Storytime: Gross and Messy

Let's face it, being messy can be fun, especially with kids.  They enjoy it so much.  For the grown-ups and the clean-up afterwards, not so much.  To fit in with this summer's "Fizz Boom Read" reading program theme, I thought a Gross and Messy story time was in order.  Here is what I did.

BOOKS:

Not Me! by Nicola Killen

Puddle Pug by Kim Norman

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs by Johnette Downing

Spider Sandwiches by Claire Freedman

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

RHYMES & SONGS:

Five Clean and Dirty Pigs
I used a printable pattern of pigs.  I cut them out, glued a clean pig to a dirty pig, and laminated them.  I affixed Velcro to them and used this as a flannel board.  You can easily flip the pigs over from clean to dirty!

Five little pigs rolled in the mud,
     (roll hands)
Squishy, squashy, felt so good.
The farmer took one piggy out,
"Oink, oink, oink!" the pig did shout.
     (turn pig over to clean side)

Continue with four, three, two, one...

No little pigs rolled in the mud.
They all looked so clean and good.
The farmer turned his back, and then,
Those pigs rolled in the mud again.
     (turn all the pigs over to the dirty side)

(Source: Sunflower Storytime)

I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
     (cup hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch! Ouch! It stung me!

I'm squishing up the baby bumblebee.
     (rub hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm squishing up the baby bumblebee.
Oh no!  It's yucky!

I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee.
     (wipe hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee.
Look at me! All clean!

(Source: King County Library System)

On My Toe There is a Flea

On my toe there is a flea,
Now he's climbing up on me,
Past my stomach, past my nose,
On my head where my hair grows.
On my head there is a flea,
Now he's crawling down on me,
Past my stomach, past my knee,
On my toe,
Take THAT, you flea!

(Source: King County Library System)

SCIENCE ACTIVITY:  SLIME

I found the directions for this activity on the Steve Spangler Science website.  I made one batch, and the kids helped me stir it.  It was lots of fun, and worked really well with my small group of preschoolers.  At the end, the slime can be divided up, put in Ziploc bags, and the kids can take it home.

8oz. bottle Elmer's glue
1 tsp. Borax (a powdered laundry soap, can be found in the laundry detergent aisle at grocery store)
Warm water
Food coloring
Large mixing bowl
Spoon
Glass measuring cup
Ziploc bags

1. Empty entire bottle of Elmer's glue into the mixing bowl.  Fill the empty bottle with warm water, put the cap back on, and shake it around.  Pour the glue-water mixture in the mixing bowl and mix it up well with the spoon.
2.  Add a drop or two of food coloring and mix this up.
3.  Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into the glass measuring cup and add 1 teaspoon of Borax.  Mix this together.
4.  While stirring the glue mixture, add a little bit of the Borax solution.  Immediately, you will see the mixture become thicker and stringier.  Keep adding the Borax solution until you get the desired consistency.  You will need to use your hands to really mix it up.
5.  Store slime in a sealed Ziploc bag.

CRAFT:  FINGER PAINT PICTURES
It doesn't get messier than this!  Pour out different colors of washable paint (I use Crayola) onto paper plates.  Give the kids a piece of construction paper and let them "paint" a picture with their fingers.  Make sure to cover your tables and have plenty of baby wipes and paper towels available!

Storytime: What's the Weather?

Our state participates in the Collaborative Summer Library Program, and this year's theme is Fizz, Boom, READ!  For my weekly storytimes, I've planned a a science-based theme each week.  This week was about weather.

BOOKS:



It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Split! Splat! by Amy Gibson
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand

RHYMES & SONGS:

Rain is Falling Down

Rain is falling down, splash!
Rain is falling down, splash!
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.
Rain is falling down, splash!
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
Peaking here, peaking there.
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
(Source: King County Library System)

Noisy Wind
(tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

I like the noisy wind,
I like the noisy wind.
It roars and mutters,
(voice loud and then soft)
And shakes and shutters,
(use shaker eggs)
I like the noisy wind.
I like the noisy wind,
I like the noisy wind.
It flaps the flag,
(use scarves and flap your arms around)
And rustles my bag,
I like the noisy wind.
(Source: Preschool Education)

Five Umbrellas
(I used this as a flannel rhyme)

Five umbrellas stood by the back door.
The red one went outside, and then there were four.
Four umbrellas stood pretty as can be,
The blue one went outside, and then there were three.
Three umbrellas with nothing to do,
The green one went outside, and then there were two.
Two umbrellas watching for the sun,
The yellow one went out, and then there was one.
Just one umbrella stood alone in the hall,
The purple one went out, and that was all!
(Source: Harris County Public Library)

SCIENCE ACTIVITY:  RAIN CLOUD IN A CUP

Ingredients:
Shaving Cream (use Barbasol or other brand that isn't a gel-based shaving cream)
Food Coloring
Cold Water
Clear Plastic Cup

Instructions:
1.  Fill the clear plastic cup 3/4 of the way with cold water.
2.  Spray the shaving cream on top of the cold water.
3.  Squeeze several drops of food coloring on top of the shaving cream and observe what happens.

The shaving cream represents the cloud and the food coloring represents the rain.  As water droplets inside a cloud continue to grow, they become heavy and eventually turn into rain and fall to the ground.

CRAFT:  RAIN STICKS

Ingredients:
Paper towel tubes
Construction paper or scrapbook paper
Glue sticks
Rubber bands
Dry rice
Dry beans
Aluminum foil

Instructions:
1.  Cover the paper towel tube with paper and glue in place.  If you are using construction paper, the kids can decorate the paper however they choose before gluing it onto the tube.
2.  Cut two squares out of the paper.  Cover one end of the tube with the paper square and rubber band it in place.
3.  Fill the tube with some rice, beans, and two crumpled up lengths of foil.
4.  Cover the other end of the tube with the second paper square and rubber band it tightly.
5.  Shake gently and hear the sounds of rain...or rock out to some music, as this craft makes an excellent music instrument!