Windy Weather Dance - 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: When Windy Hats Blow (found in storytime collection at PCLS)

When I hear the wind blow,
I look up into the sky.
Instead of things like birds or planes,
I watch the hats fly.

Each one different from the last,
Every color do I see.
Some are big and some are small,
As they fly by me. 

Here comes a _blue_ hat flying by,
Now a _yellow_ hat is in the sky.
Next a _red_ hat on its way,
Then a _brown_ hat flies away.

_Green_ and _black_, _orange_ and _white_,
Even _purple_,… what a sight!
I like it when it rains or snows,
But most of all, I like it when the windy hats blow. 

 

  

 

Book #1: Wind Is a Dance by Debra Kempf Shumaker, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon 

Theme activity #1: Little Winds (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins, good to use with scarves or streamers)

Little winds blow high in the treetops.
Little winds blow low on the ground.
They start off as tiny breezes...
(puff, puff, puff)
Then they grow and grow and grow!

Round and round they go,
Swaying every tree branch,
Sweeping across the grass,
Then, just like that, the wind stops!

 

Theme activity #2: Itsy Bitsy Spider (traditional action rhyme) 

The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain;
And the itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

The great big hairy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain;
And the great big hairy spider climbed up the spout again. 

 

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: Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when we read to them.  This builds vocabulary!  

Book #2: Ploof by Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser 

Book #3: Rain by Manya Stojic 

Closing music with bean bags: “Popcorn Calling Me” from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

  

 

Art activity:  Glue paper clouds and paper umbrellas onto blue paper, then use sticks to paint raindrops 

Optional other books:
What a Wonderful World: Based on the Song by Thiele & George David Weiss as sung by Loui Armstrong, illustrated by Tim Hopgood
The Big Storm: A Very Soggy Counting Book by Nancy Tafuri 

 

 

 

 

Summer Ice Cream - 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.

 

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: Ice Cream Colors (color rhyme flannelboard found at Step By Step blog at https://www.stepbystepcc.com/foods/icecream.html)

We have ice cream, the best in town,
Let us begin with chocolate brown.

Now, let us scoop us some bubble-gum pink,
It is sweet and yummy, the best, some think.

Here is ice cream minty and green,
It is the creamiest I have ever seen.

Yellow ice cream is lemony and tart,
We like its taste from the very start.

Scoops of blueberry would make my day,
Look at all this ice cream, hip, hip hurray!

Red ice cream is a strawberry delight,
All these scoops are a heavenly sight.

Vanilla white is a popular flavor,
It tastes very good to an ice-cream craver.

Purple ice cream really gives me a kick,
Good and yummy till the very last lick.

Ice cream, ice cream, what a cool sensation,
We love ice cream in any combination!

 

  

 

Book #1: 20 Big Trucks In the Middle Of the Street by Mark Lee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus 

Theme activity #1: Put Your Ice Cream Up High (adaptation of a rhyme I found on the Librionyian blog to the tune of “Famer In the Dell”)  

(Pretend to hold an ice cream cone.  Suite actions to words.)

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Hold your ice cream, go round and round
Round! And round! And round!

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Put your ice cream on the ground
Eeeewww! Don’t do that!

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Lick your ice cream ‘til it’s all gone
It’s yummy in my tummy!

  

Theme activity #2: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” from Wee Sing Children’s Songs & Fingerplays 

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: Downpour Splish! Splash! Ker-splash! by Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata 

Book #3: Summer Is Here by Reneé Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson 

Closing music with rhythm sticks: “Goin’ On a Bear Hunt” from Kids In Action by Greg & Steve       

  

 

Art activity:  Bingo dabber pens and rubber stamps on a cardstock sun visor

Optional other books:
Leo at the Park by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ruth Hearson 
Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore by Susan Wood, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva 

 

 

 

 

Here Comes the Weather - 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: When Windy Hats Blow (found in storytime collection at PCLS)

When I hear the wind blow,
I look up into the sky.
Instead of things like birds or planes,
I watch the hats fly.

Each one different from the last,
Every color do I see.
Some are big and some are small,
As they fly by me. 

Here comes a _blue_ hat flying by,
Now a _yellow_ hat is in the sky.
Next a _red_ hat on its way,
Then a _brown_ hat flies away.

_Green_ and _black_, _orange_ and _white_,
Even _purple_,… what a sight!
I like it when it rains or snows,
But most of all, I like it when the windy hats blow. 

  

  

Book #1: What Will the Weather Be Like Today? by Paul Rogers, illustrated by Kazuko

Stand-up activity: Itsy Bitsy Spider (traditional fingerplay)

Activity: “The Goldfish” action song from Laurie Berkner

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:  Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when we read to them This builds vocabulary!                        

Book #2: Here Comes the Rain by Mary Murphy  

Book #3: What Can You Do in the Wind? by Anna Grossnickle Hines, illustrated by Thea Kliros (board book)     

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

  

Art activity: Glue precut sun and clouds on paper then use Q-tips to paint raindrops around them    

Optional other books:
The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates and Juniper Bates
Singing In the Rain based on the song by Arthur freed and Nacio Herb Brown, illustrated by Tim Hopgood

 

 

 

 

Weather Fun - 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: Weather by Ruth A. Musgrave (National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Board Book series)

Stand-up activity: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” traditional fingerplay

Sit-down activity: Rain Is Falling Down (fingerplay I found at https://kcls.org/content/rain-is-falling-down/)

Rain is falling down, splash!
Rain is falling down, splash!
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.
Rain is falling down, splash!

Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!
Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!
Peeking here, peeking there,
Sun is peeking out, peek-a-boo!

 

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: Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when we read to them.  This builds vocabulary.          

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: "U” is for umbrella

 

 

Flannelboard: What a Windy Day (rhyme to the tune of "The Wheels On the Bus" that I found in Mailbox Preschool magazine, April/May 2008, page 33)

The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
Blowing in the wind, blowing in the wind.
The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
What a windy day!

Other verses:
The leaves on the trees…
The clouds in the sky…
The flag on the lawn…
The hair on my head…

 

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

Optional book:
What Can You Do in the Wind? By Anna Grossnickle Hines, illustrated by Thea Kliros (board book)

 

 

 

 

Windy Day Kites - 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: Kite Flying by Grace Lin

***Literacy tip: Language used in storybooks is different from what we use when we are speaking, so children hear different words when being read to, which builds vocabulary.    

Stand-up activity: My Kite (action song to the tune of “The Farmer In the Dell” adapted from a song found at https://preschooleducation.com/songs/kite-songs-for-preschool/)

My kite is up so high,
My kite is up so high,
Oh my – – just watch it fly
My kite is up so high.

My kite is falling down,
My kite is falling down,
Oh no – – it’s down so low
My kite is falling down.

The wind has caught my kite,
The wind has caught my kite,
What fun – – I’m on the run
The wind has caught my kite.

My kite is up so high,
My kite is up so high,
Oh my – – just watch it fly
My kite is up so high.

 

Sit-down activity: “Eensy Weensy Spider” traditional fingerplay found on Toddler Tunes by Cedarmont Kids

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.

   

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) 

 

Letter of the day: "K” is for kite

 

 

Flannelboard: What a Windy Day (rhyme to the tune of "The Wheels On the Bus" that I found in Mailbox Preschool magazine, April/May 2008, page 33)

The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
Blowing in the wind, blowing in the wind.
The kites in the air are blowing in the wind,
What a windy day!

Other verses:
The leaves on the trees…
The clouds in the sky…
The flag on the lawn…
The hair on my head…

      

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