April 25 - H is for Help, House and Home

Stories:

On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Clouds by Eric Carle

App activity:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song) and to discover today's word! 
Felt Board ($2.99)- build a garden. Have child use specific words when describing his/her making of a garden using this felt board app. Ask child to describe what kind of day it is. (Cloudy, rainy, sunny?). What kind of flowers are in the garden? How many trees? What kind? Who has made a home in your garden?

Music: 

"The Dancing Bear" by Bari Koral
Closing song: "I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)

Additional Activities:

Use the Feltboard app to have your child retell today's first story: On Meadowview Street by Henry Cold

Reinforce the use of the word "preserve".
Garden this weekend name the names of the flowers and trees growing in your yard. 
Visit your local nursery, or garden center. Look at and learn the names of some of the flowers you like, or have seen.
Look for clouds! Spend some time admiring them and discussing what you see. 
Visit the Cloud Appreciation Society website (www.cloudappreciationsociety.org) for more real images of clouds in formations of amazing things.  

Hurry the Spring Reading Program (ages 0 -12) ends on April 30! Collect virtual badges, raffle tickets, and a seed book mark! If you attended today's Story Time, count it towards a book read! For Children 5 and under, set the books to count by "how many read". For children older than 5, set to "how many minutes" read. Sign up for the free online program here! Happy reading!

To download free ebooks with your library card, download the OverDrive App. For more information click here.

April 11, 2016 - R is for Rain

Stories:

James and the Rain by Karla Kuskin
Rain by Manya Stojic

App activity:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song) and to discover today's word! 

Smartboard by Greengar Studios**- practice writing numerals 1-5. To download free app, click on the link to above. Select Google Play or iTunes version. From there you will need to look for "more by this developer" in iTunes. You will want the following icon version to your left. It is ad free.

Music: 

"The Rain Song" by Cathy Gehr. audio only with lyrics (free);  video (prefer audio to focus on sound and rhythm, but video can be used to talk about and help in comprehension, since the song is quite fast).

Closing song: "I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)

Additional Activities:

Use the Smartboard app (free) and draw a picture of "What do you do in the rain? Do you have any excellent rainy day games?"

Reread one of today's stories and ask your child which was their favorite part of the story and why?
Have your child narrate a story to the wordless picture book, for example, "Float" by Daniel Miyares.  Ask your child how does the boy in the story feel? How did the artist show this? 

Additional reading on the subject of rain, or, things to do when it rains:

Puddle by Hyewon Yum - creative activity for when it's raining outside.
Float by Daniel Miyares
My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer - funny book about imaginative perspective.
Puddle by Johnathan London w/ pictures by G. Brian Karas
The Deep, Deep Puddle by Mary Jessie Parker and illustrated by Deborah Zemke- a counting book
Rain Song by Leslie Evans - rain as rhythm.
The Rain Came Down by David Shannon - great sequence book

Sign up for our Spring Reading Program (ages 0 -12). Sign up today and get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Kindle! If you attended today's Story Time, it counts! For Children 5 and under, set the books to count by "how many read". For children older than 5, set to "how many minutes" read. Sign up for the free online program here! Happy reading!

To download free ebooks with your library card, download the OverDrive App. For more information click here.

**Download procedure for the Smartboard. The link gets you to the page where you can choose Google Play or iTunes version. From there you will need to look for "more by this developer" in iTunes. You will want the following icon version below. It is ad free.

March 28, 2016 - H is for Hat, Helmet

Stories:

"Little Bear Goes to the Moon" by Else Holmelunde Minark
"A Trip To Mars" by Ruth Young

Learning apps:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song) and to discover today's word! 

Music: 

"Zoom, Zoom, Zoom" (Click for lyrics)

Closing song: "I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)

Activities:
Watch Scott Kelly from the International Space Station. Water behaves differently in space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLbhrMCM4_0

Additional Activities:

Make a space helmet for you and your child with foam, glue, paint and a hairdryer, among other supplies...

Watch the inspiring video here.   (Helmet pattern only: $4.99)

Color the planets in order from sun to Mars and beyond.

Free coloring sheets of the solar system:  Color in the "red planet" and Earth. Count the planets from the sun to Mars and beyond. 

Review and discuss "gravity" with video from Scott Kelly. (see above).
Look for "h" words everywhere!
Reread today's stories and ask your child which was their favorite part of the story and why?

Additional reading on space:

"Otter in Space" by Sam Garton

"Zoo Zoom" by Candace Ryan illustrated by Macky Pamintuan

"Beyond the Milky Way" by Cecile Schoberle

"Roaring Rockets" by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker

KEEP READING for a chance to win a Kindle! Sign up for our Spring Reading Program (ages 0 -12). Sign up today and get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Kindle! If you attended today's Storytime it counts! For Children 5 and under, set the books to count by how many read. For children older than 5 - 12, books should be tracked by how many minutes read. Sign up for the free online program here! Happy reading!

To download free ebooks with your library card, download the OverDrive App. For more information click here.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
(place palms of hands together to form the space shuttle, move back and forth--to avoid asteroids and other space debris)
We’re going to the moon. (shoot off one hand as if taking off in the direction of the sky)

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
We’re going to the moon.

If you want to take a trip, (left hand becomes the rocket launch pad)
Climb aboard my rocket ship. (walk fingers up the rocket launch)

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
We’re going to the moon.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
(hold 5 or 10 fingers up and count down)

Blast off! (jump! here!)

March 14, 2015 - C is for Compare

Storyapps:

“The 3 Pandas” by Valeri Mih from See Here Studios, LLC.

Learning apps:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song) and to discover today's word! 

Music: 

"Ant Comparison Song" by Miss Jenny from Common Core KinderMath
Transition song: Bari Koral's "Dancing Bear" from Bari Koral Family Rock Band- 

Closing song: "I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)

Activities:

Compare lengths. Using a string measure different stuffed animals. Is it shorter or longer? 

Additional Activities:

Read a child's version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." Talk about how "The 3 Pandas" version is the same and different. Take your string home and measure things! Shorter or longer? Smaller or Taller? 

To download free ebooks with your library card, download the OverDrive App. For more information click here.

February 22, 2015 - G is for Go

Storyapps:

“Oh the Places You'll Go” by Dr. Seuss from Oceanhouse Media

“I Am Going” by Mo Willems 

Learning apps:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song)

Music: 

"Go Song - Sight Word Go" by Have Fun Teaching
Transition song: Bari Koral's "Dancing Bear" from Bari Koral Family Rock Band- 

Closing song: "I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)

Activities:

Spot how many times you see or hear the word "go" in "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss.

Additional Activities:

Read "Go, Dog.  Go!" by P.D. Eastman available in our Digital book collection. Download OverDrive App. Find the Huntington Beach Public Library, input your card number and you can check out Ebooks, audio books, and other digital media free from your library! For more information click here.

February 8, 2016 - The Letter B

Storyapps:

“The Very Cranky Bear” by Nick Bland

“Angus the Irritable Bull” by Dean Proudfoot & Daron Parton 

Learning apps:

Magnetic Alphabet - used to emphasize each letter as we sing along with the "Letter Name Song" (a.k.a. ABC song)

SmartBoard by Greengar Studios - used for little fingers to practice letter writing

Music: 

Bari Koral's "Dancing Bear" from Bari Koral Family Rock Band- 

"I Am a Mountain" (artist unknown)