Noon Day Countdown Party

Happy New Year's Eve!  This year we had our first ever Noon Day Countdown party!  Woo-Hoo!  I was super nervous that we would have nobody show up, but we ended up having 55 kids and 45 adults!!!  We had a wonderful age range of tiny tots to young elementary, which I am very pleased about.  I am already plotting how to make things better for next year, but you can check out what we did below!  Here's to your 2020 being full of God's gracious blessing!

Crafts:

Noisemakers are always a favorite with kids, right?  These are super simple to make!
Credit: https://www.education.com/activity/article/Make_some_New_Years_noise/

Party hats are a must have at your countdown party!  We had two versions laid out on one table, a crown or a party hat.  The party hat is my favorite because it is nothing more than a paper cup and string!  How adorable is that!  Only one website is working where I found the hats at, so I apologize for not being able to give credit.
Credit: http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2011/12/easy-new-years-noise-makers-party.html?m=1

This craft is so adorable and the kids really got into decorating the face and hat on the craft.  I think next year we might decorate a pig to go along with the book by Numeroff about giving a pig a party.

Credit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Birthday-Celebrations-for-the-Classroom-1333657

This is probably my favorite craft, just because you can make it so beautiful!

Credit: https://www.projectswithkids.com/paper-fireworks-craft/

Games:

We had a lot of games setup, which really helped entertain everyone until the countdown.  I had bingo setup in the back of the room.  In the front we had a giant version of bowling and giant version of Connect Four.  I did get a really nice beanbag toss game.  What was so wonderful about it was many of the kids would pose behind it!  The other game was a simple one to make, a party hat ring toss game.

I always have food at my parties but I didn't at this one, I honestly didn't see the need for it.  Afterwards I realized the flow of this party went supremely well, we didn't have any place super crowded, everyone kept going to somewhere different, nobody got clogged up.  This got me to thinking, do I really need food at every party I do here at the library?  No, I don't.  Now this is to say that I want to cut food completely out of my parties.  But I think I would like to only do food once or twice out of the year and not at every single party that goes on.  When I do food I have to take up space with tables for every to sit and eat at, plus food and drink tables.  I would rather use this space for interactive games and crafts.  Time will tell what happens, check back to see!

Jingle Bell Rock (Preschool and Two's Storytime)

As I write this, I can't begin to grasp that another year has come and gone since I've done a Christmas storytime.  I look back over the past year and try to think, what have I done for my Lord?  Let me take a moment and say if you don't know my precious Savior, please don't delay!  The most amazing gift you can ever receive this Christmas is accepting Jesus into your heart.  It is as simple as A-B-C!  Ask, believe and confess!  Jesus loves you and wants nothing more than to live inside your heart.  Trust me my friends, that's all there is to it.

Preschool Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Book: Jingle-Jingle (Volunteer doing ASL)

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Snowmen Jumping on the Bed

Board Book: Don’t Wake Up Santa!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Rudolph, Rudolph

Rudolph, Rudolph, what will you do?

You can't guide the sleigh if your nose is blue.

Let’s touch our knee and then our shoe.

Rudolph, Rudolph, you're such a silly fellow

Who will know it's you if your nose is yellow.

Let’s wiggle around like a happy fellow.

Rudolph, Rudolph, your way cannot be seen,

Through the wintry weather if your nose is green.

Let’s jump up and down like a jumping bean.

Rudolph, Rudolph, it's time to go to town

But you can't help Santa if your nose is brown.

Let’s reach up high and touch the ground.

Rudolph, Rudolph, the children are in bed

And now we get on our way because your nose is red.

Let’s pat our legs, turn around, and sit back down!

*I added a few lines from a Mailbox en.

Book: Click, Clack, Ho! Ho! Ho!

*We didn't have a craft today because we had a party! Everyone brought food and we had games set up. To see what we played click here!

Extra Read-Alouds:

Time for Two’s Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Fingerplay: If You Want to Hear a Story

Book: Click, Clack, Ho, Ho, Ho!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Gingerbread Jumping on the Bed

Board Book: Jolly Jingly Christmas

*The two's were astounded by all the sound being played inside this book. I loved it because the sounds didn't play until you opened up the flaps!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Rudolph, Rudolph

Rudolph, Rudolph, what will you do?

You can't guide the sleigh if your nose is blue.

Let’s touch our knee and then our shoe.

Rudolph, Rudolph, you're such a silly fellow

Who will know it's you if your nose is yellow.

Let’s wiggle around like a happy fellow.

Rudolph, Rudolph, your way cannot be seen,

Through the wintry weather if your nose is green.

Let’s jump up and down like a jumping bean.

Rudolph, Rudolph, it's time to go to town

But you can't help Santa if your nose is brown.

Let’s reach up high and touch the ground.

Rudolph, Rudolph, the children are in bed

And now we get on our way because your nose is red.

Let’s pat our legs, turn around, and sit back down!

*I added a few lines from a Mailbox edition.

http://libraryvillage.blogspot.com/2013/12/toddler-story-time-jingle-bells.html

Fingerplay/Flannel: “Decorate Tree”

Extra Read Alouds:

December Sensory Games 2019

1.) Christmas Box Knockdown
My storytime kids absolutely love stacking my boxes up and knocking them down over and over again.  I wanted to make the boxes into a learning activity, so I spelled out S-A-N-T-A on one side and put numbered ornaments on the other side.  Some of the preschoolers were very studious when the stacked them up to make sure the sides matched.  It was so precious!

2.) Jingle Bell Toss Game

This game is so cute and easy to store!  I ordered it online and the kids went bonkers over it!  

3.) Christmas Tree Pom-Pom Push
I have been using this game for years and thankfully the storytime kids still love it.  I used a shoebox and pom-poms for the game.  That's all you need!

4.) Penguin Bowling

This is a bowling set I ordered online and I truly believe that the storytime kids would do bowling every week and never tire of it.  They simply adore it!

P is for Parade of Penguins (Preschool and Two's)

Preschool Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Action: Mitten Match-Up

*For this I hold up different mittens and have the kids tell me what’s wrong until I get the correct pair. The kids love doing this!

Book: Little Penguin Stays Awake

Fingerplay/Flannel: Make a Snowman

*For this, I made a snowman, and placed him on my flannel, but he didn't have any arms or a hat.  I asked the kids what he needed, and of course they told me! When they said hat, I would place a cowboy hat on him.  Thankfully they told me that was wrong, so I replaced it with a pink hat, which they told me was wrong. Lastly I put up the right hat, a black top hat.  I repeated this with the snowman's arms. The kids always love telling me what I've done wrong, and this was no exception.

Book: One Very Big Bear

*This is the first time I've read this book in storytime, and the preschoolers did really well counting along. The next time I read this I plan on having a flannel made to go along with the book.

Fingerplay/Puppets: “There’s Something in the Snow”

    There’s something in the snow, now what can it be?

    There’s something in the snow that I can’t really see.

    Hear it’s funny sound…OINK OINK

    A pig is what I found!

    Contiunue with: Neigh, neigh, a horse is what I found.

                    Moo, moo, a cow is what I found.

                    Baa, baa, a sheep is what I found.

*This is my favorite fingerplay to do during the winter, and the kids loved it!   This time I played the sounds through an app on my tablet. I found this fabulous idea here.

Our craft is a peek-a-boo penguin inside his igloo!

Extra Books:

Time for Two’s Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Book: Five Flying Penguins (Have penguins up on puppet stage)

Fingerplay/Flannel: Snowman Hats

*Different hats have actions to go along with it

Fingerplay/Flannel:Mitten Hiding Game

Board Book: Peekaboo! In the Snow

Fingerplay/Puppets: “There’s Something in the Snow” (Use sounds on tablet)

    There’s something in the snow, now what can it be?

    There’s something in the snow that I can’t really see.

    Hear it’s funny sound…OINK OINK

    A pig is what I found!

    Contiunue with: Neigh, neigh, a horse is what I found.

                    Moo, moo, a cow is what I found.

                    Baa, baa, a sheep is what I found.

*This is my favorite fingerplay to do during the winter, and the kids loved it!   I have animal sounds on my tablet, so I decided to use them, but I didn't tell the two's. Their reactions were absolutely priceless!!! I found this fabulous idea here.

*The two's did the same craft as the preschoolers, which is pictured above.

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Reindeer Jumping on the Bed

(Or five little snowmen)

Book: Baby Loves Winter

Action: Snowman Dancing

*Give out snowman in hanging bag on cart and dance around with to end storytime

O is for Ornaments on the Tree (Preschool and Two's)

Preschool Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Office Book: Once There Was a Christmas Tree

*We have had this book for a very long time at my library. The thing I love is that somebody made a lovely flannelboard for it. The wonderful thing? The flannel is a tree that will come apart to make four trees! Because in the book you start out with one big tree and slowly cut the tree in half until you end up with four. The preschoolers loved watching my tree go from one to four trees. So much fun!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Reindeer Jumping on the Bed

Book: What Am I? Christmas

*This is a wonderful series that I love to use. My preschoolers really enjoy books that they get to guess what I am describing to them. I haven't read this book in a couple of years and I'm really glad that I decided to pick this one out. I had a very small crowd, but they all really enjoyed it!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Rudolph, Rudolph

Rudolph, Rudolph, what will you do?

You can't guide the sleigh if your nose is blue.

Let’s touch our knee and then our shoe.

Rudolph, Rudolph, you're such a silly fellow

Who will know it's you if your nose is yellow.

Let’s wiggle around like a happy fellow.

Rudolph, Rudolph, your way cannot be seen,

Through the wintry weather if your nose is green.

Let’s jump up and down like a jumping bean.

Rudolph, Rudolph, it's time to go to town

But you can't help Santa if your nose is brown.

Let’s reach up high and touch the ground.

Rudolph, Rudolph, the children are in bed

And now we get on our way because your nose is red.

Let’s pat our legs, turn around, and sit back down!

*I added a few lines from a Mailbox edition.

Credit: Library Village

Fingerplay/Flannel: Gingerbread Man Hiding Game

Action: Draw and Tell Story

 Here is the link to the full story and how to cut and tell this story.

*I have never used this cut-and-tell story before, so I was a little nervous. I decided to add actions to it, so we made the shooting stars with our arms and climbed the mountains. The preschoolers really, really liked doing the actions of the shooting star and climbing the mountain each time.  I have to say they figured out the christmas tree pretty early!

Action/Flannel: Putting Ornaments on the Tree (Call out for each ornament one at a time.)

Our craft came is a mischievous little cat in the Christmas tree. We had to make an ornament for the tree today!

Credit: Oriental Trading

Time for Two’s Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Book: Dream Snow (With puppets)

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Reindeer Jumping on the Bed

Book: Who Says Ho Ho Ho? (With puppets)

Action/Flannel: Putting Ornaments on the Tree

*The two's did the same ornament as the preschoolers, which is pictured above. We had a wonderful crowd today, 24 two's! I don't know why our preschool crowd was way down this week, we only had 12. Hopefully it will pick back up next week, I really miss them when they are not here.

December New Books 2019

November Sensory Games

For November I only did sensory games with the preschoolers.  This worked out really well, because I feel like the two's don't seem to enjoy the games as much as the older ages do.

1.) Sandwich Word Matching
Credit: In My World
I was really excited to have the kids match the words and build a sandwich.  I don't know if it was due to the low number of kids, but this was the least favorite game.  I will definitely give this one another try, because its just too cute not too!

2.) Apple Seed Counting

Credit: In My World

I was very hesitant but also extremely enthusiastic about this game.  I had apples laid out on the chairs, and the clothespins with seeds hot-glued onto the ends.  The preschoolers came up and got to clip the seeds onto the apples.  I only had one little girl that didn't understand the concept of the clothespin, but it didn't take her long to figure it out!  This is such a great fine motor skill for them, pinching the clothespin and then clipping it to an item.  I have plans to do this game again!

3.) Bear Putt-Putt

I usually do either bowling or putt-putt each month and this month we had bear stories.  So, I decided to let us have some fun with bear!

4.) Turkey Sponge Ball

The kids love putting sponge balls through my box!  This month they got to match the ball to the correct feather on the turkey.  Very easy to do and the sponge balls are a great texture for them to feel and grip.