Friday 12 July 2013

Flannel friday - Five Ripe Strawberries

Summer is just right for a fruity storytime!  I took this idea from Mel's Desk where you can find her rhyme and pattern for Five Red Strawberries.

Five Ripe Strawberries

I was a little rushed, so made my strawberries all the same size (so I could cut multiple pieces at once) and used yellow puffy paint for the seeds (rather than stitches).



I simplified the rhyme a little too. We are a small library and our groups of baby storytimers are small enough that we can use names in our songs now and again. Admittedly that necessitates singing the song over a few times, but a little repetition never goes amiss! I don't use name tags, but prime the adults to chime in with their baby's name when I give them my 'ta-dah' arm signal (I hold my handheld flannel board in the other hand, so it calls for a little co-ordination)! It guarantees that the adults participate - no one wants their child to miss out. I also have to admit that I love when the babies start to recognise their names - I get the BEST baby smiles sometimes!

So this is how I do the rhyme:


Five ripe strawberries, sweet to the core.
[child's name] came and ate one, and then there were four.
Four ripe strawberries, sweet to the core.
[child's name] came and ate one, and then there were three. 
Three ripe strawberries, sweet to the core.
[child's name] came and ate one, and then there were two.
Two ripe strawberries, sweet to the core.
[child's name] came and ate one, and then there was one.
One ripe strawberry, sweet to the core.
[child's name] came and ate one, and then there were none.

It doesn't scan as well as Mel's, but works better with my limited memory skills!



If you want to know more:


Find out about Flannel Friday on the dedicated website. Features include past roundups, host schedule and how to participate.

Scan images and links to Flannel Friday posts on Pinterest.

Search for flannels and storytime ideas at Mel's Desk.

Discuss storytimes and flannel boards on the Flannel Friday Facebook Page.



This week's Flannel Friday host is Angie at Mrs Andre's Library blog



Saturday 6 July 2013

Flannel Friday - Felt-y Inspiration

Apologies folks! No post from me for a while, but I'm hoping to put that right very soon. All I need is a little inspiration!

I thought I'd got it when, on a recent visit to London, I came across these lovely packs of flannel sheets. Really the photo doesn't do them justice because they are beautiful.


My problem is I need to make flannels relevant to my baby story timers, and flamingos and exotic frogs don't really relate to life in rural Scotland! Now cherries would work, but I cannot find a book or rhyme featuring cherries for this age group that I like.  I guess what I'm really saying is HELP!  Seriously, if you have any good ideas, please add a comment. Hope you've all been enjoying your 4th July celebrations Stateside.



If you want to know more:


Find out about Flannel Friday on the dedicated website. Features include past roundups, host schedule and how to participate.

Scan images and links to Flannel Friday posts on Pinterest.

Search for flannels and storytime ideas at Mel's Desk.

Discuss storytimes and flannel boards on the Flannel Friday Facebook Page.


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