Jurassic Trail

Our summer reading kick-off was an after-hours library party! We took over the whole library and provided multiple stations and activities for families.

Decorations: We spent the week decorating. We have learned that breaking it up by chunks helps save our sanity.

Our first task was the ceiling. We purchased dinosaur pictures and swirls to hang among our year-round stars. To help create dimension, I created asteroids.

We took inspiration from Jurassic World and had dinosaurs hiding around the children’s area.

For the library’s entrance, we placed our inflatable dinosaurs. We found out too late that one of the dinosaurs was a balloon. We placed it on a ledge to prevent patron interaction. Finally, we placed dinosaur prints all over the entrance to appear as if the dinosaurs had run into the library.

We had a variety of activities:

Station 1: Large Meeting Room

Dinosaur movie: Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs.

Jurassic Snack: Prehistoric Popcorn


Photo Booth


Glitter Tattoos

Craft: Dinosaur Fossils

Station 2: Children’s Department

Scavenger Hunt

Choose your dinosaur

Dinosaur Craft: Triceratops


Dinosaur Egg Hunt


Photo Op: Dino Sam
Kids had the opportunity to take a picture with Dino Sam at set hours. I was unable to snag a picture.

Station 3: Adult Department

Safari Hats

Craft: 3-D Dinosaurs


Dinosaur Bracelets


Amber Stone


Dinosaur Eggs

Balloon Twisting

DJ
We had a DJ blasting music for the entire program. They had ribbon sticks for the kids to use.

Station 4: Patio

Swamp Bubbles!

Preschool Pretend and Play: Lambs and Sheep

OpeningWelcome by Miss Carole
Vocal ActivityI Baa, You Baa
I was going to have the kids copy how I made the baa sound. However, we identified what a baby sheep, baby goats, and baby llamas are called. We also worked on their sounds.
CalendarWhat is the day of the week, month, season and weather.
ASLLearn sheep in ASL.
Interactive BookThe Sheep Needs Your Help! (A Draw & Erase Adventure) by David LaRochelle
 This Is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is short, short, short.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes.
This is no, no, no.  
This is up, up, up.
This is down, down, down.
This is square, square, square.
This is round, round, round.
This is left, left, left.
This is right, right, right
This is a great big hug and a kiss goodnight.  
Sing it once without sign language. Add sign language the second time.
Source:
Identification RhymeNaming the Baby
Tune: The Muffin Man
What do we call a baby sheep,
A baby sheep,
a baby sheep?
What do we call a baby sheep?
It’s called a lamb!
Source: Sing a Song of Seasons by The Mailbox
Book 
Gross Motor ActivitySheep Lacing

I handed out this template with a piece of yarn and a Q-tip. The adults tied the yarn on to the Q-tip. The kids then laced their sheep. I played Lenny Pearce’s Baa Baa Black Sheep while caregivers work with their kids.
Counting ActivityI’ve Lost My Sheep
I hung up six different colored sheep around the room (even on the ceiling)! I would name a certain color and the kids had to tell me where it was.
Dance SongKid’s Preschool Nursery Rhymes Song Dubstep Techno by DJ Vyral
Cool Down SongAlphabet Song; Count to 12
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft: Out Like a Lamb

Tales for Two: Lambs & Sheep

OpeningHello Everybody, Yes Indeed by Miss Carole
Warm-Up ActivityThe Very Hungry Caterpillar: What Can You Do Game?
CalendarWhat is the weather and season?
ASLWe learned the sign for sheep.
Weekly RhymeThis is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is short, short, short.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes.
This is no, no, no.  
This is up, up, up.
This is down, down, down.
This is square, square, square.
This is round, round, round.
This is left, left, left.
This is right, right, right.  
This is a great big hug and a kiss goodnight.
Sing it once without sign langue. Add sign language the second time.
Book Never Touch the Lazy Lambs by Cara Jenkins
Vocal RecognitionWhat animal am I?
I made different animal sounds and had the kids tell me if it was a lamb or a different animal.
Gross Motor SkillsFind the Sheep Worksheet
I adapted a Canva sheet for this project. There were several different farm animals, but the kids had to find all the sheep.
Fine Motor SkillsI’ve Lost My Sheep!
I hung up six different colored sheep around the room (even on the ceiling)! I would name a certain color and the kids had to tell me where it was.
Activity (with Scarf)Winds and Breezes
I handed out scarves (could use streamers) and kids demonstrate strong lion winds and soft lamb breezes.
Dance SongBa Ba Black Sheep by Lenny Pearce
Cool DownAlphabet; Count to 10
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft: Out Like a Lamb

MakerSquare: Tea Light Planets

Description: Create a mini tea light planet!
Warning: Paint may stain clothing and furniture.

Supplies:
* Tealight Candles
* Ping Pong Ball
* Paint
* Bowl
* Popsicle Stick

Directions:
1. Gently drizzle paint around the provided bowl.
2. Place the ping pong ball in the paint and roll it around until fully coated.
3. Allow the ping pong ball to dry completely.
4. Once dry, identify the hole in the ball and carefully place it on the tealight candle.
5. Turn on the tealight to illuminate your painted planet.

Interactive Movie: Trolls Band Together

Throughout the Movie:

Whenever this happens…Do this!
A Troll Boy Band Sings.Dance.
You know the words to a song.Sing along.
Someone gets their hair done.Put on a hair tie.
A troll uses a sticky hand.Play with your sticky hand.
Velvet and Veneer steal troll magic.Cluck your tongue.
Tiny Diamond takes out his pacifier.Suck your ring pop.


Follow Along with the Movie:

When this happens…Do this!
Floyd give Branch his vest.Give someone your green leaf.
John Dory interrupts the wedding.Yell “STOP THE WEDDING”!
Tiny Diamond shows his learner’s permit.Make “beep, beep” sounds.
Spruce and Brandy talk about pink eye.Put on your eye patch.
Crimp is working and singing.Sing “9 to 5”.
The trolls say Burger or Bergen.Yell or Scream.
Poppy learns that Viva is her sister.Put on your flower sticker.
Floyd tries to escape.Spin and run in place.
Gristle and Bridget are being fed to the clown.Chant “Bergen, Bergen”.
Velvet and Veneer meet their fans.Pose with a friend.
Tiny Diamond complains about the blinker.Turn your flashlight on and off.
When BroZone does the arm wave.Do the arm wave with a friend.

Sensory Sprouts: Wheelie Paint


Description: Create your own art piece using paint and a toy car.
Warning: Acrylic paint may stain clothing and furniture. This is a messy activity.


Supplies:
Paper
Paint
Toy Car


Directions:

1. Pour paint in a container large enough for the toy car to fit in.

2. Dip the toy car’s wheels into the paint.

3. Place the car on the paper and push the car across paper.

4. Try different rolling techniques with the car for different paint strokes.

5. Let the paper air dry.

Suggestions:

*Place the paper and the car with paint in a container and tip the container from side-to-side for an uncontrolled wheel session.

*Add another color of paint to add another layer of color.

*Place a small dab of paint on the paper and try to have the car roll through it.

Preschool Pretend & Play: Flamingos

Opening SongWelcome by Carole Peterson
CalendarWe reviewed the date, day, month, season, and weather.
Animal Facts and Yoga PoseFlamingo Facts
ASL & Yoga PoseFlamingo & Flamingo Pose
Book 
Silly RhymeThe Flamingo Rhyme
Tune: Are You Sleeping
Flamingos flapping, flamingos flapping,
Big pink wings, big pink wings.
Flying through the sky, flying through the sky.
Time to land! Time to land!  

