Storytime Ingredient: Apples

Is there any lovelier time of year for food than autumn?  Suddenly, all of those summertime popsicle stains are being replaced with apple peels.  These are a few of my favorite ideas for an  apple-themed storytime - with no sugar added!   

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins - A simple yet clever counting book, the animals on the farm gobble up the apples on the apple tree, one by one, leaving the poor farmer's wife without the main ingredient for her pie.  Encourage kids to chant along with the farmer's plea, "save some for me!"

"The Little Red House" - Do you know where you can find a little red house with no windows, no doors, and a star inside?  I first heard this story five years ago at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, and it has enchanted me ever since.  There are many variations of the tale (and any good storyteller can improvise to make it their own), but this is just one example.  

"10 Apples on the Tree" - Make a simple flannel board story of a tree and ten detachable apples.  Set to the familiar tune of "Here Comes Peter Cottontail," the kids will be singing along before you know it:

"10 red apples on the apple tree.

One little apple fell on me! (clunk!)

How many apples do you still see?"

Count down until the tree is empty...

"No more apples on the apple tree!

They're all in my basket, you see.

Applesauce and apple pie sure sound good to me!

YUM  YUM!"

The Bubble Express

Forget planes, trains, and automobiles.  The most environmentally friendly mode of transportation is a bubble, of course.  No ticket required - just a good imagination.  I've used this activity in storytime with splendid results (and I even  forgot the words to the song.  Yes, a song that I made up.  Kids are so forgiving).  

1.  Ask the kids to think of the one place they'd like to be at this moment - and anywhere is fair game.  Grandma's house, Hawaii, Jupiter, the toy store...it's wherever they want to be.  Tell them to keep that place in their head, because that's exactly where they're going.

2.  Ask your audience to stand up.  Now take out your bottle of magic (and pretend) bubbles.  Slowly pull out the pretend wand (careful not to drip!) and very slowly blow the biggest bubble you can.

3.  Got a big bubble?  Good!  Now slowly...sloooowly....crawl inside (you can demonstrate by keeping your hands held out as if you were in a bubble...remember, we're using our imaginations here, and some kids will naturally latch onto the idea while others may need a little encouragement.  A leader who is a great pretender can make this work.).

4.  Time to get this bubble off the ground!  With faces pointed skyward, take a deep breath and BLOW!

5.  Got your bubble up in the air?  Great!  Time to go to our destination.  Explain to the kiddos that when you say their name, they can call out where they would like to visit.  When the bubble pops, they clap their hands and fall to the ground and land...you got it!...exactly where they want to be.  

The song (to the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot"):

Flying in a bubble way up high

Higher than the birds and the clouds in the sky

If you see (child's name), she won't stop

'Till she/he gets to (destination) and her/his bubble goes POP!

Little White Rain Cloud

Winnie-the-Pooh isn't the only one who can create rain clouds out of sheer imagination.  During bath time or playing in the pool, saturate a washcloth with water (it doesn't have to be white).   While it's slightly balled up in your hand, hover it above your child and sing this rhyme to the tune of "Sing a Song of Sixpence." When cued to do so in the song, squeeze out the water and let the "rain" fall.  The forecast?  One hundred percent chance of giggles. 

Little white rain cloud high in the air.

Little white rain cloud here and there.

Little white rain cloud right over me,

Tickling my (arm, leg, belly, back, etc.) as gentle as can be.  

Hush, Little Baby

The picture you see is from last year's Christmas card.  The greeting read, "May you sleep in heavenly peace this season."  My daughter is going on two and half years old, and sadly, I have experienced only one silent night in that span of time.  

As you can imagine, bedtime in our house is not just a phase of day, it is an event.  After receiving mounds of advice (mostly unsolicited), and reading books, articles, and websites on the subject, I have found only one thing that soothes Clara's spunk: music.  

Typically, my voice is all she needs to calm down, but there are some nights I'm just too wiped out to sing every single verse of "Rainbow Connection."  Luckily, while I was pregnant with her, I created a "sleepytime" playlist that included the following songs (I must have anticipated a high-energy child).  It really does work.  In fact, when I play it today, she makes a face and starts whining because she knows what my motives are.  

