Thanksgiving Treats - 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: Thanksgiving Day Treats (adapted from a flannelboard rhyme I found in my library’s central office) 

Where are the turkeys?  See their tail feathers spread. 
Where are the apples?  So juicy in colors of yellow, green, and red.
Where are the pumpkins?  They are nice and round. 
Where are the leaves?  They like to fall to the ground. 
Hip, hip, hooray!
We give thanks for these fun treats on Thanksgiving Day. 

 

  

Book #1: Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Stand-up activity: “I’m a Little Teapot” traditional action song from This Little Piggy by Adam Stemple, et al. 

 Activity: Ten Fat Turkeys (not sure where I picked up this fingerplay)

(Count fingers)
Ten fat turkeys standing in a row.
They spread their wings and tails just so.
They look to the left,
They look to the right,
When they strut their stuff, they're quite a sight!
But you won't see them on Thanksgiving Day,
'Cause one by one they'll run away.   

 

Transition: 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: Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories (lift-flap)

Book #3: Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette  

Closing music with scarves: “Flitter Flutter” from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing

  

Art activity: Paint turkey outlines with pine cones and feathers

Optional other books:
Thank You, Earth by April Pulley Sayre
Thank You Bees by Toni Yuly

 

 

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table: Flamboyant Snails

What do you do when a coworker finds a large stack of old writable CDs in the storage closet?  You create a craft table to use them up! 

For this passive program, I created a craft project to set up on a no school day.  I set out the CDs along with tons of other craft supplies.  Not a lot of people showed up for this all day craft table, but the resulting snails looked fabulous!          

Supplies:

-         CDs to recycle

-         White glue

-         Scissors

-         Scotch tape

-         Yarn

-         Pipe cleaners

-         Ribbon

-         Googly eyes

-         Stickers

-         Fun and colorful paper

-         Tablecloth

Storytime at Summer Day Camp, Week 8

  My weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.  It is a short storytime with a simple art project, but sometimes when it is hot outside that is about all the children need.  

 

 

 

Books:

More Bears by Kenn Nesbitt, illustrated by Troy Cummings 

Not that Pet! by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw 

   

Craft activity:

The children decorated and assembled a "Bear Went Over the Mountain" cut & color sheet.  

 

Parade of Music - 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: Band on the Bus (musical instrument flannelboard I found at https://pasadena-library.net/kids/2017/music-toddler-storytime/ to the tune of “Wheels On the Bus”)

The guitar on the bus goes strum, strum, strum 
Strum, strum, strum
Strum, strum, strum
The guitar on the bus goes strum, strum, strum
All through the town!

Other verses:

The trumpet on the bus goes toot, toot, toot… 
The drum on the bus goes bang, bang, bang… 
The bell on the bus goes ring, ring, ring… 

 

  

Book #1: Parade by Donald Crews

Stand-up activity: “The Goldfish” action song from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

Activity: 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.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

 

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) 

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Teachers like to say rhymers are readers, because rhymers have an easier time hearing word patterns.  Read lots of rhyming books with your child.                

Book #2: Everything a Drum by Sarah Warren, illustrated by Camila Carrossine

Book #3: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean  

Closing music with bells: “The Tempo Marches On” from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi on His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill      

  

Art activity: Create jingle sticks!  Color a large craft stick.  Then string three jingle bells onto a pipe cleaner.  Wrap the pipe cleaner around the decorated craft stick. 

Optional other books:
Pearl Love to Sing! By Olivier Dunrea
Plinka Plinka Shake Shake by Emma Garcia

 

 

 

 

 

Storytime at Summer Day Camp, Week 7

  My weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.  It is a short storytime with a simple art project, but sometimes when it is hot outside that is about all the children need.  

  

 

Books:

Octopus Stew by Eric Velasquez 

How to Talk Like a Chicken by Charlie Grandy, illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths

  

Craft activity:

The children made paper bag octopuses.  Color the paper bags, cut the tentacles, add sticker eyes.  Simple yet the kiddos enjoyed it.  

 

 

 

 

Mad About Dinosaurs - 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: Dem Bones (dinosaur name song found at Nancy Stewart Song of the Month site https://nancymusic.com/SOM/2017/dem-bones.htm)

Print out an assortment of dinosaurs with their names written next to the dinosaurs.  Hand out these dinosaur papers to the children.  Sing the song, naming a different dinosaur each time.  When a dinosaur is named in the song, the children bring that dinosaur up to the board where we tape them onto the board.  When the song is done, we count the number of dinosaurs on the board. 

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dinosaur bones
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dinosaur bones
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dinosaur bones
Put’em all together and this is what you get.

 

  

Book #1: How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague

Stand-up activity: “We Are the Dinosaurs” action song from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner

Activity: Dinosaurs Lived a Long Time Ago (action rhyme I found at https://kcls.org/content/dinosaurs-lived-a-long-time-ago/)   

Dinosaurs lived a long time ago
Some walked (stomp)
Some swam (swim motions)
Some flew, you know!  (flying motions)
Some were big (hands above head)
Some were small (squat down low)
Some were gigantic  (stretch arms to side)
And very, very, tall  (stretch arms up high, on tip toes)

 

Transition: 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 

  

***Parent literacy tip:  Practice fine motor skills by taking apart and putting together puzzles with your child. 

Book #2: Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton

Book #3: Dinosaur Stomp!: A Monster Pop-up by Paul Stickland (pop-up)

Closing music with scarves: “Flitter Flutter” from The Second Line by Johnette Downing  

 Art activity: Dinosaur water color sheets

Optional other books:
Here We go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth, illustrated by Bob Kolar
Dinosaur Roar! by Paul and Henrietta Stickland  

 

 

 

 

Roly Poly Pumpkins - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more places to stick the gum)

 

 

Book: Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills (board book)  

Themed activity #1: The Pumpkins Are Here (action rhyme to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell" adapted from one I found in a Mailbox Magazine)

The pumpkins are here; the pumpkins are there.
The pumpkins, the pumpkins are everywhere.
The pumpkins are up; the pumpkins are down.
The pumpkins, the pumpkins are all around.
The pumpkins are right; the pumpkins are left.
The pumpkins, the pumpkins are jumping up.
The pumpkins roll, they roll up high, they roll down low.
The pumpkins, the pumpkins all say, "Hello!"

 

Themed activity #2: Roly Poly Pumpkin (action song to the tune of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” that I found at https://www.adventuresofabookworm.com/2018/10/17/storytime-pumpkins/)

Oh, the roly-poly pumpkin went rolling down the hill 
(roll arms)
Once it started rolling,
It couldn’t keep still.
It rolled and it rolled until it bumped into a rock.
Then the roly-poly pumpkin rolled to a stop. 
(clap or sign language for stop)

 

Lap rhyme #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!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Repetition and rhyming help children learn the sounds of words.           

Transition: 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 

 

Letter of the day: "H” is for Halloween

 

 

Flannelboard: Three Little Pumpkins (Not sure where I picked up this rhyme a long time ago.  I love using it.)

Three little pumpkins, sitting very still
In a pumpkin patch on a great big hill
The first one said, "I'm very green,"
(show green side)
"But I'll be orange on Halloween."
(show orange side)
The second one said, "Oh me, oh my,"
(show orange pumpkin side)
"Today I'll be a pumpkin pie."
(show pumpkin pie side)
The third one said, "I'm on my way,"
(show pumpkin side)
To be a Jack-O-Lantern today."
(show face side)

 

Closing song with scarves: “Alabama, Mississippi” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Songs by Jim Gill  

Optional book:
Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories (board book)