Movement Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Move! by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
• Activity – Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (action rhyme)
• Flannelboard - Five Little Monkeys Swinging from the Tree
• Book #2 - I Went Walking by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas
• Activity - Wheels on the Bus (action song from Rise and Shine by Raffi)
• Closing - Scarves using "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Color with marker pens on pill bottles that have been paper-maiched to become rattles

***Parent Literacy Enhancement - Allowing your child to talk about a book (the cover, picture, theme) before you start to read helps to develop narrative skill.

Valentine's Day Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Snappy Little Hugs (pop-up)
• Activity – I Have a Little Heart (an action rhyme I found many years ago, I have no memory of where I found it)

I have a little heart
(hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump
(pat chest with fingers)
It keeps right on beating when I jump, jump, jump
(jump in place)
I get a special feeling
(hug shoulders)
When I look at you
(point to children)
It makes me want to give you a kiss or two!
(blow kisses)

• Flannelboard/Activity - The Wind and the Red Paper Square (a cut and tell story that I got out of a storytelling book that I have since forgotten)
• Book #2 - Where Is Baby's Valentine? by Karen Katz (lift-flap board book)
• Activity - Valentine, Valentine (action rhyme)

Valentine, Valentine turn around.
Valentine, Valentine touch the ground.
Valentine, Valentine blow a kiss.
Valentine, Valentine swim like a fish.
Valentine, Valentine give a hug.
Valentine, Valentine jump like a bug.
Valentine, Valentine find your feet.
Valentine, Valentine find your seat.

• Closing - Scarves using "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue small foam hearts to a large paper heart to create special valentines

Snow Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Cleo In the Snow by Caroline Mockford***
• Activity – Snowflakes (not sure where I picked up this action rhyme)

Snowflakes falling down, down, down.
Gently covering all the town.
Swirling, twirling, down they come.
One landed on my tongue.

• Flannelboard - 5 Little Snowmen (I am not sure where I picked up this rhyme, either)

Five little snowmen all made of snow.
Five little snowmen all in a row.
Out came the sun and shone all day.
And one little snowman melted away.
(repeat while counting down)

• Book #2 - Max and Ruby's Snowy Day by Rosemary Wells (board book)
• Activity - Itsy Bitsy Snowflake (from Mailbox Preschool Magazine Dec./Jan. 2007-8, page 26)
• Closing - Scarves using "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Q-tip painting of white paint on dark blue paper to make a snow scene

***Parent Literacy Enhancement - Toddlers often have short attention spans, but they can follow short stories, like the ones I use in storytime. Storybooks offer them a way to make sense of their world or to learn something new. Follow their interests. If they are interested in firetrucks then get them some firetruck books. If they are interested in princesses, then get them some princess books or some Fancy Nancy books.

Mousie Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Ten Little Mice by Joyce Dunbar, illustrated by Maria Majewska (BIG BOOK)
• Activity – Little Mouse (I adapted this from a Teddy Bear action rhyme)

Little mouse, little mouse turn around.
Little mouse, little mouse creep to the ground.
Little mouse, little mouse scamper on your toes.
Little mouse, little mouse twitch your nose.
Little mouse, little mouse squeak up high.
Little mouse, little mouse jump to the sky.
Little mouse, little mouse pat your feet.
Little mouse, little mouse have a seat.

• Flannelboard - Little Mouse House (from Mailbox Preschool magazine, Aug./Sept. 2009, page 25)
• Book #2 - Lunch by Denise Fleming***
• Activity - Hickory Dickory Dock (fingerplay)
• Closing - Scarves using "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Coloring sheet

***Parent Literacy Enhancement - Running your finger under the words of the book title and author helps children to learn that we are reading words, that we read from left to right, and that we read from top to bottom. These concepts are all part of print awareness.