1. Midnight Lullaby - Tom Waits, Closing Time
   
2. All the Pretty Horses - Laurie Berkner, Whaddaya Think of That?
   
3. Annie's Song - John Denver, The Essential John Denver
   
4. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Harry Nilsson, You've Got Mail soundtrack
   
5. Rainbow Connection - Sarah MacLaclan, For the Kids
   
6. In Your Dreams - Barenaked Ladies, Stunt
   
7. When the River Meets the Sea - John Denver and the Muppets, A Christmas Together
   
8. I Don't Want to Live on the Moon - Ernie, Sesame Street's Platinum Album
   
9. Butterfly - Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell, Catch the Moon
   
10. Baby Mine - from Disney's Dumbo
    
11. La La Lu - from Disney's Lady and the Tramp
    
12. My Mom - Tony Bennett, The Playground
    
13. Russian Lullaby - Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook
    
14. All Through the Night - Shawn Colvin, Holiday Songs and Lullabies
    
15. Goodnight My Someone - Jessica Molaskey, Make Believe 
    
16. Stay Awake - Julie Andrews, from Mary Poppins soundtrack
    
17. Baby Mine - Bette Midler, from Beaches soundtrack
    
18. Fais Do Do - Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell, Catch the Moon
    
19. Birds and Ships - Natalie Merchant w/Billy Bragg and Wilco, Mermaid Avenue 
    
20. Slumber My Darling - Allison Krause, Heartland
    
21. Appalachia Waltz - Edger Meyer, Heartland
    
22. Braham's Lullaby

A Hot Spot for Stories

This summer, I had the great privilege of holding storytimes at The Hot Spot Coffee House in Johnstown, Ohio.  With suitcase in hand and Tiptoe Mouse leaving "clues" to our next destination, we took trips to the beach, the city, our own backyards, the jungle, and my personal favorite, wherever our imaginations took us.  I'm not sure who had more fun - me, or the kids.  

Thanks to the moms and dads who gave donations during our storytime journey.   The money collected went to the purchase of three books: To the Beach by Thomas Docherty, Birds by Kevin Henkes, and If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery.  These titles will be added to the picture book collection at the Mary E. Babcock library for the delight and enjoyment of all children in Johnstown and the surrounding community. 

And many, many thanks to Cille at the Hot Spot for allowing us use of her back room for all of the singing, stomping, clapping, dancing, and general craziness that goes on during storytime. 

Tiptoe Time will return to the Hot Spot at 10:00 a.m. on the first and third Fridays of every month, starting in September.  As always, donations are gladly accepted and will be used for the purchase of library books.  

 

I scream...you scream...

"And we had the ice cream.  Words fail me to describe that ice cream.  Marilla, I assure you it was sublime."  Anne of Green Gables XIV

Am I the only one that thinks it's silly that July is National Ice Cream Month?  Shouldn't ice cream be celebrated EVERY month?

 

Some ideas to help you observe this hallowed month (other than, obviously, eating ice cream):

• Have a ball with your ice cream...really. We received The Play and Freeze Mega Ball last year for Christmas (I can only imagine our faces were a mix of fascination and bewilderment as we opened that gift) and just recently tried it out with help from the neighbor kids (as pictured above).  My daughter was amazed by how the very ingredients she poured into the ball "transformed" into ice cream, and the final product was surprisingly good!  Plus, doing torso twists while shaking the ball is great for the abs!   Nearly cancels out all the calories from eating the ice cream...really!  
  
• Add some tasty songs to your child's playlist, like Laurie Berkner's Ice Cream Cone or Frances England's I Scream, You Scream.  And my ten-year old neighbor highly recommends Hannah Montana's Ice Cream Freeze (having never heard it myself, my advice is to listen at your own risk).  
  
