Crayons, Crafts and Coloring Oh My!

"Every child is an artist; the problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up." 
                                       ~ Pablo Picasso


If you subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter you know that along with the stories, curriculum, etc., I also highlight various craft and activities links. While there is a google search tool on the newsletter site I have categorized and compiled them here as another way for you to access them easily.

So get out the paper, paint, crayons and glue and help your students make something beautiful!


AIRPLANES
Airplane Coloring Page - http://tinyurl.com/2w32bvk
High Flying Airplane Bookmark - http://tinyurl.com/2dschv
10 Paper Airplanes – Ten easy to fold airplanes with video instructions. http://www.10paperairplanes.com/


ANIMALS

Jungle Tiger Activities - http://tinyurl.com/y97eyce
Tiger Mask to Cut and Color - http://tinyurl.com/ya4vvdg
Aesop’s Fables coloring book pages. Bats, birds, fox, hare and more are just waiting to be brought to colorful life! http://tinyurl.com/ng7elr
Dalmation Cookie Bank – http://tinyurl.com/2f5j8bg  
CD Dog - http://familycrafts.about.com/od/cdcrafts/ss/cdanimals_4.htm
Puppy Coloring Page - http://familycrafts.about.com/library/color/blcoldogbowlbug.htm

AUTUMN

Apple Activities & Crafts for Kids - http://tinyurl.com/no6xhl
Autumn Tree Craft - http://tinyurl.com/lwwsxa
Paper Bag Trees - http://tinyurl.com/6pyoz3
Scarecrow Craft - http://tinyurl.com/kp2cgg
Word Jumble - http://tinyurl.com/ycfsfj6
Fall Word Search - http://tinyurl.com/ya3cux8
Autumn Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/6jvvwm
Build A Tree Leaf by Leaf - http://tinyurl.com/68y23p
Paper Bag Trees - http://tinyurl.com/6pyoz3

APRIL FOOLS

Bestkidsbooksite.com - Strut your stuff on April Fool’s Day with this Jolly Jester’s Hat at http://tinyurl.com/cvdew8 and tons of Easter coloring pages to keep you coloring in or out of the lines! http://tinyurl.com/cwqyfo

BACK TO SCHOOL

Back to School bookmarks your students can print out and color - http://tinyurl.com/ls287p
September Bulletin Board Project - Welcome your students back to school in style! http://tinyurl.com/m6z2sp
Teacher’s Survival Kit – School is in session and the teachers in your child’s life will love you for thinking of them. Put together this easy and charming “survival kit” and add a smile to their year! http://tinyurl.com/2frdeng
KinderArt - A Bulletin Board of Spring Flowers - Ages K - 6 http://tinyurl.com/b9w58r
Bug Jars - Children will learn to look at the details of bugs and plants as they learn about symmetry and asymmetry. This is a craft and lesson plan all in one! http://tinyurl.com/dlooot
How to Plan a Scarecrow Storytime - http://tinyurl.com/yckv2ge
KinderArt - A Bulletin Board of Spring Flowers - Ages K - 6 http://tinyurl.com/b9w58r


BASTILLE DAY

O la la…some crafts to help you celebrate. Build an Eiffel Tower http://tinyurl.com/mzspa7  
or Arc de Triomphe - http://tinyurl.com/npueoq

BIRDS AND BUGS

Happy Feather’s Day - http://tinyurl.com/cyuybg
Easy Bird Feeder - http://tinyurl.com/cf43t8
Paper Bag Crow Puppet - http://tinyurl.com/n4kojy
Bug Jars - Children will learn to look at the details of bugs and plants as they learn about symmetry and asymmetry. This is a craft and lesson plan all in one! http://tinyurl.com/dlooot


BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black History Month Activities - http://tinyurl.com/23ekb2y
Diversity Banner - http://tinyurl.com/djfymu

BOOKMARKS

Arthur Character Bookmark - http://tinyurl.com/llurp9
Bookworm Bookmark – http://tinyurl.com/2f26sl4
Beaded Bookmark for the older students - http://tinyurl.com/nn7qf7
Curious George - http://tinyurl.com/nx7gxn
Scarecrow “If I Only Had A Book” - http://tinyurl.com/lntj54
Back to School bookmarks - http://tinyurl.com/ls287p


CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL

Chinese Moon Festival Coloring Pages – From the Moon Goddess to moon cakes, many choices to choose from. http://tinyurl.com/3yyorka
Follow up with a lesson plan and activity on painting watercolor Chinese Dragons. http://tinyurl.com/8jutqw  


CHRISTMAS

Origami Star - http://www.planetpals.com/ppcraft2.html
Christmas Tree - http://www.tammyyee.com/origamitree.html
Christmas Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/yk5uu4a
Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet – http://tinyurl.com/39yppmg
Paper Plate Poinsettia - http://tinyurl.com/39jmkws
Christmas Crafts and Printables - http://tinyurl.com/yxwong
Gingerbread Man Ornaments - Preschool http://tinyurl.com/5g6pon  
Holiday Origami - Spice up your holiday stories with two easy to do origami folds; a star and a Christmas tree:
http://www.planetpals.com/ppcraft2.html
http://www.tammyyee.com/origamitree.html
World of Christmas – This link will lead you to a wide variety of games to entertain the children through the holiday. http://tinyurl.com/ykcoxud


