Brave Superhero Books - 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: Superheroes Move All Around Town (to the tune of “Wheels On the Bus” that I adapted from one I found on the Literary Hoots blog at http://www.literaryhoots.com/2015/04/superhero-storytime.html)

The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
flex and lift, flex and lift;
The superhero _arms_ can flex and lift,
All around town.

…_Eyes_ go zap, zap, zap.

…_Legs_ run very fast.

…_Cape_ flies with a zoom!

 

   

 

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

Theme activity #1: Did You Ever See a Hero? (adapted from an action song I saw on the Jbrary blog, to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero

Did you ever see a hero, flying through the sky?

Flying this way and that way

Flying this way and that way

Flying round and around

Flying round and around

Did you ever see a hero

Flying down to the ground?

  

Theme activity #2: "Grand Old Duke Of York" action song from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo

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: Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley 

Book #3: Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (big book) 

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

  

 

Art activity:  Make superhero armbands with slapbracelets, bingo dabbers, and stickers

Optional other books:
Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti 
Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman 

 

 

 

 

Brave Little Superheroes - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Wednesday 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 places to stick the gum)

 

 

Book: Supertruck by Stephen Savage 

Themed activity #1:  The Garbage Truck Rolls (fingerplay to the tune of "Wheels On the Bus" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

The garbage truck drives down the street, down the street, down the street
The garbage truck drives down the street
As it picks up garbage

The garbage truck stops and goes, stops and goes, stops and goes
The garbage truck stops and goes
As it picks up garbage

...Turns the corner...
...Wiggle, wiggle, wiggles... 

 

Themed activity #2: "If You're Happy And You Know it" from Songs for Wiggleworms 

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: Little Owls Say Shhhh! (a quiet time or transition song I adapted from one I learned from Librarian Michelle A. to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”)

Little owls, little owls,
They say, “Who!”
They say, “Who!” 
All very quietly, all very quietly,
Now they say, “Shhhh!”
Now they say, “Shhhh!”

 

Lap rhyme #4: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (traditional 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.

   

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)

 

Letter of the day: “S” is for Superheroes  

 

 

 

Flannelboard:  Five Superheroes (counting down rhyme I found on the Jbrary blog at https://jbrary.com/preschool-storytime-superheroes/) 

5 superheroes ready to fly
Here comes the villain, Stop that guy!
This superhero can save the day.
Off they fly – up, up, and away!

Count down from 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

  

Closing song with egg shakers: “Shake With You” from Bouncy Blue from the Learning Groove by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael     

 

 

 

 

Community Helpers 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)

Letter of the day - "H" is for helpers

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 

Book – Kitten Red Yellow Blue by Peter Catalanotto

Stand-up activity – Busy Family of Workers (action chant found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Activity - "The Night I Had a Dream" action song from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner 

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)

Flannelboard – Can You Guess My Job? (guessing rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Closing - Jumping and Counting (action song from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem & More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill) 

Royal Crown Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Literacy activity - Royal Crowns (adapted by Carol Hopkins from a flannelboard idea shared on the Story Time Secrets blog)

Hand each child a crown with a letter on it.  The child will bring his or her crown to the board when the letter on his or her crown is called out.  

The queen wore her "Q" crown.

The king wore his "K" crown.

The prince wore his "P" crown.

The princess wore her "S" crown.

The dog wore her "D" crown.

And the cat wore his "C" crown.

Oh what a royal family with fancy crowns!

  

  

  

• Book #1 - The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

• Stand-up activity - The Noble Duke of York (traditional action song) 

The noble duke of York, he had 10,000 men
He marched them up the hill and then he marched them down again
When you're up, you're up
When you're down, you're down
And when you're only halfway up
Your neither up or down

• Sit down activity - Lords and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Book #2 - Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle, illustrated by Mike Gordon 

• Book #3 - Princess Baby by Karen Katz 

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Silly Dance Contest" from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill

 

• Art experience - Bingo paint dabbers and stickers on a royal crown 

Royal People Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – King Bidgood's In the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood (big book) 

• Stand-up Activity – "Duke of York" action song from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman 

• 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 - Sing a Song of Sixpence (nursery rhyme)

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
All baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird,
And snapped at her nose!

• Letter of the Day - "R" is for Royalty

• Book #2 – Princess Baby On the Go! by Karen Katz (board book, lift-flap) 

• Activity – Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Popcorn Calling Me" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

 

 

• Art Experience – Bingo paint dabbers on a royal shield