Night Sky - 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: I’m Going Out to Space (vocabulary building flannelboard activity to the tune of “The Farmer In the Dell”)

(Hand out felt pieces for stars, planets, rocket ships, and moons to the children.  The children bring their pieces up to the board when it is said in the song.)

I’m going out to space;
I’m going out to space;
I think I’ll see a { planet } there;
I’m going out to space.

  

  

Book #1: When the Sky Glows by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by David Litchfield 

Theme activity #1: "The Night I Had a Dream" action song from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkne

  

Theme activity #2: Just Like an Owl (action song to the tune of “London Bridges” that I found at the Upper Hudson Library System webpage)

Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl. 

Open your eyes big and wide, big and wide, big and wide.
Open your eyes big and wide, just like an owl. 

Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl. 

Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!”  Say, “Who! Who!” Say, “Who! Who!”
Turn your head and say, “Who! Who!,” just like an owl.

Find your nest and sit right down, sit right down, sit right down.
Find your nest and sit right down, just like an owl. 

  

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)

 

***Parent literacy tip: Describing an object or event helps us understand it.  Don't forget to talk about noises when you are describing things.  

Book #2: Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes 

Book #3: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

Art activity:  Paper plate moon made from paint stamping with recipt core craters and star stickers

Optional other books:
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Tractors In Space by Ross Mackay, illustrated by Alex Willmore