• Get the scoop on your favorite scoops.  My family recently spent a wonderful afternoon in Utica, Ohio, at the Velvet Ice Cream Factory.  We enjoyed a horse-drawn buggy ride, crick stomping, and ice cream all in one lovely afternoon.  
•  Download the Ben and Jerry's Flavor Graveyard onto your desktop and pay your respect to the flavors that have gone on to the big sugar cone in the sky (in 2001, I visited the real Flavor Graveyard at the Ben and Jerry's factory in Vermont, and I found Sweet Potato to be the most appalling flavor that was never meant to be).  
  
• For a group of children, give this flannel rhyme a try.  Cut out different flavors of "ice cream cones" from felt - chocolate, vanilla, rainbow, chocolate chip - as many varieties as you can create.  During each verse, call out a child's name and let them choose their favorite flavor.  Keep rhythm by patting your knees or snapping your fingers.  

The ice cream parlor just down the street

Has every kind of ice cream you'd want to eat

Chocolate, vanilla, banana chip, 

__________ (child's name) ate a _______ (flavor) cone to the very last drip!

(Note: After I posted this, I had the opportunity to use the rhyme with a group of 10 third graders - no flannel board, just the chant.  They LOVED getting to call out their favorite ice cream flavor.   The following day, they asked for the rhyme again, and most of them had it memorized.  So it can definitely be used for many different ages.)

Have Kid, Will Travel: Idlewild

For my husband and I, one of the most gratifying things about parenthood is having the opportunity to see the world through our daughter's eyes.  That's why, leading up to Clara's first trip to Idlewild, an amusement and water park located in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, we spent a ridiculous amount of time online researching the park's rides and attractions and imagining what our 2-year old would enjoy the most.  Let me tell you, the anticipation was high.  We both had fond memories of Idlewild from our own childhoods, and like every well-meaning parent, we wanted our little girl to love every minute of her trip.  

And she did.  For the most part.  Sure, there was that meltdown outside of Hootn' Holler' that lasted a good 15 minutes, but an ice cream cone was a quick cure.  And yes it was a little sticky that day.  And it rained a bit.  And the lines were long...and the crowds were thick enough to indicate that half of western Pennsylvania was there...and well...

Would we do it all again?  Absolutely!  Here are a few to-dos if you plan on visiting:

1.  Story Book Forest.  Just about every kid raised in the Laurel Highlands has visited this magical land at some point.  Children step through the pages of a story (literally - the entrance is a giant book) and are transported into a world where characters from nursery rhymes and fairy tales are just as real as they could be.  Mother Goose is the gray-haired, dimple-cheeked grandma every child wants.  The Good Ship Lollipop actually serves lollipops.  And I remember a younger version of myself being a little more than frightened to cross the bridge just in case the three billy goats gruff didn't actually scare off that nasty troll.  Truly, this is a magical place. 
   
2. Scampers.  On the surface, it's just a bunch of miniature cars moving in a circular fashion.  But to a two-year old, it's so much more than that.  It's an opportunity for daredevil driving and a taste of independence (no moms and dads allowed).  Clara rode it 8 times.  
   
3. Pack a picnic.  Skip the concession lines and take advantage of the peace and shade of one of the many picnic benches near the parking area.  This was great downtime for Clara, who needed a respite from the crowds.  
   
4. Bubbling Springs.  Imagine a large pit full of colorful, plastic balls.  Now add squealing, delighted children to that image and you get this very popular attraction in Jumpin' Jungle. 
   
5. Fish Pond.  This game, situated near the carousel in Olde Idlewild, was one of my favorites from childhood.  For 50 cents, you get a "fishing pole" and try to catch a "fish" racing by in the water below.  The number on the fish you catch corresponds to the prize you win, which in our case this year, happened to be a kazoo.  My daughter was in heaven, and this marvelous game has secured another admirer.  
   

If you've been to Idlewild, I'd love to hear your stories and trip tips.  Because, after all, we WILL be going back next summer!

S'more Snack Sack

Speaking from a 2-year old's perspective, sometimes the components of a s'more are more interesting to eat than the s'more, itself.  This yummy snack kept a smile on my daughter's face during an entire morning at the zoo.  

