American Girl: Nanea (October 2017)

American Girl Nanea was a super simple program but so fun to do!

I did my typical opening. I talked about where Nanea lived (Hawaii) and two popular items in Hawaiian culture. The first one was Mochiko. I talked about the cake’s origins and bit about how it is made. I then had everyone split into two groups, as we were going to make our own Mochiko.

I had everything laid out on the tables.

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Then every child helped with making the cake.

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This was the most time-consuming portion. This ate up almost the entire first hour. After I had everyone’s pans, I was able to put them in the oven.

While we waited for the mochiko to bake, we made leis. I talked about the history and etiquette of the lei. I then guided the kids into making their own lei. This were the instructions I used.

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By the time everyone was done with their leis, our cake was ready!

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Family Pajama Rama: Mice

Introduction	Come Along Come along and sing with me, Sing with me, sing with me Come along and sing with me It’s time for storytime!Come along and bounce with me…. Come along and sit with me…. Come along and clap with me…. Come along and stretch with me…. Come along and sing with me….Source: My coworker provided the rhyme for this storytime. Unknown original source.
Big Book	The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear
Nursery Rhyme	Hickory Dickory Dock Hickory Dickory Dock, (crouch down) The mouse ran up the clock. (jump up) The clock struck one, (clap hands above head) The mouse ran down! (crouch down) Hickory Dickory Dock.
Book	Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo and Flo
Stretch/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 Source: Mel’s Desk Clap Clap Your Hands Clap, clap, clap your hands Clap them now with me Clap your hands, let me see Clap your hands with me Additional Verses Beep, beep, beep your nose Touch, touch, touch your shoulders Tap, tap, tap your knees Shake, shake, shake your feet
Traditional Rhyme	Where are the baby mice? Where are the baby mice? (make a fist, hide behind back) “Squeak, squeak, squeak!” I cannot see them, Peek, peek, peek, (act like your looking) Here they come out of their hole in the wall. (show fist and extend it) One, two, three, four, five, (show one finger at a time) That’s all!Source: The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems,Fingerplay and Chants
Action Song	Slowly, Slowly, Very Slowly Slowly, slowly, very slowly (walk slowly or walk fingers/pump legs) Creeps the garden snail. Slowly, slowly, very slowly Up the wooden rail Quickly, quickly, very quickly (walk fast or fingers fast/pump legs) Runs the little mouse. Quickly, quickly, very quickly Round about the house.Source: The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems,Fingerplay and Chants
Action Rhyme	Little Mouse Walk little mouse, walk little mouse (tiptoe around) Hide little mouse, hide little mouse (cover eyes with hands) Here comes the cat! (look around) Run little mouse, run little mouse!Source: The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems,Fingerplay and Chants
Dance Song	Walking, Walking
Dance Song	I forgot what song I used. 😦
Traditional Song	ABC
Goodbye Song	This is the Way We Say Goodbye This is the way our hands say goodbye With a clap, clap-clap Clap, clap-clap This is the way our hands say good-bye With a clap, clap-clap, clap-clap This is the way our knees say goodbye With a tap, tap-tap Tap, tap-tap This is the way our knees say goodbye With a tap, tap-tap, tap-tap This is the way we wave goodbye Wave goodbye, wave goodbye This is the way we wave goodbye Goodbye until next time Source: My coworker provided the rhyme for this storytime. Unknown original source.

Craft: Unfortunately, I cannot remember for the life of me if I found this craft online or made it up. I scoured the internet, so I think it might have been my own creation.

Rhyming to Read: Little Bo Peep and I Asked My Mother

Little Bo Peep

Introduction of Rhyme	Little Bo Peep Little Bo peep has lost her sheep And doesn’t know where to find them. Leave them alone and they’ll come home, Bringing their tails behind them.
Acton Rhyme	Little Sheep Little sheep, little sheep, turn around. Little sheep, little sheep, graze on the ground. Little sheep, little sheep, frolic on your toes. Little sheep, little sheep, wiggle your nose. Little sheep, little sheep, fluff your wool. Little sheep, little sheep, jump to keep cool. Little sheep, little sheep, scratch your feet. Little sheep, little sheep, find your seat.Source: Artsy Toddler
Book	Where is Green Sheep?
Flannel	Matching Tails to Sheep Source:Best Toys 4 Toddlers
Finger Rhyme	5 Fluffy Sheep 5 fluffy sheep skating on the floor, one fell down and that left 4.4 fluffy sheep drinking cold tea, one got a tummy ache and that left 3. 3 fluffy sheep wondering what to do, one got bored and that left 2. 2 fluffy sheep laying in the sun, one fell asleep and that left 1. 1 fluffy sheep sitting all alone, he didn’t know what to do so he went home! Source: Narrating Tales of Preschool Storytime
Action Rhyme	Newborn Lamb Tune: I’m A Little TeapotI’m a baby lamb just born today I want to run around and play I am very hungry – I must eat So I’ll grow up big like my daddy sheep. – repeat, substituting “mommy sheep” Source:King County Library System

