Teddy Bear Picnic

We are hosting our annual 

Teddy Bear Picnic 

this Saturday, June 2 from 1-2pm.  

There will be stories, games, crafts and snacks.  

Bring your special stuffed friend and join us! 

Call to register for this free event, 403-887-2130.

Interesting Literacy Study

I read an interesting article about a new study published by the Society for Research in Child Development yesterday. It was studying reading between parents and children and how to improve literacy.

The gist of the study suggested that when reading with your child it is important to get them to focus on the words. This could be accomplished by simply pointing out the occasional word, showing how the text flowed from left to right, bringing attention to capitals, pointing out letters and their shapes and the words formed by the letters. This was not intrusive to the reading of the story but simply focused the child on the print and words as units.  

It was  fascinating that such a small change to reading with your child could have such a large impact on their ability to learn to read. Here is a link to the news article, Therapy Toronto .

Summer Events Newsletter

Colours

Colours

 

Storytime – Welcome Song

Read first story Black Meets White, Hockey Colours, Purple Little Bird

Fingerplay: Colour

Blue is the Lake, (point to the floor)
Yellow is the sun (point to the sky)
Silver are the stars,
When the day is done, (wiggle fingers in the air)
Red is the apple, (make circle with hands)
Green is the tree (raise arms over head like branches)
Brown is a chocolate chip cookie for you and me! (rub tummy))

Read second story Blue Goose, Kitten, Red, Yellow Blue, My Very First Book of Colors

Sing:  Find the Colour

Oh, can you find the colour red,
The color red, the colour red?
Oh, can you find the colour red,
Somewhere in this room

 

Substitute the names of other colours for red.

Read third story Bight, Shiny, Rainbow Colors, Little Blue and Little Yellow, Hello, Red Fox

Sing: If You're Wearing Red - Sung to If You're Happy And You Know It

If you are wearing red shake your head
If you are wearing red shake your head
If you are wearing red
Then please shake your head
If you are wearing red shake your head

Additional Verses:

Blue, touch your shoe
Green, bow like a queen
Yellow, shake like Jell-O
Brown, turn around
Pink, give us a wink

Colors

The world is full of colors.
The coldest color I can think of is...
The warmest color I can think of is...
The softest color I can think of is...
The scariest color I can think of is...
When I think of yellow, I think of...
When I think of red, I think of...
When I think of blue, I think of...
When I think of green, I think of...
My favorite color for a house is...
My favorite color for a flower is..
The funniest color I can think of is...
The color that makes me the happiest is...

Craft: Painting with Water

Watercolor paper with sketches coloured with watercolour pencils, paint brushes, water.

Paint over colours with brush and water. 

Letter Z

Letter Z- Zoo, zebra, zipper, zip, zero, zigzag

2’s and 3’s, 4’s and 5’s

Storytime – Welcome Song

Storytime is starting, starting, starting.

Storytime is starting, come and listen to me.

Read first story 1 Zany Zoo, Stop Snoring, Bernard!, or Zoozical

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2. 

Fingerplay: Three Little Zebras
Three little zebras went out to play
One of the zebras galloped away.

Two little zebras out at play,
Another zebra galloped away.

One little zebra out at play.
Finally, that zebra galloped away.

Zero zebras out at play.
Now all the zebra’s are far away.

Read second story Batty, Zack's Zippers: the Sound of Z, 

 

Action Song: You Can Hear (Tune: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring, you can hear the lions roaring,
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR ROAR!
(Snakes hissing, bears growling, wolves howling, frogs croaking, zebras braying) Perpetual Preschool

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Read third story Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo, Zara Zebra's Busy Day

 Fingerplay: Rags   

I have a dog and his name is Rags,

He eats so much that his tummy sags,

His ears flip-flop, [move head side to side]

And his tail wig-wags, [shake bottom]

And when he walks he goes zig zag. 

[move in zig, zag pattern]

He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag. [repeat motions]

He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag. [repeat motions] 

He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag. [repeat motions] 

I love Rags and he loves me.

I love Rags and he loves me.

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7. 

Craft: Zebra

Materials: Paper plate, black cut outs of hair, eyebrows and stripes, white cut outs of eyes, ears and nose

Place face parts on paper plate and glue into place. 

Idea from DLTK-kids

Letter Y

Letter Y- Yellow, yaks, yarn, you, yes, yawn, Yeti, yolks, yoyo, yummy, yucky

2’s and 3’s, 4’s and 5’s

Music: Songs for the Car

Storytime – Welcome Song

Storytime is starting, starting, starting.