What you need:

Bite-size graham crackers (the picture shows princess graham crackers, but that's optional, of course)

Peanut butter

Mini-marshmallows

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Container of your choice

What you do:

Spread peanut butter on a few crackers and sandwich together with remaining graham crackers.  Toss in container with marshmallows and chocolate chips.  The ratio of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips is up to you; my girl prefers a lot of graham crackers, but I throw in extra chocolate for my own indulgence.  :-)

The Really Great Outdoors

I can not imagine how dull my childhood would have been if, for three weekends a year, my grandparents hadn't taken me camping along the Juniata river.  Along with tentfulls of extended family, including many wild, wonderful cousins, my days and nights were resplendent in mosquito bites, marshmallows, and those little cheese balls used for fish bait.  To this day, I swear that the cadence of a rolling river is the most lulling sound in the world.  

Sadly, for many kids, the call of the wild gets drowned out by the siren song of air-conditioning and the many blinking screens inside the house.  Which is, of course, all the more reason for you to encourage your child's inner naturalist.  Here are a few ideas.  

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry- Five ducks rough it in the back yard in a watercolorful read-aloud.  I love most: The ducks master marshmallow roasting - "Outside crispy, inside sticky, chewy, gooey, finger-licky."  

Toasting Marshmallows by Kristine O'Connell George - Poems so perfect you can almost smell the woodsmoke on the page.  I love most: The concrete poem, "Eavesdropping," is so simple but so inspiring - a lot like nature.  

The Kids Campfire Book by Jane Drake and Ann Love - Unfortunately out of print (but quite likely available through your library), it offers suggestions for batwatching, ghost stories, and nighttime games.  I love most: It includes sheet music for favorite camp songs, complete with guitar chords.  Perfect for some strummin' around the campfire.  

Camp Out!: The Ultimate Kids' Guide by Lynn Brunelle - Perhaps the most exhaustive kids/camping book ever written, this is the ultimate guide for stargazing, campfire building, and cricket counting (chirps, that is).  I love most: A twist on the traditional s'more - a pineapple slice and toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two coconut cookies.

Camp Lisa by Lisa Loeb- Spunky songs, both original and traditional, capture that groovy summer camp feeling.  I love most: The foot-stomping, lung-bursting, heart-thumping "Wake Up Song" is way more eye-opening than the morose, pealing bell that jolted me awake during MY summer camp days.

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv - For those of you who need a bit of research to validate all of that fresh air, this book is essential.  I love most: "Nature presents the young with something so much greater than they are; it offers an environment where they can easily contemplate infinity and eternity...Immersion in the natural environment cuts to the chase, exposes the young directly and immediately to the very elements from which humans evolved: earth, water, air, and other living kin, large and small." (p.97)

Save Ohio Libraries

Libraries are crazy about statistics.  They love to tally up numbers for circulation of materials, program attendance, and services offered.  The one statistic you won't see, however, is the number of children whose lives are enriched because of a library.  It's a shame, too, because the number would be massive.  And I wonder, if such a statistic existed, would Ohio libraries be facing a crisis?

Ohio governor Ted Strickland has proposed a 50% cut in funding for public libraries during the fiscal years of 2010 and 2011.  For most Ohio libraries, this is catastrophic.  The staff layoffs and library closings would be widespread.  The result?  A suffering community.  Today, more than ever, libraries are community centers - venues for education, entertainment, socialization, and the betterment of quality of life.  It seems ludicrous to cut funding to an institution that can only empower its citizens, but at least for the next seven days, that possibility exists.  

If you live in Ohio, please contact one or all of the following by June 30.  Perhaps if enough voices rally against this proposal, our libraries won't become...a statistic.  

