Seeds and Flowers Up to My Knees - 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.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Pretty Flower Colors (color literacy flannelboard song to the tune of “Are You Sleeping” written by Carol Hopkins)

Pretty flowers;
Pretty flowers.
Is yours {_purple_}?
Is yours {_purple_}?
Bring it up right now;
Bring it up right now.
Let’s find some more;
Let’s find some more.

(Repeat with other color names)

  

  

Book #1: Seeds by Carme Lemniscates 

Theme activity #1: “My Ups and Downs” from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill 

Theme activity #2: Plant a Little Seed (not sure where I found this action chant)

 I plant a little seed in the cold, cold ground

(bend down and pretend to plant a seed)

Out comes the yellow sun, big and round
(put arms above head like sun)

Down come the raindrops soft and slowly
(dancing fingers downward)

Up comes the flower grow, grow, grow
(jump as flower emerges)

 

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: Up to My Knees! by Grace Lin (board book) 

Book #3: Hello, Daisy! by Mélanie Grenier (board book) 

Closing music with bells: “The Tempo Marches On” from Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi on His Toe Leg Knee by Jim Gill      

  

 

 

Art activity: Paint stamping flowers onto a tree outline with receipt roll cores.  I also added craft foam insects to glue onto the paper.  

Optional other books:
Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray and Zachariah OHora
A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis