Hello everyone! We hope you are all excited for Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes!
Leanna and I have put together a bunch of fun activities and crafts for the little ones. Starting on Monday, May 17th (today), the kits will be available to pick up for our online storytime.
Enjoy a free copy of the book, and have fun doing the activities. Everything else is yours to keep!
"Chester's Way" by Kevin Henkes
"Chester and Wilson had their own way of doing things, and they did everything together. When they cut their sandwiches, it was always diagonally. When they rode their bikes, they always used hand signals. If Chester was hungry, Wilson was too. They were two of a kind, and that's the way it was — until indomitable Lilly, who had her own way of doing things, moved into the neighborhood."
Everything is yours to keep!!!
You will have the book read (and signed!) to you by actresses Vanessa Marano and Katie Leclerc. They did such a great job; we hope you enjoy their reading as much as we did!
Kits include:
a free copy of Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes
information page
colors game (5 colored mice)
a flyer for this website
4 activity pages
2 coloring pages
2 recipes from the book
rhymes/song pages with web links (instruments included)
Mouse craft
3 magnets from the story
stickers
HANDOUT GAMES – play with included mouse handouts
Can You Show Me…?
(tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)
Can you show me the white mouse?
White mouse, white mouse?
Can you show me the white mouse?
And wave it in the air?
Gray… black… brown… pink
Hold It High – Choose one mouse from handouts
Hold your mouse high and stand
Now wave it around in gestures grand!
Hold your mouse below your chin
Now hold it way up high again
Hold your mouse against your nose
Now touch the mouse to your toes
Touch your mouse to the ground
Now wave that mouse all around!
Hold your mouse in front of you
Now turn around – one time, two!
Hold your mouse and jump up high!
Now let your mouse fly fly fly (throw it in the air)
SONGS & INSTRUMENT – use included instruments
Friendship Song by CBC Kids
Let's Be Friends by London Rhymes
Little Mouse Song by The Children's Kingdom
I'm a Mouse by Skoolbo Music
BOUNCE RHYME (bounce along with child in lap)
Hurry, Scurry
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
(bounce child)
Starts down at your toes
(tickle child’s toes)
Hurry, scurry, little mouse,
Past your knees he goes.
(wiggle fingers on child’s knee)
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
Past where your tummy is,
(wiggle fingers on child’s tummy)
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
Gives you a mousie kiss!
(either tickle fingers on child’s cheek or kiss child’s cheek)
ACTION RHYMES
If You’re a Good Friend and You Know It
(“If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you're a good friend and you know it wave, "hello!"
If you're a good friend and you know it wave, "hello!"
If you're a good friend and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're a good friend and you know it wave, "hello!"
If you're a good friend and you know it say, "Come on, let's play!"…
If you're a good friend and you know it give a high five…
If you're a good friend and you know it do all three…
Tiny Mouse
There is such a tiny mouse
(make little mouse with fingers)
Living quietly in my house.
Out at night he starts to creep,
(creep fingers)
When everyone is fast asleep.
(pretend to sleep)
But always by the light of day,
(circle arms over head to form sun)
The mouse quietly, quietly creeps away.
Let's Be Friends With One Another
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends today.
You can sing with a friend
You can shout with a friend
You can hum with a friend
You can jump with a friend
You can clap with a friend
You can spin with a friend
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends today.
Creeping Mouse
The little mice go creeping, creeping, creeping.
The little mice are creeping in the barn.
(fingers creeping on lap)
The little mice are eating, eating, eating.
The little mice are eating in the barn.
(nibbling motion at mouth)
The little mice are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.
The little mice are sleeping in the barn.
(rest head on "hand" pillow)
The old gray cat comes slinking, slinking, slinking.
The old gray cat comes slinking in the barn.
(snake motion with hand)
The little mice are running, running, running.
The little mice are running 'round the farm.
(running motion all over the air)
EXTRA LINKS!
Kevin Henkes’ website:
Top Ten Starting Signs: https://www.babysignlanguage.com/first-signs/
Direct link on Youtube for Storyline Online’s Chester’s Way:
Let us know what your little ones thought of Chester's Way! What did they think of the activities? Do you have any suggestions for us?