Halloween Boo - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Spiders Go Marching On Halloween (number recognition flannelboard song to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching”) 

The spiders go marching one by one,
hurrah, hurrah!
The spiders go marching one by one, 
hurrah, hurrah!
The spiders go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck its thumb,
And they all go marching up,
To the tree,
On Hallowee-een.

The spiders go marching two by two... 
The little one stops to tie its shoe...

The spiders go marching three by three...
The little one stops to hug a tree...

The spiders go marching four by four...
The little one stops to close the door...

 

***Parent literacy tip:  Repetition and rhyming help children learn the sounds of words. 

 

  

Book #1: Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood, illustrated by Jed Henry

Stand-up activity: Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins, similar to "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern turn around.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern roll on the ground.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern dance on your toes.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern light up your nose.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern reach up high.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern jump to the sky.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern smile with heat.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern find your seat.

 

Sit-down activity: Pumpkin on the Ground (action song to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” that I found at https://stepbystepcc.com/pumpkins.html)

Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground,
How'd you get so big and round?
You started as a seed so small.
Now you are a great round ball.
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground,
How'd you get so big and round?

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And 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)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

  

Book #2: Julius’s Candy Corn by Kevin Henkes (board book)

Book #3: Pug & Pig Trick-or-Treat by Sue Lowel Gallion, illustrated by Joyce Wan

Closing music with rhythm sticks: “Goin’ On a Bear Hunt” from Kids in Action by Greg & Steve

  

Art activity: I found a bunch of white masks in storage.  So, we decorated these masks with metallic and glitter pens.  We also glued on Halloween themed craft foam shapes that I found in storage.    

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table - Autumn Cat Ornament

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on a no school day.  

This craft was to decorate a wooden cat ornament (that I found online).  To decorate the ornament, I put out Sharpie pens of various colors, glue, ribbon, googly eyes, and dragon eyes.  

This was a low cost, low staff intensive, activity with some cute results!  

Mini-Camper Summer Camp Storytime Week 6

 This summer I was invited to give a special weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.    

     

Book:

My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Craft activity: 

We made rabbit finger puppets that I found at https://eastertemplate.com/bunny-finger-puppet/. I made a slit in each of the finger holes before arriving at the camp.  This made it easier for the campers to cut these small holes.    

Passive Craft Table - Donut Magnets

 

 

For this passive program, I put out a craft table that was available all day long.  The intention of the table was to walk up and help yourself to the intended craft on the last day of the school year.  

This craft was to create a donut magnet (a craft kit I found at https://www.bakerross.com/doughnut-mix-match-magnet-kits-1).    

 

Extra supplies I added to the kit:

-         Glitter glue

-         Pompoms

 

This was a low cost, low staff intensive activity with some interesting results!  

Autumn Leaves Falling - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall, illustrated by Shari Halpern

Stand-up activity: Falling Leaves (scarf song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" I found at My Storytime Corner blog)

Leaves, leaves, leaves will fall
(stand up and sway) 

Gently all around

Falling left falling right
(arms move left and right with fluttering fingers)

Fluttering to the ground.
(fall to the ground)

 

Sit-down activity: Brown Squirrel, Brown Squirrel (action rhyme that I found at Adventures of a Bookworm blog but have also seen versions elsewhere) 

Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail
(wiggle bottom)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail
Wrinkle up your little nose
(tap nose)
Put a nut between your toes
(hold hands up like claws)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Shake your bushy tail. 

 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (lap bounce action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Frog be nimble, frog be quick,
Frog jump over the great big stick.
(lift baby/arms up)

Frog be nimble, frog be slick,
Frog swim under the great big stick.
(make swimming motions with arms)

Frog be nimble, frog go click,
Frog almost falls off the great big stick.
(pretend to fall off lap)

Frog be nimble frog be fine,
Frog gets a kiss at storytime.
(blow kisses)

 

Lap rhyme #3: Roly Poly (hand rolling opposites action rhyme)

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly, slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And 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)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

 

***Literacy tip: Narrative skills are being able to describe things and to tell stories.  It also helps with comprehension.  Ask your child what happens next as you read together. 

Letter of the day: "L” is for leaf or leaves

 

 

Flannelboard: Four Little Apples (counting down rhyme found in Ready to Go Storytimes: Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music, & More by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis)

Closing song with Scarves: “Around and Around” from Welcome from Miss Carole by Carole Peterson

 

 

 

 

Mini-Camper Summer Camp Storytime Week 5

   This summer I was invited to give a special weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.    

     

Book:

Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley 

 

Craft activity: 

We made an orca leaping over paper plate waves. This craft was inspired by something I found online that was a dolphin.  I changed the animal to make it go with the book I read.  

Leaves Apples Fall - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Color Leaves Falling (color name flannelboard to the tune of "Are You Sleeping")

{_Red_} leaves falling
{_Red_} leaves falling
In the wind
In the wind
Bring it up right now
Bring it up right now
To the board
To the board

(Repeat with other leaf colors)

  

 

Book #1: Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

***Parent literacy tip: Narrative skills are being able to describe things and to tell stories.  It also helps with comprehension.  Ask your child what happens next as you read together.    

Stand-up activity: “I’m a Little Teapot” from This Little Piggy by Adam Stemple, Jane Yolen, et al

Sit-down activity: Four Red Apples (fingerplay to the tune of "This Old Man")

4 red apples, on the tree

2 for you and 2 for me

So-o shake that tree and watch them fall

1, 2, 3, 4, that is all

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And 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)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family) 

  

Book #2: We Love Fall! by Diane Muldrow, illustrated by Jill Dubin

Closing music with rhythm sticks: “Goin’ On a Bear Hunt” from Kids in Action by Greg & Steve

   

Art activity: Decorate a brown construction paper headband/crown by gluing craft foam leaves and silk leaves to it.