Governor Ted Strickland
614-466-3555
Contact Online

Senator Bill Harris, President of the Senate
614-466-8086
SD19@senate.state.oh.us

Senator David Goodman, 3rd District
614-466-8064
SD03@senate.state.oh.us

Representative Kevin Bacon, 21st District
614-644-6030
District21@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Marian Harris
614-466-4847
District19@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Nancy Garland
614-644-6002
District20@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Kris Jordan
614-644-6711
District02@ohr.state.oh.us

Adopt-A-Cat, Part II

Yes, this is disgusting.  But if you need an activity that tween-age boys will appreciate, this is a winner. I made this for a 'tween book club, which is why the directions are with a group of children in mind (but it can be easily adjusted for one child).  I split the kids into small groups for each task, which made it a lot easier.  

And believe it or not, the recipe is actually DELICIOUS! 

Kitty Litter Cake

What you need:

1 spice cake mix

1 white cake mix

1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix

milk (amount needed according to pudding directions)

1 package vanilla sandwich cookies

6-12 small Tootsie Rolls

1 new and unused kitty litter pan (do I really have to include the word "unused?")

1 new and unused kitty litter scoop 

Plastic wrap

Medium sized bowl

whisk

microwavable plate

Ziploc baggies

What you do:

Bake both cakes according to directions before your event and cool completely.  Wash, dry, and line kitty litter pan with plastic wrap.

With a child's help, mix pudding according to directions (they can take turns if you have a big group).  Seal cookies in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and ask children to crush them up.  Set aside 1/4 cup of cookie crumbs.  

Crumble the cakes into the NEW and UNUSED kitty litter pan.  Toss with the larger portion of  cookie crumbs and pudding (just until mixed - not soggy.).   Set aside.  

Ask children to unwrap Tootsie Rolls.  Microwave the unwrapped tootsie rolls for 5 seconds or just until they are slightly melted.  Add to the cake mixture.  I've seen some recipes that include green food coloring after this step, but I think that's going a bit too far, don't you?

Sprinkle remaining cookie crumbs onto cake.  

Eat and enjoy, and just try not to think about it too much.

Adopt-A-Cat, Part I

June is finally here, and there's no better time of year for pool parties, popsicles, and pussycats.  Yes, June is "Adopt-A-Cat" month, perfectly timed with the overpopulation of springtime kittens (but don't forget - the older kitties need homes, too).  If you can't commit to a cat at the moment (or in my case, ANOTHER cat), consider dropping by your local animal shelter and asking for their "wish list."  Providing cat food, kitty litter, and other specific items needed by the shelter is always hugely appreciated.

At home, you and your child can curl up with a cat on your lap (real or imaginary) and read one of these books!

For the Young'ns

There are Cats in this Book by Viviane Schwartz- Cats.  Flaps.  String.  Too much temptation!  And a lot of fun.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes- Poor Kitten wants that big bowl of milk in the sky, but your very intelligent kiddo will know better.  

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff - Another "If You Give..." book, continuing the theme of a toddleresque cat whose attention span is thislong.  

For the 'Tweens

Warriors series by Erin Hunter - Kitty clans and a prophecy.  It's Harry Potter for the spay and neuter set.  

Lion Boy by Zizou Corder - A boy who can speak to cats befriends a pride of lions on a floating circus.  

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - Ok, it's not really a book about cats and is probably the creepiest kid book of all time, but the cat character is sort of the Johnny Depp of the cat world, therefore making him unbelievably cool.  "Cats don't have names...Now, you people have names.  That's because you don't know who you are.  We know who we are, so we don't have names." Hiss!  

These are a few of my favorites - what are yours?  

Crunchy Bananas

While I'm sure Clara and I aren't the first to enjoy this yummy snack, we may be the first to crush up the graham crackers while singing, "We Want Gymbo" (or "We Will Rock You," to those of you who are not toddlers).  

What you need:

1 banana

Peanut butter

1-2 graham crackers

plastic sandwich bag

What you do:

Slice banana into coins.  Spread a thin layer of peanut butter onto each.  Place graham cracker in plastic bag and close tightly so that air is out of the bag and no graham cracker pieces can escape.  Hand bag over to small child and watch uncomfortably as child gleefully crushes graham cracker (suddenly, The Lord of the Files makes so much more sense).  Sprinkle crushed graham cracker onto banana and enjoy.  

