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¡Es hora de festejar! / Fiesta Time!
A Program for Families

Books to Share

• Azulín visita a México by Virginia Poulet.
• ¡Fiesta! by Ginger Fogleson Guy.
• A Gift From Papa Diego / Un regalo de papá Diego by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
• ¡Qué sorpresa de cumpleaños! by Loretta López.
• Salsa by Lillian Colón-Vila.
• El viejo y su puerta by Gary Soto.

Bulletin Board

Celebrate!

Attach colorful balloons to the border of the bulletin board and display photos of parades and celebrations from around the world.

Decorations

Fiestas!

Display books about fiestas and celebrations from around the world, sprinkle confetti and hang or drape colorful crepe paper streamers and balloons around them.

Poem

Read a poem from My Mexico / México mío by Tony Johnston.

Song

La cucaracha

Coro:
La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
ya no puede caminar,
porque no tiene, porque le falta,
la patita principal.

Dicen todas estas niñas,
que yo soy la más chiquita,
si señor eso es muy cierto,
y también la más bonita.

Coro.

The Little Cockroach

(Translated by Paola Ferate-Soto)

Chorus:
The little cockroach, the little cockroach,
Can no longer take a walk,
Because she is missing, because she's lacking.
One of her legs in the back.

All the girls that like to gossip,
Keep saying that I'm the smallest,
Well, yes sir, that is the truth,
But I'm also the most beautiful!

Chorus.

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Flannel Board

Tell "El gallo elegante / The Elegant Rooster" from Multicultural Folktales: Stories to Tell Young Children by Judy Sierra & Robert Kaminski.

Craft

Paper Bag Piñata

(Adapted from Look What You Can Make With Paper Bags: Over Ninety Pictured Crafts and Dozens of Other Ideas by Judy Burke)

Materials

• Paper grocery bags
• Streamers
• Stickers
• Markers
• Glue
• Construction paper
• Treats and small party favors
• Newspaper or tissue paper
• String
• Scissors

Directions

The children decorate the paper bags with stickers, streamers, markers, construction paper and any other materials available. While the librarian fills the piñata with candy and small party favors, let the children tear up the tissue paper or newspaper into strips. The librarian then inserts the strips of paper into the bag as filler, folds the open end of the bag, and staples it closed as shown in the illustration. Punch holes in the folded end of the paper bag Thread a 3-foot long string through each of the holes and knot the ends. Hang the piñata from the string and let the children break it.

Games and Activities

The following games are from Pin the Tail on the Donkey by Joanna Cole.

The Limbo

Play lively music while two adults hold a yardstick or broom. The children form a line and bend backward to walk under the pole without touching it. After all the children have a turn, the adults lower the pole a bit. The children go under it again and again, and each time they do the pole is lowered until very few can go under it. Anyone who touches the pole is out.

Let's Conga

Play "Conga" on Greatest Hits by Gloria Estefan or a Latin hit of your choice.

Tell the children to form a line and hold onto the waist of the person in front of them. Tell them to sing along with the music or else tell them to repeat "Everybody do the conga. Let's do the conga now!" The children take one step forward, stop, and put out their right foot. Then they take one forward, stop, and put out left foot, etc.

Musical Recordings

• "La bamba," "Rice With Milk," and "Many Colors" on Universe of Song by María del Rey.
• "El casamiento de los palomos" on Grandes Éxitos Cri-Cri, Digital 2 by Francisco Gabilondo Soler.
• "De colores," "La pulga de San José," and "Guantanamera" on Vol 1 - Lírica infantil by José-Luis Orozco.

Table of Contents | Nuestras familias

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