Night Sky - 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: I’m Going Out to Space (vocabulary building flannelboard activity to the tune of “The Farmer In the Dell”)

(Hand out felt pieces for stars, planets, rocket ships, and moons to the children.  The children bring their pieces up to the board when it is said in the song.)

I’m going out to space;
I’m going out to space;
I think I’ll see a { planet } there;
I’m going out to space.

  

  

Book #1: When the Sky Glows by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by David Litchfield 

Theme activity #1: "The Night I Had a Dream" action song from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkne

  

Theme activity #2: Just Like an Owl (action song to the tune of “London Bridges” that I found at the Upper Hudson Library System webpage)

Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl. 

Open your eyes big and wide, big and wide, big and wide.
Open your eyes big and wide, just like an owl. 

Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl. 

Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!”  Say, “Who! Who!” Say, “Who! Who!”
Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!,” just like an owl.

Find your nest and sit right down, sit right down, sit right down.
Find your nest and sit right down, just like an owl. 

  

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: Describing an object or event helps us understand it.  Don't forget to talk about noises when you are describing things.  

Book #2: Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes 

Book #3: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

Art activity:  Paper plate moon made from paint stamping with recipt core craters and star stickers

Optional other books:
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Tractors In Space by Ross Mackay, illustrated by Alex Willmore 

 

 

 

 

Moon at Night - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Wednesday 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: Night Owl by Toni Yuly 

Themed activity #1:  "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" traditional song from Songs for Wiggleworms

Themed activity #2: Two Little Barn Owls (adaptation of “Two Little Blackbirds” fingerplay rhyme by Carol Hopkins)

Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.
One named Jack.  The other named Jill.
Fly back Jack.  Fly back Jill.
Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.

Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.
One named Jack. The other named Jill.
Fly high Jack.  Fly low Jill.
Two little barn owls sitting on a roof.

 

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: A Hippopotamus Got on a City Bus (lap bounce rhyme I found at Jbrary at https://youtu.be/OZOq5Wiiox8?si=guAfW8ip2WPwZAtq)

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Baaaack up!"

A cow, a cow, a cow got on a bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"Mooooove over!"

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus got on, got on, got on a city bus;
And all, and all, and all the people said,
"You're squishing us!"
(hug baby)

 

Lap rhyme #4: 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: Describing an object or an event helps us understand it.  Don't forget to talk about noises when you are describing things.  

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)

 

Letter of the day: “N” is for night

 

 

Flannelboard: Phases of the Moon 

I cut some paper plates to create four phases of the moon (full, gibbous, half, crescent). I introduced these phases to the children and then read a poem about the moon I found on the Guybrarian blog. 

 

Closing song with scarves: "Nelly Go Cross the Ocean" from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman 

 

 

 

 

Storytime at Summer Camp, Visit #2

 Another summer of storytimes at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds!  It is a short storytime with a simple art project.  The children and counselors really enjoy these visits.    

 

 

Books:

Gaston by Kelly Dipucchio, illustrated by Christian Robinson 

   

Craft activity:

A white paper dog cut out glued inside fringe paper scissor cut worksheet that looks like grass.

More Flannelboards at Playtime

Interacting with flannelboards helps build early literacy while also supporting math concepts.  Telling a story with felt pieces builds vocabulary and may also mimic the left-to-right process we use for reading in English.  They can be used to teach counting, sequencing, sorting, and shape recognition.

I love watching a caregiver and child tell a story together using the felt pieces. 

I usually bring out two flannelboard sets at each playtime.  Some of the popular sets include:

-          Five little penguins

-          Mouse Loves Cheese

-          Great Enormous Turnip

-          Five Little Umbrellas

-          Number set 0-10

Storytime at Summer Camp, Visit #1

Another summer of storytimes at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds!  It is a short storytime with a simple art project.  The children and counselors really enjoy these visits.    

 

 

 

Books:

I'm a Unicorn by Helen Yoon

This Is a Ball by Beck & Matt Stanton 

   

Craft activity:

The children color and folded and taped papers to make a small paper pocket with a unicorn face clip art on it.  Place this pocket on a straw and then blow into the straw to allow the unicorn to fly.  

 

Friends of All Shapes - 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: Bird Shapes (a fun shape and color rhyme I found in my library’s flannelboard collection, it is very similar to this Bird House flannelboard I found at https://fallingflannelboards.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/flannel-friday-bird-houses/ )

 

  

 

Book #1: All Kinds of Friends by Shelley Rotner & Sheila M. Kelly 

Theme activity #1: Let's Be Friends Today (action song to the tune of "The More We Get Together" written by Carol Hopkins)

(teach the sign language for "friends")

Let's be friends with one another, together forever,
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can ju-ump, go jumping, go jumping.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can cla-ap, go clapping, go clapping.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can ru-un, go running, go running.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can spi-in, go spinning, go spinning.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

As friends we can si-it, go sitting, go sitting.
Let's be friends with each other,
Let's be fri-ends today!

  

Theme activity #2: "The Goldfish" action song from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner 

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: Rhymes and songs help children learn the cadence of language.  

Book #2: Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond 

Book #3: Where Are Maisy's Friends? by Lucy Cousins (lift-flap, board book) 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

Art activity:  Cut up straws as the beads for a friendship bracelet on a pipecleaner

Optional other books:
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
The Button Book by Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Behtan Woollvin 

 

 

 

 

The Art & Crafts Table at Playtime

According to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburg, the benefits of art in early childhood learning include Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills and Multisensory Engagement), Cognitive Development (Visual Processing and Creative Thinking/Imagination), plus Social-Emotional Learning (Self-Esteem, Cultural Education & Perspective-Taking, as well as Self-Expression & Emotional Development). 

Some open-ended art activities that I introduced on the Playtime art table:

-          Paper plate snowflake collage – Drew a simple star on the paper plate that the children then glued on cotton balls, q-tips, and shortened straws

-          Dinosaur scales – glue tissue paper scales onto a dinosaur drawing

-          Polar bear snow scene – snowflake stamping with receipt cores and polar bear cut-outs

-          Paper plate cookie - bingo dabber pens onto a paper plate