Wild Animals - 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: Lots of Little Owls (color literacy flannelboard adapted by Carol Hopkins from a rhyme found at https://www.northmankato.com/sites/default/files/images/Owl%20Miss%20You%20Storytime.pdf) 

(Hand out colored owls to the children.  Instruct the children to place their owl on the flannelboard when their color is said in the rhyme.  Start off with one solitary owl on the board.)

One little owl when the moon was new,
Along came some more, and they were blue.

Lots of little owls perched high in the tree,
Along came some more, and they were green.

Lots of little owls flew down for a drink,
Along came some more, and they were pink.

Lots of little owl flew around the town,
Along came some more, and they were brown.

(Count the owls on the board)
_____ little owls saying, “Whoo! Whoo!” 
Then they all flapped their wings and they flew away.

 

Book #1: Roar: A Book of Animals Sounds by Katerina Kerouli (lift-flap)   

Stand-up activity: “If I Was a Bird” action song from Wiggleworms Love You  

Sit-down activity: Slithering Sliding Snake  (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Here comes a slithering, sliding, slinking snake
Her mouth goes "Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
Here eyes go blink, blink, blink
Her tongue goes "Thrp, thrp, thrp."
First she slinks to the right
Then she slides to the left
And finally she slithers out of sight

 

***Parent literacy tip:  When you read a book to your child, running your finger under the text teaches them that you are reading words on the page.          

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) 

  

Book #2: If You’re Happy And You Know It by Jane Cabrera  

Closing music with egg shakers: “I Know a Chicken” from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner

Art activity: I drew a feather shape on watercolor paper.  The children then painted with watercolor paints and glued feathers to the paper.      

Optional other books:
Run! By Guilherme Karsten
Fangs by Katrine Crow (board book)
 

 

 

 

 

Sound - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello math,
Hello math,
Hello math,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Brainstorm a list of sounds on the white board. 

·         Show the word cards for sound.  Talk about what this word means. 

 

 

·         Read: Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Anna Chernyshova

·         Show the children a glass bowl with cling wrap on the bowl tight.  Sprinkle some table salt on top of the cling wrap.  Show how sound makes vibrations by drumming a snare drum near the bowl.

·         Show the word cards for sound waves and vibrations.  Talk about the definitions of the words.   

·         Pass out egg shakers and play the song “I Know a Chicken by Laurie Berkner from Whaddaya Think of That? cd. 

·         Talk about the sounds we made and heard during the song. 

·         Show the word card for pitch.  Talk about the definition of the word. 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Make a tiny drum (as seen at https://librerin.wordpress.com/2018/06/19/tinker-thinkers-sound-and-drums/)

The children make a small drum using a paper cup, a cut up balloon, and a rubber band.  My paper cups were white, so the children were able to decorate them with color pens.  I gave them an unsharpened pencil to use as the drumstick.        

 

Station #2 – Play with pitch in two ways

#1 – Fill glass jars with various levels of water.  Use a metal spoon to tap the jar to hear the different pitches of jars.  (as seen at https://brownbagteacher.com/sound-1st-grade-science/)

#2 – Play with pitched toy bells (preschool bells can be found most anywhere toys are sold, such as these) 

  

Station #3 – Craft stick kazoo

Use two wide craft sticks, a cut up drinking straw, and three rubber bands to make a kazoo.  (A great set of directions can be found at https://www.waukeshacountymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Popsicle-Stick-Kazoo-Directions.pdf)  

  

 

Station #4 – Seeing sound and exploring musical instruments

On the storytime rug I left the snare drum and wrapped glass bowl for the children to explore.  I also put out various toddler-friendly storytime instruments for the children to play with. 

 

 

 

Animal Sounds - 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: Night Sounds Camping Chant

 I was laying in my sleeping bag

I couldn’t go to sleep

I looked at my watch and wanted to weep

 

I rolled to my left

I rolled to my right

but all I could hear were animal noises in the night.

 

I heard a {Owl} go {Hoo, hoo, hoo}.

 

(continue with other night noise animals like cricket, frog, dog, bear, etc.)

  

 

Book #1: Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming (big book)   

Stand-up activity: Little Goose, Little Goose (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins from the tradition rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around")

Little goose, little goose waddle around. 
Little goose, little goose touch the ground.
Little goose, little goose wings go flap.
Little goose, little goose beak goes, "Honk! Honk!"
Little goose, little goose jump into the river.
Little goose, little goose give a little shiver.
Little goose, little goose find your feet.
Little goose, little goose find your seat.

 

Sit-down activity: Hickory Dickory Dock (traditional fingerplay)

Hickory dickory dock 
(clapping) 
A mouse ran up the clock 
(one hand run up the other arm) 
The clock struck 1 
(clap once) 
The mouse ran down 
(one hand run down the other arm) 
Hickory dickory dock 
(clapping) 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 2 
(clap twice) 
The mouse said "BOO!" 
(try to tickle child) 
Hickory dickory dock 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 3 
(clap three times) 
The mouse said "Wheee!" 
(one hand slide down the other arm and the down to the floor as if on a slide) 
Hickory dickory dock 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 4 
(clap 4 times) 
There is no more 
(shake head, show empty hands) 
Hickory dickory dock.

 

***Parent literacy tip:  Describing an object or an event helps us understand it.  Don’t forget to talk about noises when you describe things.  In any language! 

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 

  

Book #2: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

Closing music with jingle bells: “Fruit Salad Salsa” from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

Art activity: Cut, color, and glue on a farm animal pattern worksheet I found in a Mailbox magazine many years ago.  

Optional other books:
The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle
Animal Sounds by Christopher Silas Neal (board book)

 

 

 

Animal Sounds - 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: Night Owl by Toni Yuly

Stand-up activity: “The Night I Had a Dream” from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner

 Sit-down activity: Quiet Mouse (adapted from a fingerplay rhyme I found at Mel’s Desk blog at http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/baby-storytime-noisy-and-quiet/ ) 

Here’s a quiet little mouse that goes, “Squeak! Squeak!”
(show fist and sign language for “mouse”)

Living in a quiet house
(place fist inside other hand)

When all was quiet as could be…
Out they pop!

To tickle you under there!

 

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

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: Roly Poly (hand rolling opposites action rhyme)

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly, tap, tap, tap.
Roly poly, roly poly, fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly, slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly, I love you!

 

Lap rhyme #4: 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.

 

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: "N” is for night and noises

 

 

Flannelboard: Animal Sounds (to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”)

I’m a {_duck_}; I’m a {_duck_}.
Watch me {_walk_}; Watch me {_walk_}.
Hear me when I talk; Hear me when I talk.
{_Quack, quack, quack!_}
{_Quack, quack, quack!_}

(replace with other animals and their sounds)

 

Closing song with bells and egg shakers: “Ring Them On the Floor” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman

Optional book:
Do Monkey’s Tweet? by Melanie Walsh