Theme Thursday on a Tuesday: 4th of July

We had an outside performer at the library last Thursday, so no regular story time. But I couldn't let the 4th of July go by without celebrating, so welcome to this special Tuesday edition of Theme Thursday.

Yankee Doodle was in my original set list, but when it came time to do it I just couldn't do it. "And with the girls be handy"? Really? In this day and age? I used Grand Old Duke of York instead for our military song.

Melissa at Mel's Desk had some great 4th of July story time ideas that I used shamelessly, you should really be following her blog if you aren't already.

Song: Good Morning Dear Earth


Flannel: Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?


Poem: I Had a Little Turtle


Book: Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla



Book: Excerpts from Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Independence Day: With Parades, Picnics, and Fireworks by Deborah Heiligman



Song: Grand Old Duke of York


Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes


Flannel: Let's Go Out on a Summer Night (with fireworks, for that 4th of July flair!)


Action Rhyme: Big, Big, Big


Book: Excerpts from This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie


Flannel: The Colors of the Flag


Song: Turn Around from Getting to Know Myself



Make and Take Craft: American Flags


Process: Before story time, prep the flags. My flags were half a sheet of white paper glued to the popsicle stick. Cut the red construction paper into thin strips, some the entire length of the paper and some half the length. Cut the blue construction paper in rectangles. The ratio of 1/3 a piece of blue construction paper to 1/2 sheet of computer printer paper worked well for me.


After story time was over I passed out the flags, blue rectangles, red strips, star stickers and glue sticks and let the kids go crazy.


Time: Prep took 45 minutes, the craft took 30.


The kids liked waving the flags around and there was an impromptu parade around the children's room after the craft was done.