CINCO DE MAYO

Kaboose.com - Say “Ole!” with these crafts and activities to help you say celebrate Cinco de Mayo. http://holidays.kaboose.com/cinco-de-mayo/
Mexican Bird Craft - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/mbirdrattle.htm


DIWALI

Diwali Diya Mobile - http://tinyurl.com/ya64rf5
Diwali Door Hanging - Traditional embroidered door hanging to welcome visitors and hopefully the Goddess of Fortune Lakshmi. http://tinyurl.com/ydr5pch
Diwali Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/ykwu7dt%20


EARTH DAY - RECYCLED CRAFTS

Cutlery Wind Chimes - The summer cookout season is over. Here’s a clever craft to recycle all of the leftover plastic utensils. http://tinyurl.com/mt76o7
Brown Paper Kites - For grades K – 6. http://www.kinderart.com/crafts/bagkite.shtml
Milk Carton Pen Pot - For grades 2 an up. http://tinyurl.com/mxn6sg
Puzzle Piece Picture Frame - For grades K– 2 http://tinyurl.com/n96pxw
Earth Day Crafts - Dig around; there are plenty of crafts here to help you celebrate. http://tinyurl.com/ba67fb
Earth Day Litterbug - Using recycled items help your students make their Earth Day litterbug. http://tinyurl.com/d6mpxq
Ladybug Rocks - Of course, my favorite! http://crafts.kaboose.com/earth-ladybug-rocks.html

FATHER’S DAY

DLTK.COM - Lots of things to make that special man smile on Father’s Day: Crafts, poems, printables, recipes and songs! http://tinyurl.com/nrssk

FLOWERS

Giant Tissue Paper Flowers – Decorate with this lovely flowers. No watering required. http://tinyurl.com/3438nvo
Handprint Lilies – Cute and easy craft for ages 5+. http://www.dltk-holidays.com/mom/mlilies.htm
Flower Coloring Pages – A garden of choices. http://flowercoloringpages.org/


FOURTH OF JULY

Enchanted Learning - Crafts and Activities for Flag Day. http://tinyurl.com/ce59vx
For some extra fun, a word search and maze to celebrate our country's anniversary:
Maze: http://tinyurl.com/n7curj 
Word Search: http://tinyurl.com/lss2pe
Kaboose.com - Lots of fun Fourth of July crafts to make your holiday sparkle! http://tinyurl.com/nymrap
USHistory.org - It was said that Betsy Ross could cut a five pointed star in one snip of the scissors. Learn how to make your own star the same way. http://tinyurl.com/ywoo8r

GRANDPARENT’S DAY

Activity Village - A wonderful page full of activities, printables and information on Grandparent’s Day, sure to put a smile on your face no matter what age! http://tinyurl.com/lbu8t2
Coloring pages and crafts for Grandparents Day - http://tinyurl.com/l88g79
Grandma or Grandpa Apron - http://tinyurl.com/njaamh

HALLOWEEN

Halloween Crafts - Bats, and pumpkins and vampires oh my! Lots of fun, spooky crafts to make your Halloween craft time as easy as saying, trick or treat! http://tinyurl.com/lbffm7%20
FamilyFun.com - Lots of spooktacular ideas for Halloween fun; activities, recipes, games, costumes, crafts and more. http://tinyurl.com/583jd
Kinderart.com - Ghosts in the Graveyard – Using recycled egg cartons you can create your own ghostly setting. Suitable for all ages. http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/crafts/ghosts_in_the_graveyard.shtml
How to Plan a Scarecrow Story Time - http://tinyurl.com/yckv2ge


HANUKKAH

Menorah - http://tinyurl.com/yl82unf
Star of David - http://tinyurl.com/yg9gvvs
Window Sparklers, Star of David and more. http://tinyurl.com/yjqn5ce
Milk Carton Dreidel - http://tinyurl.com/2dknzg9  
Easy Cut and Fold Star of David - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/jewish/starofdavid.htm

KWANZAA

Kwanzaa Crafts for Children - http://tinyurl.com/yb9fy9m
Kaboose.com Kwanzaa Crafts - http://tinyurl.com/yht48lk
Kwanzaa Coloring Pages- http://tinyurl.com/yffaodm
More Kwanzaa Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/3aceesk
Kwanzaa Placement – http://tinyurl.com/256u4nv  


LA POSADA

Pinata - “One piñata tradition says: You go around life with your eyes covered, trying to find the good things and working hard to get them.” The original, traditional shape of the piñata is the six pointed star although today countless forms are used. http://tinyurl.com/y9uhmlw


