Little Story Bug

Spring Ideas for Preschool

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:56:19 +0000

Check out our NEWEST VIDEO for Spring!

DOWNLOAD the “Spring is Here” song by clicking the link below.

Lyrics for “Spring is Here”
by Tracey and William Phillips

CHORUS: Spring is here
Spring is here
Spring is here
Spring is everywhere
Flowers blooming, birds are looming
Flying through the air
Spring is here
Spring is here
Kids are out to play
Families walking, people talking
What a happy day
CHORUS: Spring is here (8 x’s)
Spring is here
Spring is here
The sun is shining bright
Trees are swaying, babies playing
What a happy sight
Spring is here
Spring is here
There’s so much to do
Kites go flying, bikes go riding
It all starts with you
CHORUS: Spring is here

Here are a few BOOK SUGGESTIONS for your preschoolers!

If you’re looking for a cute craft for preschoolers, check out this cute Butterfly Preschool Craft for Spring!

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Black History Month is Here!

admin — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 10:46:39 +0000

Black History Month is Here! We’re very excited here at Littlestorybug. We have a number of new videos coming directly related to Black History so stay tuned.

On Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday we attended the festivities and will be releashing that video this week.

We are in the process of upgrading and reconstructing the website so please be patient. It will make for a much better experience when the upgrade is complete.

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Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!!!!

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:42:48 +0000

There are so many great pumpkin activities to do with preschoolers. This includes crafts, books, and songs. If you don’t want to plan a Halloween program you can do a program called “Fall Harvest” and use pumpkins as the theme.

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll
Desmond the field mouse wants to carve the biggest jack-o’-lantern in the neighborhood with his pumpkin. Clayton the house mouse wants to win the Biggest Pumpkin contest with his. But when they discover that their choice pumpkins are actually the same one, Desmond and Clayton decide to work together to grow the biggest pumpkin ever!

From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer

Pumpkins can be baked in a pie. Pumpkins can be carved into jack-o’-lanterns. Pumpkin seeds can be roasted for a healthy snack. But how does a tiny seed turn into a big pumpkin? Read and find out what a pumpkin seed needs to help it grow!

If you like using felt board activities with your children, here’s one that I created that also helps children learn shapes. It also very easy to make. All you need is orange and green felt and a sharpie black sharpie.

With all of the Fall Festivities going on, this is the perfect time of year to take the kids to the Pumpkin Patch. My family and I visited a Pumpkin Patch at a local church. It was so much fun. Check it out!

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Have a wonderful 4th of July!!!

admin — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:48:31 +0000

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Preschool Activity-Learning Fruits

admin — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:56:55 +0000

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Littlestorybug’s new video for the Holidays

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:08:54 +0000

Greetings and Happy Holidays to all. My husband and I were busy trying to record and edit the newest video for our YouTube Channel. It is called, “Santa’s Hat.” We wanted a song with a fun and catchy tune that would help preschoolers learn colors through repetition.

In this song you will hear many voices, however it’s just me singing in different octaves. My husband, Bill, created the music and I created the lyrics. I have already received lots of positive feedback from parents and teachers. Don’t forget to check our other LittleStoryBug videos on Youtube. ENJOY!

SANTA’S HAT

Santa’s hat is orange and green.

Orange and green

Santa’s hat is orange and green.

Santa’s hat is yellow and blue.

Yellow and blue

Santa’s hat is yellow and blue.

Santa’s hat is purple and brown.

Purple and brown

Santa’s hat is purple and brown.

Santa’s hat is red and white.

Santa’s hat is red and white

Red and white

He’s going to wear it Christmas night.

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Mother’s Day Storytime for Preschool

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:03:28 +0000

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate all that is special and unique about being a mother. Here are a few ideas for creating a fun storytime program.

I LOVE MY MOMMY (sung to the tune of “Up on the Rooftop”)
I love my mommy, Yessiree!
She is very good to me!
She makes me cookies and yummy treats,
That’s my mom and she’s real neat!
Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know,
Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know,
I love my mommy and she loves me,
That’s the way it’s supposed to be!

Try these great books!

Mother’s Day by Anne Rockwell Each child in Mrs. Madoff’s class knows just how to celebrate Mother’s Day. Jessica and her mom go hiking together. Sam helps pick out a new kitchen table. Sarah and her dad take Grandma to her favorite restaurant. And when a surprise visitor comes to class, the kids learn how to make a handmade gift that’s straight from the heart. Here’s a loving tribute to all the mothers, grandmothers, and mothers-to-be everywhere, perfect for sharing any day of the year.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mami! by Leslie Valdes It’s Mother’s Day! Dora has decided to make a special cake for her mami, but first she must gather all the ingredients. Join Dora as she gets ready to make her mami’s Mother’s Day present, and find out what her friends make for their mommies along the way!

Mother’s Day Surprise by Stephen Krensky is a delightful book that reassures children that any gift they give to their mom will be greatly appreciated. It also encourages children to be creative in making a gift for mom. This book is recommended for children ages 4-8.

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Activities for Turn Off TV Week-April 18th-24th

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 04:00:03 +0000

This week is turn off TV week. This is a great time for families to enjoy fun activities together. Involve the entire family in the planning of this week and mark it on a calendar for everyone to see. You can plan indoor and outdoor activities. Here are a few ideas!

