Valentine Tree Love - 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.

 

 

Color literacy activity flannelboard: Valentine Tree (adapted from a flannelboard rhyme I found at https://busycraftingmommy.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/valentines-day-flannel-friday/ )

 

I know a very special tree
That lives among the pines.
It has no leaves upon its boughs,
It just grows valentines.

It grows some pretty red ones,
And others that are blue,
It grows some fancy lace ones
With flowers on them, too.

It grows some little pink ones
And great big ones of green.
It grows the nicest valentines
That I have ever seen.

One day, I walked up to it
And shook that special tree.
Down fell a valentine
Especially for me!

 

  

Book #1: One Love based on the song by Bob Marley, adapted by Cedella Marley, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton   

Stand-up 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)

 

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)

 

***Parent literacy tip:  When you talk about Valentines, make sure to use lots of describing words: Lacy, big , red, polka-dotted, fuzzy, silly… the more words our children hear, the bigger their vocabularies will be.    

Transition: 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 

  

Book #2: How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague

Book #3: Lilly’s Chocolate Heart by Kevin Henkes (board book)

Closing music with jingle bells: “Fruit Salad Salsa” from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

   

Art activity: “Love Is Easy to Spot” heart cut and color sheet with dot markers and heart stickers.

Optional other books:
A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy
Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka