Virtual Story Time: A Royal Story -- April 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld

Books:
The King's Golden Beard by Klaas Verplancke
The Legend of King Arthur-A-Tops by Mo O'Hara
Prince of a Frog by Jackie Urbanovic
The Prince Won't Go to Bed by Dayle Ann Dodds
A Real Prince Is Hard to Find: A Modern Fairy Tale by Joanna Rivard
The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-To-Be by Mini Grey



Extension Activities:
- Build a castle out of Lego or other building blocks.
- Have a royal fashion show.  Ask your child to dress up in their best, fanciest clothes.
- Make edible fairy wands.  Cut rice krispee treats into stars and then stick the star onto a pretzel rod.

Sense of Smell -- 4/1/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid

Books:
The Daily Sniff by Jane Cabrera
The Nose Book by Al Perkins
Something Smells! by Blake Liliane Hellman
Something Stinks! by Jonathan Fenske
Thank You, Omu! by Pat Mora

Craft: Flower
- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (flower, leaf)

- Color pieces

- Color a craft stick as stem

- Glue flower and leaf onto craft stick

- Fold along dotted lines of flower and glue down to make 3-D

- Optional -- Spray flower with a scent or perfume

Extension Activities:

- Visit a spicery/spice shop.  Let the kids explore the various scents on display.  Which do they like?  Which do they dislike?

- Have fun coloring with scented markers.  Can your child identify the marker scents?

Template --

Sense of Sound -- 3/25/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman
The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

Books:
Cat Says Meow by Michael Arndt
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
The Noisy Way to Bed by Ian Whybrow
Slop Goes the Soup by Pamela Duncan Edwards
The Sound of Day, the Sound of Night by Mary O'Neill
What Sound Is Morning? by Grant Snider

Craft: Shaker Stick
- String jingle bells onto a pipe cleaner
- Wrap pipe cleaner around a jumbo craft stick
- Optional -- Color craft stick first

Extension Activities:

- Have fun with rhyming.  Ask your child to come up with rhyming words (ex - cat, bat, fat, mat, etc).

- Play with rhythms.  Have your child repeat a clapping rhythm after you.  Or find a body percussion video for kids on YouTube.

Sense of Sight -- 3/18/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Shark in the Park! by Nick Sharratt

Books:
All the Better to See You With by Margaret Wild
Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson
The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Douglas, You Need Glasses! by Ged Adamson
Where's Baby? by Anne Hunter

Craft: Binoculars

- Curl two quarter sheets of cardstock into tubes and glue

- Cut a long strip of paper (8-1/2" x 2-1/2") and glue it around the two tubes

- Optional: Add some tape to tubes and strip to make sure they stay in place

- Hole punch a hole at end of either side of tubes and tie yarn to hang around neck

Extension Activities:

- Play a game of I Spy or go on a scavenger hunt to find specific objects.

- Let your child(ren) experiment with binoculars, microscope, magnifying glass, or telescope.  

Sense of Touch -- 3/10/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

Press Here by Herve Tullet
Hugless Douglas by David Melling

Books:
How Do You Hug a Porcupine? by Laurie Isop
I Can Tell by Touching by Carolyn Otto
Same Love, Different Hug by Sarah Hovorka
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett

Craft: Bear Hug

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (head, arms)

- Color pieces

- Glue arms to bottom of head

- Fold arms to give a hug

Extension Activities:

- Do some blind touch tests.  Blindfold your child and then give them an object to try to identify just by touch.

- Ask your child to find things that fit different types of textures (ex - soft, rough, fluffy, itchy, etc).


Template --

Sense of Taste -- 3/4/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

Thelonius Monster's Sky-High Pie by Judy Sierra
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems

Books:
Badger's Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza
The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Scrambled Eggs Super! by Dr. Seuss
Yuck! by Mick Manning
Zombies Don't Eat Veggies by Megan Lacera

Craft: Sense of Taste
- Print out template at left onto cardstock 
- Cut out face
- Hole punch two holes onto tongue

- Color face as self

- Slide a sucker through the two holes so looks like eating it

Extension Activities:

- Have fun with various taste tests.  Some possibilities include different flavors of jello, cookies, Skittles, drinks, etc.  See if they can identify the flavor or which ones they like best.

- Use fruit loop cereal to make an edible bracelet or necklace by stringing them onto a piece of yarn or a pipecleaner.  Or make a birdfeeder using plain cheerios.

Virtual Story Time: Our Senses -- March 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's Story Time video.

Mama in the Moon by Doreen Cronin
The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Iza Trapani

Books:
Bear's Busy Family by Stella Blackstone
Cold, Crunch, Colorful: Using Our Senses by Jane Brocket
Five for a Little One by Christopher Raschka
Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris
I Hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora
This Beach Is Too Loud! by Samantha Cotterill


Extension Activities:
- Play a game of I Spy using all the senses rather than just sight.  (ex - I Spy something that feels soft.)
- Try to have your child guess an item just be describing it using sensory words (feels, smells, tastes, etc).  
- Have fun with scented markers.  Make pictures that smell good.

Sunny Days -- 2/25/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Sun by Sam Usher
You Are My Sunshine by Blake Hoena

Books:
Hello, Sun by Julie Downing
I Like the Sun by Sarah Nelson
Like Butter on Pancakes by Jonathan London
Summer Sun Risin' by W. Nikola-Lisa
The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Ann Hoberman

Craft: Sun with Shades
- Print template and cut out sunglasses

- Color sunglasses

- Color paper plate as sun and glue on sunglasses

- Draw on sun's face

- Cut rays into sides of plate

Extension Activities:

- It's fun to play with shadows in the sun.  Set out various objects on a sidewalk/patio in the sun.  Have your child(ren) trace the shadows the objects make.

- Make a sunshine snack.  Slice an orange into flat slices.  Add pineapple chunks around the outside for the sun's rays.

Template --

Rain, Rain, Go Away! -- 2/11/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee
Puddles!!! by Kevan Atteberry

Books:

Hello, Rain! by Kyo Maclear

Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont

Rain by Cynthia Rylant

Rain Drop Splash by Alvin Tresselt

Raindrops to Rainbow by John Micklos

Singing in the Rain illustrated by Tim Hopgood

Craft: Rain Mobile

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (rainbow/clouds/sun and raindrops_

- Color pieces

- Cut either yarn, curling ribbon, or thin paper strips into three 1' long pieces

- Glue yarn, curling ribbon, or thin paper strips to bottom of clouds piece

- Glue raindrops onto the yarn, curling ribbon, or thin paper strips to hang underneath the clouds

Extension Activities:

- After it rains, go outside to go puddle splashing.

- Create rainbows using prisms.  

Template --

It's Snowing! -- 2/4/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
Just One Flake by Travis Jonker

Books:

Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root

A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Tim Hopgood
Winter Woes by Marty Kelley

Craft: 3-D Snowflake

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (snowflake picture, strips)

- Color picture

- Fold strips in half and glue between snowflake's arms to give it dimension

Extension Activities:

- Make some paper snowflakes.  You can make the traditional paper snowflakes or to get perfect circular snowflakes make them out of coffee filters.

- Make some edible snowflakes out of pretzel sticks and marshmallows.

Template --

Virtual Story Time: Weather -- February 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's virtual Story Time.

Hello, Sun! by Dayle Ann Dodds
Not Now, Cow by Tammi Sauer

Books:

Bear in Sunshine by Stella Blackstone

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

From Season to Season by Ethan Long

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Soaked! by Abi Cushman

The Weather Girls by Aki

Extension Activities:

- Make a wind chime to hang outdoors using recycled and other materials such as a coat hanger, utensils, beads, etc.

- Ask your child to chart the temperature and weather (sunny, rainy, snowy, etc) each day.

- Go puddle jumping with your child.  No puddles outside?  Make your own by cutting out puddles from blue construction paper and taping it to the floor.

Arctic Animals -- 1/28/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's online Story Time.

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett
What's That Noise? by Naomi Howarth

Books:

Baby Beluga by Raffi

Hello, Arctic! by Theodore Taylor

I'm a Narwhal by Mallory C. Loehr

Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow by Marianne Berkes

Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson

Read the Book, Lemmings! by Ame Dyckman

Walrus Song by Janet Lawler

Craft: Skating Polar Bear

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (iceberg, polar bear)

- Color pieces

- Fold iceberg on dotted line and then glue bottom flaps together so stands

- Fold tab on bottom of polar bear on dotted lines and then glue to back of bear so stands

- Can glue polar bear to iceberg if like

Extension Activities:

- Make Polar Bear Snack Crackers.  Ice a graham cracker with vanilla frosting.  Place two mini-marshmallows in the top two corners for ears.  Place a large marshmallow along the bottom of the graham cracker in the center for its snout.  Place a brown M&M in center of large marshmallow using a little icing for glue to make the nose.  Place two M&Ms above the snout for eyes.

- Have an Arctic Animal Parade.  Ask your child(ren) to "walk" like various arctic animals such as polar bears, caribou, penguins, lemmings, etc.

Template --

Penguins -- 1/14/25

Story Times are held weekly on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am. A monthly virtual Story Time is posted the first Tuesday of the month on the library's Facebook page.  It is available to view for one month before the next video is posted.

Click HERE for this month's online Story Time.

If You Were a Penguin by Wendell Minor
Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley
A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis

Books:

Baby Penguins Everywhere by Melissa Guion

Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant

Nothing Ever Happens at the South Pole by Stan & Jan Berenstain

Penguin by Polly Dunbar

Pierre the Penguin: A True Story by Jean Marzollo

Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Craft: Penguin with Book

- Print template onto cardstock or heavy paper

- Cut out pieces (penguin card, book cover, flippers)

- Color pieces

Bend wings along dotted lines and glue to either side of penguin

- Fold book cover slightly along the spine line and glue flippers to hold book

Extension Activities:

- Pretend to be penguins and waddle to walk.  Maybe have a penguin walk race.

- Visit the penguin exhibit at the zoo.  

Template --

Virtual Story Time: Bear Snores On -- January 2025

Each month, Miss Amy records a virtual Story Time that goes along with the monthly theme.  It will be posted monthly in the morning of the first Tuesday of the month.  (The video is available to watch for one month before a new one is uploaded.) 

Click HERE for this month's online Story Time.

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

Books:
The Big Snow by Berta Hader
Cold Turkey by Corey Rosen Schwartz
Counting Winter by Nancy White Carlstrom
If It's Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws! by Kim Norman
When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan


Extension Activities:
- Read more of the Bear books by Karma Wilson including Bear Can't Sleep and Bear Wants More.
- Learn about animals and hibernation.  There are several great nonfiction books at the library.  Or watch this National Geographic Kids video.
- Hold a party like in the book Bear Snores On.  Enjoy snacks such as hot tea, popcorn, etc.