Flannel Friday - Little White Rabbit

I LOVE Kevin Henkes' Little White Rabbit! 

What a beautiful picture book to share with little ones in the Spring, especially around Easter time.  The simple text makes it easy enough for babies and toddlers, and the imaginative story makes it a magical read for preschoolers, too!

I decided to make a felt set to make the book more accessible for little ones. Here's my take on it:

Little white rabbit hopped along...

As he hopped through the grass, he wondered what it would be like to be green...

When he hopped by the trees, he wondered what it would be like to be tall...

When he hopped by a rock, he wondered what it would be like to not be able to move...

When he hopped under the butterflies, he wondered what it would be like to fly...

I mostly traced Henkes' illustrations out of the book, since I'm not exactly an artist! I outlined the felt with dark green Sharpie marker, and glued little pink felt noses to the bunnies.  The butterflies are also colored with Sharpies, with green felt bodies.

These bunnies will be a great addition to my "Hoppy Easter" Baby Story Time this week! Happy Flannel Friday!

Thanks to Miss Meg's Storytime for hosting the round-up this week!  Flannel Friday is for anyone interested in finding and sharing great flannel board ideas!  You can learn more about Flannel Friday and how to participate here.

Flannel Friday - Easter and Spring Resources

True to form, March came in like a lion here in Ohio.  Just because there is snow on the ground (which I am happy to report is MELTING!) doesn't mean that children's librarians everywhere aren't preparing for their spring story times.  I realized the other day that some of the felts we are featuring today have not had their own Flannel Friday Day, so I thought I would group them together with some of our Flannel Friday Favorites for our own roundup of Easter and Spring themed Flannel Friday Spectacular. Phew!

Planting a Rainbow - Lois Ehert 

Way back when Miss Kristie was new to the village, I asked ever so kindly if she would make this set for me, and I am so glad I did.  She did such a great job with them.  They are gorgeous!  The art is right out of the book Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.  I haven't blogged that story time yet, but that doesn't mean this set isn't used in a variety of other themes!

Miss Kristie wrote an entire Flannel Friday post on this felt set with close-ups on each of the flowers which you can find HERE.

Miss Kristen used them in her Baby Story Time - Spring theme.  You can CLICK HERE for the rest of the theme.

Baby Story Time Game - Where is duckie?

Miss Kristen used this sweet little guessing game in her baby story time.  She says she borrowed the idea from Mel's Desk.  I think the eggs and duckie would work perfect for any spring or Easter story time!  Click HERE for more information on this activity.

Jelly Bean Countdown

I just used this OH-so-simple set in my Easter story time.  There is a cute little poem you can use with or without the set.  But of course, who doesn't love using felt sets?  Click HERE for this rhyme.

There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick

If you like singing along to Lucille Colandro's books, here is another felt set for you!  I like to let the participants put the pieces on the board, and leave them up for exploration after story time.

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Clover

Speaking of Lucille Colandro, here is another one!  While not technically a spring book, I thought I would include this one because it can be used in March. St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner!  Click HERE for this story time.

Owen's Marshmallow Chick

This one is all about Easter!  Miss Kristen adapted Kevin Henke's sweet little board book into a felt board story (ok, they're cardstock, not felt!) for babies and toddlers. Check out her post from last Easter here.

Too Many Bunnies!

Too Many Bunnies - by Matt Novak, is a super-fun and funny book that is just-too-small to use in story time.  Have no fear, it was easy to recreate larger and in felt!  Click HERE to see how this story works.

Little White Rabbit

Kevin Henke's book Little White Rabbit is perfect for baby and toddler story time.  Miss Kristen immortalized his book in felt!  Click HERE for this felt set.

Duck!  Rabbit!

Rabbits are great for an Easter or spring theme.  If your preschool group is a little older, give Duck! Rabbit!  a try!  Click HERE for more.

Ducks

But wait!!  Library Village has a ton of duck resources.  Click HERE for a number of sets and ideas.

Blackbirds!

Blackbird finger puppets?  Yes please!  Click HERE for more!

Nursery Rhymes

This Itsy Bitsy Spider felt set is perfect for spring story time!  Click HERE for more on this set and on the Bugs Toddler Story Time.

More Nursery Rhymes

What says Easter and spring more than a little lamb?  We have a bunch of lamb and sheep resources including this set for three nursery rhymes - The one above is Mary had a Little Lamb!  Click HERE for more!

Ten Fluffy Chicks

Miss Kristen used this in Baby Story Time.  Ten Fluffy Chicks poem with felt set.  Click HERE for more.