MARDI GRAS

Celebrate Fat Tuesday - http://tinyurl.com/yfxxg55
Mardi Gras Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/cusd89  
Mardi Gras Masks - http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/mardig


MISCELLANEOUS

Origami Peace Crane - http://www.planetpals.com/IKC/peacecrane.html
Peace Lantern - http://www.planetpals.com/IKC/peacelantern.html
Peace on Earth - http://tinyurl.com/yknakrv 
Sea Serpent Games and Activities - Lots of creativity swimming around these pages! http://tinyurl.com/mkubfj
Mermaid Paper Doll - Children can color her pretty with your own paints and crayons! http://tinyurl.com/mvkgn5
DLTK 'S Holiday Crafts - "Crafts to help you decorate, games to help you celebrate, worksheets to challenge your mind and songs to sing together!" http://www.dltk-holidays.com/ 
KidsStuffCanada.com - Creative, downloadable coloring pages to complement the stories of Grimm and Andersen. Also, interactive pages for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, etc. Enough activities to keep you coloring outside the lines until the New Year! www.kidstuffcanada.com/en 


MOTHER’S DAY

Bath Salts for Mom – http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/mother7.shtml
Flower Doorstop for Mom – Just in time for Mother’s Day! http://tinyurl.com/32mrspl
Kinderart.com - Crafts and gifts to make for Mom including Mother's Day, May, Arts and Crafts Activities, Lessons, Coloring Pages, Ideas, Recipes and Treats. http://tinyurl.com/cagxwy


MULTICULTURAL

Activity Village - Make your own carp kite or origami to celebrate Kodomo no hi (Children’s Day). There are many other crafts, activities and printables to make this Japanese national holiday shine! http://tinyurl.com/cxwwv3
Children of the World Necklace - http://tinyurl.com/l6cqsu
Egyptian Crafts– A great selection of Egyptian crafts for all ages. http://tinyurl.com/344bmh8  
Hieroglyphics Bookmarks – Two choices, one with hieroglyphics and another with a maze on the back. Mazes have been in existence since ancient Egypt, when Amenembet III built a funerary temple consisting of 3000 chambers. http://tinyurl.com/38hxvnj  
Japanese Kokeshi Doll - http://tinyurl.com/cscr76
King Tut Mask – Definitely for older children but this would be a wonderful art project to complement an Egyptian unit. http://tinyurl.com/3xenscl
Hawaiian Lei Flower Necklace - http://tinyurl.com/ysydbf
New Zealand Koru Art - “The koru is the Maori name given to the new unfurling fern frond and symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace. It is an integral symbol in Maori carving and tattoos.” http://kinderart.com/multic/koruart.shtml
Origami Doll - http://tinyurl.com/ddo8w2
Peace Dove - http://tinyurl.com/n4wfwh
World Neighbors: Handprint Craft and Poem - http://tinyurl.com/l45smb


RAMADAN

Children’s Activities for the Month of Ramadan - http://www.submission.org/YES/child2.html
Make a Ramandan Collage - http://www.theholidayspot.com/ramadan/crafts.htm


SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
Leprechaun Crafts - http://tinyurl.com/yl3rmq9
St. Patrick’s Day Wreaths – http://tinyurl.com/yz4bw29
St. Patrick’s Day Word Jumble - http://tinyurl.com/ykjhtf8
St. Patrick’s Day Word Search - http://tinyurl.com/ylx8537
St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/yz7guar
St. Patrick’s Day Crafts and Printables -http://tinyurl.com/cxfe9a
St. Patrick's Day Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/cy9pwd

SPRING CRAFTS

Frog Pouch Craft – Ages 3 and up http://tinyurl.com/ykjkko5
Frog Paper Bag Puppet – Ages 2 and up http://tinyurl.com/yjc9cbd
Frog Paper Crafts – Ages 2 and up http://tinyurl.com/yjb5tok
Spring Crafts - http://tinyurl.com/adaz63  
Flowered Hat - http://tinyurl.com/b36hnx
KinderArt - A Bulletin Board of Spring Flowers - Ages K - 6 http://tinyurl.com/b9w58r

STORYTELLING

Fables Theme: Preschool Activities and Crafts - “Visit a theme to find activities that include easy instructions and a list of materials needed related to Aesop's and other fables. You will find crafts, printable activities, and related resources.” http://www.first-school.ws/theme/fables.htm 
Story Sack - ‘This is a fun way for parents and children to read stories together. Grandparents, teachers, childcare providers, babysitters and anyone else who spends time with children will also find these useful!” http://tinyurl.com/27pwh8j
Fairy Tale Crafts - From dragons, to princes, knights and wizards, lots of crafts to keep everyone busy. http://tinyurl.com/an3lay