Flamingos standing, flamingos standing,
On one foot, one one foot,
Sleeping while they’re standing, sleeping while they’re standing,
Time to wake! Time to Wake!
Source: S.J. Little
Book 
Number RecognitionFlamingo Legs
Place the Flamingo up on the board and build the flamingo’s legs based off the number on its wing. If time, have the kids tell you to go from shortest to tallest.
SequencingLifecyle of a Flamingo
Have the kids help you create the life cycle of a flamingo.
ActivityFlamingo Bingo (Letters or Numbers)
I handed out bingo sheets and dot markers. Once a kid has a bingo, kids would stand up on one leg and squawk until all the kids were standing.

I created my own bingo cards.
Dance SongDomingo Flamingo by Laura Doherty
Dance SongFlamingo Flamenco by London Rhymes
Cool DownWe melt all the way down to floor and did our alphabet and counting.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft:

Tales for Twos: Flamingos

Opening SongHello Hello! By Super Simple Songs
CalendarWe reviewed the month, weather, and season.
ASL & Yoga PoseFlamingo & Flamingo Pose
Animal RecognitionFlamingo Facts
Weekly RhymeThis is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is short, short, short.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes.
This is no, no. no.          

Sing two times. Second time add in ASL for yes and no.
Book Flamingo: A Playful Book of Counting! by Patricia Hegarty
Weekly RhymeClap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap your hands with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet
Number RhymeFive Pink Flamingos
Five pink flamingos standing in a row,
Dancing around and putting on a show.
They danced to the left, they dance to the right,
Then one pink flaming flew out sight!
Source: Maria Clara’s Corner
RhymeWhat’s in the Egg?
What’s in the pink egg, the pink egg, the pink egg?
What’s in the pink egg?
I don’t know….let’s find out!
(open the egg and remove the animal)
Raise your hand if you know if this animal hatches out of an egg.
Source: King County Tell Me A Story
ActivityFlamingo Bingo (colors and shapes)
I handed out bingo sheets and dot markers. Once a kid has a bingo, kids would stand up on one leg and squawk until all the kids were standing.

I created my own bingo cards.

Dance SongLet’s Get Crazy Action Song by The Kiboomers
Dance SongWags the Dog, He likes to Tango by The Wiggles & Lenny Pearce
Cool DownWe melt all the way down to floor and did our alphabet and counting.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft:

MakerSquare: Moving Sand Picture


Description: Create an ever-changing picture.

Supplies:

Paper Picture Frame
Plastic Sleeve
Sand
Salt
Glue Dots
Tape (not provided)

Directions:

  1. Open the plastic sleeve and pour in half of the sand. Then, add the salt, followed by the remaining sand.
  2. Seal the sleeve closed.
  3. Remove the plastic backing from the glue dot strip, leaving the glue dots in place.
  4. Align the plastic sleeve within the picture frame and secure it to the frame using the glove dots.
  5. If desired, use tape to secure the other side of the sleeve to the frame.
  6. Move your picture frame around and watch the image change.

Rhyming to Read: Jack and Jill (Gross Motor Version)

Introduction SongWelcome by Carole Peterson
RhymeJack and Jill
Jack and Jill Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Activity ChangeJack and Jill Body Movement
Recite the poem but change how the Jack and Jill went up the hill.
Skipped, Ran, Danced, Tip-Toed
Letter IdentificationLetter J
Do letter recognition. Point out that Jack and Jill start with J. Point out that J looks like spoon holding some jam.
Have kids try to make the letter J with their body.
Teach jumping and jumping jacks because they start with J.
Body IdentificationJack and Jill Got a Boo-Boo
Hand out worksheet with stickers.
Name a body part and have the kids place a sticker on where that boo-boo is located.
Gross Motor ActivityJack and Jill Obstacle Course
Scatter bean bags on the floor and set-up a balance beam. Have kids walk around picking up bean bags to place in a pail. Encourage older kids to walk the balance beam with their bean bag.
Dance SongI’m Jumping on a Trampoline by Parry Gripp
Jump Up! By Imagination Movers
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft: Jack and Jill Water Droplets:

We provided a tiny bit of concentrated watercolor solution and a dropper for kids to take home. We challenged families to create droplets in different sizes.