Saturday, February 28, 2015

Pets Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:
  • Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum




  • Stand-up Activity – I Met a Pet (action chant I wrote for this storytime and then lost, hopefully it just disappeared amongst all the papers on my desk)

  • 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 - In the House by Gail Benton and Trisha Waishulaitis



  • Book #2 – Pet Wash by Dayle Ann Dodds, illustrated by Tor Freeman

  • Activity – Some Dogs (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)
Some dogs run
Some dogs bark
Some dogs jump
Some dogs growl
Some dogs roll in the grass
Some dogs yip
Some dogs sniff
Some dogs howl
And some dogs just wag their tails all day.

  • Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

  • Art Experience – Crayon coloring on a paperplate fish with a glue stick for the triangle cut of the fin

  • How it went - Both of these books were way too long for this age.  I shortened both books.  What Pet to Get? worked well in an abbreviated form.  Pet Wash read fine in its abbreviated form but I don't think the kiddos understood the joke at the end of the book.  The good thing is most of the parents got it!

Monday, February 23, 2015

Valentine Hugs Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:
  • Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum




  • Stand-up Activity – Valentine's Day Is Here to Stay (action song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" written by Carol Hopkins)
Hug a friend, hug a friend, hug a friend today
Valentine's Day is here to stay
Let's celebrate all day!

Blow a kiss, blow a kiss, blow a kiss today
Valentin'es Day is here to stay
Let's celebrate all day!

(repeat with more actions)

  • 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 - Eight Valentine Cards (counting  backwards story found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)




  • Activity – Hi Ho a Valentine (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" written by Carol Hopkins)
A walking we will go,
A walking we will go,
Hi ho a Valentine,
A walking we will go.

A jumping we will go...

A running we will go...

A stomping we will go...

A sitting we will go...

  • Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

  • Art Experience – Glue foam hearts onto large heart cut-outs

Friday, February 20, 2015

Toy Fun Toddler Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:
  • Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum





  • 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 - Teddy bear patterns (I used three different colored teddy bear cut-outs to create simple patterns that the children then had to continue to make for me)




  • Activity – Rhinos Stomping (action song to the tune of "Are You Sleeping" written by Carol Hopkins specifically to go with the book I Know a Rhino)
Rhinos stomping
Rhinos stomping
Monkey hands
Up in the air
Dragons are sleeping
Bears eat lots of honey
But rhinos stomp
Rhinos stomp

  • Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

  • Art Experience – Shaving cream fingerpainting

Monday, February 9, 2015

Snow Play Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:
  • Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum




  • Stand-up Activity – Snowflakes (action rhyme I found a long time ago)
Snowflakes falling down, down, down
Gently covering all the town
Swirling, twirling, down they come
One landed on my tongue!

  • 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 - Five Little Snowmen (counting backwards rhyme I found many years ago)




  • Activity – "When It's Cold Outside" from Pick Me Up! Fun Songs for Learning Signs by Roger Treece, Nancy Stewart, et al (This song actually did not work for the kids.  It was a little too fast and the actions were just a little too vague.)

  • Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

  • Art Experience – Q-tip painting with white paint on blue construction paper to make a snow scene

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Lego My Library - Be a Little Daring

A fun Lego building block storytime intended for children 4 to 8 years old.



Book: Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show by Michael Buckley, illustrated by Dan Santat

Lego challenge: Create something for Kel Gilligan to use for his next daredevil stunt