10 Layer Birthday Cake

My signature puppet Olive turns 10 this month (I'm not so weird that I remember the EXACT day I purchased her LOL), but I decided to celebrate her "birthday" in storytime this week and did a birthday theme.  This is a Flannel Friday post, so I won't write out my whole storytime, but I will share that we LOVED I'm Invited to a Party by Mo Willems.  Yup, it's an Elephant and Piggie book.  Before I started reading, I divided the kids in half-ish and one side was Elephant and the other was Pig.  We practiced each side saying, "Party!" when I pointed to them.  So it sounded like this:

Elephant(s): "Party!"

Pig (s): "Party!"

Elephant(s): "Party!"

Pig (s): "Party!"

 But this post is really about a 10 layer birthday cake:

Here is the song: 10 Layer Birthday Cake 

I found it was better to start constructing the cake before it gets to that part in the song.  The kids will be memorized regardless. I did it twice and they sang along the second time perfectly!  But there is this dumb (oooohhh curse word in preschool vernacular) ending where the cake falls on the floor.  Just stop it before then!

My own delightful little girl loving her mom's stuff being at home!

P.S. I own an early literacy programming business now!  I'd be so happy and appreciative if  you would visit and like my Facebook page!!!  It would mean a lot to me to see your support!

https://www.facebook.com/TaraFoxandBear/
https://www.foxandbearelp.com/  (website with more info)

I'm going to start a book box aspect of my business... mailing out newly published books with flannels and interactives so I really appreciate followers!  Please share my page with your friends, if you don't mind. This is my passion!  I will NEVER make the money I did as a public service Librarian, but I accepted that fact when I started this business knowing I'd reach way more kids and caregivers this way (bringing literacy programming into childcare centers and homes).  Thank you!!!

It's an Orange Aardvark!

It's an Orange Aardvark! by Michael Hall

Michael Hall has so many flannel-ing worthy books and I finally buckled down and made one.  I consider this book to be more of an early elementary school book.... but my 5 year old was tickled orange to read it with me so maybe Pre-K to 2nd?

Summary from Amazon:

Five carpenter ants at home in their tree stump hear a noise. What is it? One ant thinks it is a hungry aardvark lurking outside the stump, just waiting to eat them. One ant makes a hole in the stump to see. Orange light floods the stump—it's not an aardvark, proclaims the ant chorus. It's orange! So what is lurking outside the stump? This very funny picture book features die-cut holes on almost every page, suspenseful page turns, a wonderful surprise ending, and an introduction to a rainbow of colors.

 You are looking at the tree stump from the inside where the ants are:

As each new hole is drilled, a new color of light shines in:

More true-to-life camera lighting:

Pssst... you shouldn't leave your flannel pieces bunched up in your storytime travel box and then forget about them if you don't want it wrinkled.  Just a tip. 🙂

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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).

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