1. READ to SUCCEED-This is a great time for the family to take a visit to the local library. Some libraries have special activities planned for No TV Week. There are lots of books and magazines for the kids as well as parents. You can also check out a classic story on CD so that the whole family can listen together.

2. GET CRAFTY-This is a great way to be productive and bring out your child’s artistic side. Find a fun craft for your child to do independently or a craft project that the whole family can do.

3. PUZZLE-MANIA-Puzzles are an awesome way for families to work as a team. While working on the puzzles it allows everyone to contribute to the conversation. Whether it’s 50 or 1,000 pieces, puzzles can be relaxing and it helps kids to focus.

4. HIT THE TRAIL-Not only is walking a good form of physical activity, it’s also a time to enjoy the great outdoors and get back to nature. Many parks have walking trails that are safe and family-friendly.

5. BOARD GAMES-Fun, Fun, Fun for the whole family. It also teaches children how to follow rules. Choose a board game that is appropriate for your child age level and play along with them.

6. GET COOKING-This is a great time to get everyone in the kitchen and involved in preparing the family dinner. Plan out the meal ahead of time and go grocery shopping together.

7. OUTDOOR GAMES-Play an outdoor game like Hide & Seek or Red Light, Green Light(1,2,3), just to name a few. Teach your child some of the games you used to play as a child. Learn how to have fun with your child. Show your child how to throw a frisbee or catch a ball.

8. LET’S RIDE- Whether you’re in a park or in your neighborhood, riding a bike can be so much fun. If your child doesn’t know how to ride a bike, this is a great time to teach them.

These are just a few suggestions, but there are so many more activities to share with your child. BE CREATIVE!

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Checklist For Assessing Multicultural Children’s Literature

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:27:10 +0000

While every children’s book cannot possibly meet every standard of excellence, in many instances, the value of a particular book will outweigh those aspects that might be questionable or problematic. Parents, teachers and other caregivers should examine children’s books for such things as historical accuracy, realistic depictions of a variety of lives, believable characters, authentic language and age appropriateness. Books should represent a variety of settings, problem-solving approaches and themes, and should provide opportunities for children to consider multiple perspectives and values. At their best, multicultural children’s books can and should speak to all children.

*Story:*
•	Is the story line interesting to children?
•	Are the stories age appropriate to ensure that children can understand what is presented?
•	Are there various conflicts for children to explore?
•	Are the conflicts resolved in ways that children will find interesting and challenging?
•	How are obstacles overcome?
•	How does change occur? Is a magic wand the only way positive change occurs? Can girls take responsibility for their own destinies?
•	Will the stories encourage discussions?
•	Are children exposed to multiple perspectives and values?
•	How is “beauty” defined? Whose standard of beauty is being promoted? Are all or most of the “pretty” girls blond? Are all or most of the “pretty” girls white?
•	How is “happiness” defined? Do girls need to find their man to achieve happiness?
•	How is “success” defined? Is the definition of success the same for all people in the book?
*Characters:*
•	Do the characters represent people from a variety of cultural groups?
•	Do “good” characters reflect a variety of backgrounds?
•	How is being “good” defined or described in the book? Is being good the same for boys and girls or are there different standards and expectations?
•	Are females as well as males depicted in leadership roles?
*Themes:*
•	Does the story offer children a variety of things to think about, to question, and to consider?
•	What messages does the book convey about “race,” gender, class, sexual orientation, religion and other human differences?
•	What values are being communicated in the book? Whose values are they?
•	Are values being explored rather than preached?
•	Does the story include lessons to be learned?
*Settings:*
•	Do the stories reflect a variety of settings?
•	Are urban, suburban, and rural settings represented realistically?
•	Are cultural settings represented realistically?
*Illustrations:*
•	Are diverse populations represented?
•	Are characters realistically and genuinely represented?
•	Do the pictures show diversity within cultural groups?
•	Do the illustrations avoid reinforcing societal stereotypes?
*Other Considerations:*
•	From whose perspective is the story told?
•	What are the author’s qualifications to tell the story? Do the characters’ voices sound authentic?
•	Do the stories promote understanding of our diverse society and world?

*From: A World of Difference Institute

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Encourage Your Child to do Their Very Best

admin — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:56:44 +0000

If you expect the best behavior and performance from your child, it’s often what you will get. Children pick up on our beliefs about them, form a self-concept that matches that belief, and perform accordingly. If we expect them to be lazy, they’ll be lazy, which will confirm our expectations for them, and the cycle toward failure is started. If, on the other hand, we expect our kids to be successful, productive, creative, and responsible and honestly believe it to be true, then our children can’t help but rise to the occasion and confirm our best opinions of them with their positive actions. So expect nothing but the best from your children and watch them fulfill your expectations.

*Praise your child often when they perform a good deed or accomplish a new task.

*Set simple, clear and consistent rules so your child knows exactly what is expected and the consequences of misbehaving or breaking the rules.

*Maintain a consistent daily routine for your child as much as possible, and make sure your child gets lots of physical activity and time to play and socialize with their friends.

*Encourage your child to learn how to make appropriate choices, and encourage your child to do things for themselves.

*Allow your child to talk about strong feelings, which will help them work through their anger and frustration.

*Spend lots of quality time with your child, and encourage them to become involved in activities that foster cooperation and a sense of accomplishment. If you have great expectations of your child, they will put forth their very best.

*Above all, be a positive role model for your child, as their strongest educator is your example. Make appropriate choices and be firm yet fair when disciplining your child.

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