The Very Impatient Caterpillar (Flannel to Share / Sell)

The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach

New book I found. It’s hilarious and covers great concepts like patience, metamorphosis, and migration. 

This was probably one of my favorite flannels to make and I really love how it turned out. I only made the one set, but I am happy to make more for sale. I’ll even throw in a copy of the book.  The flannels are much more vibrant than they appear on the screen.  Phone camera... you know!

Email me at tara@foxandbearelp.com if interested!  You can also comment here, but I check my business email more often.

*(It uses all correct terminology like chrysalis and migration.  I posted a video of myself using the word "cocoon").  

Amazon link

My son is kind of goofy in the video, but you can see that the CHRYSALISES have two pouches with a divider in the middle so that the butterflies go in the back and the caterpillars go in to the front and then the butterfly emerges.

Check out my business facebook page for the actual video that works and for other ideas.

Fox & Bear Early Literacy Programming Facebook

Colorful Ghosts (Flannel)

Color-changing Ghosts Flannel 

(aka “The Chocolate Chip Ghost”) 

***For SALE!!***

The chocolate chip ghost is a well-known story/book. The premise is that ghosts are white, but when they get curious/adventurous and try other foods they turn different colors. Watch my videos or google to see how others use this flannel.

I play this as an interactive game with my own kids where they touch the pieces and pictures (can be done with small storytime groups as a game as well) and I use it on the flannel board in front of larger groups. 

Video: Game Version

Video: Storytime Version

***I made extra sets to sell.*** The set will come with 9 standard/solid color ghosts and    1 “surprise” ghost. Your Surprise Ghost can be anything you want your white ghost to eat. For example: ice cream cone, cheese, chocolate chip cookies, watermelon, etc. The set will also include laminated pictures to match with the ghosts.

Ghosts are 8inches tall.

Email me at tara@foxandbearelp.com 

for purchase

Thanks for your support!! 👻🍉🍫🍎🍦🍪🧀🍌👻

Follow me on:
Facebook   @TaraFoxandBear
Website

Drumming with the Animals

Drumming with the Animals

If you know me, you know I love finding songs that I can use with my puppets!  This weekend I found a song by Kimmy Schwimmy called "Drumming with the Animals" that I'm crazy about!  The animal part moves a little faster than I could use puppets for, so I made flannel pieces instead.  You can purchase the song from Amazon for 99 cents or play it from YouTube.  Watch my video below so you can see why I love this song so much!

It's fantastic for using rhythm sticks with (which is why I double love it!).... but if you don't have rhythm sticks / dowels, you can just use your hands for drumming, clapping, etc.

I made a couple extra sets that are for sale.  These pieces took a lot of time to make, so I figured I'd make a couple extra sets for those who want them.  It also ties in perfectly with the SRP slogan: Libraries Rock.  I hadn't considered that when I made the flannel pieces....it's a song I'll use year round.  And of course the flannel pieces can be used in many other ways and not only this song!

Here is how I use this song:  My video

If you are interested in buying a set, comment below or email me at tara@foxandbearelp.com

Check out my website: Fox & Bear Early Literacy Programming

Check out my Facebook Page: Fox & Bear Early Literacy Programming Facebook

Mouse's First Spring

Mouse's First Spring by Lauren Thompson

I both want to share my flannel and sell additional sets. This is a perfect book for spring which is right around the corner! Info below after post. 🌼

Summary: One bright day, Mouse and Momma go out to play. The wind blows something feathery and plump (a bird), something wiggly and pink (a worm), and something green that hops and leaps (a frog).  But before it's time to go back inside, Mouse finds something with petals that's soft and new.... the prettiest flower he's ever see!  Could it mean that spring is finally here?

The mouse is about 16 inches ear to toe

Frog flannel piece

Snail flannel piece

Worm flannel piece

This set accompanies (and is being sold WITH) Mouse's First Spring by Lauren Thompson.  You can see the board book version here, but I'm selling the set with the hardcover.

This is my set for personal use and I have additional sets just like it.  If you would like a set and want something a little different, I can customize (ex. you might want a full flower with all the petals or the petals to be light blue... I can work with stuff like that!).  Order asap as this set takes a bit of time to make.

For purchase, email at tara@foxandbearelp.com or comment below.  I appreciate your business! 🌷

$56.00 (includes shipping within the US with tracking number AND hardcover book format.
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Just because I love these guys....

Now that Chicken Big can read, he and Chicken Little love to do their own storytimes with my materials.  He usually reads to her and she does the props. 🐔🐤

Love Monster and the Last Chocolate (Valentine's Day)

Love Monster and the Last Chocolate by Rachel Bright

I both want to share my flannel and sell additional sets.  This book / flannel is perfect for Valentine's Day! Info below after blog post. 💗

Summary: (From B&N) When Love Monster comes home from vacation, he discovers a box of chocolates on his doorstep. He knows he should share it with his friends, but what if there's none left for him after everyone has a piece? What if they take his favorite-the double chocolate strawberry swirl? And even worse-what if the only piece left is the coffee-flavored one? Ick! In the end, Love Monster learns that sharing with friends is the sweetest treat of all.

