Cats - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It (from Wee Sing Children's Songs & Fingerplays)
• Book #1 - The Beckoning Cat: Based on a Japanese Folktale by Koko Nishizuka, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger
• Book #2 - The Cat Barked? by Lydia Monks
• Stand up activity - My Little Kitty (action rhyme I found somewhere)

Here comes my little cat
With a pitter, patter, pat, pat, pat
First she stretches from here to there
Then she jumps up into the air
Gently she lands on my lap
And settles down for a nice long nap

• Flannelboard/Group activity - Bought Me a Cat (traditional, song from Little Songs for Little Me by Nancy Stewart)
• Book #3 - Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore
• Book #4 - Cat by Matthew Van Fleet, photography by Brian Stanton (lift-flap, moveable)
• Closing -  "Cat Came Back" with tambourines from Whaddaya Think of That by Laurie Berkner
• Family Small Motor Activity - Paper plate cat mask

Garden 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 – Mrs. Mcnosh and the Great Big Squash by Sarah Weeks, pictures by Nadine Bernard Westcott
• Stand-up Activity - A Little Plant (action rhyme slightly adapted by Carol Hopkins)

In the heart of a seed
Buried oh so deep, a little plant lay fast asleep
"Awake," said the sun
"Come up through the earth."
"Awake," said the rain
"We are giving you birth."
The little seed heard and giving it a try
Pointed its leaves
Up to the sky

• 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 - Four Little Flowers (counting down rhyme written by Jean Warren that I found on some website)
• Sit-down Activity - Ten Little Flowers (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

10 little flowers standing in the sun
10 thirsty flowers begin to droop
Along come the clouds
And the rain begins to fall
10 little flowers lift their heads to the sun again

• Book #2 - Jasper's Beanstalk by Ncik Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
• Activity – In Our Garden (action song from Sing It! Say It! Sway It! volume 1 by Peter and Ellen Allard)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Cut out a bunch of grean heart shaped paper beanstalk leaves. Glue a length of green yarn onto a sheet of paper.  Next glue the leaves onto the beanstalk.