SUMMER

ChildFun.com - Summer brings a bounty of fresh fruit so why not have some fruity fun! http://tinyurl.com/m99dj4
DLTK Crafts – Lots of flavorful ice cream crafts to keep you cool through the summer months. http://www.dltk-holidays.com/summer/national_ice_cream_month.htm
Danielle’s Place - A great site full of very creative, easy and inexpensive paper plate and paper cup crafts for kids. http://tinyurl.com/lyd6cy
Kids Summer Crafts and Summer Printables - http://tinyurl.com/njew6g  
Kinderart - Summer is tine to take the children to the zoo. Download some cute animal printables to keep your students and children roaring with delight long after the field trip! http://tinyurl.com/mfoajz


THANKSGIVING

Blessing Boxes - http://tinyurl.com/5zuk4x
Thanksgiving and Fall Crafts for Children - http://tinyurl.com/ylfuhze
Thanksgiving Coloring Pages - http://tinyurl.com/yauxtpy


VALENTINE’S DAY

Educational Valentine’s Day Crafts - http://tinyurl.com/yawdrqt
Valentine’s Day Word Search - http://tinyurl.com/c6lldr
Kaboose.com - Valentine’s Day word searches, math puzzles, and more. http://tinyurl.com/bfrrnt
Kaboose.com - Lots of easy crafts to make your heart flutter for Valentine’s Day.
http://tinyurl.com/ackzdb


VETERAN’S DAY

Veteran’s Day Activities - Coloring pages, crafts for kids, word searches and more. http://tinyurl.com/kslkv7


WINTER

Family Fun.com - Tons of winter fun; crafts, games, activities, printables and more! http://tinyurl.com/9n2gyt
Kaboose - Winter clip art, games, activities and crafts to help warm your spirit. http://holidays.kaboose.com/winter/
Kinderart - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…Decorate your classroom or library with an array of beautiful paper cut creations. http://tinyurl.com/94n9gj
Penguin Fun! Coloring pages, mazes, worksheets, songs, riddles and more! http://tinyurl.com/5g6pon
Polish Gwiazdy – Beautiful paper cuttings that look like snowflakes but they have eight sides not six. http://tinyurl.com/22jo2gd

Hitting the Business Bullseye!

The Archer's Arrowadapted by Karen Chace  © 2010

Long, long ago, in a certain realm, in a certain land there lived a king who spent many seasons practicing the skill of archery.  But no matter how many hours or days he practiced he always fell short of the mark; he was unable to hit the bull's-eye on the target.

One brisk autumn day he gathered his retinue, mounted his favorite steed, and set out on a hunt. After many hours riding through the colorful countryside they found a clearing and stopped to rest. The king dismounted and the servants began to lay the afternoon meal out on a  woven cloth of white.

While the king waited for the food to be arranged he walked through the meadow and noticed a weathered gray farmhouse and barn standing in the distance. As the king moved closer he saw that the entire side of the barn was covered from the roof to the ground with red and white circles. In the middle of each circle an arrow was firmly lodged in the center. He was astonished by the sight that lay before him for he knew the skill required to accomplish such a task. Turning to his servant he commanded, "Find the marksman responsible and bring him to me!"

The servant didn’t have to travel far for the marksman was none other than Diana, the young daughter of the farmer on whose land they stood. She was brought to the king, and curtsying low she softly asked, “Sire, how may I serve you?”

For a moment the king was startled and surprised! A young woman, how could this be? The king asked, “Tell me your secret. How has one so gentle become so skilled in the art of archery? Each one of your targets boasts a bull's-eye, no small feat for my greatest archer and surely not for one so young and fair!”Diana smiled and answered, "Sire, truly it takes no skill at all. I simply shoot the arrow and then I draw the bull's-eye around it!”

Wouldn't it be grand if we could hit a bull's-eye every time in business with very little effort? Storytellers sometimes shy away from the marketing aspects of our work because in this era of burgeoning social media it can seem overwhelming. But if we are to move our ancient art into the modern age we must learn to embrace the diverse tools we have at our disposal.

Yesterday I posted the final Catch the Storybug newsletter for 2010. To make it easier for you to access all of the business articles highlighted during the year I have assembled them below. Each one offers bits of wisdom to help you hit your target royally each and every time!

5 Free Tools That Make You Look More Professional by Brad Egeland - “…Limited budget, smaller customer base, an operating budget that gets tugged in 100 different directions. Anything that you can do for free… and not affect your bottom line is a good thing.” http://tinyurl.com/yaspdtr

5 Top Tips for Using Social Media to Help Launch Your New Business by Rick Mathieson  “Social media can be one of your best tools for building a new business - if you use it correctly.” http://tinyurl.com/33696ul  

5 Ways to Work Smarter and Be More Productive by Stacy Karacostas -“…it’s not how hard they work. It’s how smart they work.”  http://tinyurl.com/2u6ej6o  

7 Tips for Money-Making Postcards by Ivan Levison - “There are times when it makes sense to spend a lot of money on a direct mail package….However, there are times when going with a humble postcard makes a lot of sense.” http://tinyurl.com/yhoxq9w