I Asked My Mother

Introduction of Rhyme	I Asked My Mother… I asked my mother For fifteen cents. To see the elephant Jump the fence.He jumped so high That he touched the sky And never came back Til the Fourth of July.
Rhyme	I asked my mother I asked my mother for fifty cents, (put hand out with palm up) To see the elephant jump the fence, (cup eyes and start to crouch) He Jumped so high, (jump up) He reached the sky, (keep jumping) And didn’t come back till the Fourth of the July. ( wave goodbye)I assigned the actions to the rhyme.
Magnet Board	Recognize Money This was slightly harder for my younger participants. However, parents/guardians of my older participants really liked this idea.
Action	Colonel Hathi’s March We had the kids march around the room.
Goodbye	Song

Crafts:

Lamb Tails: We made sure the strings were long enough for the kids to tie them around their waists.

Wrap the lamb: We received our inspiration from Verona Storytime. Our craft did kind of look like a mummy. This is a great tactical craft!

Elephant: Our last take-home craft was a Popsicle elephant that went to our last rhyme.

Mo Willems Storytime

Introduction	Tickle The Moon Tickle the Moon Tickle your toes. Clap your hands And tickle your nose. Reach up high. Reach down low. Turn around, And say hello!Source: Storytime Katie has a closing version she found on pinterest. I wanted an opening song, so my coworker reworked it to make an opening song.
Book	The Duckling Gets a Cookie
Magnet Board	Where is Pigeon? Source: Literary Hoots did a similar item. However, instead of Gerald and Piggie, I did the Pigeon.
Book	Big Frog Can’t Fit In
Rhyme	One Little, Two Little, Three Little…. One little, two little, three little frogs Four little, five little, six little frogs Seven little, eight little, nine little frogs Ten little frogs go leap, leap, leap!
Book	That is Not a Good Idea
Rhyme	Ten Fluffy Chickens Five eggs and five eggs, That makes ten. (hold up two hands) Sitting on top is the Mother Hen. (fold one hand over the other) Crackle, crackle, crackle;(clap three times) What do I see? Ten fluffy chickens, (hold up ten fingers) As yellow as can be.
Action Rhyme	If you’re an elephant and you know it, shake your ears If you’re an elephant and you know it, shake your ears If you’re an elephant and you know it and you really want to show it. If you’re an elephant and you know it, shake your ears! If you’re a pig and you know it, say oink, oink If you’re a pig and you know it, oink, oink If you’re a pig and you know it and you really want to show it. If you’re a pig and you know it, oink, oink! If you’re a pigeon and you know it, strut your stuff. If you’re a pigeon and you know it, strut your stuff. If you’re a pigeon and you know it, and you really want to show it If you’re a pigeon and you know it, strut your stuff. Source: I did a similar rhyme for my Elephant and Piggie storytime. However, I just added the pigeon line with the help of my colleague and a volunteer.
Book	There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o P-I-G-G-I-E P-I-G-G-I-E P-I-G-G-I-E And Piggie was her name-o.There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-I-G-G-I-E (clap)-I-G-G-I-E (clap)-I-G-G-I-E And Piggie was her name-o.There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-(clap)-G-G-I-E (clap)-(clap)-G-G-I-E (clap)-(clap)-G-G-I-E And Piggie was her name-o. There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-I-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-I-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-I-E And Piggie was her name-o. There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-I-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-I-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-I-E And Piggie was her name-o. There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-(clap)-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-(clap)-E (clap)-(clap)-(clap)- (clap)-(clap)-E And Piggie was her name-o There was an elephant who had a friend and Piggie was her name-o (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap) (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap) (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap) And Piggie was her name-o Source: My colleague and I worked on this one together. It can be kind of awkward as there is an extra letter than the original BINGO song. My recommendation is to put the G-G close together while clapping. It does work with some practice.
Dance Song	We Are the Dinosaurs In honor of Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs.
Dance Song	Monster Spray In honor of Leonardo, the Terrible Monster
Traditional Song	Skinarmarink In honor of Piggie and Elephant’s love for one another.
Goodbye Song	Tickle the Stars Tickle the Stars Tickle your toes Turn around And tickle your nose Reach down low Reach up high Storytime’s over So wave goodbye!Source:My own modification