Rockin' New Year's Eve!

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Let's ring in the New Year at storytime with these calendar books:

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
A hermit crab who has outgrown his old shell moves into a new one, which he decorates with the various sea creatures he meets in his travels.

Twelve Hats for Lena by Karen Katz
Lena Katz creates hats appropriate for each month of the year.

Get your party hat ready for our New Year's Eve celebration!

Let it Snow!

 Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Thank you, Miss Tiffany, for visiting us at the 10:30am session!  We enjoyed learning about the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly!

In the remaining sessions, we read...

No Two Alike by Keith Baker
Follow a pair of red birds on a snowflake-filled journey through a winter landscape, where everything -- from branches and leaves to forests full of trees -- is unique!

Mouse's First Snow by Lauren Thompson
Mouse tries sledding, making snow angels and ice skating when he and his father go out to play in the snow!

How do you enjoy snow in Texas?
By making your own snowflakes at Craft Time!

Orange Crush

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Red and yellow make...  Let's look at books about things that are ORANGE!

Brontorina by James Howe
Despite her size, a determined dinosaur pursues her dream of becoming a ballerina.

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
Join us on a journey from egg to caterpillar to cocoon to Monarch Butterly!

Craft Time:  Orange Collage!  One color to go...

Frosty!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Our 10:30AM group got to meet...  Santa Claus!  He read us...

Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? by Jerry Pallotta
Santa Claus has a big job to do on Christmas Eve, and he needs a team to help with the sleigh.  Many different kinds of animals try out, including tigers, mice and even dolphins!






Then Miss Dinah read another Santa-themed book:

"I'm Not Santa!" by Jonathan Allen
When Baby Hare mistakes Baby Owl for Santa Claus, it takes a visit from St. Nick himself to straighten things out.









Our 11:30AM and 3:30PM groups enjoyed a snowperson-themed storytime:

Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner
A child imagines what it would be like if a snowman, made of magical snow, could be a companion throughout the year!

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Put on your mittens, and let's head outside to make a snow family! What will happen when the sun comes out?

Paint Chip Snowmen!

Let's Talk Turkey!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

Bear thanks his friends for bringing food dishes to his dinner party and finds a way to share something of his own!

The Thankful Book by Todd Parr

There are so many things to be thankful for...  From bubble baths to hugs to underwear!

Gobble Gobble!  I am thankful for craft time!
We had a blast making these paper bag turkeys!

We the Kids

November 19, 2014

It's citizenship month!  I am so proud to be a citizen of Houston, where I have the opportunity to meet many different kinds of people.  Today, we read books that explore diversity and remind us that while we may look different, we are all valuable and deserving of respect.

I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont
High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves -- inside and out.  Messy hair?  Beaver breath?  So what!  Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.

It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
Missing a few teeth?  Got wheels?  Or a different nose?  No problem!  Everyone is unique in their own way.

For the craft today, we made this awesome diversity paper doll chain!

The quote reads, "When I see you through my eyes, I think that we are different.
When I see you through my heart, I know we are the same."  -- Doe Zantamata

The Color...

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

PURPLE!  Mixing red and blue is so much fun...

Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley
Purple Little Bird leaves his almost-perfect purple home in search of a better place, but although Brown Bear, Yellow Camel and others live in very nice places, none is quite right for him...

Too Purpley! by Jean Reidy
A young girl rejects many outfits before finding the perfect clothes to wear.

The PURPLE part of my particularly appealing COLOR WHEEL!

Cinderella, Dressed in...

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Make you day a little sunnier with the color YELLOW!

Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
When Mama Duck says it's time for her brood to leave the nest and paddle across the pond, Widdle, Waddle, Piddle and Puddle all follow along.  But Little Quack is nervous...  Will he find the confidence to jump in?

Little Bea by Daniel Roode
From morning to night, Little Bea buzzes through her neighborhood, helping friends and having fun!

It's time to add the YELLOW to our color wheel!

Boo!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

I Loathe You by David Slonim
Big Monster and Little Monster try to impress each other with how much they "loathe" one another.

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
Join ladybug in a game of Let's Pretend!

Boo!  It's a spooky craft time!
Thank you to onecreativemommy.com for today's idea. :)

Violets Are...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Check it out!  Today's books are BLUE!

Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Feeling too grumpy to fly, Bird begins to walk...  And he finds that his mood changes as the other animals join him!

Blue Sky by Audrey Wood
Throughout the day and into the night, a boy and his family observe the constantly changing sky!

Today we completed the BLUE section of our color wheels!

If You're a Monster and You Know It!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
Monsters sing their own version of this popular song that encourages everyone to express their happiness through voice and movement.

Your Pal Mo Willems Presents: Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
Leonardo is a terrible monster -- he can't seem to frighten anyone.  When he discovers the prefect nervous little boy, will he scare the tuna salad out of him?  Or will he think of something better?

Paint Chip Halloween Crafts!

Roses Are...

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Let's explore the color...  RED!

The Red Hen by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
Red Hen finds a recipe for a Simply Splendid Cake and asks her friends the cat, the rat, and the frog to help with preparations.  But it seems as though her friends want no part in the cake until it's ready to eat.  Will they decide to pitch in, or let Red Hen do all of the hard work?

Red Sled by Lita Judge
A bear discovers a red sled...  And all of the woodland creatures enjoy a ride in the snow!

Today we created the RED section of our color wheel!

Autumn Leaves

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson
Mouse and Minka experience the delights of nature on a windy autumn day!

Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
Explore the fall season in mixed-up rhymes and verses...  Then identify the errors!

How do you make a fall tree?  It's easy!
Just trace your hand and arm, then add some stickers for leaves.

Alphabet

Check out our complete ALPHABET CRAFT collection!

Z is For...

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Zounds!  We have made our way to the end of the alphabet!

Life-Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya
See life-size photographs of zoo animals!  Learn their names and fun facts about each one!

Z is For Moose by Kelly Bingham
Moose is terribly eager to play his part in the alphabet book his friend Zebra is putting together!  But when the letter M comes along and Zebra chooses Mouse instead, a frustrated Moose behaves rather badly...  Until Zebra finds a special spot for him.

Z is for ZEBRA!