Flannel colors are quite bright.... I can't tell if maybe they just look dull on this computer...? ☹

He comes with a felt “box” of chocolates and his favorite chocolate inside (removable with Velcro).

This love monster was made with lots of love just in time for Valentine’s Day! He accompanies (and is being sold with) the much-adored book Love Monster and the Last Chocolate by Rachel Bright.

He comes with a felt “box” of chocolates and his favorite chocolate inside (removable with Velcro).

For purchase, email me at tara@foxandbearelp.com  or comment below. I appreciate your business! ❤️

$38.00 + shipping

Love Monster and the Last Chocolate book info

Check out more Flannel Friday info here

Add to this week's round up http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/?p=6275

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes by James Dean

A Pete the Cat book I can get on board with again.  There are no blue shoes or groovy sunglasses, but I found this book on a Valentine's display at Barnes & Noble and thought it was the perfect book to mix up my Valentine's theme.

I used this set in my Valentine's theme this past February and the kids loved it!  I shared this book with my son's Kinder class and they were especially excited when Pete the Cat asked me to bring these cupcake erasers to them (randomly found them in the party isle at Walmart).

Learn more about how to browse old round ups and how to get involved with Flannel Friday by checking out the blog

Dinosaur Flannel -Flannel Friday

Knock, knock, knocking on my door (knock on flannel board as kids knock on floor)
In walks a size color dinosaur

(Ex. In walks a little purple dinosaur)

This flannel was really simple, but the kids loved it!  It made them stop and think for a second too because they were eager to shout out the color, but had to stop and also think about the size.

Flying Super Heroes: Flannel Friday

You may have seen this already as you searched for super hero ideas, but since it wasn't pinned in the Flannel Friday Super Hero board I will share it with you.

I turned a bunch of inexpensive t-shirts into capes so the kids could pose like they are flying.

Super Grayden is my little guy:

Miss Mollie is hosting Flannel Friday this week so submit your posts here: Storytime with Miss Mollie

Learn more about Flannel Friday here: Facebook or Blog and Pinterest

Pumpkins: All-Ages Storytime

This is the first time I did a pumpkin theme and it was so much fun!

Animal Song with Puppets: "Mr. Duck"

Mr. Mrs. Bear was not able to come to storytime today so his gal pal Mrs. Bear came to sing hello to us.  She is dressed as Elsa to remind you that Anna and Elsa are coming for Caroling in the Library on Dec 4th.  See our online calendar here.

 Books: 

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills.  Duck and Goose look everywhere for a pumpkin and finally finds one at the pumpkin patch.

I read the large board book copy which was plenty big, especially with the large illustrations, even in our enormous storytime room.  It was super interactive because the kids got to answer, "No," each time Duck or Goose asked if the pumpkin was somewhere.

The Ugly Bumpy Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz.  This book is downright mean.  It's actually called "The Ugly Pumpkin" and the characters are pretty cruel to the "pumpkin".  I pretty much skip the whole middle of the book... but I love the end!

Prop Song: "Pumpkin Vine".    Basically the song leads us through using our imaginations to grow a pumpkin and I pull out the vine, big leaves, yellow flowers, red bug, and finally a pumpkin as they grow/appear in the song.
Listen here

Watch me in action (I have no idea why it's so insanely fast, but I actually like that it all plays out in like 5 seconds and then you can listen to the song at the link above):

Activity: Bibbity Boppity Boo
I used this rhyming game as a way to get the kids settled and holding autumn, sparkly, foam leaves for the Magic Cauldron activity (see next activity below).

Bibbity Boppity Boo a leaf is on my shoe
Bibbity Boppity Bed a leaf is on my head
Bibbity Boppity Bee a leaf is on my knee... etc...

Activity: Magic Autumn Cauldron
There is a squash (or pumpkin if you have the forethought to buy one in October) hidden in cauldren under a black plastic bag.

I tell the kids I am going to put item in my cauldron that make me think of fall.  I have a black trash bag because that's what we used to rake leaves into when I lived in NY and I add the apple, leaves, scarecrow, and jacket and then use my magic wand to say, "Hocus Pocus, "Bibbity Boppity Boo," and, "Abra Cadabra."  Sadly nothing magical happens.

Ahhhh!  We need magic leaves.  We practice holding up the color leaf we have and the kids bring their leaves up to put in the cauldron by color groups so they don't all run up at once.  It's not perfect, but it works.

Once all the leaves are in the cauldron, we say the magic words again and I magically pull something out of the cauldron I didn't put in.  Real magic there, folks.

 Fingerplay: