“Discover Fossil Cookies” little ones event

I had originally scheduled a presenter for this event, but she cancelled. This is the second time I have tried to hire her because her programs sound incredible, but she has cancelled days before the event both times. Needless to say I was more  than a little peeved, but the show must go on! With the help of a coworker and his knowledge of the 3D printer, we came up with some activities quickly.

My coworker 3D printed dino bones which we hid in sand. The kids had to use brushes to dig the way a paleontologist would.

Of course, wherever there is sand, there is a mess. I always have at least one neat freak who needs to keep it clean. 🙂

Then this kiddo decided that the big brush was better than those little ones.

I googled fossil cookies, since that was the topic the presenter was going to cover. I used directions similar to this one from Teachers Pay Teachers. Eating the “fossil site” at the end of the dig is, of course, the most fun.

I also put out a dinosaur felt set that someone donated to us. I wish they still made these!

We made stegosauruses with our names like this post from Artsonia.

Not bad for basically an on the fly event!

 
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“The Carpenter” Story Explorers preschool book club

We read The Carpenter by Bruna Barros.  

We measured how tall our blocks could get.

We learned how to hammer using golf tees, styrofoam, and playdoh.

We made boats like this post from M is for Monster.

 

 

 

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“If I was the Sunshine” yoga storytime

 

Opening – How I explain the rules of yoga storytime: stay on your mat, and keep your hands to yourself.
(Skip to my Lou –  from Jim Gill)
Stomping feet, one and two
Stomping feet, one and two
But if my feet were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling.

Clapping hands, one and two
Clapping hands, one and two
But if my hands were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling
(hands in Anjali mudra, or prayer position)

Are you Ready for Yoga? 
Are you ready for yoga?
If you’re ready, then stomp your feet
Stomp your feet and make some noise.
Let’s stomp our feet and make some noise
And do it really fast
Then stop. Stretch your feet up, up, up
And down.
Repeat with arms then both. 
Source: Next Generation Yoga at the National Kids Yoga Conference

Song: Kira Willey’s “The Shimmy“

Open the Book
Arms, legs, both
Close the book. Open the book. Turn the page.
Start seated with arms stretched out in front of you, palms touching. To “open the book,” stretch the arms wide. To close it, bring them back together. To “turn the page,” open just the right arm and close it, then the left arm and close it. Repeat “turning pages” until the kids giggle. Repeat the whole sequence using legs instead of arms. Then try arms and legs together. 

Book – If I was the Sunshine by Julie Fogliano and Loren Long
rooster – camel/ustrasanana
cow – cat/cows
bear – child’s pose/balasana
you’d call me sing – bear walk
flower – flower pose
you’d call me rose – table pose and left one leg at a time like a skunk lifting its leg to spray
bird in a tree – tree/vrksasana
I’d call you free – tree pose on the other side
worm – locust/shalabasana and roll like a worm
mountain – mountain/tadasana
call me high – extended mountain/urdhva hastasana
boat – paripura navasana/ boat pose
whale – upward dog with bent legs like a whale coming up to spout
thunder – rain storm with hands
spark, easy seated/sukhasana with anjali mudra

Song: Bari Koral- “The Sun Dance” 

Hoberman Sphere Breathing Ball

Savasana

Peace begins with me
Hold both hands overhead. On the word “peace,” touch the thumbs and pinky fingers together. On the word “begins,” touch the thumbs and ring fingers. On the word “with,” touch the thumbs and middle fingers. On the word “me,” touch the thumbs and pointers. Repeat this four times, the first time loudly and hands overhead. The second time, bring the hands down a little and speak a little softer. The third time, bring hands lower and whisper. The last time, bring hands to knees and speak words silently to self.
Source: Kids Yoga Guide Teacher Training

 

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“Maybe Something Beautiful” Story Explorers preschool book club

We read Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell.  

We painted kindness rocks to leave around the town.

Someone left their kindness rock for us.

We transformed the library’s sidewalk into art with chalk.

I made a hopscotch right in the entryway to the library. I was really hoping some adults would use it on their way in or out.

 

 

 

 

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“Scavenger Hunt” little ones event

Today we held a scavenger hunt for ages 2-6 at one of the parks near the library. I used these sheets from No Wooden Spoons, although I should have changed the fern item, since Colorado is a little too dry for them, heehee.

This was not timed or a race; the kids simply had to fill out their sheets and bring them back to me for a prize (just the sheets; no picking flowers). They could choose prizes from our treasure chest (full of previous years’ leftover summer reading prizes), and they could enter their name into a drawing to win a cardboard rocket ship, courtesy of our Friends group.

 

 
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“Dog’s Colorful Day” Story Explorers preschool book club

We read Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd. 

We graphed with Scooby Snacks graham cracker treats that look like dog bones.

We glued pompoms onto Dog like this post from Making Learning Fun.

And everyone’s favorite activity, we exploded colors like this post from Gift of Curiosity.

Everyone loves their free book!

 

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“Discover Bugs” little ones event

This month we held a bugs event. This event was for ages 2-5, and we held it on Tuesday  at the library.

We made name caterpillars like this post from a Cynical Parent.
   

We made ants in our pants like this post from Teachers Pay Teachers. Obviously stamp pads are super popular.

We explored live ladybugs (outside). You can get them at your local gardening store.

This boy tried to give his ladybug a leaf.

Ladybugs on your head are always fun.