5 Wonderful Ways to Celebrate Children's Book Week

1.  Donate a book locally (hospital, library, church, school, etc.) or globally (one example - and my favorite - is First Book).  

2.  Go on the Children's Book Council website and download a (free!) bookmark.  Or order a Children's Book Week poster - your only cost is the shipping (practically free!).

3.  Send fan mail to your favorite children's author or illustrator.  Many have their own websites through which you can write them, and most can be contacted through their publishers.  All it takes is a Google search.

4.  Go on location.  Cozy up to the tulips and hydrangeas in your backyard and read The Secret Garden.  Spread a blanket on the sand and read On the Way to the Beach.  If you have a little more room in your budget and a lot of extra time, you could take a book lover's pilgrimage (my personal favorite is Prince Edward Island, but that may require a bit of planning).

5.  Throw a book-themed party.  Wildly popular themes are Harry Potter and American Girls, but with some imagination and creativity, you can celebrate just about any book.  Your menu - perhaps the most essential element to any good party - doesn't have to be limited to the usual cookies and punch.  There exists book-related cookbooks for everything from Little House to Star Wars.  More Wookiee Cookies, anyone? 

Grass Guy

Q: What is Grass Guy's favorite TV show?  

A:  Lawn and Order

What you need:

Potting soil

Grass seed

Styrofoam cups

Markers

What you do:

Fill cup 1/2 full of potting soil.  Generously sprinkle grass seed.  Cover with more potting soil.  Using markers, add face.  Water occasionally, and watch his green hair grow.  

Sleepyhead Rhyme

My daughter isn't much for rising and shining.  Her rosy time of day is somewhere around 9:30 at night, or whatever time it is that I'm trying to get her to go to sleep.  Here's a little rhyme that I do in the morning that (hopefully) brings a smile to her sleepy face.

(Begin curled up in bed, and slowly lift yourself out from the covers)  

Brightly shining is the sun!

The waking world has just begun

To stretch and yawn and lift its head...

(YAWN!)

But I think I'll go back to bed!

(Flop dramatically back onto pillow, close eyes and snore)

Fascinating Creatures

Not too long ago, I got one of those Amazon.com recommendations that tells me, "you bought this, so you'll probably like this." I typically delete these emails, since most of my Amazon.com purchases have been gifts for others and many of their recommended titles miss the mark for me (another World War II memoir? Season four of South Park? Hmmm...). But the All-Knowing Amazon did manage to allure me to buy Frances England's Fascinating Creatures, and thank goodness it did. My heart goes out to any parent who has not yet discovered this lovely, talented artist.

Ms. England, whose earthy, indie-folk style makes me sometimes forget I'm listening to a children's album, bills her CDs as "music for the whole family." She and I have never met, but I think she really means music for MY family since each track seems to be a song about my child. In fact, her lyrics are so universally kidpossible that I doubt a mom or dad could listen to them and NOT find a bit of their own little "fascinating creature" within the lyrics. The album, created as a fundraiser for her son's preschool, includes a song about a kid who loves diggin' in the dirt, an anthem praising a child's beloved books, and a busy bee who would rather not bother with bedtime, thank you very much. My personal favorite, Daddy-O, makes me wish brides everywhere would ditch the terrible "Butterfly Kisses" song at their wedding receptions and give this one a twirl.

If her Amazon.com reviews are any indication, Ms. England is living up to her motto - kids are gobbling up her music and parents are unabashedly adding her to their own iPods. And why not? She's that good. And for kids and parents to have a bond like that because of music...well, to me, that's fascinating!

Homemade Kazoo

I am a children’s librarian, and I do not like to do crafts.  This is an uncomfortable situation to be in, because I believe there exists an unwritten code of ethics somewhere that states all children’s librarians must enjoy crafts, but I do not.  I do not squeal excitedly at the sight of glue dots.  Glitter makes me nervous.  After a storytime, when crafts were expected, my enthusiasm was limited to handing out a poorly photocopied coloring page, and half the time I forgot to set out crayons.

