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!