We also had red wigglers, or composting worms, which I ordered off amazon.

This girl’s reaction to the worms says it all.

 

 
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“It’s Time for Bed” bedtime yoga storytime

Opening – How I explain the rules of yoga storytime: stay on your mat, and keep your hands to yourself.
(Skip to my Lou –  from Jim Gill)
Clapping hands, one and two
Clapping hands, one and two
But if my hands were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling
(hands in Anjali mudra, or prayer position)

Extend and Stretch
Frere Jacques
Extend and stretch (sit in sukasana – easy seated pose, or crisscross applesauce- and do seated side bends)
Extend and stretch
Twist and turn (seated twists)
Twist and turn
This is yoga, (hands overhead on “this,” then bring to prayer position on “yoga”)
This is yoga
Om sweet om, (hands in prayer, bow forward)
Om sweet om
Source: I got this from Kids Yoga Guide teacher training, but here is another from Be Grace Yoga 

Song: Kira Willey’s “Stop and Go”

The Moon Shines
The moon (bring arms over head) is shining all around.
It shines on land (standing side bend) and sea (standing side bend other side).
It shines on cars (dandasana/staff pose, pretend to drive car).
It shines on boats (navasana/ boat pose.) 
It shines on you and me. (hands at heart) 

Crown, Heart, Tail. I saw this when I observed a Kids Crave Yoga class. Ask the kids where their head or crown is. Then where is their heart. Then tail (or where their tail would be). Repeat. Shake up the order: Heart, tail, crown. Tail, tail, crown, heart. Go faster and faster, and then slow it down. I love that these movements correspond to the 1st, 4th, and 7th chakras.

Open the Book – Arms, legs, both
Close the book. Open the book. Turn the page.Start seated with arms stretched out in front of you, palms touching. To “open the book,” stretch the arms wide. To close it, bring them back together. To “turn the page,” open just the right arm and close it, then the left arm and close it. Repeat “turning pages” until the kids giggle. Repeat the whole sequence using legs instead of arms. Then try arms and legs together. 

Book – It’s Time for Bed  by Ceporah Mearns and Jeremy Debicki
-dance with polar bear – dancer/natarajasana
-run with caribou – warrior I/virabhadrasana I (one side – save second side for repeats at  the end of the book
-fly with geese – warrior III/virabhadrasana III
-howl with wolves – upward facing dog/urdhva mukha svanasana
– hop with rabbits – hop first, then rabbit/sasangasana to calm
– swim with the fish – locust/salabasana and swim arms and legs
-Repeat all one-sided poses on other side for recap
-ready for bed – savasana/final resting pose

Animals Yawning
butterfly – baddha konasana
owl –  seated twists, saying “hoo” like an owl on each side
cat/cow 
puppy – anahatasana

Savasana
Song: Kira Willey’s “When You Sleep” 

Peace begins with me
Hold both hands overhead. On the word “peace,” touch the thumbs and pinky fingers together. On the word “begins,” touch the thumbs and ring fingers. On the word “with,” touch the thumbs and middle fingers. On the word “me,” touch the thumbs and pointers. Repeat this four times, the first time loudly and hands overhead. The second time, bring the hands down a little and speak a little softer. The third time, bring hands lower and whisper. The last time, bring hands to knees and speak words silently to self.
Source: Kids Yoga Guide Teacher Training

Namaste!   

 

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“If You’re Groovy and You Know It” yoga storytime

Opening – How I explain the rules of yoga storytime: stay on your mat, and keep your hands to yourself.
(Skip to my Lou –  from Jim Gill)
Stomping feet, one and two
Stomping feet, one and two
But if my feet were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling.

Clapping hands, one and two
Clapping hands, one and two
But if my hands were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling
(hands in Anjali mudra, or prayer position)

Are you Ready for Yoga? 
Are you ready for yoga?
If you’re ready, then stomp your feet
Stomp your feet and make some noise.
Let’s stomp our feet and make some noise
And do it really fast
Then stop. Stretch your feet up, up, up
And down.
Repeat with arms then both. 
Source: Next Generation Yoga at the National Kids Yoga Conference

Sun Salutations – I use a call and response version of Sargeant Salutations from Kidding Around Yoga. 

Open the Book
Arms, legs, both
Close the book. Open the book. Turn the page.
Start seated with arms stretched out in front of you, palms touching. To “open the book,” stretch the arms wide. To close it, bring them back together. To “turn the page,” open just the right arm and close it, then the left arm and close it. Repeat “turning pages” until the kids giggle. Repeat the whole sequence using legs instead of arms. Then try arms and legs together. 

Book – The Whole Wide World and Me! by Toni Yuly
greet the day – seated side bends
explore – march on mat
slide – reverse plank/purvottanasana
seed – flower pose
sing your song – camel/ustrasanana

Song: Kidding Around Yoga- “This Little Light of Mine” 

Hoberman Sphere Breathing Ball

Savasana

Peace begins with me
Hold both hands overhead. On the word “peace,” touch the thumbs and pinky fingers together. On the word “begins,” touch the thumbs and ring fingers. On the word “with,” touch the thumbs and middle fingers. On the word “me,” touch the thumbs and pointers. Repeat this four times, the first time loudly and hands overhead. The second time, bring the hands down a little and speak a little softer. The third time, bring hands lower and whisper. The last time, bring hands to knees and speak words silently to self.
Source: Kids Yoga Guide Teacher Training

 

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