So when I find a craft I DO like, I want to shout it from the rooftops.  Here are the instructions for a homemade kazoo.  It’s ridiculously easy, can be assembled using common household items, and children from ages 3 to 10 like making it.  

What you need:

Empty paper towel roll, or anything similar 

4"x4" square of wax paper

Rubber band

What you do:

Secure the wax paper to one end of the roll.  Hum your favorite tune into the non-wax paper end.

And that's it.  My kind of craft.  If you want to extend the activity, the kids can decorate it with markers, crayons, etc.  Smaller kids may have a hard time grasping the concept of humming into the kazoo and not blowing into it, but with practice, they'll get it.  

106 Books of Summer Challenge

It is a blooming, fragrant, 83 degrees today, which has me thinking about summertime.  Hopefully most of it will be spent outside, getting dirty, drippy, sandy, or whatever comes to my daughter's mind.  Still, I don't want our reading to drop just because the temperature doesn't, so I've created a challenge for myself.  I'm posting it here in case anyone wants to join me!

From Memorial Day (May 25) until Labor Day (September 7), read at least one new picture book to a child - any child.  The book doesn't have to be brand new in the sense that it was just published yesterday, but does have to be new to that particular child.  Maybe your 5 year-old has never been introduced to "Where the Wild Things Are," and you want him to read the book before seeing the movie.  Or maybe you're really ambitious and want to check out every Dr. Seuss book ever published.  It doesn't matter.  Just introduce one new book a day, and keep track of the titles you read.  

Where to get the books?  The library, of course!  And while you're there, sign up for your library's summer reading program!  

Memorial Day is a month away, but I'm going to start making a booklist now.  I'd love recommendations!  I wonder what our new "favorite" book will be this summer!

Tickle Toes

Why should pigs be the only ones to have all the fun?  Here's a tickle rhyme for your little one's toes that is nice to do right before bedtime.

The cow is in the barn.

(wiggle big toe)

The horse is in the stall.

(wiggle second toe)

The pig is in the pen.

(wiggle middle toe)

The cat's curled in a ball.

(wiggle fourth toe)

Who's peeking 'round the corner

going "squeak squeak squeak?"

Why, it's itty bitty mouse

(wiggle little toe)

Running creepy, creep, creep!

(tickle child from toe to chin)

Happy National Library Week!

Chances are, if you asked someone on the street what was important about this week, they'd most likely say "tax day."  Ok, they would be right, but that's not all that is important about this week.  April 12-18 is National Library Week, brought to you by the American Library Association.  When I was employed by a library, National Library Week meant that lots and lots of cookies were passed out to bribe people into filling out one of our surveys.  Now that I'm a librarian without a library, I can be a little more reflective about the whole thing.  

Back in tenth grade, the head librarian of my hometown held an essay contest for my English class.  The theme was "Libraries: The Key to Democracy," and let me tell you, I had no idea what that meant.  I equated "democracy" with dead Presidents, not the building on Main Street where I used to check out Sweet Valley Twins novels.  Needless to say, I did not win the contest.  But time has passed, and now I get it.  Pure and simple, libraries are a place for everyone.  Regardless of your age, income, ethnicity, or gender, you are welcome.

So please, take advantage of this wonderful place.  Check out some books and movies.  Take your child to storytime.  Most importantly, get to know your librarian.  He or she is Walking Resource of Knowledge and would love to help you find answers to your questions (except for maybe tax questions...I think they're pretty tired of those by now).  You will be so glad that you did!

And maybe while you're there, you can fill out a survey and eat a cookie.  :-)

Classic Nursery Rhymes

A nursery rhyme is one of the simplest and earliest forms of literacy.  Search online for five minutes and you'll find heaps of research supporting the benefits of itsy-bitsy spiders, blind mice, and fiddling cats (not to mention all those sheep - misplaced, sheared, off to school, etc.).  Nursery rhymes introduce and strengthen vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and even mathematical concepts, for goodness sake.  They are that essential.

