Dinosaurs Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague
• Stand-up Activity - We Are the Dinosaurs (action song from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner)
• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - 10 Little Dinosaurs (counting song to the tune of "10 Little Indians")

1 little, 2 little, 3 little dinosaurs
4 little, 5 little, 6 little dinosaurs
7 little, 8 little, 9 little dinosaurs
10 little dinosaurs give a roar!

• Sit-down Activity - Hiding Dinosaurs (fingerplay I got from a website many years ago)
• Book #2 - Dinosaur Stomp!: A Monster Pop-up by Paul Stickland
• Activity – Dinosaurs Long Ago (action chant I picked up somewhere)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue tissue paper square scales onto a dinosaur drawing

Rabbits Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Bunnies On the Go: Getting from Place to Place by Rick Walton, illustrated by Paige Miglio
• Stand-up Activity - Hop Like a Bunny (action song from Toddler's On Parade by Kimbo)
• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - This Little Bunny (counting rhyme I got from some website a long time ago)
• Sit-down Activity - Here's a Bunny (fingerplay)

Here's a bunny with ears so funny
(bend two fingers over thumb)
Here is his hole in the ground
(make hole with other arm at side of body)
When a noise he hears
(clap hands)
He pricks up his ears
(straighten fingers)
And jumps in his hole in the ground
(bunny ears jump into hole at side of body)

• Book #2 - What Can Rabbit See? by Lucy Cousins (lift-flap)
• Activity – I Saw a Little Rabbit (action rhyme)

I saw a little rabbit go hop, hop, hop
(jump)
I saw his ears go flop, flop, flop
(flop hands on head)
I saw his eyes go blink, blink, blink
(point to eyes and blink)
I saw his nose go twink, twink, twink
(wiggle nose)
I said, "Little rabbit, won't you stay?"
(beckon with hand)
He looked at me and hopped away
(jump)

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Color rabbit ear headband

Garbage Trucks

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan
• Stand-up Activity - I'm a Little Garbage Truck (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" written by Carol Hopkins)

I'm a little garbage truck, watch me go
Here is my hopper
Here is my cab
When I get all filled up, to the dump I go
Just tip me over and dump the garbage out

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - Five Little Garbage Trucks (counting down rhyme, I'm not sure where I found this one)
• Sit-down Activity - Garbage Truck Rolls (fingerplay to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

The garbage truck drives down the street, down the street, down the street
The garbage truck drives down the street
As it picks up garbage

The garbage truck stops adn goes, stops and goes, stops and goes
The garbage truck stops and goes
As it picks up garbage

(use other action words)

• Book #2 - Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
• Activity – Morning At the Dump (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

(show ten fingers)
Early in the morning, down at the dump
See the dump trucks standing all in a row
See them dump their garbage
(bend fingers)
Dump, dump, dump
Now watch them rolling away
(roll hands over each other)
To go gather more
(sign language for "more")

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue shredded paper onto a drawing of a recycling truck

Earth Day - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It
• Book #1 - Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., pictures by Eric Carle
• Book #2 - Biscuit's Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
• Stand up activity - Little Things Are In the Grass (action song to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" that I found in a Mailbox magazine a long time ago)
• Flannelboard/Group activity - Recycling Quiz (written by Carol Hopkins)

Show a blue recycling bin and a garbage can to the group.  Bring out a bag full of recyclable and non-recyclable materials.  Pull out each item one at a time and discuss if it can be recycled or not.  Put the materials and sing this chant if it goes in the recycle bin.

Re-cycle it! (thigh, thigh, clap)
Re-cycle it! (thigh, thigh, clap)
Put it in the great blue bin. (thigh, thigh, clap, clap, thigh, thigh, clap)

• Book #3 - Eco People on the Go! by Jan Gerardi (board book)
• Book #4 - Big Earth, Little Me by Thom Wiley, illustrated by Kate Endle
• Closing -  Tamborines to the song "This Little Light of Mine" from Rise and Shine by Raffi
• Family Small Motor Activity - Glue shredded paper onto a recycling truck drawing

Dinosaurs - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It
• Book #1 - Ten Little Dinosaurs by Patti Schnetzler
• Book #2 - Dinosaur Train by John Steven Gurney
• Stand up activity - Dinosaur, Dinosaur (action chant similar to "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Dinosaur, dinosaur turn around
Dinosaur, dinosaur scratch in the ground
Dinosaur, dinosaur run on your toes
Dinosaur, dinosaur swipe your nose
Dinosaur, dinosaur reach up high
Dinosaur, dinosaur jump to the sky
Dinosaur, dinosaur stomp your feet
Dinosaur, dinosaur show your teeth
Dinosaur, dinosaur give a roar
Dinosaur, dinosaur find the floor

• Flannelboard - Five Enormous Dinosaurs (counting down rhyme)
• Book #3 - If the Dinosaurs Came Back by Bernard Most
• Activity - Little Tiny Dinosaurs (action rhyme adapted from "All the Kids at Stortyime" by Rob Reid)
• Closing - "We Are the Dinosaurs" action song from Whaddaya think of That? by Laurie Berkner
• Family Small Motor Activity - Create dinosaur traps with unix cubes

Mother Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming
• Stand-up Activity - Do It for Your Mother (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your mother

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your mother

(use other body motions such as stomp your feet, jump your legs, etc.)

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (traditional counting down song)
• Sit-down Activity - Come A'Look A' See (fingerplay found on The Baby Record by Bob McGrath and Katharine Smithrim)
• Book #2 - My Mom Is Fantastic! by Nick Butterworth
• Activity – If You're Happy and You Know It (action song from Sing Along with Bob #1 by Bob McGrath)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Make a paper hug: Cut out two hands and glue one to each end of a long strip of paper.  Let the children color and decorate it.