Cats Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Cats Sleep Anywhere by Eleanor Farjeon, illustrated by Anne Mortimer
• Stand-up Activity - Kitty Cats Like (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Kitty cats like to say hello
Kitty cats like to drink milk
Kitty cats like to growl when they play
Kitty cats like to run after mice
Kitty cats like to jump to high places
Kitty cats like to climb trees
Kitty cats like to purr when they are happy
And some kitty cats like to find sunspots to sleep in

• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - In the House (sung to the tune of "If You're Happy And You Know It" written by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis)
• Sit-down Activity - Five Kittens (fingerplay I picked up somewhere)

Five little kittens standing in a row
They nod their heads to the children so
They run to the left
They run to the right
They stand up and stretch in the bright sunlight
Along comes a dog who's in for some fun
Meow!  See those little kittens run away

• Book #2 - Cookie's Week by Cindy Ward, illustrated by Tomie de Paola
• Activity – Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins similar to "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

Kitty cat, kitty cat turn around
Kitty cat, kitty cat touch the ground
Kitty cat, kitty cat walk on your toes
Kitty cat, kitty cat paw your nose
Kitty cat, kitty cat stretch up high
Kitty cat, kitty cat jump to the sky
Kitty cat, kitty cat start to eat
Kitty cat, kitty cat find your seat

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue yarn whiskers to a cat face

Nature Walk Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Good-night Owl! by Pat Hutchins
• Stand-up Activity - The Owl (an action rhyme I found many years ago)

There's a wide eyed owl
With a pointed nose
Two pointed ears
And claws for toes
When he sits up in the tree
And he looks at you
He flaps his wings
And he says "Whoo-Whoo!"

• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - One Little Raccoon (counting song to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")

1 little, 2 little, 3 little raccoons
4 little, 5 little, 6 little raccoons
7 little, 8 little, 9 little raccoons
10 little raccoons prowling in the dark

• Sit-down Activity - Two Little Blackbirds (traditional)

Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence
One named Jack, the other named Jill
Fly away Jack
Fly away Jill
Come back Jack
Come back Jill
Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence

• Book #2 - Maisy's Nature Walk by Lucy Cousins (pop-up)
• Activity – Baby Bumblebee (action song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate a butterfly

Spring Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Splish, Splash, Spring by Jan Carr, illustrated by Dorothy Donohue
• Stand-up Activity - Spring Is All Around Me (action song to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" which I found in a Mailbox Preschool magazine, Apr/May 2000)
• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - Sheep In the Springtime Green (counting rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

1 little sheep in the Springtime green, eating grass in the field all day
2 little sheep in the Springtime green, munching on clover in the field all day
3 little sheep in the Springtime green, drinking lots of water in the field all day
4 little sheep in the Springtime green, jumping up and down in the field all day
5 little sheep in the Springtime green, snoring and snoozing in the field all night

• Sit-down Activity - Five Spring Flowers (fingerplay adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Flowers tall, flowers small
Flowers planted by the wall
Blowing in the sprintime breezes
Not for little children sneezes
Let us count the flowers alive
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Five little flowers thrive in the Springtime sun

• Book #2 - In the Spring by Craig Brown
• Activity – A Springtime Rhyme (action rhyme I found in Mailbox Preschool magazine Feb/Mar 2006)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate a muffin cup flower with birdseed

Bouncing Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Bouncing Time by Patricia Hubbell, pictures by Melissa Sweet
• Stand-up Activity - When the Music Stops, Everybody Jump (action song from Getting Strong: Wiggle & Learn by The Wiggles)
• Bridge - 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

• Flannelboard/Math Activity - A-Hunting We Will Go

A-hunting we will go
A-hunting we will go
We'll catch a mouse
And put her in a house
And then we'll let her go

A-hunting we will go
A-hunting we will go
We'll catch a frog
And put him on a log
And then we'll let him go

...goat/put him in a boat
...bear/sit her in a chair

• Sit-down Activity - I Can Bounce My Hands (fingerplay to the tune of "Farmer In the Dell" written by Carol Hopkins)

I can bounce my hands, I can bounce by hands,
Bounce them high, bounce them low,
I can bounce my hands.

I can wiggle my hands, I can wiggle my hands,
Wiggle them out, wiggle them in,
I can wiggle my hands.

(repeat with more hand motions such as roll, clap, etc.)

• Book #2 - Emily Loves to Bounce by Stephen Michael King
• Activity – Shake My Sillies Out (action song from More Singable Songs by Raffi)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate a paperbag kite