29 is our final spring 2015 storytime. Storytime will resume in June. Don't stay away, though! Playgroup will continue through the month of May at 10am. I will continue to have on your own and lightly guided activities for your families to explore.

Mice Are Nice Storytime - April 1

No April Fools today... just some cute little mice.

Good Morning Song

Book: I Miss You Mouse by Greg Foley













Felt/Fingerplay: 10 Little Mice











Book: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

Song: The Old Gray Cat (from Very Ready Reading Program manual)
The old gray cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.
The old gray cat is sleeping in the house.
The little mice are creeping, creeping, creeping.
The little mice are creeping through the house.
The old gray cat is waking, waking, waking.
The old gray cat is waking in the house.
The old gray cat is chasing, chasing, chasing.
The old gray cat is chasing through the house.
All the mice are squealing, squealing, squealing.
All the mice are squealing through the house.

Felt story: Adapted from Little Mouse's Big Secret - I handed out the animals (except the mouse) and then I told the story. The children quickly caught on to "It's my secret and I'll never tell."








Book: Mouse Paint

Song: 3 White Mice (also from Very Ready Reading Program Manual)
(tune of 3 Blind Mice)
3 white mice, 3 white mic,
See how they dance, see how they dance.
They danced around for the farmer's wife.
Who played for them on a silver fife,
Did you ever see such a sight in your life
As 3 white mice?

Goodbye Songs and Bubbles.

For storytime, I left Little Mouse's Big Secret out. We also did chalk+water drawing. I also made felt play of Mouse Count - 10 mice, a snake, and a cup as props that they could play with and tell the story with their caregivers.

 Next Week: Feelings!

Birds Storytime - March 11

Thanks to Indianhead Federated Library System for the use of the birds kit.

Welcome Song - we used some shakers, also borrowed from IFLS. Instead of placing our hands on different parts of our body, we shook the instruments near them.











Book: 5 Little Ducks by Raffi












Puppets: 3 Little Birds - I used the adorable and soft nest & bird puppet. The poem/fingerplay is my own creation.

Movement: I'm a Duck - we practiced the actions then sang the song a few times.

Book: Henny Penny by Jane Wattenberg

Movement: This is the Way. . . I turned it into a sort of "Workin On the Railroad" type of song.

Book: Shhh! We have a Plan by Chris Haughton

Poem: Birdseed by Brod Bagert

Goodbye Song & Bubbles










For playgroup, we made birds by spreading paint around with a fork. SUPER CUTE. I saw the idea here. They did the painting and google eyes here and I told them they could create more details at home, like a beak or feet or a nest.

I also set out some tile letters, the birds & next puppets, and the finger mitt for 5 Little Ducks.

Next Week: Barnyard Tales!

Black & White Storytime - March 4, 2015

I still have the sign-in board up. Children are completing the X, which helps them practice crossing the midline.
Good Morning Song

Book: Darkness Slipped In by Ella Burfoot

Song with egg shakers: Shaker Song by Debbie Doo Wop and Dynamite Dan

Book: Round Trip by Ann Jonas

Song: Scarves on Your Laps by Johnette Downing

Book: The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt

Book: Black Meets White by Justine Fontes


Goodbye songs & Bubbles

During Playgroup, I had puppets made up. These were simple animal figures (yay for dye cuts!) glued to a popsicle stick. I set up our projector screen for a shadow puppet show! Each child could take home 2 of the puppets to play with at home. (Please excuse my messy "office." We lack space and my stuff has to go somewhere for easy use.)

I also had various objects out for crayon rubbings. I set out the book The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin for children to explore.

Next Week: Birds!

Dogs Storytime

Due to time constraints, no photos today. My apologies.

I again borrowed a kit from IFLS. The BINGO mitt and dogs puppets are in it, along with many other items we did not have time to use.

Welcome Song (YAY! We were able to hear and sing along with my computer. Thank you, again, families for your patience as I searched for my extension cord.)

Book: Time for Bed, Fred by Yasmeen Ismail

Fingerplay: BINGO on hand mitt, which was available for kids to play with during Playgroup

Book: Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

Movement Activity: Let's learn dog tricks! I used the die cut machine at LE Phillips Library to cut out dog shapes. On each dog, I wrote a different dog trick. The kids took turns drawing a dog from the bucket and we all practiced that trick. Examples: lay down, play dead, sit, shake, beg, bark, howl, roll over....

Book: Oh My Gosh, Mrs. McNosh

Goodbye songs and Bubbles

During playgroup, the mitt and dog puppets were available. The Pizza Parlor, Jack & the Beanstalk activity, and dollhouse have been incredibly popular so I did not get any other new activities out for today.

Next time: Black & White Storytime! Come play shadow puppets during Playgroup!

Zoo Storytime February 18

Had the whiteboard again - make a line and count how many people are here.

-Welcome Song
-Book: An Octopus Followed Me Home by Dan Yaccarino

-Parachute games and activities - We played popcorn with fingerpuppet animals. Then we sang this song:
In the jungle there's a monkey
Dancing to this groovy beat
All he wants is ripe bananas
All he wants is mango treats
So jump out
And jump in.
 We repeated it multiple times.





Book: Monkey & Me by Emily Gravett

Activity: Mimicking - I discussed this word and then we played Monkey See, Monkey Do. They copied random action I did.

-Song: Five Little Elephants Jumping On the Bed - I passed out our elephant puppet heads. You stick your arm in the hole to be the trunk. I mixed up the song so the elephants jumped, danced, swayed, stomped, etc on the bed.










Goodbye Song and Bubbles.

For Playgroup, I set out Pentominoes, the animal fingerpuppets, the big book Who Is the Beast?, and of course all the usual stuff that is always set out, including some new stuff!

 

Next Week: Dogs!