A & B

I have perhaps commented on it before, but when I first started doing storytimes at the library back in the early 2000s, the director at that time did not allow us to do crafts at storytimes.  They were to include stories, rhymes, songs, etc., but no crafts, no snacks, etc.  At that time, it was really no big deal.  We had fun, but I didn't have to worry about crafts.  Well, after not doing storytimes then for several years while I raised my daughter at home, things changed at the library. New directors came and went and different ladies led storytimes.  Crafts and snacks came to be accepted as a part of storytimes.  So when I took back over a few years ago, I kept doing crafts. I'm a pretty crafty person; I enjoy them, etc.  Coming up with a new craft every week can be a challenge; and now doing 2 storytimes per week, it an be an extra challenge if I were to do different crafts.  (I don't, by the way.)

In searching for crafts to go with the alphabet, I ran across several sites referenced on Pinterest that had animals or other items that begin with the letter in the alphabet being used to actually 'make' the item.  I thought this was pretty cool, but would it be something that would get boring week after week of making the same flat/glue it on activity?

Wa-la!  It came to me!  Why don't we make alphabet books?  It would be a way to do these cute crafts each week, and it would be something to encourage steady attendance each week because you would want a complete book.  I know that sometimes people have to be gone for a variety of reasons, and so for my "regulars" I do actually put together a "Kit" with all the pieces of the craft, in a page protector, with a photo copy of a completed craft item.  Yes, it can be a lot of work, and management, but it seems to be going pretty smoothly.  I am using the Cricut electronic die cutting machine, and the Mickey font, to cut out the letters, so while I'm cutting I just cut a few extra to have on hand. Not that big of a deal, really.  The families are really enjoying it, I think. I was afraid that the little kids would be upset because they are leaving their pictures at the library and not taking it home with them each week, and that was a BIG question the first few weeks, a lot of the littles just didnt get it, but they are doing much better now. I can hardly wait for them to be completed so that the kids can take their books home, and hopefully they will have some keepsakes.

A for Alligator.

B  is for Bumble Bee

One thing that I have been wanting to do is to create some Literacy Center ideas and items for free play use here at the library. With my limited amount of hours that I work at the library, I really, really find it hard to find time to do everything with the ideas that I want to do, especially when I added the Tuesday morning storytime.  However, I had this idea in the back of my mind for a long time, and when I was searching alphabet activity ideas, something similar came up in the searches.

I bought the small storage containers at Dollar Tree; 4 in a bundle for $1.00 I believe.  I cut the letters with my Cricut electronic die cutting machine.  The items that have gone inside has been found and donated items; I did make a run to our local thrift shop, and picked up a third of a sandwich brown bag full for a quarter for a few items.  It's not as easy as it may seem to find items small enough to fit in the containers.  It has been fun for some of our staff members.  They started taking it very seriously to help find things.  I didn't want to make photocopies of anything; I wanted the "real" items. However, when it came to "X" I did have to break that rule for me....took a photocopy of an 'x-ray'!   I have been going back and adding things to letters already done if I find something new along the way.  When we are finished with these in storytime, I hope that we can use them in a Literacy area here in the children's area of the library.

A - apple.

B - butterfly, bandaid, bat, bubbles, block.

https://preschoolmom.com/preschool-crafts/alphabet-crafts/