Frogs & Toads Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Toad by Ruth Brown
• Activity – Can You Growl Like a Tiger? (action rhyme found in Family Storytime: Twenty-four Creative Programs for All Ages by Rob Reid)
• Flannelboard - 5 Green and Speckled Frogs (song)
• Book #2 - *** Hop Jump by Ellen Stoll Walsh
• Closing - Tamborines using "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin?: Action Songs for Every Month by Kimbo
• Craft – Use round bingo style paint dabbers on a frog drawing to create speckled frogs

*** Parent enhancement - You can run your finger under the words of the title as you say it. This helps kids understand that you are reading the text, not the pictures. Do this only with the title or a repeated phrase so it does not get in the way of sharing the story.

Peekaboo Teddy Bear Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum***
• Book #1 – Peekaboo Bedtime by Rachel Isadora
• Activity – Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear dance on your toes.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch your nose.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear reach up high.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear jump to the sky.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear find your feet.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear find your seat.

• Flannelboard - Colored bears in a row pattern
• Book #2 - *** Peek-A-Baby by Karen Katz (board book)
• Activity – A Teddy Bear (action rhyme I found in some Mailbox Magazine)
• Closing - Tamborines using "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin?: Action Songs for Every Month by Kimbo
• Craft – Decorate bears on a stick with stickers

*** Parent enhancement - This book is a "lift-the-flap" book. At home, it is well suited to children who are learning fine motor control in their fingers and are able to lift up the flaps, which is just one of many ways to engage children in a book.

Halloween Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum***
• Book #1 – Snappy Little Halloween written by Dugald Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews (Pop-Up)
• Activity – This Little Pumpkin (action rhyme I found in some Mailbox Magazine)
• Flannelboard - Three Little Pumpkins (not sure where I found this one)

Three little pumpkins, sitting very still
In a pumpkin patch on a great big hill
The first one said, "I'm very green,"
(show green side)
"But I'll be orange on Halloween."
(show orange side)
The second one said, "Oh me, oh my,"
(show orange pumpkin side)
"Today I'll be a pumpkin pie."
(show pumpkin pie side)
The third one said, "I'm on my way,"
(show pumpkin side)
To be a Jack-O-Lantern today."
(show face side)

• Book #2 - Five Little Pumpkins pictures by Dan Yaccarino (board book)
• Activity – Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern (action rhyme based on Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear)

Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern turn around.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern touch the ground.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern dance on your toes.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern touch your nose.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern reach up high.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern jump to the sky.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern find your feet.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern have a seat.

• Closing - Tamborines using "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin?: Action Songs for Every Month by Kimbo
• Craft – Chalk coloring on construction paper pumpkin cut-outs

***Parent enhancement - Researchers have noted 6 areas of early literacy that kids need to experience to be ready to learn to read. One of these areas is print motivation. Print motivation is an interest in and the enjoyment of books and reading. Reading books aloud to your kids at home, coming to storytime; these are all activities that increase print motivation. So lets give everyone a hand for doing something great for your children!

Bugs Storytime - Preschool

Preschool Storytime for 3-1/2 to 5 year olds:

• Opening – Row, Row, Row Your Boat (from Songs for Wiggleworms)
  
• Book #1 - Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Activity - Little Wiggle Worm (action rhyme that I picked up from some Mailbox magazine)
  
• Book #2 - Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
  
• Book #3 - Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle
• Activity – Night Flyers (fingerplay that I found in The Mailbox Preschool June/July 2004, page 41)
  
• Closing – Round of Applause (action rhyme adapted from one told by Rob Reid)
• Craft - Dot stickers on a caterpillar coloring sheet

Spiders Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• Activity – Movin' and Groovin' (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" found in the The Mailbox Preschool Oct./Nov. 2003, page 31))
• Flannelboard - One Little Elephant Went Out to Play Upon a Spider Web One Day
• Book #2 - Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner
• Activity – Itsy Bitsy Spider (fingerplay)
• Closing - Tamborines using "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin?: Action Songs for Every Month by Kimbo
• Craft – Glue spider legs to a spider body and decorate with crayons