PHEW I think I got them all!  If not, you can always search our website by our labels on the right.  Use your imagination and you will always have plenty of resources for your story times!  And don't forget to check out our colleague's blogs in our blog roll.  We all share each others ideas and tweak them for our story times.  We all work together, encourage and support each other.  We three librarians know we would never have blogged or become so addicted to felt if it wasn't for some seasoned professionals sharing their passion for their profession.  We hope you enjoyed this roundup.

Special THANKS to Laura from Library Lalaland  for hosting Flannel Friday this week.  If you need more information on how you can get involved with the Flannel Friday community, CLICK HERE. Or you can find Flannel Friday on their Facebook page, by following #FlannelStorytime on Twitter or on Pinterest!

Thanks for stopping by!

Preschool Story Time - Easter Bunnies

It's hard to imagine that Spring will come, but it will.  We have had two very cold winters in a row here in Ohio and as I type this, the snow is softly falling.  But I wanted to make sure I blogged my Easter story time for all those who are preparing for Easter in their communities.  I have to be fair and state that this Easter story time does not have very much to do with religion, and that is so it can be inclusive. You will see a lot of bunnies, chocolate, and bonnets, (as anyone would see in the stores) but I stayed away from any religious overtones.

Max Counts His Chicks - Rosemary Wells

A counting book, and a book with a moral all rolled into one!  How would you feel if Ruby kept finding all of the chickens?  Have fun counting up to 10 and back again!

Jelly Bean Countdown- Poem and Felt

So I found this great lesson plan on 123 Learn Curriculum (Click HERE for the entire lesson and templates).  It suggested I use real jelly beans or flannel ones.  I chose flannel simply because some kids have allergies to the dyes in jelly beans and I thought this way there would be no hurt feelings.

5 little jelly beans
I wish I had more!
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are four!

4 little jelly beans
Tasty as can be
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are 3!

3 little jelly beans
Only a few.
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there are 2.

2 little jelly beans
Eating them is fun
I'll eat the (color) one
Now there is one.

1 little jelly bean
The last one for me
I'll eat the (color) one
I'm as happy as can be!

Easter Parade - Berlin

Most of you may never had an Easter Bonnet, or walked in an Easter Parade.  It seems like its a pastime of yore.  I had an Easter Bonnet as a child though, and I remember learning and singing this song every year.  If you know the song, why not teach it to another generation?  I promise you that you will get a lot of blank stares, but the grandmas in the room will think it's great.  So go ahead!  Just make sure you know how to pronounce rotogravure before you get to that part of the song!

Song:

Easter Parade:

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, you’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.  I’ll be all in clover, and when the look you over, Ill be the proudest fella in the Easter Parade.

On the avenue, 5th Avenue, the photographer will snap us, and you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure.  Oh I could write a sonnet, about your Easter Bonnet, and of the girl I’m taking to the Easter Parade.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick - Lucille Colandro

Because I really enjoy all of the "Old Lady" books, I especially like to sing and immortalize these books in felt.  The kids love the silliness and love to let me know when she is eating something that is ridiculous.  Here is my felt set.  I like to let the kids put the items in or near the basket.  The artwork  is directly out of the book.

Time for a DANCE!   Here is The Bunny Pokey

You put your bunny ears in, you put your bunny ears out, you put your bunny ears in and you  shake them all about.  You do the bunny pokey and you hop, hop up and down.  That’s what it’s all about!

Continue with:
Bunny paws
Bunny nose
Bunny Tail
Whole Bunny

Easter Bunny's Assistant - Jan Thomas

This book cracks me up!  I love all of Jan Thomas' books.  You will learn which of your kiddos have that preschool-humor down as the skunk...well, skunks up the place when he gets SO EXCITED!!  Use your big voices for this hilarious book!

STEM activity - Shaker Eggs

This was GREAT fun.  What happens when I put beans in the eggs and shake them up?  What if I put in pennies.  Does it sound the same?  How about rice or marbles or feathers?  We tried a few things to see what they would sound like, then I let the kids fill eggs with what they wanted.  Together we used the shaker eggs to shake our sillies out in song and dance.

ALTERNATE FELT SET!  

Since doing this particular story time, I have done more with bunnies.  Actually, I have done another Easter story time too.  Click HERE for more resources for Easter.  The felt set above is simply a fun bunny story that has the kids saying "OH NO NOT AGAIN!" It is called Too Many Bunnies by Matt Novak and you can CLICK HERE for more on this felt set....including the entire story in case you don't have the book on hand.

Craft - Bunny Collage

Look at how cute!!  These bunnies are made by swirling a little white paint with a Q-Tip, and then using Q-tips for ears.  Simple and fun for the kids!

I hope this helps while putting together some of your trickier holiday story time themes!  Thanks for stopping by!