Fish Hooray Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

     

 

• Book #1 – Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert

• Stand-up Activity – "The Goldfish" action song from Victor 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 - Five Little Fishies Swimming in the Sea (counting down rhyme I found on the blog Ms. Kelly at the Library) 

• Letter of the Day - "F" is for fish

• Book #2 – Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins

• Activity – I'm a Little Fishy (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" that I found many, many, many years ago)

I'm a little fishy

I can swim

Here is my tail and here is my fin

When I want to have fun with my friends

I wiggle my tail and dive right in

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Shake Your Scarves" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing

  

 

• Art Experience – Glitter glue on fish cut outs

Sledding in the Snow Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

   

 

• Book #1 – Cleo In the Snow by Stella Blackstone and Caroline Mockford

• Stand-up Activity – This Is the Way We Play In the Snow (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Here We go Round the Mulberry Bush")

This is the way we stomp through the snow, stomp through the snow, stomp through the snow.
This is the way we stomp through the snow,
When we go out to play.
This is the way we hop through the snow, hop through the snow, hop through the snow.
This is the way we hop through the snow,
When we go out to play.

(Repeat with other action words)

• 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 - Winter Snowflakes (counting down rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine, August/September 2008, page 28)

• Letter of the Day - "S" is for snow

• Book #2 – Max and Ruby's Snowy Day board book based on the characters by Rosemary Wells

• Activity – "The Freeze" action song from Dancing Feet by Carole Peterson

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Shake Your Scarves" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing

  

 

• Art Experience – Q-tip painting with white paint on dark blue construction paper to create a unique snow scene

• Reflection - Oh boy!  This was just one of those days when the whole group seemed unable to follow directions or keep their hands to themselves. I almost didn't do the flannelboard, but then attempted to do it. Unfortunately, a small group of kiddos would not keep their hands off the flannelboard pieces. Normally this would not be a problem, except once one child took off a snowflake then all the others did the same thing. After this happened three times (twice before I could even start), I decided to cut the rhyme short and move on to something else. I ended up cutting my next book short and skipping ahead to the scarves. This was also a huge group. I counted 54 toddlers in the room.  Somedays this happens and you just keep on moving...

Dance Along Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

    

 

• Book #1 – Hop Jump by Ellen Stoll Walsh

• Stand-up Activity – "Jumping and Counting" from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill

• 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 - Five Little Dancers (counting down rhyme I found at the Jen In the Library blog)

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

• Book #2 – Duck & Goose: Let's Dance by Tad Hills (board book)

• Activity – I Can Dance My Hands (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" written by Carol Hopkins)

I can dance my hands, I can dance my hands, 

Dance them high, dance them low,

I can dance my hands.

I can wiggle my hands, I can wiggle my hands,

Wiggle them out, wiggle them in,

I can wiggle my hands.

(continue with more action words like clap, roll, etc.)

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Shake Your Scarves" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing

  

 

• Art Experience – Crayons on a coloring sheet

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day is coming up on February 25th.  Fairy tales and books go together so well and make for a simple library program.

Last year this day fell on a Saturday and we just expanded our regular Saturday Lego storytime.  It was so easy! Read a few books (more than our usual Lego storytime), do a craft, and put out the Legos.

 

Books:
Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Howard Fine
Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, illustrated by Lydia Monks

Extra story:
"Cinderella's Rat File Folder Story" from Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan and Christin Kirker

Craft:
Create a fire breathing dragon using colorful paper cups, crepe paper, googly eyes, pompoms, glue, and color pens. The Sturdy for Common Things blog had good directions on how to make this dragon, but I found many variations on Pinterest and elsewhere.

I could easily turn this into an afterschool or evening library event. Last year, I considered this event to have a "happily ever after" ending.

Valentine Love Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

• Literacy activity flannelboard - Spelling the Word "Heart"

Hand each child a paper heart. The hearts have the letters for the word "heart" written on them. Then I write the letters on the board, one at a time, and the children bring up their hearts when their letter is written.  

• Book #1 - Foxy In Love by Emma Dodd 

• Stand-up activity - Valentine, Valentine (action rhyme similar to the traditional "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

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.

• Sit down activity - Put Your Valentine On Your Nose (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Put your Valentine on your nose, on your nose
Put your Valentine on your nose, on your nose
It's a heart for love and friendship
A hug for everyone
Put your Valentine on your nose
Put your Valentine on your toes...
Put your Valentine on your head...

(repeat with more body parts)

 

• Book #2 - The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond 

• Book #3 - What is Love, Biscuit? by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories (board book) 

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Silly Dance Contest" from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill

  

  

• Art experience - Use bingo dabbers and scissors to create a heart shaped Valentine card that says, "Love is easy to spot!"

Valentine Hearts Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

• Stand-up Activity – "If You're Happy and You Know It" 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 - Eight Valentine Cards (counting  backwards story found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

• Letter of the Day - "V" for Valentine's Day

• Book #2 – My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Julie Flett (board book)

• Activity – I Have a Little Heart (action chant I picked up someplace, I have seen different adaptations of it in many places)

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)
I get a special felling when I look at you
(point to children)
It makes me want to blow a kiss or two
(blow kisses)

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

  

• Art Experience – Peel and stick stickers onto paper hearts