Dinosaur Fun Stoytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague

• Stand-up Activity – "We Are the Dinosaurs" from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner

• 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 - Colorful Counting Dinosaurs (my notes don't say which website I found this counting rhyme that includes color recognition)

• Letter of the Day - "D" is for Dinosaurs

• Book #2 – Dinosaur Stomp! by Paul Stickland (pop-up)

• Activity – Dinosaur, Dinosaur Turn Around (action rhyme I adapted from the familiar "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around" rhyme)

Dinosaur, dinosaur turn around

Dinosaur, dinosaur touch the ground

Dinosaur, dinosaur dance on your toes

Dinosaur, dinosaur touch your nose

Dinosaur, dinosaur reach up high

Dinosaur, dinosaur jump to the sky

Dinosaur, dinosaur stomp your feet

Dinosaur, dinosaur show your teeth

Dinosaur, dinosaur give a roar

Dinosaur, dinosaur find the floor

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve 

 

 

• Art Experience – Paper scrap squares glued on a dinosaur as scales

Minecraft in the Summer

Theme: Bell Tower

Hosted another successful Minecraft Build Competition this summer. (To read how I run my Minecraft program, please read my past post on the topic.) This program is a lot of fun to offer.  This theme worked well, especially since I repeatedly told the children to make sure their tower does not look like everyone else's.  

Playful Bears Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – Bears In the Bath by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by David Walker

• Stand-up Activity – Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around (traditional jump rope rhyme)

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear dance on your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear jump to the sky
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your feet
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your seat

• 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 - All Types of Bears (flannelboard rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes written by Carol Hopkins, to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Grizzly bears are big and brown.
Big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown.
And live in the woods.

Polar bears are soft and white.
Soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white.
And live where it is cold.

Panda bears are black and white,
Black and white, black and white
Panda bears are black and white.
And live with bamboo.

Koala bears have great big ears,
Great big ears, great big ears,
Koala bears have great big ears,
And live high in a tree.

Teddy bears are just my size.
Just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size.
To cuddle with at night.

• Letter of the Day - "B" is for Bear

• Book #2 – Can I Have a Hug? by Debi Gliori (board book)

• Activity – "Baby Bumblebee" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve 

 

• Art Experience – Crayons on a teddy bear coloring sheet

Family Love Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – Mama Cat Has Three Kittens by Denise Fleming

• Stand-up Activity – "If You're Happy and You Know It" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• 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 - Daddy Mouse House (color rhyme flannelboard)

(put up different color houses on the board, hide a baby mouse picture under one house)

Daddy mouse, daddy mouse, where is your baby?

Daddy mouse, daddy mouse look for your baby under the "yellow" house.

(repeat by replacing the color yellow with other colored houses on the board until the baby mouse is found)

• Letter of the Day - "F" is for family

• Book #2 – I Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max 

• Activity – Come A' Look A' 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)

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

• Art Experience – Glue stick the saying "Love Is Easy to Spot" onto paper place-mats and then add dot stickers

Flowers in the Garden Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

    

 

• Book #1 – Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert (big book)

• Stand-up Activity – "Baby Bumblebee" traditional song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• 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 - The Flower Song (a song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" about the parts of a flower that I found at Everything Preschool)

• Letter of the Day - "F" is for flower

• Book #2 – Maisy Grows a Garden by Lucy Cousins (pop-up)

• Activity – A Little Plant (adapted action rhyme)

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

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

   

 

• Art Experience – Squeeze glitter glue on craft foam flowers

Hanging Up the Clothespins Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

   

  

• Book #1 – Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

• Stand-up Activity – "Boots" action song from Vicor Vito by Laurie Berkner

• 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 - Color Clothespins

I strung up a length of yarn between a chair and a table in my storytime room.  I then handed the children colored plastic clothespins. I briefly stated a history of clothespin technology.  Then I had the children come clip their clothespins to the line when I called out their color.  

• Letter of the Day - "C" is for Clothespin

• Book #2 – Clothesline by Jez Alborough

• Activity – The Washing Machine (an action rhyme that I found somewhere many years ago)

Washing in the washing machine,

Going round and round.

Washing in the washing machine,

Moving up and down.

Round and round and up and down,

It makes a noisy sound.

Faster, faster, faster,

Round and round and round.

Then stop!

• Closing - Dance with scarves using the song "Milkshake" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

 

 

 

• Art Experience – Use color pens to color wood clothepins