Terrific Fire Trucks - 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.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Firefighters In Their Color Coats (adapted by Carol Hopkins from a rhyme I found at http://www.preschooleducation.com/sfire.shtml)

I used clip art images I found with firefighters in red, yellow, and black coats.  I then handed each child a firefighter image.  The children placed their firefighter on the board after I said their color in the rhyme.

Lots of little fire fighters sleeping in their beds. 
"Ding! Ding! Ding!" went the bell.
And out come the {red} coats.
They race to the fire and put out the flames.
Then the _____ (count the firefighters on the board) little firefighters went back to bed again.

(repeat for as many colored firefighter coats you have on hand, then move on to this last bit of rhyme.)

The morning has come,
The firefighters finally got some sleep.  
They are all ready now to start a brand new day!

  

Book #1: Fire Chief Fran by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Stand-up activity: “Drive the Fire Truck” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Sit-down activity: "Fantastic Fire Truck" action song to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" that I found in a Mailbox Kindergarten magazine (October/November 2009, page 59)

The wheels on the fire truck go round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the fire truck go round and round,
All through the town.

(Repeat with more versus)

The hoses on the truck go spray, spray, spray…

The lights on the truck go flash, flash, flash…

The siren on the truck goes woo, woo, woo…

 

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:  Play sorting games with your child.  Use items you can find around the house.  Talk about what is the same and different about these items.                       

Book #2: Maisy’s Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins (board book)

Book #3: Elecopter by Michael Slack    

Closing music with scarves: “Flitter Flutter” from The Second Line by Johnette Downing  

Art activity: Metallic pens coloring on a fire truck outline, plus gluing ladders and wheels to it.    

Optional other books:
Fire Trucks (My Favorite Machine series from Xist Publishing) by Victoria Marcos
Flashing Fire Engines by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Ant Parker

 

 

 

 

Truck Love - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years old.  

Opening #1: Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum; 
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

 

 

Book: I Love Trucks by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern

Stand-up activity: “Little Red Wagon from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music  

Sit-down activity: Some Cars (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Some cars are big
Some cars are small
Some cars can honk their horns with a BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The wheels on the cars go fast
The wheels on the cars go slow
The wheels on the cars go really, really fast
And then come to a stop!

 

Lap rhyme #1: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(bounce baby from leg to leg)

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Counting Bubbles (counting rhyme I learned during a BrainDance workshop)

One bubble, two bubbles, three bubbles, top.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then place hands on top of head)

Three bubbles, four bubbles, five bubbles, drop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then drop hands to lap)

Six bubbles, seven bubbles, nine bubbles, pop.
(pat legs with hands for each number chanted, then clap hands loudly in front of body)

Ten little bubbles floating down!
(twinkle hands down to floor)

Now let’s blow _____ bubbles.
(This is a breath exercise.  Pick a number and pretend to blow that number of bubbles through hand.  Don’t forget to pop the bubbles with a loud clap after blowing it up.  I count the bubble while I do the clap.) 

 

Lap rhyme #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

   

***Literacy tip: Play sorting games with your child.  Use items you can find around the house.  Talka bout what is the same and different out these items.        

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 

 

Letter of the day: "F” is for firetruck

 

 

Flannelboard: "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

(One) firefighter(s) went out to spray
Water on a flame one day.
It was such an enormous fire,
He called for another firefighter. 

(Keep on counting up to five firefighters) 

Final verse:
Five firefighters went out to spray
Water on a flame one day.
They sprayed the water till the fire was out.
Their work was done; we heard them shout! (Hooray!)

 

Closing song with scarves: “Alabama, Mississippi” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Songs by Jim Gill  

 

 

 

 

Fire Trucks Toddler Storytime

Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

  

 

Book #1 – I Love Trucks! by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern

Stand-up activity – “Drive the Fire Truck” action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Transition #1 - 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 

 

 

Flannelboard – "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

Letter of the day - "F” is for fire truck

Transition #2 – 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 – Maisy’s Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

 

 

 

Fire Safety Month Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

• Color and counting literacy activity - Firefighters in Their Color Coats  (adapted by Carol Hopkins from a rhyme I found at http://www.preschooleducation.com/sfire.shtml)

I used clip art images I found with firefighters in red, yellow, and black coats.  I then handed each child a firefighter image.  The children placed their firefighter on the board after I said their color in the rhyme.

Lots of little fire fighters sleeping in their beds. 
"Ding! Ding! Ding!" went the bell.
And out come the {red} coats.
They race to the fire and put out the flames.
Then the _____ (count the firefighters on the board) little firefighters went back to bed again.

(repeat for as many colored firefighter coats you have on hand, then move on to this last bit of rhyme.)

The morning has come,
The firefighters finally got some sleep.  
They are all ready now to start a brand new day!

          

  

  

• Book #1 - Flashing Fire Engines by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker 

• Stand-up activity - I'm a Little Firefighter (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" written by Carol Garnett Hopkins found in the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes)

I'm a little firefighter off I go
Here is my helmet
Here is my truck
When my clothes catch on fire I know what to do
I stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out

• Sit down activity - "Drive the Fire Truck" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Book #2 - Fire Safety in Action by Mari Schuh 

• Book #3 - Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook, illustrated by Andy Robert Davies

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz)" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

• Art experience - Cut out fire engine shape, then glue it to a white paper, color the fire engine with metallic pens for details like wheels, also glue on a yellow rectangle for the ladder on the side. I found a wonderful fire engine shape at busybeekidscrafts.com.  

Fighting Fires Toddler Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – Elecopter by Michael Slack

• Stand-up Activity – "Fantastic Fire Truck" action song to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" that I found in a Mailbox Kindergarten magazine (October/November 2009, page 59)

• Bridge - 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 

• Flannelboard - "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

• Letter of the Day - "F" is for firefighter

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 –  Fire Engine Man by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha 

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo 

 

• Art Experience – Metallic pen coloring on red paper firefighter hats

Fire Truck Fun Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – Fire Trucks in Action by Anne E. Hanson 

• Stand-up Activity – "Drive the Fire Truck" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• Bridge - 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 

• Flannelboard - "Five Firefighters" counting rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (October/November 2007, page 40)

• Letter of the Day - "T" is for trucks

• Book #2 – Maisy's Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins (board book)

• Activity – I'm a Little Firefighter (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" written by Carol Garnett Hopkins found in the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes)

I'm a little firefighter off I go
Here is my helmet
Here is my truck
When my clothes catch on fire I know what to do
I stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Fruit Salad Salsa" from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner 

  

 

• Art Experience – Colorful marker pen coloring on paper fire fighter hats