Royal Crown Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

• Literacy activity - Royal Crowns (adapted by Carol Hopkins from a flannelboard idea shared on the Story Time Secrets blog)

Hand each child a crown with a letter on it.  The child will bring his or her crown to the board when the letter on his or her crown is called out.  

The queen wore her "Q" crown.

The king wore his "K" crown.

The prince wore his "P" crown.

The princess wore her "S" crown.

The dog wore her "D" crown.

And the cat wore his "C" crown.

Oh what a royal family with fancy crowns!

  

  

  

• Book #1 - The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

• Stand-up activity - The Noble Duke of York (traditional action song) 

The noble duke of York, he had 10,000 men
He marched them up the hill and then he marched them down again
When you're up, you're up
When you're down, you're down
And when you're only halfway up
Your neither up or down

• Sit down activity - Lords and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Book #2 - Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle, illustrated by Mike Gordon 

• Book #3 - Princess Baby by Karen Katz 

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Silly Dance Contest" from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill

 

• Art experience - Bingo paint dabbers and stickers on a royal crown 

Royal People Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – King Bidgood's In the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood (big book) 

• Stand-up Activity – "Duke of York" action song from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman 

• 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 - Sing a Song of Sixpence (nursery rhyme)

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
All baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird,
And snapped at her nose!

• Letter of the Day - "R" is for Royalty

• Book #2 – Princess Baby On the Go! by Karen Katz (board book, lift-flap) 

• Activity – Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

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

 

 

• Art Experience – Bingo paint dabbers on a royal shield 

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day is coming up on February 25th.  Fairy tales and books go together so well and make for a simple library program.

Last year this day fell on a Saturday and we just expanded our regular Saturday Lego storytime.  It was so easy! Read a few books (more than our usual Lego storytime), do a craft, and put out the Legos.

 

Books:
Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Howard Fine
Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, illustrated by Lydia Monks

Extra story:
"Cinderella's Rat File Folder Story" from Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan and Christin Kirker

Craft:
Create a fire breathing dragon using colorful paper cups, crepe paper, googly eyes, pompoms, glue, and color pens. The Sturdy for Common Things blog had good directions on how to make this dragon, but I found many variations on Pinterest and elsewhere.

I could easily turn this into an afterschool or evening library event. Last year, I considered this event to have a "happily ever after" ending.

Royal Mischief Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

• Book #1 – King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

• Stand-up Activity – Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

• 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 - Sing a Song of Six Pence (nursery rhyme)

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
All baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird,
And snapped at her nose!

• Letter of the Day - "Q" is for queen 

• Book #2 – The Missing Tarts by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson

• Activity – Lords and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Art Experience – Paint with Bingo dabbers on royal shields

Lego My Library - Royalty

A fun Lego building block storytime intended for children 4 to 9 years old.

Book: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene

Lego challenge: Create something Priscilla (the royal pig) might use

Royal 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 – The Missing Tarts by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson
• Stand-up Activity - Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

• 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 

• Book #2 - Princess Baby by Karen Katz
• Activity – Lord and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glitter glue onto a royal shield

Royatly - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It
• Book #1 - The King's Taster by Kenneth Oppel, paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
  
• Book #2 -One Monday Morning by Uri Shulevitz
  
• Stand up activity - The Noble Duck of York (traditional action song)

The noble duke of York, he had 10,000 men
He marched them up the hill and then he marched them down again
When you're up, you're up
When you're down, you're down
And when you're only halfway up
Your neither up or down

• Flannelboard - Sing a song of Six Pence (nursery rhyme)

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
All baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird,
And snapped at her nose!

• Book #3 -Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, illustrated by Lydia Monks
  
• Activity - Fairies In the Town (action song to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus," I adapted this song from one I found at http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/fairytales/songs.htm)
  
• Closing - "The Ponies Are Walking" with scarves as horse reins (action song from Say Hello to the Morning by Kathy Reid-Naiman)
  
• Family Small Motor Activity - Build castles with the wood building blocks
  

Royal Toddler 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 – The Missing Tarts by B.G. Hennessy, picture by Tracey Campbell Pearson
• Stand-up Activity - Grand Old Duke of York (traditional action song)

The grand old duke of York, he had 10,000 men
He marched them up the hill and then he marched them down again
When you're up, you're up
When you're down, you're down
And when you're only halfway up
Your neither up or down

• 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 -Little Girl, Little Girl (nursery rhyme)

Little girl, little girl, where have you been?
Gathering roses to give to the queen
Little girl, little, girl, what gave she you?
She gave me a diamond as big a my shoe

• Sit-down Activity - Lords and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Book #2 - King Bidgood's In the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
• Activity – Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate paper plate crowns