Storytime–September 2020

Confession: I have not been doing a lot of original crafts. 2020 has been the year of continuously readjusting. Unfortunately my original crafts have suffered! But I will share the crafts from September’s Storytimes.

Our storytime theme for September was “These shoes were made for walking.”

First up, we practiced lacing. You can download a template from Repeat Crafter Me.

Next I actually used my own blog and modified a previous Pete the Cat craft by adding…SHOES.

Pete the Cat Tail and ArmsDownload

Pete the Cat BodyDownload

Pete the Cat HeadDownload

Pete the Cat eyesDownload

Pete the Cat noseDownload

I don’t have a template for the shoes.

Good Night Veggies by Diana Murray inspired my only new craft. I loved the earthworm that wears a shoe. My earthworm does not have a shoe, it would be better if it did!

CarrotsDownload

Carrot TopsDownload

RadishDownload

WormDownload

(I free handed the radish tops.)

I painted a paper plate and then punched holes around about 1/2 of it. I threaded brown yarn through the holes. I used a scallop paper punch for the sun. The earthworm would love to have a shoe…maybe next time. 🙂

To finish off the month we had a shoe matching game. I am not including a template for the game because I don’t have rights to all the images.

Storytime Crafts: August 2020

This was not my most original month but I will share the storytime crafts we distributed this month!

Heart Shaped Animals

There are endless possibilities using heart shapes to make different animals. This storytime craft included the hearts required to make a lion but numerous additional hearts to create other animals!

We made thaumatropes-a disc with a picture on each side, when spun quickly creates an optical illusion. The intended results would be flowers in a vase, Wolfie holding a carrot, and a fish in a bowl.

Wolfie usually looked like he was trying to catch a carrot being wildly thrown at him but the other two worked well.

I created templates using Canva.

fish-and-bowlDownload

wolfie-and-carrotDownload

flowers-and-vaseDownload

Except for Wolfie, I found a blog entry from Homebound but Hopeful that included a free download. We also added a larger circle paper punch to our collection. Using a punch or scissors, punch or cut out the pictures, place a skewer or dowel between the circles and glue together. Spin quickly between your hands for an optical illusion.

We wrapped up the month by supplying ABC flash card kits with crayons for the storytime craft to go. I found a free template online and printed it on cardstock.

Maybe September will find me more inspired and original. 🙂

Berryville Library Crafts: Frogs, Monsters, Toucans, and Snappsy (July 2020)

Full disclaimer, I was highly influenced by other crafts for the Frog craft and the Big Green Monster Craft. I think the toucan and Snappsy can be categorized as original-ish crafts.

Our Pre-K Storytime theme for the month of July was Fantastical Fun! The result: my crafts are all over the place!

A co-worker of mine told me about a craft that his daughter had completed and it sounded like a great idea for a storytime craft. I modified it but I did create some templates, which I think are worth sharing.

You will need party blowers, googly eyes, glue, and markers/crayons (optional).

Frog

Fly Target

Dragonfly Target

Mosquito Target

Blank Target

I used an X-acto knife to cut a small ‘x’ for the frog’s mouth, to make it easier to insert the party blower. I drew on the nostrils and glued on googly eyes.

I used images from Canva for my targets. (The images are rotated on the templates, just not my example!)

The party blower is the star of this craft!

 

 

There are plenty of craft ideas for the book: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley.

I have a few templates for this craft. I used paper punches for the eyes (white, yellow, and black circles). I also added a jumbo craft stick. I free handed the hair by cutting wavy lines.

Monster Face

Monster Mouth

Monster Nose

Monster Ears

Monster Teeth (the lines are very light)

 

 

 

Warning: Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt inspired the toucan craft.

Toucan Body and Tail

Toucan Beaks

Toucan Wings

Toucan Belly

Toucan Feet

Toucan Eye (orange part)

I used a blue sticker and drew on the pupil with a black marker. I didn’t have dowel rods but I did have Wilton Candy Melts Treat Sticks! I glued the body to one side of the stick and the tail to the other side. I cut a length of yarn and tied it to two beads. Then I slipped the beads onto the ends of the stick. The toucan is a little top heavy but if you position the beads and the yarn strategically, it will balance!

Close-up back of Toucan

Close-up Toucan

Close-up of Bead

Snappys the Alligator (Did Not Ask To Be In This Book) by Julie Falatko is one of my favorite books! I couldn’t resist making a special Snappsy craft!

I have templates for most of this craft. I did freehand the teeth and the eyes. (I used the blank paper from Snappsy’s Head to make the strips for the headband.)

Snappsy Head

Snappsy Collar

Snappsy Tie

Snappys Speech Bubble

I punched holes in Snappsy’s collar and added string, so the tie can be worn.

That’s our Storytime crafts of July!

Berryville Library Crafts: The Little Red Hen and more

The month of June is coming to a close. I didn’t blog about all of our storytime crafts this month but I will share the pictures and a little bit about them.

We made a rocking unicorn. I found the idea for this craft from Toddler at Play.  I added too much yarn/hair on my unicorn, which made it a little heavy on one side. Then I had to rely on my crafting engineer skills to create a weight that would help balance it. It’s a simple craft but I managed to make it more complicated. 🙂

 

 

We also made our own coat of arms shield. Our library had shield shapes left over from a few summers ago and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to use them. I used Canva to create mini shields that the kids could use to decorate their shields.