10 Dead or Dying PR Tactics by Steve Mullen - http://tinyurl.com/cg23j6    

10 Newborn PR Tactics by Steve Mullen-  http://tinyurl.com/cjsbsk  

Blogging, Tweeting and Fan Pages Oh My! Does Social Media Really Benefit SMBs? by Shannon Suetos “…"The hype right now exceeds the reality." But recent statistics are showing despite the hype, business owners are in fact implementing some sort of social media efforts.” http://tinyurl.com/375ssux  

Building Lessons Learned in 2009: What Highly-Successful Small Business Owners Are Doing that You Can Do Too by Stacy Karacostas “…what are successful entrepreneurs doing differently?” http://tinyurl.com/yjj4obv

Calm Customers in Six Quick Steps – “You’ll work nine times harder attracting new business than you will retaining your current client list. That means you can’t afford to anger even one customer.” http://tinyurl.com/36txmy8

Color Yourself Successful by Ken Peters – “Color communicates. When language fails color can offer valuable associations with people, places and things…Because color's impact is so profound, its role in branding your business is critical. When applied effectively, color can achieve extraordinary results”. http://tinyurl.com/252m8px

Download Free Pictures.com - Looking to spice up your storytelling, classroom or library information? Little Red Riding Hood, our old friend Jack, and other famous fairytale folks can be found here ready to play! To the right you will also find links to other free clip art photos in a number of categories, including holiday, animal and nature photos. http://tinyurl.com/35o8qj

Eight Steps to Attracting Clients by Bernadette Doyle – “There’s a logical sequence to building a business, whether it’s online or offline. There are certain things that must be done in order to see your business grow. By committing to follow these eight steps, you can attract more clients and have the kind of income you want.”  http://tinyurl.com/2bn2ha4

Email Newsletter Design Guide by Hostway – This article will walk you through the process of designing your own newsletter. http://tinyurl.com/ygv7589  

More Ways to Monetize Your Web Site by Hostway – “Once you have a solid ecommerce process like Paypal or a shopping cart, there are some other ways to make your Web site work for you and start making some money.”  http://tinyurl.com/34wn6s5

Pack the 3R’s While on Holiday Travel - Although the busy holiday season has passed, these tips will serve us well throughout 2009. From the U.S. Environmental Agency, information on ways to reduce, reuse and recycle when you are away from home. http://tinyurl.com/75a2ox

Rid Yourself of These 10 Damaging Word-Habits by Stephanie Bickel – “Here are some quick-tips that will elevate your elocution immensely. http://tinyurl.com/yzu6oux

Seven Tax Tips for Businesses and the Self Employed – “Here are Seven Tax Tips that can possibly save you a lot of money on your 2008 taxes.”  *While this article is from 2008 the tips are still valid for small business owners. http://tinyurl.com/b8pvd4

Six Advantages to Virtual Trade Shows by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP – ‘… industry experts expect that by 2015, more than 25% of trade shows will be conducted in virtual environments. That's a market you can't afford to ignore." http://tinyurl.com/c9m2mb

Ten Tips to Ignore When Starting a Business by Cathy Goodwin – “Everyone has advice for you when you're starting a business, but it's not all good advice! Here are ten tips you'd be better off ignoring.”  http://tinyurl.com/3xx2mqp

Three Ways to Take Control and Grow Your Small Business in Any Economy by Stacy Karacostas “Has your business slowed because of the economy? If so, you’ve got two options. Keep doing what you’ve always done and hope it turns around on its own…Or, do something different. “ http://tinyurl.com/32ou24d

Top 7 Common Mistakes Made by Small Business Owners – “Though it is easy to start your own business, it takes a lot more to succeed in business. There are seven common mistakes made by small business owners.” http://tinyurl.com/l4ggh2

Weaving Storytelling and Business with an Authentic Voice - I recently put together a handout for a college class on storytelling and business. I have placed it on my blog for your use. http://tinyurl.com/yhnnpaa

WhoFish.org -  Do you have an event to market? Then this site is just what you are looking for. Publish your events for free and let the cyber world know how to find you! http://www.whofish.org/

Why Do People Write This Way? (And How You Can Avoid Doing the Same) by Ernest Nicastro – “Leverages a proprietary coaching framework...purposeful investments in human capital...aligning people and systems in pursuit of”...why do people write this way? http://tinyurl.com/28z4xgg  

Words. Words. Words. by Nan S. Russell  - “Words create impressions, images and expectations. They build psychological connections. They influence how we think. Since thoughts determine actions, there's a powerful connection between the words we use and the results we get.” www.careerknowhow.com/improvement/words.htm   

Virtual Press Release Faux Pas by Janet Attard – “Using email to send press releases to editors can save you considerable time and money. One click and your release can be on its way to dozens of editor but one click of the mouse is all it takes for each editor or writer on your mailing list to delete the release, often without opening your email at all.” http://tinyurl.com/2etev8u

Storybug.net – You will find more business resources on my two previous blogs posts:
Grow Your Business in 2010 at http://tinyurl.com/2ep3j42
The Business of Storytelling at http://tinyurl.com/37bvamh     

A Season of Gratitude

The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket
by Eastman Johnson
1879

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."     ~ John F. Kennedy


Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There is no sense of urgency, no crush of commercialism surrounding the day, just family, friends and good food! I am blessed to live in Massachusetts, where the celebration  has its roots, although it's beginning was nothing like the huge feasts we enjoy today. Below are a few pieces of  information to help you understand the history of the holiday.

• Although they did have a three-day feast in celebration of a good harvest, and the local Indians did participate, this "first Thanksgiving" was not a holiday, simply a gathering.
• The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating.
• It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives.
• The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.
• The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl."
• There was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop.
• There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products.
• The newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous.
• The feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.
• This "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year.
• George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789
• It was Sarah Josepha Hale, (author of Mary Had a Little Lamb) a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving. After a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863.
• President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.
  
  

STORIES

Story of Wali Dad the Simple Hearted
From the The Brown Fairy Book, collected by Andrew Lang

Once upon a time there lived a poor old man whose name was Wali Dad Gunjay, or Wali Dad the Bald. He had no relations, but lived all by himself in a little mud hut some distance from any town, and made his living by cutting grass in the jungle, and selling it as fodder for horses. He only earned by this five halfpence a day; but he was a simple old man, and needed so little out of it, that he saved up one halfpenny daily, and spent the rest upon such food and clothing as he required.

In this way he lived for many years until, one night, he thought that he would count the money he had hidden away in the great earthen pot under the floor of his hut. So he set to work, and with much trouble he pulled the bag out on to the floor, and sat gazing in astonishment at the heap of coins which tumbled out of it. What should he do with them all? he wondered. But he never thought of spending the money on himself, because he was content to pass the rest of his days as he had been doing for ever so long, and he really had no desire for any greater comfort or luxury.

At last he threw all the money into an old sack, which he pushed under his bead, and then, rolled in his ragged old blanket, he went off to sleep. To read the rest of the story click here.


Catch the Storybug - For more stories visit my Thanksgiving blog post from October 2009.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2009/10/time-to-be-thankful.html

The Magic of Muskil Gusha - Iranian folktale adapted and shared by Aaron Shephard http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/048.html

Story-Lovers.com - As always, Jackie Baldwin brings a plateful of stories to the feast!http://tinyurl.com/2vzpe56

Lord of the Cranes - A folktale about generosity from China. http://www.learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/LordofCranes.asp

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

The First Thanksgiving - Visit web sites about the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag, and the famous harvest feast and learn new facts along the way.
http://tinyurl.com/2ef6xck

General Thanksgiving - Proclamation by President George Washington.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/thankstext.html

Catch the Storybug - For more curriculum connections visit my Thanksgiving blog post from October 2009.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2009/10/time-to-be-thankful.html 

The National Day of Mourning - Not everyone has the same view of the national holiday of Thanksgiving. For a Native American view go to: http://www.pilgrimhall.org/daymourn.htm

What Do You Eat? - A lesson unit on comparing how others eat in developing countries. http://www.planusa.org/docs/smsmw/quest2.pdf


MUSIC

Thanksgiving Songs and Fingerplays
http://www.theholidayzone.com/thanks/songs.html


BOOK SUGGESTION

The Children of the Morning Light: Wampanoag Tales as Told By Manitonquat -A storyteller of the southeastern Massachusetts Wampanoag has retold some of the creation tales of his people -- teaching and ‘pourquoi’ tales that are remarkable for their humor, common sense, and humanity. http://tinyurl.com/ko3637


CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES

How To Plan a Scarecrow Storytime
http://tinyurl.com/2ullj35

Word Jumble - Fun, fall word jumble for your students to rearrange!
http://tinyurl.com/ycfsfj6

Fall Word Search
http://tinyurl.com/ya3cux8

Shared Stories and Shared Lives: Reflections of a FAIR Storyteller

“To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one.” ~Chinese Saying

As a child, books were my friends, my allies. As an adult and professional storyteller I have the good fortune of incorporating my favorite pastime with my work. This March I was delighted to be part of the Massachusetts Humanities FAIR (Family Adventures In Reading) program, which joins both reading and families together to enjoy and discuss important topics.

Books provide moments of exquisite solitude but they are also present fantastic opportunities to connect with others. Some of those opportunities were provided by the FAIR program this year. This March families gathered at the Wilks Branch library in New Bedford, MA to begin a six week program. The books chosen by the Humanities staff were worthwhile and rewarding; they also the catalyst for discussing different cultures, social responsibilities and choices we face every day in a very accessible and social format.

The pre-selected books covered a variety of diverse topics: fairness, greed, courage, determination and dreams. Each week the families would read two picture books together and return the following week to read the books aloud then discuss the story focus and characters. During our first meeting I used some storytelling games to demonstrate how to use voice and expression effectively when reading aloud.

At first, there were some reluctant readers while others eagerly took up the challenge. One young man always stood up to read his part with great enthusiasm, as if he were one of the characters in the book coming to life! Then something magical began to happen as one week flowed into the next, this group of strangers began to connect not only with the books but with each other. They began to share the joys and difficulties they experienced in their own lives.

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman led us to a discussion about positive ways we could encourage our friends and families, and the importance of believing in our personal goals. Lon Po Po by Ed Young guided us into a conversation about courageous people and the heroes’ in their lives; poignantly, one parent offered “My nephew who just enrolled in the Army.”

That same day the discussion about courage took a more circuitous route and transformed into another about peer pressure when one of the older boys bravely revealed that he was the target of a bully at school. One by one, the adults began to share similar experiences from their youth. The boy and his mother left our group that day reassured, empowered and supported.

While we did touch on serious issues there were many lighthearted moments as well. When discussing Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe I asked the group, “Was there ever a time when you were kind to another as Nyasha was in the story?” One of the youngest children sweetly shared, “Once in school I helped someone who didn’t know what the color purple looked like and then we became friends.”

Another book, Vejigaente/Masquerader by Lulu Delacre gave us a chance to test our bilingual skills. One mother spoke Spanish fluently and it was lovely to watch her daughter’s eyes shine with pride as her mother read each Spanish section so eloquently,

When I asked why Ramon, the main character in the book wanted to be part of the group of older boys our youngest participant excitedly said, “I know, I know! Because he wanted to be part of a team!” I complimented him on using the word correctly (he had just turned six years old) and he said, “I learned it the other day and held it in my head!” At that moment he became everyone’s child in our close knit FAIR community and we all smiled with pride.

Although reading and sharing family time together is the focus of the program, and we definitely met those goals, a new community had formed that would extend far into the future. On our last day together I watched as parents made plans to meet again and I knew that the FAIR program had exceeded its expectations. The families had formed a bond that would benefit them far into the future. I will be working with the FAIR program this fall and in the spring of 2011 and I look forward to watching the magic appear again!

The program is free and the schedule and location for the upcoming program in New Bedford, MA is as follows, Registration required.
Saturdays: 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20

Time: 1-2:30 PM
Branch: Howland-Green Library Branch
3 Rodney French Blvd.
(508) 991-6212

These are the books and themes for the upcoming six-week session:


Families Meeting Challenges
Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell, illustrated by Ted Rand
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams


Different ways of seeing
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Emma’s Rug by Allen Say

Living through change and loss/ Making a new home
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

Bonds between generations
Bintou’s Braids by Sylvianne Diouf, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Friendship and community
Mr. George Baker by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jon J. Muth
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Paul Yalowitz

Integrity
The Empty Pot by Demi
A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ronald Himler

Responsibility
The Day of Ahmed’s Secret Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland, illustrated by Ted Lewin
Frederick by Leo Lionni


Above image courtesy of Amanda Upton

Ghouls, Ghosts, and Goblins - Halloween is Here!

"Halloween is a mixture of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Below are some interesting facts on the origins of All Hallows Eve."

The word "Halloween," comes from All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints.

• In the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31.The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New Year.
• The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influence the holiday of Halloween.
• The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter.
• The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased wouldco9me back to live and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.
• Ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts.
• The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine.
• Ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts.
• The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouse and unhinging fence gates.
• The custom of trick-or treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts, but with a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out of square pieces of bread with currants. the more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors.
• In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday.

The information above was found at the following websites:
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
http://www.halloweenhistory.org (link is now defunct)
http://www.ask.com/question/how-was-halloween-started  (link is now defunct)

The Man and the Ghost - Tibetan Folktale

Once upon a time a man was walking along a narrow mountain path, when he met a ghost. The ghost turned around at once and walked along beside him. The man was very much frightened but didn't care to let the ghost know it. Pretty soon they came to a river which had to be crossed, and as there was no bridge or boat both had to swim it. The man, of course, made a good deal of noise, splashing and paddling the water, while the ghost made none at all.

Said the ghost to the man: "How does it happen that you make so much noise in the water?"

The man answered, "Oh, I am a ghost and have a right to make all the noise I want to."

"Well," the ghost replied, "suppose we two become good friends, and if I can help you I will, and if you can ever aid me you will do so."

The man agreed, and as they walked along the ghost asked him what he feared more than anything else in the world. The man said he wasn't afraid of anything he saw, though inwardly quaking all the while. Then he asked the ghost what he was afraid of. "Of nothing at all," said the host, "but the wind as it blows through the tall-headed barley fields."