Several months ago I was on the lookout for a good CD of nursery rhymes that my daughter and I could listen to in the car.   We had already borrowed a few from the library, but I had grown tired of generic children singing to fairly common arrangements.  Then I discovered Classic Nursery Rhymes by Susie Tallman, and all changed.  

I adore this CD.  Listen to the first song, Six Little Ducks, and just try not to dance all over the room.  My daughter demanded Ten Monkeys in the Bed (Track #9, in case you were wondering) for an entire half-hour car ride home and I'm happy to say that I arrived back at the house perfectly sane.

What I love most about Classic Nursery Rhymes is that each song has its own personality.  No generic children, no creepy, computerized instruments.  The presentation of each rhyme is so lively and unique, I can almost imagine them being performed by a Muppet back in the heyday of The Muppet Show (listen to Betty Botter and you'll see what I mean).  

Hop on over to Rock Me Baby Records and be enchanted!

Pile on the Pancakes

Ah, maple syrup!  Sugar season '09 is pretty much over, but this is the time of year when maple festivals are popping up all over the Northeast.  In March, my family returned to our native Somerset County for the 62nd Pennsylvania Maple Festival.  Our daughter still talks about gobbling pancakes at the Pancake House, sampling her first taste of maple sugar, and meeting the Maple Queen and her court.  Sweet memories, indeed.

The Pancake by Christina Rossetti is a catchy little rhyme that can be used for multiple ages - from bouncing lap babies to preschoolers with a parachute (pretend "pancakes" could be tossed all over the place!).  

Mix a pancake!

Stir a pancake!

Pop it in the pan!

Fry the pancake!

Toss the pancake!

Catch it if you can!

If using this as a bounce rhyme, bounce the baby with the beat, gently letting the baby fall through your legs during the last line.

If using a parachute, shake the "pancakes" with the beat and toss them high into the air during the last line.

Just make sure you don't confuse the two!  

For the Birds

Could Birds by Kevin Henkes be the most perfect picture book, ever?  It has everything a picture book SHOULD have - vibrant, striking illustrations, a story both imaginative AND excellent as a read-aloud (two things that are sometimes mutually exclusive), and a universal theme we can all appreciate (is there anyone who hasn't marveled at a bird?).  In all its simplicity, this is a magical little book.  My library copy is due soon, and I fear I may rack up some fines with this one.

In honor of Birds, I give you a recipe for homemade bird treats.  My daughter and I made these treats in February, and it was a successful first recipe for her to try.  Much of the recipe is taken from Family Fun magazine, with a few alterations made by me.

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, beaten

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tasp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

Peanut butter

Mixed birdseed

Cream butter, then beat in eggs.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Gradually add dry ingredients to butter and eggs mixture.  Chill for one hour.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to desired thickness and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Using a drinking straw, make one or two holes at the top of the shape.  Place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  When cookies have cooled, thread yarn through the holes and secure with a knot (I like to imagine that the birds use the yarn for their nests when they are done eating the cookies).  Spread peanut butter over both sides of cookies and press into birdseed.  Hang on a tree limb or bird feeder on a dry, sunny day.  What a feast for your feathered friends!

Scarf Peek-A-Boo

What better day for a first post than on a blustery, rainy April afternoon?  

This is a simple peek-a-boo game that I made up to the tune of Frere Jacques.  Initially, I used a blanket, towel, shower curtain, or anything I could get my hands on to "hide," but eventually we graduated to scarves.  

For one child (fill in the blanks with the child's name):

Can you find me? 

(Can you find me?)

I see you!

(I see you!)

Where is baby _____?

(Where is baby ____?)

Peek...a...BOO!

Or, if you're using it for a laptime:

Can you find me?

(Can you find me?)

I see you!

(I see you!)

Where are all the babies?

Where are all the grownups?

Peek...a...BOO!

I typically drag out the peek-a-boo part until they can barely stand it.  Fun stuff!