Welcome kids, please come in. Are you a “budding storyteller?” Do you love to hear stories or have a hankering to read a Tall Tale? Do you like to explore, put together a puzzle or show off your artistic talents? Then welcome to our Secret Garden! Come in, sit a spell, dig around and in no time at all, you will Catch the Story Bug!

People from all over the world love the Lady Bug! She is thought to be a very useful and helpful insect. Did you know she has collected many unusual and colorful names?

LET’S GO BUGGY!

DLTK’S Printable Crafts for Kids!
Ladybug crafts, coloring pages, finger puppets and more!
http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/ladybug.htm

JigZone: Ladybug Jigsaw Puzzle
This poor ladybug has gone to pieces. Can you put her back together again?
http://www.jigzone.com/z.php?i=8A055D5057F1

Miss Lady Bug
Don’t worry, this bug doesn’t bite. She just needs some color so grab your crayons and go buggy! http://www.legendsandlore.com/cb-ladybug.html

Scholastic ~ The Magic School Bus
Ever think about creating your own new species of bug? Well here’s your chance!
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bugs/index.htm

TURN OVER A NEW LEAF!

Want to learn something new? Try your hand at origami, read a Tall Tale, go on a Creature Quest, the fun is just beginning!

Paperfolding.com
Learn how to paper dinosaurs, insects and more!

Paul Bunyan ~ A Tall Tale
Care for a Tall Tale partner? This is the place to stop.

Paul Bunyan Coloring Page
Paul and his ox are looking a bit pale. I bet you could brighten them up!

Puzzle Maker
Make your own word searches, cross word puzzles, print out incredible mazes and more!

Enoch Pratt Free Library ~ Storytelling Online
Hey kids, you can see and hear well known storytellers sharing their tales. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Kid Wizard -- Educational Games for Kids
Lets go on a Creature Quest! Later, create an online story where you decide what happens!

StoryPlace - The Children's Digital Library
You won’t have to be quiet in this library! Write your own Topsy Turvy Tale, print out some fun activities to share, or buzz on over to the Book Hive.

DON’T FLY AWAY JUST YET!

Are you tired of playing in the garden alone? Invite some friends over and let your imagination take flight with these fun activities.

Pass the Face
Everyone sits in a circle. Pick who will go first. That person makes the silliest face he/she can make the shows the face to the group, then turns to the person to their right and makes the face again. The student must make the exact same face back to them. The new person then makes a different face, shows it to the group, and turns to the next person in the circle who mirrors that image back to them. This continues until everyone has a chance to participate.

The Silent Scream
Everyone stands up. They must listen carefully to your instructions. They are not to begin until you have finished. Now tell them they are going to scream as loud as they want too, but WITHOUT using words. They may use their entire body but they cannot use their voice.

Climb Aboard the Imagination Express!
This is a fun activity that can take you anywhere in the world, past, present or future. You and your friends get to decide the beginning of the story and build from there using the Storybag. The Storybag, which can be any type of container from a bag to a basket, contains all sorts of different and common items you can find around your house. Anything from a spoon, measuring table, stuffed animal, crayon, the more the merrier.

I first learned this activity from storyteller Suzie Schafer. The directions are on her website at: http://www.storyscope.org/activities/act-bag.html but I have added a bit more to the game.
Before you begin you must decide:

		Where is the story taking place? Be as detailed as possible. Is it a forest, on a beach, in the mountains, etc?
		Are we in the past, present or future? If you decide to be in Ancient Egypt there can be no cars in the story.
		Who is in the story? There can be more than one character. You may also include animals.
		In what season is the story set, summer, winter, spring or autumn?
		What is the problem in the story that needs to be solved?
		Will we use magic?

Once you decide all of the above someone must begin the story by selected an item from the Storybag. They must find a way to use the object in the story. After they have added to the story the next person chooses something from the Storybag and continues the tale. Keep playing until everyone has a turn or you decide it is time to end the story. The last person to pick an object must find a way to end the story.

Story Yarn
You need a ball of yarn knotted at different places. You don't have to use the whole ball of yarn, just some of it will do. Sit in a circle with your friends and have someone begin a story, just a few sentences is enough. As they talk they slowly pull the yarn. When they get to the first knot they stop and the yarn is passed to the next person who continues the story. Keep adding to the story until everyone has had a chance to play. The last person ends the story. An example of one way to start a story would be: "Yesterday I went to the park with parents. It was a beautiful, sunny day and I could hear the birds singing. I was so excited because.... " Use your imagination, anything is possible!

Tongue Twisters Just for Fun!
Can you say these three times fast? Can your friends? Let’s find out. You go first.