Summer Ice Cream - 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Ice Cream Colors (color rhyme flannelboard found at Step By Step blog at https://www.stepbystepcc.com/foods/icecream.html)

We have ice cream, the best in town,
Let us begin with chocolate brown.

Now, let us scoop us some bubble-gum pink,
It is sweet and yummy, the best, some think.

Here is ice cream minty and green,
It is the creamiest I have ever seen.

Yellow ice cream is lemony and tart,
We like its taste from the very start.

Scoops of blueberry would make my day,
Look at all this ice cream, hip, hip hurray!

Red ice cream is a strawberry delight,
All these scoops are a heavenly sight.

Vanilla white is a popular flavor,
It tastes very good to an ice-cream craver.

Purple ice cream really gives me a kick,
Good and yummy till the very last lick.

Ice cream, ice cream, what a cool sensation,
We love ice cream in any combination!

 

  

 

Book #1: 20 Big Trucks In the Middle Of the Street by Mark Lee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus 

Theme activity #1: Put Your Ice Cream Up High (adaptation of a rhyme I found on the Librionyian blog to the tune of “Famer In the Dell”)  

(Pretend to hold an ice cream cone.  Suite actions to words.)

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Hold your ice cream, go round and round
Round! And round! And round!

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Put your ice cream on the ground
Eeeewww! Don’t do that!

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Lick your ice cream ‘til it’s all gone
It’s yummy in my tummy!

  

Theme activity #2: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” from Wee Sing Children’s Songs & Fingerplays 

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.

  

Book #2: Downpour Splish! Splash! Ker-splash! by Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata 

Book #3: Summer Is Here by Reneé Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson 

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

  

 

Art activity:  Bingo dabber pens and rubber stamps on a cardstock sun visor

Optional other books:
Leo at the Park by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ruth Hearson 
Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore by Susan Wood, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva 

 

 

 

 

Ozobots - A Drop-In STEAM Exploration Table

 

Put the mini Ozobot robots on a table.  Add their magnetic tiles and some simple directional information.  Now you've got an easy passive STEAM event enjoyable by many ages.  

The direction cards I put out this time were inspired by the Power Point slides I found on the Kinder Shenangigans blog at https://kindershenanigans.com/coding-in-kindergarten.  The topics included:

• What is an Ozobot?
• How does an Ozobot know where to go?
• How to calibrate an Ozobot
• Ozobot codes

Bikes & Toys - Family Storytime

A Wednesday 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Stacking Colored Blocks

(Hand out colored blocks to the children.  When you call their color, the children then bring up their block to stack onto a pile or two.)  

 

  

 

Book #1: Maisy Goes on a Bike Ride by Lucy Cousins 

Theme activity #1: "If You're Happy And You Know It" traditional action song from WeeSing  

Theme activity #2: Alligator Pie  (an action rhyme I found many years ago that I have seen on many websites)

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie, 
(Open and close arms like the jaws of an alligator)

If I don't get some, I think I'm gonna cry.
(Rub eyes like you are crying)

You can take away the grass,
(Point to the ground)

You can take away the sky,
(Point to the sky above)

But don't take away my alligator pie!
(Open and close arms like an alligator)  

 

Transition: Dance Your Fingers (fingerplay adaption from a video I saw from New York Public Library)

Dance your fingers up;
(put fingers high in the air)

Dance your fingers down;
(touch the ground)

Dance your fingers from side to side;
(move hands from left to right side of body and back again, several times)

And dance them all around.
(hands move in a large wiggly circle in the air in front of your body)

Dance them on your shoulders;
(fingers wiggle on your shoulders)

Dance them on your head;
(fingers wiggle on top of your head)

Dance them on your tummy;
(fingers wiggle on top of your tummy)

And put them all to bed.
(fold hands in lap or tuck under armpits)

  

Book #2: Don't Push the Button by Bill Cotter

Book #3: Ada, Go Go, Go! by Daishu Ma (board book) 

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner        

  

 

Art activity:  Shape collage by gluing a variety of paper shapes onto a paper circle or paper plate

Optional other books:
Blocks by Irene Dickson 
On Mother's Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, illustrated by Glo Coalson 

 

 

 

 

Brave Superhero Books - Family Storytime

A Wednesday 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

  

Literacy activity flannelboard: Superheroes Move All Around Town (to the tune of “Wheels On the Bus” that I adapted from one I found on the Literary Hoots blog at http://www.literaryhoots.com/2015/04/superhero-storytime.html)

The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
flex and lift, flex and lift;
The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
All around town.

…_Eyes_ go zap, zap, zap.

…_Legs_ run very fast.

…_Cape_ flies with a zoom!

 

   

 

Book #1:  There’s a Superhero In Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

Theme activity #1: Did You Ever See a Hero? (adapted from an action song I saw on the Jbrary blog, to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero

Did you ever see a hero, flying through the sky?

Flying this way and that way

Flying this way and that way

Flying round and around

Flying round and around

Did you ever see a hero

Flying down to the ground?

  

Theme activity #2: "Grand Old Duke Of York" action song from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo

Transition: Dance Your Fingers (fingerplay adaption from a video I saw from New York Public Library)

Dance your fingers up;
(put fingers high in the air)

Dance your fingers down;
(touch the ground)

Dance your fingers from side to side;
(move hands from left to right side of body and back again, several times)

And dance them all around.
(hands move in a large wiggly circle in the air in front of your body)

Dance them on your shoulders;
(fingers wiggle on your shoulders)

Dance them on your head;
(fingers wiggle on top of your head)

Dance them on your tummy;
(fingers wiggle on top of your tummy)

And put them all to bed.
(fold hands in lap or tuck under armpits)

  

Book #2: Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley 

Book #3: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (big book) 

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner        

  

 

Art activity:  Make superhero armbands with slapbracelets, bingo dabbers, and stickers

Optional other books:
Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti 
Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman 

 

 

 

 

Playing with Magical Creatures - 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Baby Dragons Playing with Letters (flannelboard song to the tune of "Do You Know the Muffin Man" written by Carol Hopkins)

I was inspired by a flannelboard rhyme I found at Storytime In the Stacks to write my own dragon flannelboard rhyme.  I passed out one baby dragon to each child.  The dragons have one of 5 letters on them.  The children bring their dragon up to the board when I say their letter.  

Now we have baby dragons, baby dragons, baby dragons, 

Now we have baby dragons, 

Trying to blow bubbles.

(Bubbles starts with the letter "B")

Now we have baby dragons, baby dragons, baby dragons, 

Now we have baby dragons, 

Blowing kisses to their mom.

(Kiss starts with the letter "K")

...Flapping their tiny wings.

(Wings starts with the letter "W")

...Jumping with a rope.

(Rope starts with the letter "R")

...Trying to breathe fire.

(Fire starts with the letter "F")

Now we have loud dragons, loud dragons, loud dragons,

Now we have loud dragons,

Giving out a roar!

(Everyone roars)

   

  

 

Book #1: There's a Dragon In Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

Theme activity #1: Can You Do What These Pets Do?  (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Can you stretch your neck like a gryphon with wings flapping on your back?

Can you hop like a frog?

Can you bark like a dog?

Can you slither like a snake?

Can you fly like a parrot?

Can you wiggle your nose like a rabbit?

Can you swim like a fish?

Can you stretch like a cat?

Can you sit like a kid at storytime?  

  

Theme activity #2: Stretching Dragon (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Here comes a waking, stretching dragon.
(show ASL for "dragon")
Their mouth goes "Chomp! Chomp!";
Their eyes go blink, blink;
And their head moves from side to side.  
First they stretch out one foot.
Then they stretch out one wing.
And finally they fly out of sight with a fiery, "Roar!" 

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: Acting out parts of a story (like movements or sound effects) enhances comprehension and makes the story more memorable.  

Book #2: The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa 

Book #3: Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson 

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

  

 

 

Art activity:  Create and decorate paper plate spiral dragons.  Beforehand, I drew a spiral pattern on the paper plates.  The children cur with scissors on these lines.  Then they added a dragon head I found online and decorated the dragon with color pens and glued on crepe paper square scales.

Optional other books:
Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll 
If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle, illustrated by Cale Atkinson