Nocturnal Animals Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – Night Owl by Toni Yuly

• Stand-up Activity – During the Night (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

During the night I know that...

Stars twinkle in the sky

Bats fly and swoop through the air

Owls flap their wings before saying, "Who-Who"

Cats jump from place to place

Opossums climb up trees

Raccoons run across the grass

Wolves howl at the moon

And I lie in my bed to sleep

• 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 Bats On a Dark Night (counting rhyme I found at Esther Storytimes Wiki)

• Letter of the Day - "N" is for night

• 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 –  Hedgehogs by Julie Murray

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

  

• Art Experience – Chalk coloring on bat finger puppets

Blanket Forts After Hours

This past summer my library hosted its third after hour blanket fort event.  I love this event because of its simplicity.  The costs are staff time, snacks, and some duct tape.  Families are encouraged to bring their own blankets.  The family enjoyment of the library is priceless!

During the first 20-30 minutes, one staff member is at the front door while another staff member is reading or telling stories in the children's area.  (We conduct this event after the library is closed so that we can utilize the entire "public" area of the library.)  After stories, we go over the rules and demonstrate how easy it is to make a blanket fort.  Forts can be made with tables or shelves or chairs.  The rules are in place for safety and to help the staff clean up.

1. Walking feet only
2. If you move furniture or books, put them back at the end of the event.  
3. If you use duct tape, you are responsible for carefully removing it.  
4. Once you leave the building, there is no coming back in.  No in and out privileges.  
5. Children must leave with the adult they came in with.  

Then we let everybody loose to create, read books, and enjoy snacks.  One favorite thing to do is to create a fort and then read a few picture books inside the fort.  This was a fun way to integrate building/engineering and reading into one fun family program!!

Colorful Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

     

 

• Book #1 – Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

• Stand-up Activity – The Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

• 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 -   Shape and Color Match Up (adapted by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Muffin Man")

Directions: Hand out a red circle, blue rectangle, or yellow triangle to the children (only one shape per child). Review the different aspects of each shape (sides, corners, etc.). Then sing the song for each shape and allow the children to place their shapes on the flannelboard.

Can you find a red circle, a red circle, a red circle?
Can you find a red circle, then bring it up right now.

• Letter of the Day - "R" is for rectangle and red

• 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 –  Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean

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

 

• Art Experience – Water color sheet painting

Stuff We Wear Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

     

 

• Book #1 – Two Shoes, Blue Shoes, New Shoes! by Sally Fitz-Gibbon, illustrated by Farida Zaman 

• Stand-up Activity – Suzy Had a Little Hat (action song I wrote to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb") 

Suzy had a little hat, little hat, little hat
(hold hands together in the shape of a hat)
Suzy had a little hat, she wore right up here!
(put hat on top of head)

Suzy went jump, jump, jump,
Jump, jump, jump
Jump, jump, jump,
Suzy went jump, jump, jump,
With her hat right up here!

Suzy went running...
Suzy went spinning...
Suzy went bend her knees...
Suzy went sitting...

• 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 - Colored 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. 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 clothing

• 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 –  Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean

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

  

• Art Experience – Use metallic pens to color on white slap bracelets