By and by they came near a city, and the ghost said he was going in to town. But the man said he was tired and that he would lie down and sleep a while in the barley field at the edge of the city. The ghost went on into town and played havoc, as ghosts generally do. He proceeded to steal the soul of the king's son and tying it up in a yak hair sack carried it out to the edge of the barley field where the man lay asleep, and called out to him, "Here is the soul of the king's son in this bag. I'll leave it here for a while and you can take care of it for me, as I have a little business elsewhere."
For the rest of the story click http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/tft/tft15.htm

MORE STORIES TO INVITE THE GHOSTS AND BANSHEES IN!

American Folklore ~ Halloween Stories - Regional ghost stories from around the United States; just in time to make your frightful night “ghoul”icious!
http://www.americanfolklore.net/halloween.html

English Folk and Fairy Tales - Lots of fabulous stories await including some tales to add to your Halloween repertories. Goblins, witchcraft, ghosts and drolls are waiting for you just around the corner. Beware! http://tinyurl.com/kvg8kj
  

Edgar Allan Poe- October 11 is the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. This site offers his short stories, poems, quotes, biography, and additional links.
http://www.poestories.com/

The Moonlit Road: Ghost Stories, Folklore & Tall Tales of the South    
https://www.themoonlitroad.com/

Real Ghosts and Fake Ghosts from D.L. Ashliman – Eleven ghost stories from around the globe.
https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type1676.html                

Story-Lovers.com - Jackie Baldwin stirs up a witches' brew of stories ideas. Don't forget to check out the Halloween Bare Bones book, the perfect addition to your library!

* Jackie’s site is no longer up but you may still access her amazing resources via the Wayback Machine. Here is the link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160302013423/http://www.story-lovers.com/listshalloweenstories.html

Victorian Ghost Stories -Twenty-two ghost stories from such spectral luminaries as Bram Stoker, Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens.

http://victorian-studies.net/ghost-stories.html

BOOKS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Can Such Things Be? Short stories, published in 1910, from the talented Ambrose Bierce, courtesy of Gutenberg.org. I am sure you will find some spine-tingling tales to add to your storytelling repertoire. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4366

Great Ghost Stories by Joseph Lewis French, 1918.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41170/41170-h/41170-h.htm

Humorous Ghost Stories by Dorothy Scarborough, 1921

https://archive.org/details/humorousghostst00presgoog

Scottish Ghost Stories by Elliott O’Donnellm 1911. Eleven ghost stories from the land of kilts and bagpipes.    
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20034/20034-h/20034-h.htm

 

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Not Just Halloween: Festivals of the Dead from Around the World
Learn how other cultures celebrate the holiday with this interesting article and complementing links on Japan, Mayan, Aztec, Mexico and more.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/festivals-dead-around-world-180953160/

CRAFTS

Halloween Crafts - Bats, and pumpkins and vampires oh my! Lots of fun, spooky crafts to make your Halloween craft time as easy as saying, trick or treat!
https://www.dltk-holidays.com/Halloween/halloween_crafts.html

32 Halloween for Kids You Can Make as a Family - Lots of spooktacular ideas for Halloween fun. Activities, recipes, games, costumes, crafts and more. 
https://www.redbookmag.com/home/decor/g3644/diy-halloween-crafts-for-kids/    

Kinderart.com - Ghosts in the Graveyard – Using recycled egg cartons you can create your own ghostly setting. Suitable for all ages.
https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/seasons/autumn/halloween/egg-carton-ghosts/

SOMETHING EXTRA

Fun Halloween Songs and Rhymes for Preschoolers - Where Imagination Grows
https://www.whereimaginationgrows.com/halloween-songs-and-rhymes-preschool/

Halloween Jokes - Keep the ghouls howling!
https://parade.com/1056251/marynliles/halloween-jokes/

This is a great song to end a children's storytelling program. Everyone joins in!

Oh, My Darlin' Frankenstein (Sung to the tune of Oh My Darlin’ Clementine)

Refrain:
Oh, my Darlin', Oh, my darlin', Oh my darlin' Frankenstein

You are lost and gone forever, I'm so sorry Frankenstein.

I was working with my test tube in my laboratory fine,
When one day I broke my glasses, and I made poor Frankenstein. He was handsome, he was charming and his head I screwed on tight. His teeth were sharp, and pearly and his eyes popped out at night!

Refrain

Then Dracula came to help me but from him I had to part. He cooked my steak too tough for dinner, so I drove it through his heart!

Refrain

Then the Wolfman came to help me. I said, “What’s that in your mouth?” He said, “Fangs.” I said, “Your welcome.” Now he’s probably headed south.

Refrain

Frankenstein was in the kitchen; he was mixing up a cake,
when he fell into the mixer and got mixed in by mistake!

Refrain

Cooking nicely in the oven, Oh the cake it came out fine,
Told my friends those lumps were raisins, but those lumps were FRANKENSTEIN!

Refrain

If you don't know the tune to "Oh  My Darlin Clementine" you may listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDjTMRyXKLg 
A different, longer version may be found here: 
https://www.poetry4kids.com/poems/oh-my-darling-frankenstein/

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and web inks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace  2011 ©
This blog post was painstakingly researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission, please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my newsletter via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.