Storytime is starting, come and listen to me.

Read first story The Big Yawn, The Red Lemon, You Will Be My Friend! or Yo! Yes?

1. 

2. 

Fingerplay: Yawning Yaks

Five yaks yawned a lot--    (Hold up 5 fingers and yawn.)
Time for bed believe it or not.   (Lay hands aside of face as asleep.)
For your mother you must obey.     (Shake pointy finger.)
And when you get up, just yell yea!  (Jump up and say “yea.”)

Read second story No Potty! Yes Potty! or There Are Cats in This Book

Action Song: Ten Fluffy Chickens

Five eggs and five eggs,

That makes ten. (Hold up two hands)

Sitting on top is the Mother Hen. (Fold one hand over the other)

Crackle, crackle, crackle; (clap three times)

What do I see?

Ten fluffy chickens, (hold up ten fingers)

As yellow as can be.

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5. 

Read third story Peg and the Yeti or Yes

Fingerplay: Color Rhyme If your clothes have any red, Put your finger on your head. If your clothes have any blue, Put your finger on your shoe. If your clothes have any green, Wave your hand so that you’re seen. If your clothes have any yello w, Smile like a happy fellow. If your clothes have any brown, Turn your smile into a frown. If your clothes have any black, Put your hands behind your back. If your clothes have any white, Stomp your feet with all your might.

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Craft: Yeti

Materials: Toilet rolls painted white, squeezed together at the top and stapled with jagged hair cut out, white paper arm shapes, markers.

Glue on arms and draw on faces and hair.

I got the idea from Cider and Faun

Letter X

Letter X- Fox, box, xylophone, ox, x-ray, exit, extra, taxi, mix, six

2’s and 3’s, 4’s and 5’s

Music: Songs for the Car 

Storytime – Welcome Song

Storytime is starting, starting, starting.

Storytime is starting, come and listen to me.

Read first story The Birthday Box, A Isn't for Fox An Isn't Alphabet, Warduff and the Corncob Caper

 

1. 

2. 

Fingerplay: Fox in a Box

I saw a little fox    (Hold up two fingers walking in air.)
climb into a box. (Put fingers in opening of other hand.)
I saw a large ox (Hold hand as a fist.)
sit on a mailbox. (Place fist on other hand.)

Read second story The Chicken Thief, Not a Box, The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers

Action Song: FOX HAS GOT A LONG RED TAIL

Fox has got a long red tail,

Shake that tail, shake that tail!

Fox has got a long red tail,

Shake that tail now!

Fox has got a pointy nose,

Wiggle that nose, wiggle that nose!

Fox has got a pointy nose,

Wiggle that nose now!

Fox has got two front paws,

Shake those paws, shake those paws

Fox has got two front paws,

Shake those paws now!

Fox has got long pointy teeth

Snap those teeth, snap those teeth!

Fox has got long pointy teeth

Snap those teeth now!

Fingerplay: Ten Little Candles Ten little candles on a birthday cake. Wh!  Wh!  Now there are eight.      Eight little candles in candle sticks. Wh!  Wh!  Now there are six. Six little candles, not one more. Wh!  Wh!  Now there are four. Four little candles, red and blue. Wh!  Wh!  Now there are two. Two little candles, one by one. Wh!  Wh!  Now there are none.

(Hold up ten fingers.) (Blow on each thumb in turn.  Fold down thumbs.) (Hold up eight fingers.) (Blow on each pinky in turn.  Fold down pinkies.) (Hold up six fingers.) (Blow on each ring finger in turn.  Fold down ring fingers.) (Hold up four fingers.) (Blow on each middle finger in turn.  Fold down middle fingers.) (Hold up both forefingers.) (Blow on each forefinger.  Fold down forefingers.  Hold up fists.)

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Read third story Hattie and the Fox, This Little Pirate

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Craft: Fox Face

Materials: Fox head cut from red construction paper, white nose construction paper, black circles and triangles, coffee stir sticks, glue, googly eyes.

Assemble fox head- head, white nose, 2 triangles, circle, coffee stir stick, 2 googly eyes, and glue together.

I used the mask template from http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/fantastic_mr_fox_mask.htm. I did not cut holes for eyes or punch holes for strings. Instead of pipecleaners I used a coffee stir stick and snipped it lengthwise into three whiskers and stapled it on.