All-Ages: Monsters

Not all of our families braved the Arizona rain, but I certainly had fun with those who attended today! (28 kids in the first session, 43 in the second).

Letter of the Day:  Mm for monster

Animal Song with Puppets: "When Ghosts Wake Up in the Evening".  I found this awesome song just yesterday, downloaded it, sought out a ghost and witch,  and we grooved to it this morning. Listen here

Mr. Bear did his usual song and dance routine, but dressed like a pumpkin:

Books:
Monster, Monster by Melanie Walsh.  This is a super fun lift-the-flap book where the kids have to figure out who is in costumes and who is the real monster.

A Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Pacquette.  My 2 1/2 year old (now 3) loved and still loves this book. A ghost bumps into a mummy, momster, skeleton, witch, and finally the creepest createure of all - a little boy! 

As the creatures run away one by one, I tossed them over the flannel board for dramatics!  The monster is the tallest at about 14"

Flannel: 

Star Monster

A hunting we will go (pat rhythm on legs)
A hunting we will go
We'll catch a monster
And give her ___ start
And then we'll let her go

Repeat with all colors

 Music: "We Are Monsters" Listen here
We stomped, clapped, shook, sneaked, and roared like monsters while holding these small plush monsters.

 Fingerplays:

"I Saw a Ghost"
I saw a ghost (use this ASL sign for "ghost")
He saw me to (point to self)
I waved hello (wave)
But he said, "Boo!"

Baby Time: Monsters

Reminder:  I will be in NY for the next two Baby Time Sessions so there will not be storytimes until right before Halloween.  I had to get my monsters in today!

Here are some of the theme-specific activities we did today:

"Mr. Bear" sang his welcome song (dressed like a Jack o' Lantern)

 "The Star Monster"
A hunting we will go
A hunting we will go
We'll catch a monster
and give her a pink star
And then we'll let her go...

 "Five Green Goblins"

The Halloween version of "Five Little Monkeys" Listen here.  There is a 20 second interval at one point where there is just music and we take that opportunity to toss our babies in the air.

 Book:  Monster, Monster.  This is a really fun lift-the-flap book

 Uh oh!  We found the monster and he  likes to munch on books.

"Pumpkin, Pumpkin"
(movements)

Make pumpkin in front of your with arms
Tip over
Roll your hands
Hug baby (or through your arms up and say, "Trick or Treat!"

"I Saw a Ghost"

I saw a ghost (use this fun ASL sign for "ghost" )
He saw me too (point to self)
I waved at him (wave)
But he said, "Boo!" (gesture with hands)

Shakers:  We shook to Eric Litwin's "We are Monsters" Listen here

Family Storytime Halloween

We did our Halloween theme in the Family Storytime program last week because there will be no evening storytime this Thursday (Halloween evening).

Here are some fun pictures:

Miss Erica with Simone (Lion)

Me with Olive (Fox)

We are all feeling festive!

 

 

Shaking hands during our hello song

 High-fiving during our hello song

 

Roly Poly Beetle shares her favorite rhyme every week:

 

Singing "The Mice Go Marching" after watching the YouTube video of the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTBX37bg9eY

 

 

Here are the stuffed mice we use.  So much fun when the monster sneezes and they go flying everywhere!

 

Making "Witches' Brew"

 

This picture is extra special because my peeps are in the back row:  Our sweet friend Molly, my very own little guy Grayden, my lovable niece Elliott, and my twin sister.  They were great storytime attendees - let me tell you!

 

 

Checking out the magic afterwards

 

Families stayed to snack on Bat Juice, Witches' Brew ingredients, and popcorn that was popped right in front of our eyes.  We watched the projected version of Frank Asch's book Popcorn.

 

Watch here

 

Pre-K: Penultimate Monster / Halloween Storytime

This whole month has been filled with spiders, owls, pumpkins, and monsters.... next week is the big Halloween storytime ON Halloween.  I made the announcement for any parents that wish not to attend a Halloween-themed program.

39 kids
3 siblings
32 adults

Caregivers, thanks for dealing with the (organized) chaos today!  There were a lot of things to hand out and collect during storytime today and lots of exciting activities.

Kids took a Monsters Love Colors worksheet on the way in.

Books:
Plumply Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo.  Peter finds the perfect pumpkin so he and his dad can make a jack -o-lantern.

 

Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin.  Playful monsters combine their favorite colors - red, yellow, and blue - to make new colors.

 

Before reading the book, I handed out a bag of crayons to each child with the instructions to wait... 

 

As I read the book, the children colored their monsters accordingly:

 

Letter of the Day:  Pp for pumpkin

We then sounded out and spelled the word: Pumpkin

 

Flannel:  Star Monster
The kids all know their colors - this was more of a move-around, pat-your-knees, rhythm activity before setting in for Monsters Love Colors

Meet the Star Monster (not to be confused with The Alphabet Monster from last week)  ;-)

 

Movement Activity:  "The Mice Go Marching"

Oh, I love this song! We always watch the YouTube Video first.  Watch "The Mice Go Marching" here

Then each child gets a mouse (from IKEA) to act out the song while I play it again without the video:

I love when the monster sneezes and the mice go flying!!  I took this picture really fast and apparently missed the 60 mice that were in the air. How often do you get to throw mice around the library?

 

Fingerplay:

 

Watch the ASL sign for ghost here.

Baby Time: Some Halloween - ish stuff

Here's the plan for Baby Time tomorrow:

Mr. Bear is still wearing his pumpkin costume:

Book: If You're a Monster and You Know It by Ed Emberley: Monsters sing their own version of this popular song that encourages everyone to express their happiness through movement.

 

Animal Puppet Song:  "If I Was a Bird"

From the Wiggleworms Love You album:

 

Fingerplay/Rhymes:

I saw these rhymes on multiple sites - not sure whom credit originally belongs to...

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin sitting on a wall (bounce baby on lap)

Pumpkin, Pumpkin tip and fall (tip over)

Pumpkin, Pumpkin rolling down the street (roll hands)

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, you're so sweet! (hug!

 

I Saw a Ghost

 

I saw a ghost (ASL ghost)

He saw me too (point to self or baby)

I waved at him (wave)

But he said, "Boo!"

 

See sign for "ghost" here

 

Bouncing Song:  "Five Green Goblins"

From the Fisher Price Halloween album.  (This is the goblin version of "Five Little Monkey Jumping on the Bed") 

 

Prop Rhyme: Star Monster

 

A-hunting we will go

A-hunting we will go

We'll catch a monster

and give her a (color) star

And then we'll let her go!