Giving Thanks - 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: Runaway Cookies (flannelboard story I adapted from another story that I found)

The cookie jar people hopped out one night,
When the cookie jar lid was not on tight.

The frosted bunny twinkled his nose,
And danced around on his cookie toes.

The cinnamon bear could only grunt,
For he was too fat to do a stunt.

The gingerbread man opened his eyes,
And looked about in great surprise.

The sugary duck began to quack,
And shake the sugar off his back.

The coconut lamb jumped up so high,
That his little white tail flew toward the sky.

They were all so happy/thankful to be at play,
That they danced and danced and danced away.

They danced away so very far,
That they were so very thankful,
Not to be eaten from the cookie jar. 

 

***Parent literacy tip:  Readers are made in the laps of their loved ones.  This special connection is a huge part of their future success when learning to read. 

 

 

Book #1: Grandma’s Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Stand-up activity: “If You’re Happy And You Know It” from Wee Sing Children’s Songs & Fingerplays

Sit-down activity: Love Grows (fingerplay I found at https://veronastorytime.com/family-story-time-everybody-3/)

Love grows one by one,
Two by two,
And four by four. 
Love grows round like a circle,
And comes back knocking at your front door. 

 

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: The Thank You Book by Danna Smith, illustrated by Juliana Perdomo (board book)

Closing music with rhythm sticks: “Goin’ On a Bear Hunt” from Kids in Action by Greg & Steve

  

Art activity: Use pinecones to paint a turkey outline

Optional books:
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren Long
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette

 

 

Passive Craft Table: Dinosaur Paper Craft

 

This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

This craft table was put up to create and decorate a standing dinosaur with zero glue.  I found it online at Krokotak (https://krokotak.com/2016/05/glue-lee-printable-dinosaur/ ).

Supplies:

-         Paper dinosaur template printed on various colored paper

-         Coloring pens

-         Jewel stickers

-         Bingo dabber pens

 

While these dinosaurs were a little tricky to fold, they truly did not need any glue to stand up on their own.  They were a low cost, low staff intensive activity with fun results!  

Passive Craft Table: Clothespin Crocodile

 

This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

This craft table was put up to create and decorate a clothespin crocodile.  I found it online at Krokotak (https://krokotak.com/2017/06/clothespin-crocodile/).

Supplies:

-         Paper crocodile template printed on green paper

-         Wood clothespins (not the peg type)

-         White glue

-         Metallic coloring pens

-         Glitter glue

 

While these crocodiles were a little tricky to fold, they were a low cost, low staff intensive activity with fun results!  

Passive Craft Table: Pinwheels

This past summer, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of this passive table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft.  

This particular craft was to create and decorate a pinwheel.  It was a craft kit that I got from another librarian who had a whole bunch of extras she did not want anymore.      

Extra supplies I added to the kit:

-         Jewel stickers

-         Coloring pens

 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive activity with fun results!  

Mini-Camper Summer Camp Storytime Week 8

  This summer I was invited to give a special weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.    

 

Books:

I Don't Want To Be A Frog by Dev Petty, illustrated by Mike Boldt
The Wide-Mouthed Frog: A Pop-Up Book by Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert 

 

Craft activity: 

We made folding frogs with a surprise in its mouth. I found this craft idea at https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/frog-folding-surprise/.  The surprise was anything the children wanted to draw in the mouth.  I also gave them small pieces of scrap craft foam strips to use as a tongue.  I loved the imaginative colors the children gave their frogs!   

Passive Craft Table - Bedazzled Gourds

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on a no school day.  

 

This craft was to bedazzle a small foam gourd.  To decorate the gourds, I put out Sharpie pens of various colors including silver, glue, and gem stickers.  

 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive, activity with some beautiful results!  

Halloween Sweets and Treats - 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 body parts)

 

 

Book: Sweets and Treats by Toni Trent Parker, photographs by Earl Anderson

Stand-up activity:  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!"

 

Sit-down activity: 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: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (lap bounce action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Frog be nimble, frog be quick,
Frog jump over the great big stick.
(lift baby/arms up)

Frog be nimble, frog be slick,
Frog swim under the great big stick.
(make swimming motions with arms)

Frog be nimble, frog go click,
Frog almost falls off the great big stick.
(pretend to fall off lap)

Frog be nimble frog be fine,
Frog gets a kiss at storytime.
(blow kisses)

 

Lap rhyme #3: 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) 

 

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

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: “Around and Around” from Welcome from Miss Carole by Carole Peterson