Playing with Magical Creatures - 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: Baby Dragons Playing with Letters (flannelboard song to the tune of "Do You Know the Muffin Man" written by Carol Hopkins)

I was inspired by a flannelboard rhyme I found at Storytime In the Stacks to write my own dragon flannelboard rhyme.  I passed out one baby dragon to each child.  The dragons have one of 5 letters on them.  The children bring their dragon up to the board when I say their letter.  

Now we have baby dragons, baby dragons, baby dragons, 

Now we have baby dragons, 

Trying to blow bubbles.

(Bubbles starts with the letter "B")

Now we have baby dragons, baby dragons, baby dragons, 

Now we have baby dragons, 

Blowing kisses to their mom.

(Kiss starts with the letter "K")

...Flapping their tiny wings.

(Wings starts with the letter "W")

...Jumping with a rope.

(Rope starts with the letter "R")

...Trying to breathe fire.

(Fire starts with the letter "F")

Now we have loud dragons, loud dragons, loud dragons,

Now we have loud dragons,

Giving out a roar!

(Everyone roars)

   

  

 

Book #1: There's a Dragon In Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

Theme activity #1: Can You Do What These Pets Do?  (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Can you stretch your neck like a gryphon with wings flapping on your back?

Can you hop like a frog?

Can you bark like a dog?

Can you slither like a snake?

Can you fly like a parrot?

Can you wiggle your nose like a rabbit?

Can you swim like a fish?

Can you stretch like a cat?

Can you sit like a kid at storytime?  

  

Theme activity #2: Stretching Dragon (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Here comes a waking, stretching dragon.
(show ASL for "dragon")
Their mouth goes "Chomp! Chomp!";
Their eyes go blink, blink;
And their head moves from side to side.  
First they stretch out one foot.
Then they stretch out one wing.
And finally they fly out of sight with a fiery, "Roar!" 

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 

  

***Parent literacy tip: Acting out parts of a story (like movements or sound effects) enhances comprehension and makes the story more memorable.  

Book #2: The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa 

Book #3: Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson 

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

  

 

 

Art activity:  Create and decorate paper plate spiral dragons.  Beforehand, I drew a spiral pattern on the paper plates.  The children cur with scissors on these lines.  Then they added a dragon head I found online and decorated the dragon with color pens and glued on crepe paper square scales.

Optional other books:
Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll 
If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle, illustrated by Cale Atkinson