Building Up - Family Storytime

 A Saturday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs forWiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

Literacy activity: Stacking colored building blocks

Grab an assortment of many colored building blocks.  Hand one block to each child.  Have the children bring their blocks up to a table when you call their color.  Once all of the blocks are on the table, count the blocks while stacking them into a high tower.

 

  

Book #1: Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale

***Parent literacy tip: Factual books offer opportunities to add to children’s knowledge based on their interests.  It helps them learn about the world around them. 

Stand-up activity: “My Ups and Downs” action song from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill

Sit-down activity: Itsy Bitsy Spider (traditional fingerplay)

The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout.
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain,
and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

The great big hairy spider crawled up the water spout.
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain,
and the great big hairy spider went up the spout again.

 

Extra lap rhymes #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(Bounce baby from leg to leg)
Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(Repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Extra lap rhyme #2: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

 

Extra lap rhyme #3: Roly Poly (hand rolling opposites rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins) 

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly, slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see,
Here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see,
Here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see,
My brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

 

Book #2: One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Todd Ouren 

Book #3: Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia 

Closing music with scarves: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Art activity: Cut, color, and glue paper shapes to create a shape building