Family Storytime: Picnic

This was another good storytime with a nice theme. There are so many books and activities to choose from when going on a picnic. We read three books, did three activities, and did our craft. I would say this is one of my favorite themes for the summer because it's so easy to put together and there's always new material.

 We read Picnic by John Burningham, Pignic by Matt Phelan, and What This Story Needs Is a Munch and a Crunch by Emma Virjan. All three of these stories were just short enough, but offered a cute story. I think the kids enjoyed Pignic the best. 

For one of our activities, we matched some flannel kites using the flannel board and talked about their colors and counted them.

For our last activity, which was received the best, was a picnic basket guessing game using the flannel board. Different colored picnic baskets were put up and the group had to guess which one had the apple behind it using their colors. They always love guessing games!

What picnic would be complete without watermelon? We made watermelon crafts using paper plate halves, tissue paper, and black paint for the seeds. The first craft I remember doing as a kid was a watermelon craft in kindergarten so this craft is dear to my heart.  

Other books for this theme:
Porcupine's Picnic: Who Eats What? by Betsy R. Rosenthal
Bears and Blossoms by Shirley Parenteau
Ready for Anything! by Keiko Kasza
We're Going on a Picnic! by Pat Hutchins 
Duck and Hippo Lost and Found by Jonathan London
It's the Bear! by Jez Alborough
Claude Has a Picnic by Dick Gackenbach
The Lost Picnic by B.B. Cronin
The Best Picnic Ever by Clare Jarrett

Other activities for this theme:
Five Hungry Ants rhyme
Five Yummy Cookies rhyme
It Looked Like Spilt Milk Flannel
Popsicle counting and colors