Birds Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Color literacy activity - Goosey Goose Colors

A flannelboard color rhyme written by Carol Hopkins.

Directions: Make a set of geese in different colors. Hand these geese out to the children, one per child. Say the rhyme, naming one color each time. The children come up and place their goose on the board when you say the color of their goose.

   

   

  

• Book #1 - Birds by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek 

• Stand-up activity - "If I Was a Bird" action song from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music 

• Sit down activity - Two Little Penguins (fingerplay I found in the book Storytime Crafts by Kathryn Totten) 

• Book #2 - Pie In the Sky by Lois Ehlert 

• Book #3 - Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker 

• Closing - Rhythm sticks to the song "Red Red Robin Stick Dance" from Stinky Cake by Carole Peterson

 

 

• Art experience - Cut with scissors, color with crayons, and glue with glue sticks a bird counting worksheet I found in a Mailbox magazine 

Bears Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

    

 

• Book #1 – Bears In a Band by Shirley Parenteau 

• 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 Storytimeswritten 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

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 – The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood 

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

 

 

• Art Experience – Bear coloring sheet with crayons 

Star Dreams Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

   

 

• Book #1 – A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes 

• Stand-up Activity – "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" 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 - Four Little Stars (a counting down rhyme I found on the internet a few years back)

• Letter of the Day - "S" is for star

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 – Sweet Dreams, Maisy by Lucy Cousins

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

  

 

• Art Experience – Star stickers on a craft foam star 

Family Togetherness Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – Grandma's Tiny House: A Counting Story by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Priscilla Burris 

• Stand-up Activity – Do It for Your Family (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your family

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your family

(use other body motions such as stomp your feet, jump your legs, etc.)

• 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 (rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

(On the flannelboard put out 5-8 houses of different colors.  Make sure the little baby mouse is under one house. Say the rhyme with the children and peek under the house color the children request until you find the baby mouse.)

Daddy mouse, daddy mouse where is your baby?
Daddy mouse, daddy mouse look for your baby under the _________ house.

• Letter of the Day - "M" is for mouse

• Book #2 – Snappy Little Families by Dugald Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews (pop-up)

• 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 - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

   

 

• Art Experience – Finger painting with shaving cream.  All of our storytime families are helping to clean the tables in the meeting room with shaving cream.