That catches us up to this weeks craft!

 

I loved the illustrations from the Little Golden Book version of the Little Read Hen.

Hen Body  print on brown paper

Hen Sweater and Hat print on yellow paper

Hen Shovel print on white paper

Hen Beak print on yellow paper

Hen Feet and wobbler print on orange paper

Background print on white paper

I used a very small paper punch for the eye and drew on the pupil. I also free handed the seed using tan paper.

 

Berryville Library Crafts: Dragon was terrible

Greetings Crafters! We are conducting summer reading pandemic style! We kicked off the month with a crown craft. Which required very little creativity on my part. I highly recommend www.firstpalette.com.  First Palette is an excellent source for free templates for almost any type of hat you can think of and it’s free! (I used First Palette for the crown craft.)

This week’s craft is based on Kelly Dipucchio’s book “Dragon was Terrible.” This is a such a fun book and I love to make crafts that resemble a book’s illustrations.

Copy the body and parts (arms/legs/tail) on to orange cardstock.

Dragon Body

Dragon Parts

Copy the wings and horns on to white cardstock.

Dragon Wings and Horns

Using Canva, I found some cute (free) images for the Dragon’s accessories.

Dragon Accessories

I designed background images (also free) using Canva.

Dragon Backgrounds

I cut out very small white rectangles for teeth and free handed the ovals for the eyes. I cut out black triangles for the spikes. I drew on nostrils and a mouth.

I realize that I forgot one key element on my dragon. Eyebrows! Remember to add eyebrows to complete the expression on your dragon’s face. 🙂

Berryville Library Crafts: Tuk Tuk

I feel like I need to explain this one. My idea was that you could extend your arms, while holding the Tuk Tuk, and it would appear that you were riding in it!

I don’t know if I missed the mark? But India really inspired some original crafts from me. (Plus I watched Extraction on Netflix, all things India!)

I copied the Tuk Tuk outline on different colors of cardstock. I copied the tires on black paper. I’m calling the other part, the grill. Which I also copied on different colors of paper.

Tuk Tuk Outline

Tuk Tuk Tires and Grill

I used a paper punch for the lights and flowers. Using markers, I drew on some designs.

I added jumbo craft sticks, for the photo booth–you’re riding in the Tuk Tuk effect!

This craft could be modified, it would make a cute VW bus craft, maybe a tractor? It has potential.

Berryville Library Crafts: Tigers

We continued our I Spy…India theme for storytime. I wanted to include a tiger and rain, so I designed this craft.

I have included templates for the tigers’ head, tail, body, belly, and the umbrella. I used circle paper punches for the tiger’s ears. I also free handed some cloud shapes.

Tiger Head

Tiger Body

Tiger Tails

Tiger Belly

Umbrella

Positioning the tail is key for it to appear that the tiger is holding the umbrella.

Each umbrella will require 2 circles. Cut the circles in half and then fold in half again. Glue each half circle together and then glue to page. This will create a 3-D style umbrella.

After gluing all the pieces onto the background piece of paper, using markers I added the umbrella handle and raindrops. I also drew on the the tiger’s ‘stripes’, nose, whiskers, and mouth. We used googly eyes but you could draw those on, if you like.

Berryville Library Crafts: Elephants

Our theme for May is I Spy…India. I really wanted to create a few original crafts this month. I was inspired by some retro wallpaper featuring elephants when I designed this craft.

I am including the templates that I made for this craft.

Big Elephant (1)

Big Elephant (2)

Elephant Big and Small (2)

Elephant Big and Small (1)

Ears and Accessories

But you will also need googly eyes, yarn, a hole punch, and glue. I added the circles at the bottom because it needed something to finish it off. I used paper punches for those. You might also need markers if you would like to add any extra touches to your elephant.

 

Normally when crafting with toddlers, they tend to glue over any pre-punched holes. I would have preferred this garland hang horizontally but trying to anticipate possible gluing decisions, I punched the holes to make this a vertical garland. Which caused my elephants to tilt. I used tape to secure the yarn, to make the elephants stay slightly more upright. (I think this craft would work better as a horizontal garland.)

Berryville Library Crafts: Bee

This craft was inspired by one that I saw on Pinterest. It is far from an original design but I did make some templates for it, so I will share those.

I cut out a large yellow circle for the body

Using my handy circle paper punches, I punched circles for the eyes (2.5 inch/2 inch) and for the antennas (1 inch).

I printed triangles on black paper for the stinger.

I cut strips of black paper for the stripes and antennas. I trimmed the edges of black strips around the yellow circle, rather than trying to cut the strips the exact size.

I used cupcake liners for the wings. I cut a free handed sort of oval shape. Then I drew on a tiny bee smile. 

Lastly, I glued the bee’s body onto a jumbo craft stick.

Berryville Library Crafts: Square Cat Revisited

I have blogged about Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker before but I thought I’d do a quick update with more templates.

Square Cat Body and Feet

Square Cat Bow

Square Cat Ears

Square Cat Eyes

The only part that’s not included is the circle used for the middle of the ‘bow’, I used a 1 inch paper punch for that. I drew on the face and nails with a black marker. I cut strips of orange paper in various lengths for the tail.