Animals In the Forest - Family Storytime

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

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Night Animal Sounds Camping Chant (adapted from a rhyme I found a rhyme I found in a storytime kit at my library’s central office)

 I was laying in my sleeping bag
I couldn’t go to sleep
I looked at my watch and wanted to weep
I rolled to my left
I rolled to my right
But all I could hear were animal noises in the night.

I heard a {Owl} go {Hoo, hoo, hoo}... 

(continue with other night noise animals like cricket, frog, dog, bear, etc.)

 

  

Book #1: Trunk Goes Thunk: A WoodlandTale of Opposites by Heather C. Morris, illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne

Stand-up activity: “If I Was a Bird” action song from Wiggleworms Love You  

 Activity: Slithering, Sliding Snake (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Here comes a slithering, sliding, slinking snake
Her mouth goes "Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
Here eyes go blink, blink, blink
Her tongue goes "Thrp, thrp, thrp."
First she slinks to the right
Then she slides to the left
And finally she slithers out of sight

 

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Animals are a great topic for exploring non-fiction books.  There are so many interesting facts to learn.      

Book #2: The Big Storm: A Very SoggyCounting Book by Nancy Tafuri

Book #3: We All Play by Julie Flett

Closing music with bean bags: “Rocketship Run” from Rocketship Run by The Laurie Berkner Band  

  

Art activity: Chalk drawing on black bear cut out plus cut green grass paper fringe to glue bear onto

Optional other books:
Over In the Forest: A Woodland Baby Animal Counting Book by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin (board book)
Ten Little Squirrels by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson, illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois