Directions 1. Take the cloud finder outside and start identifying clouds! 2. Help your child cut out the four different types of clouds from the Cloud Finder worksheet. 3. Have your child decorate the finder with the provided stickers and cloud pictures.
Additional Suggestions Encourage your child to describe the clouds they see.
Waddle like a penguin. Stomp like a polar bear. Slide like a seal. Pounce like a snow leopard. Tiptoe like an arctic fox. Fly like a snowy owl. Swim like a narwhal. Trot like a reindeer. Crawl like a walrus. Slither like a winter snake. Bounce like an arctic hare. Scoot like a baby penguin on its belly. Leap like a caribou. Shake off snow like a husky. Source: The Early Childhood Academy
Calendar
What is the day of the week, month, season and weather.
ASL
We learned the ASL for penguin.
Concept (puppet)
Seal on the Iceberg I had a large white tray and seal puppet. I had the kids tell me if the seal was: Above, Behind, Between, Front, Next to, On Under, Near, Far
Weekly Rhyme
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.
Book
Clive Penguin by Huw Lewis-Jones
Book
Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera
Action Rhyme (Goldfish Crackers)
Got A Fishy Got a fishy! (wave goldfish cracker) Got a fishy! Got a fishy! First I lost it. (put it behind the back) Then I found it. (bring it to the front) Got a fishy. Got a fishy. Adapted from another rhyme that talked about loosing a feather.
Counting Activity
Polar Bear Feeding My plan was to hand an image with a polar bear’s mouth open. I would roll the dice, and have the kids feed that number of goldfish crackers to the polar bear.
Dance Song
Winter Freeze Dance by The Kiboomers
Cool Down Song
Alphabet Song; Count up to and down from 10
Goodbye Song
Skidamarink
The January craft is from this year. The other penguin craft is from a storytime that I did not upload.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar: What Can You Do Game?
Calendar
What is the weather and season?
ASL
We learned how to sign “penguin.”
Weekly Rhyme
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 langue. Add sign language the second time.
Book
Where’s the Polar Bear by Ingela Arrhenius
Book
Can I Sleep Here? Baby Penguin by Ella Bailey
Activity (goldfish crackers)
Penguin Cheer I like fishies, yes I do! (raise goldfish above head) When I want a fishy, here’s what I do! One, two, three…GULP (make goldfish swim and then eat it)
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble, Pop One little red fish swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water. One little red fish swimming in the water, bubble, bubble, bubble, pop.
Kids found a red goldfish cracker and made it swim. They would then make the fish do the bubble motion. Instead of pop, they popped the fish into their mouth and then made the pop sound. Repeat with different colors and number of fish.
Dance Song
Winter Freeze Dance by The Kiboomers
Cool Down
Alphabet; Count up to and down from 5
Goodbye Song
Skidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Music
Craft:
The January craft is for this year. The other penguin craft was from another Winter Animal storytime that I did not upload.
Summer or Winter? I wore a variety of different clothing items. I also had a red and blue bucket. For each item, the kids would tell me if it went in the winter or summer bucket.
Calendar
What is the day of the week, month, season and weather.
ASL
The kids learned how to sign COLD. We then used it throughout the storytime.
Snowflake Fact
I taught the kids that snowflakes do not drop straight down. They actually tumble, swirl, and drift. I then asked kids to show me how they would move as a snowflake.
We then talked about about how when snowflakes bump into each other, they stick together creating a bigger snowflake. They also move faster. We then slow and fast.
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 langue. Add sign language the second time.
Winter Rhyme
This is big, big, big: Winter Version This is big, big, big! This is small, small, small. This is cold, cold, cold. This is hot, hot, hot. This is snow, snow, snow. This is wind, wind, wind. This is stomp, stomp, stomp. This is fall, fall, fall. Source: Adapted from the original rhyme.
Book
Cold Turkey by Corey Rosen Schwartz
Group Activity
Parachute with Snowballs and Scarves I had the kids play do parachute play first. Their objective was to try and make the snowballs and scarves bounce. The second time I had the kids sit under the parachute while the adults shook the parachute.
I played the song Snowball Shenanigans by TirkTirik Kids
Action Rhyme
I’m an Icicle I’m a frozen icicle, Hanging in the sun. (stand straight) First I start to melt, Then I start to run. (sag body) Drip, drip, drip, drip. Melting can be fun! (slowly sink to the floor) Source: Fun for Two’s and Threes
Action Rhyme
I’m a Little Ice Cube Tune: I’m a Little Teapot I’m a little ice cube, Frosty and square. (outline shape with hands) I make things cold everywhere (shiver) If it gets too warm, I’d better watch out, (fan face with hand) Cause I will melt without a doubt! (slowly melt to floor) Source: King County Library System: Tell Me a Story:
We learned the sign language COLD. We then incorporated it throughout the storytime.
Weekly Rhyme
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 langue. Add sign language the second time.
Book
Hush Little Trucker by Kim Norman
Recognition Activity
Will it Fit? I had an adult mitten with a variety of items. I had the kids guess what items would fit in the mitten.
Activity (with Scarf)
Five Dancing Snowflakes Five dancing snowflakes swirling all around! (show five fingers) The first one said, “I’m upside down!” (bend over and wave scarf through legs) The second one said, “I can do a little wiggle!” (wiggle with scarf) The third one said, “That makes me giggle!” (cover mouth with scarf and giggle) The fourth one said, “Watch me twirl through the sky!” (Twirl in a circle with scarf) The fifth one said, “Time to wave bye-bye!” (wave goodbye with scarf) And the five little snowflakes floated on down (slowly wiggle scarf towards the ground) And landed with their friends all over town. (lay scarf flat) Source: Adapted movements from original rhyme in The Mailbox
Dance Song (with scarves)
Jiggle Your Scarf by Judi Cranston
Group Activity
Parachute with Snowballs and Scarves I had the kids play do parachute play first. Their objective was to try and make the snowballs and scarves bounce. The second time I had the kids sit under the parachute while the adults shook the parachute.
This past October I hosted a K-Pop Demon Hunter Party for my oldest child’s birthday. I tried to pull out elements from the movie that would have kid appeal. Some of these elements could be adapted for larger programs.
FOOD We did a rice bar for the lunch. Items we offered:
In addition to our main course, I wanted to offer additional snacks. I took inspiration from the movie and music for these snacks:
“So Hot” – Popcorn “Broken Glass” – Crushed jolly ranchers in white chocolate. I originally wanted to just offer the crushed jolly ranchers, but i was afraid of sharp points. Another alternative I thought of was creating jello and chopping it up to look like broken glass. If you use white chocolate. Make sure it is the meltable white chocoalte. “Takedown” Chips – Frito Lay’s Sweet & Spicy Honey Chips “Lullaby Knockout” – Teddy Grahams “Heart and Soul” – Graham Crackers with Double Chocolate Cheesecake Dip To make the dip: I used Jell-0’s No Bake Double Chocolate Cheesecake Dip. I mixed it with one container of cool whip and I package of cream cheese. I stirred together until well mixed.
ACTIVITIES
Our first activity was Hopeless Bracelets. I laid out the different beads and strings and just let the kids create bracelets and necklaces while everyone arrived. I had these beads and these beads.
Blades were our next activity. I wanted to make Zoey’s Shin-Kal blades. However, I wanted to make “safe”. I discovered that motel keychains have a very similar appearance to these blades. I gave each child three keychains. I also provided holographic stickers and washi tape. Once they finished decorating their blades, I gave them their tassel and keychain.
Spin Art
We did not have time to do this activity. I wanted to do spin art with vinyl, but CDs were more cost effective. I purchased a pour paint splash guard with a turnable wheel. To keep things simple, I purchased paint specific for pour painting. I picked an iridescent kit with the option of adding in paint that glowed in the dark.
PHOTO OPS
I set-up a golden backdrop and also had a “couch” available for the kids to take pictures on. The couch ended up being the biggest hit of the party. I originally wanted to have robes available as photo props, along with signs saying” COUCH, COUCH, COUCH!”, but I ran out of time.
PARTY FAVORS
I kept it simple. Each kid got a Baby Bottle Pop and a glowstick sword kit.
This 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. Original Creator: Melissa Depper, a children’s librarian in the Denver metro area
Peek-A-Choo-Choo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti I made this an interactive read by having the kids do different movements for each vehicle.
Weekly Rhyme
Clap, 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
ASL Song
This is a Choo Choo Train This is a choo-choo train, (bend arms at elbows) Puffing down the track. ( rotate forearms in rhythm) Now it’s going forward, (push arms forward) Now it’s going back. (pull arms back) Now the bell is ringing, (pull bell cord with closed fist) Now the whistle blows. (hold fist near mouth and blow) What a lot of noise it makes, (cover ears with hands) Everywhere it goes! (stretch out arms). Source: King County Library System
Matching Activity
Land, Air, Water Transportation Kids would tell me if the vehicle belongs in the water, air, or land.
Movement Activity
I had the kids move their bodies or hands to match the picture.
Dance Song
She’ll be Coming Around the Mountain by Rob Newhouse
Craft: I provided large construction sheets and a worksheet with train signs and a train. The goal was for the kids to create their own train tracks and move the train on it while learning what the different signs mean.
LIBRIONYIAN 