| Introduction | Caroline Abbott was one of the first dolls I ever purchased for my library and unfortunately, she is now retired from American Girl collection. Almost four years later, I FINALLY decided to do her for my program! |
| About Caroline | I really dug through Caroline’s books to get inspiration for this program. All the activities we did were directly inspired by Caroline’s books. |
| Food | Since I try and provide some food, I found that biscuits and honey would be a very easy food option. My volunteer spent most of her time in the kitchen prepping the biscuits and making sure the biscuits did not burn.
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| First Activity | Oh, paper dolls have a special fondness in my heart, so I was excited to find the history of paper dolls in Caroline’s books. I thought my patrons would have fun making their own dolls. I found further inspiration from Thy World on affordable paper dolls. I was excited that my patrons could make boy or girl paper dolls. I had a volunteer make several clothing templates and then I put a ton of scrapbooking paper out for the participants to pick what they wanted to use. |
| Second Activity | Everyone love pockets! Unfortunately, during Caroline’s time, girls had to make “pockets” instead of having them sewn into their dresses. We simply used felt and I had a volunteer pre-poke holes to make the sewing aspect easier for the kids. This was kind of pain. However, the kids got a kick from it. |
| Third Activity | Our last activity was embroidery. I wanted this activity to be accessible for all participants and decided to use burlap and plastic needles (real needles gave me too much anxiety). I will say the youngest kids were more meh about it because it does take time and patience, but my older kids really got into it! Rhythms of Play really broke down what I needed. |
Rhyming to Read: The Lion and the Unicorn
| Opening Song | Welcome |
| Opening Activity | Bread and Butter Bread and Butter Marmalade and Jam Let’s say hello as quiet as we can (whisper hello)Loud as we can. Slow as we can. Fast as we can. High as we can. Low as we can. Nice as we can. Source: Jbrary |
| Rhyme | The Lion and the Unicorn The lion and the unicorn Were fighting for the crown The lion beat the unicornAll around the town. Some gave them white bread, And some gave them brown; Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town. |
| Sorting Activity | Dairy vs Grains I had the kids tell me if the picture fell into Grains or Dairy. I had a trick picture of a plum. They yelled fruit right away!  |
| Matching Activity | Match the Rhyme I found some clipart that related to the rhyme. I then had the kids identify each piece while I hid them under the bread slices (not all pictured). The kids then played a game of memory.  |
| Activity | Toast in the Toaster Toast in the toaster. Toast in the toaster. Getting Very hot. Tick tock, Tick, tock, Up I pop! |
| Battle of the Unicorns and Lions | I divided my group up into four teams. Two teams of unicorns and two teams of lions. I then gave each group a mason jar filled with heavy whipping cream. While I played the Rocky theme song, the groups had to see who could make their butter the fastest! The little kids went gaga for this. It does take some time with little kids’ strength! I strongly encouraged the adults to also shake the jar also. |
| Treat | We made butter! I then had white bread and brown bread (Technically I bought honey wheat. I wasn’t sure if all little kids enjoyed true wheat bread.) for them to enjoy their butter. I also had grape jelly as a stand-in for plums. |
Scavenger Hunt – Mickey Mouse Edition
Our department loves to do scavenger hunts for the kids. They are so easy and great for program numbers. The schools recently had Spring Break and we decided on a Disney themed Spring Break week. Our Scavenger Hunt was inspired directly from The Ultimate Disney Party Book. Highly recommend for lots of ideas. A super awesome volunteer made our Mickeys and I laminated them.
Sweet Treats – Preschool
| Introduction | Welcome – Bienvenidos |
| Action Rhyme | I Eat I eat apples- crunch, crunch, crunch I eat sandwiches- munch, munch, munch I eat lollipops- lick, lick, lick But I eat ice cream quick, quick, quick! Source: Music Makers for Kids |
| Book | If Snowflakes Tasted Like Fruitcake by Stacey Previn |
| ASL | Candy |
| Book | A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale by Penny Parker Klostermann |
| Action Rhyme | Sweet Candy Canes Tune: Are You SleepingCandy canes, Candy canes Are so sweet, Are so sweet. They are nice and minty. They are nice and minty. Good to eat. Good to eat. Source: Totally for Twos: Stories and Songs by The Mailbox |
| Action Rhyme | Baking a Pie The kitchen is so warm and nice. (hug self) And smells of apple pie and spice. (sniff) Five, four, three, two, one minute more — (count on fingers) Mother opens the oven door. (open pretend oven) And then she puts the pie on a rack. (set out pretend pie) Ummmm, when we eat it, our lips smack! Source: Busy Bees: Fun for Two’s and Three’s by Elizabeth Mckinnon |
| Action Rhyme | I Love Cookies I love cookies, I love cookies, I love cookies, thick and thin. I love cookies in my tum, I love cookies, yum, yum, yum. In my tum, yum, yum, yum – oh, I love cookies, I love cookies, I love cookies, thick and thin. Source: Busy Bees: Fun for Two’s and Three’s by Elizabeth Mckinnon |
| Action Rhyme | Pudding on a Plate Pudding on a plate, pudding on a plate (rock from side to side) Wibble, wobble, wibble wobble Pudding on a plate! Candies in a jar, candies in a jar (bounce up and down) Shake ’em up, shake ’em up Candies in a jar. Candles on a cake, candles on a cake Blow’em out, blow ’em out (baby: adult blows on baby) Candles on a cake. Source: King County Library System |
| Dance Song | Sticky Bubble Gum by Carole Peterson |
| Dance Song | I Feel Crazy So I Jump in the Soup by Laura Berkner |
| Cool Down | ABCs, Count to 15 |
| Goodbye Song | It’s Time to Say Goodbye |
Craft: Inspiration came from this craft.
Sweet Treats – Toddler
| Introduction | Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed |
| Book | How Do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies by Jane Yolen |
| Nursery Rhyme | Do You Know the Muffin Man |
| ASL | Candy |
| Book | Count My Cupakes 1-2-3 by Joyce Wan |
| Finger Rhyme | Two Little Candy Canes Two Little Candy Canes (Hold up 2 fingers) Way up high on the Christmas tree? (point to the top of a tree) Two little candy canes winked at me (2 hooked finger/winking) I shook that tree as hard as I could? (wiggle body) And down came the candy canes (bring fingers down) Mmm, Mmm, they were good!! (act like your eating them) Source: King County Library System |
| Action Rhyme | Cupcakes The cupcakes are here, the cupcakes are there The cupcakes, the cupcakes are everywhere! The cupcakes are up, the cupcakes are down The cupcakes, the cupcakes are all around The cupcakes are in, the cupcakes are out The cupcakes the cupcakes are all about. Source: One Little Librarian |
| Action Rhyme | Let’s Make Jam! Tune: Ten Little IndiansLet’s all squish and squash some berries. Let’s all squish and squash some berries. Let’s all squish and squash some berries. Now we’ve made some jam!Let’s all spread it on some bread now. Let’s all spread it on some bread now. Let’s all spread it on some bread now. And now we’ll eat our jam! Source: Totally for Twos: Stories and Songs by The Mailbox |
| Action Rhyme | Andy Spandy Sugar and Candy Andy Spandy, sugar and candy All pop up! (stretch tall) Andy Spandy, sugar and candy All pop down! (crouch down) Andy Spandy, sugar and candy All pop in! (hug yourself) Andy Spandy, sugar and candy All pop out! (jump up with arms outstretched) Source: King County Library System |
| Dance Song | Jelly in the Bowl by Carole Peterson |
| Dance Song | Milkshake Song by Anne-Marie Ann |
| Cool Down | ABCs, Count to 10 |
| Goodbye Song | Say Goodbye |
Craft: Inspiration came from this craft.
Little STEAMers – Robots
| Introduction | Welcome |
| Finger Rhyme | 5 Shiny Robots Five shiny robots, playing marbles on the floor, One went home and then there were four, Four shiny robots, playing in a tree, One went home and then there were three, Three shiny robots with nothing left to do, One went home and then there were two, Two shiny robots, think of something fun, One went home and there was one, One shiny robot pretending to be a hero, His mother called him home and then there were zero Source: King County Library System |
| Book | Robot Zombie Frankenstein by Annette Simon |
| Action Rhyme | I Am A Robot I am a robot (march in place with robot arms) I am a robot Clank Clank (bend forwards and back at waist) Clank Clank (bend side-to-side at waist) ZZZZZZZZrt (raise arms up while shaking them) CRASH (Either fall, or “lose power’ or clap) Source: Future Librarian Superhero |
| ACTIVITIES The purpose of this Little STEAMers was to introduce our patrons to new technology toys the library owns. |
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| Craft 1: | Finger Robots I technically combined two different craft inspirations (Inspiration 1 and Inspiration 2)to come up with this little guy.  |
| Activity 1: | Osmo If you are contemplating buying the Osmo…DO IT. They are so much fun. My coworker had to pull me away from it when I first tried it out. The kids LOVED this station and many parents inquired where they could purchase it. Osmo recently rolled out an edition for the Kindle (much easier on wallet than purchasing an Ipod).  |
| Activity 2: | Code-a-Pillar Code-a-Pillar’s are also fantastic. I had toddlers and older kids interested in this device. Toddlers liked to chase it while my big kids tried to make different combinations with all the pieces. Super awesome as it starts to teach coding at an early age.  |
| Activity 3/4 |
Little Bits and Snap Circuit
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Rhyming to Read: This is the Way the Lady Rides
| Opening Song | Welcome |
| Introduction of Rhyme | This is the way the lady rides, Nim, nim, nim! This is the way the gentleman rides, Trim, trim, Trim! This is the way the farmer rides, Turot, Turot, Turot! This is the way the hunter rides. Galop, galop, galop, galop!For this part, we said the rhyme and did different movements for the each section. For the last galop, we would all fall down to the ground. |
| Die-Cut Horses | I had a volunteer cut out a different color die-cut horses. We made the horses make different galloping movements. |
| Rhythm | I handed out bells and we worked on different rhythms to the rhyme. |
| Dance Song | Galloping Country Style
We galloped around the room. |
| Obstacle Course | I put hula hoops around the room and some random buckets. The kids had to run around the hula hoops and jump over the buckets. I played I am a Horse by Jeanie B. |
| Take-Home | I’m currently not in the mood for crafts, so I made a take-home food bar. I called it a Horse Bar and I put favorite food of horses. We had carrots, pretzels (as a substitute for hay), and marshmallows (as a substitute for sugar cubes). This was a big hit with the crowd.
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| Goodbye | It’s Time to Say Goodbye |
Teddy Bear – Toddler
| Introduction | Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed |
| Action Rhyme | Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the sky Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your knees Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please |
| Book | Bear Hugs by Alyssa Satin Capucilli |
| Nursery Rhyme | Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy Was he? |
| Book | Where is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley |
| Sign Language | Teddy Bear |
| Traditional Rhyme | This is Big, Big, Big/Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands |
| Action Rhyme | Hug Your Bear Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat Hug, Hug, Hug Your Bear |
| Action Rhyme | Teddy Bear Dance Dance with your teddy upon your toes, Swing your little teddy, there he goes, Hug your little teddy, hold him tight, Kiss your little teddy and say goodnight. Source: Toddler Storytimes II by Dianne Briggs |
| Dance Song | My Teddy Bear by Super Simple Songs |
| Dance Song | Tiptoe Teddy Bear by Gorgiana Stewart |
| Cool down | ABCs, Count to 5 |
| Goodbye Song | Say Goodbye |
Craft:
Teddy Bear – Preschool
| Introduction | Welcome |
| Book | George in the Dark by Madeline Valentine |
| ASL | Teddy Bear, Bed |
| Book | One Ted Falls Out of Bed by Julia Donaldson |
| Action Rhyme | If I Were a Happy Bear If I were a happy bear, I’d go ha! ha! ha! (laugh) If I were a sad bear, I’d go boo, hoo, hoo! (rub eyes) If I were a cranky bear, I’d go stomp,stomp, stomp! (stomp feet) If I were a scared bear, I’d go AHH! AHH!AHH! (scream) If I were a tired bear, I’d go zzz zzz zzz (pretend to sleep) Source: Miss Meg’s Storytime |
| Action Rhyme | There Was a Bear Who Loved to Dance Tune: BingoThere was a bear who loved to dance And TEDDY was his name O Left foot, tap, tap, tap Right foot, tap, tap, tap Both paws, clap, clap, clap And TEDDY was his name O There was a bear who loved to dance There was a bear who loved to dance |
| Action Rhyme | Hug Your Bear Tune: Row, Row, Row Your BoatHug, Hug, Hug Your Bear Squeeze him very tight Hold him high and help him fly Then hug with all your might Source: Jbrary |
| Dance Song | Dance With Your Teddy Bear by Greg and Steve |
| Dance Song | Tickle Tickle Teddy by Georgiana Stewart |
| Cool Down | ABCs, Count to 10 |
| Goodbye Song | It’s Time to Say Goodbye |
Craft:
Little STEAMERS – All About Me
| Opening Song | Welcome |
| Nursery Rhyme | Where Is Thumbkin? (Start with hands behind back.)Where is thumbkin? Where is thumbkin? Here I am (Bring right hand to front, with thumb up.) Here I am. (Bring left hand to front, with thumb up.) How are you today sir? Very well, I thank you. (Wiggle thumbs as if they’re “talking” to each other.) Run away (Hide right hand behind back.) Run away. (Hide left hand behind back.) |
| Book | Happy In Our Skin by Fran Manushkin |
| Action Rhyme | Feelings Song Original Author Unknown (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)I have feelings, you do too, Let’s all sing about a few. I am happy, I am sad. I get scared, I get mad. I am proud of being me. That’s a feeling too, you see. I have feelings, you do too. We just sang about a few.Source: Kids Soup |
| Song | Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes |
ACTIVITIES
| Craft: Trace Me! |  |
| Craft: All About Me | 
Source: Supply Me |
| Craft: My Fingerprints |  Source: Buggy and Buddy |
