Apples Growing Falling - Family Storytime

A Wednesday 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: Letter Apples Falling Down 

(I handed out paper apple shapes with the letters of for the word "apple" written on them.  The children taped their apples to the board when I called their letter.) 

  

  

 

Book #1: Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington  

Theme activity #1: “I’m a Little Teapot” traditional action song from This Little Piggy: And Other Rhymes to Sing and Play by Adam Stemple, Jane Yolen, et al.  

Theme activity #2: "Shakin' Like a Leafy Tree" from Racing to the Rainbow by The Wiggles 

Transition: Dance Your Fingers (fingerplay adaption from a video I saw from New York Public Library)

Dance your fingers up;
(put fingers high in the air)

Dance your fingers down;
(touch the ground)

Dance your fingers from side to side;
(move hands from left to right side of body and back again, several times)

And dance them all around.
(hands move in a large wiggly circle in the air in front of your body)

Dance them on your shoulders;
(fingers wiggle on your shoulders)

Dance them on your head;
(fingers wiggle on top of your head)

Dance them on your tummy;
(fingers wiggle on top of your tummy)

And put them all to bed.
(fold hands in lap or tuck under armpits)

  

Book #2: An Apple Grows (Ready, Set, Grow: Plants series) by Rex Ruby

Book #3: Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett 

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner         

Art activity:  Yarn lacing cardstock apples similar to this idea I found on the Little Red Window blog at https://littleredwindow.com/hungry-caterpillar-apple-lacing-cards/ 

Optional other books:
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, illustrated by Shari Halpern 
Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky