Fathers Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – My Dad by Anthony Browne
• Stand-up Activity - Do It for Your Father (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

(suite actions to words)
Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.
Clap, clap, clap your hands
As loud as loud can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.
Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet
As hard as hard can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.
Jump, jump, jump your feet
As high as high can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.
Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

• 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/Math Activity - Daddy Mouse

(Make 6-8 different colored houses and put them on the board. Put a small mouse under one of these houses. Before you look under a house, say the rhyme with the children.)
Daddy Mouse, Daddy Mouse, where is your baby?
Daddy Mouse, Daddy Mouse, look for your baby in the yellow house.
(Be sure to use different house colors.)

• Sit-down Activity - Come a' Look a' See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the cd The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)
• Book #2 - Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch
• Activity – If You're Happy and You Know It (action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music)
• Closing - Goin' On a Bear Hunt (rhythm stick song from Kids In Action by Greg & Steve)
• Craft – Tissue paper scales glued onto a fish shape

Mouse Tales - Preschool Storytime

Preschool storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening – Row, Row, Row Your Boat from Songs for Wiggleworms from Old Town School
• Alphabet activity - Lower case letters in the hat
  
• Book #1 - A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
  
• Stand-up activity - The Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

• Book #2 - Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
  
• Book #3 - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond
  
• Activity – Can You Scamper Like a Mouse? (adapted from a rhyme told by Rob Reid)

(suite actions to words)
Can you scamper like a mouse?
Can you stalk like a cat looking for a mouse?
Can you growl like a tiger?
Can you hop like a frog?
Can you climb like a monkey?
Can you bark like a dog?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you fly like a bat?
Can you howl like a wolf?
Can you sit like a kid at storytime?

• Closing – Round of Applause (action rhyme adapted from one told by Rob Reid)
• Craft - Make a little mouse face with a teardrop shaped face, a heart cut in half for ears, some dot stickers, glue sticks, and color pens.
  

Fathers Storytime - Preschool

Preschool storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening – Row, Row, Row Your Boat from Songs for Wiggleworms from Old Town School
• Alphabet activity - Lower case letters in the hat
  
• Book #1 - My Father the Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle, illustrated by Randy Cecil
  
• Stand-up activity - Some Dogs (action chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)
  

(suite actions to words) Some dogs run
Some dogs bark
Some dogs jump
Some dogs growl
Some dogs roll in the grass
Some dogs yip
Some dogs sniff
Some dogs howl
And some dogs just wag their tails all day.

• Book #2 -Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
  
• Book #3 - My Dad the Magnificent by Kristy Parker, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
  
• Activity – Do It for Your Father (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

(suite actions to words)
Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As loud as loud can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet
As hard as hard can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

Jump, jump, jump your feet
As high as high can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be.
Do it now, let me see,
Do it for your father.

• Closing – Round of Applause (action rhyme adapted from one told by Rob Reid)
• Craft - Water color sheet
  

Construction Trucks Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Get to Work Trucks by Don Carter
• Stand-up Activity - Cranes Reach (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

Cranes reach up high
(reach high)
Cranes reach down low
(touch ground)
Cranes reach really, really far picking up their load.
(stretch arms out)

Cranes turn to the right
(with arms out, turn to the right)
Cranes turn to the left
(with arms out, turn to the left)
Cranes reach up really, really high dropping off their load.
(reach high)

• 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/Math Activity - All Around the Construction Site (to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" adapted by Carol Hopkins)

All around the construction site
I see lots of busy trucks
Here's one coming down the street
Hey, it's a dump truck!
(repeat with other construction trucks)

• Sit-down Activity - Wheels on the Dump Truck (fingerplay to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus" written by Carol Hopkins)

The wheels on the dump truck go round and round, round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the dump truck go round and round
Driving to the work site.
(roll hands over each other)

...The driver in the dump truck goes steer, steer, steer...
(pretend to drive)
...The box on the dump truck tips up and down...
(put arms together in front of body, have one arm move up and down at the elbow)
...The horn on the dump truck goes beep, beep, beep...
(pretend to honk horn)

• Book #2 - Truck Jam by Paul Stickland (pop-up)
• Activity – Peter Hammers (action song from Little Songs for Little Me by Nancy Stewart)

• Closing - Goin' On a Bear Hunt (rhythm stick song from Kids In Action by Greg & Steve)
• Craft – Glue sand onto a dump truck

Magic Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – The Magic Rabbit by Richard Jesse Watson
• Stand-up Activity -I Saw a Little Rabbit (action rhyme)

I saw a little rabbit go hop, hop, hop
(jump)
I saw his ears go flop, flop, flop
(flop hands on head)
I saw his eyes go blink, blink, blink
(point to eyes and blink)
I saw his nose go twink, twink, twink
(wiggle nose)
I said, "Little rabbit, won't you stay?"
(beckon with hand)
He looked at me and hopped away
(jump)

• 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/Math Activity - Five Magic Rabbits (counting backwards rhyme, I first found at the Harris County Public Library website, but have since seen on several other websites)

Five magic rabbits in a tall black hat.
Along comes a magician who gives each a pat.
She waves her magic wand high above their ears,
Abracadabra, poof!
One rabbit disappears.
(count down to zero)

• Sit-down Activity - This Is the Boat, the Magic Boat (fingerplay, I first heard this at a workshop by Jane Cobb)

This is the boat, the golden boat,
(Cup hands together palms down)
That sails on the silvery sea,
(Undulate hands like waves)
And these are the oars, the ivory oars,
(Interlace fingers with thumbs sticking out to the sides)
That lift and dip, that lift and dip.
(Lower and raise fingers)
And here are the ten little Ferrymen
(Show 10 fingers up high)
Running along, running along,
(Make fingers run)
To take the oars, the ivory oars
(Interlace fingers with thumbs sticking out to the sides)
That lift and dip, that lift and dip,
(Lower and raise fingers)
That move the boat, the golden boat,
(Move cupped hands gently back & forth)
Over the silvery sea.
(Undulate hands like waves)

• Book #2 - The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
• Activity – Suzy Had a Little Hat (action song to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" written by Carol Hopkins)

Suzy had a little hat, little hat, little hat
(hold hands together in the shape of a hat)
Suzy had a little hat, she wore right up here!
(put hat on top of head)

Suzy went jump, jump, jump,
Jump, jump, jump
Jump, jump, jump,
Suzy went jump, jump, jump,
With her hat right up here!

Suzy went running...
Suzy went spinning...
Suzy went bend her knees...
Suzy went sitting...

• Closing - Goin' On a Bear Hunt (rhythm stick song from Kids In Action by Greg & Steve)
• Craft – Decorate white felt in the shape of a hat with color pens

Magic Storytime - Preschool

Preschool storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening – Do Your Ears Hang Low? (action song from Six Little Ducks by Kimbo)
  
• Alphabet activity - Letters in the hat
  
• Book #1 - Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (this book was a tad too long, even after I shortened it)
  
• Activity - A Walking We Will Go (action song to the tune of "Farmer In the Dell")

A walking we will go
A walking we will go
Hi ho the derry oh
A walking we will go
(repeat with more action words, such as jumping, running, stomping, etc.)

• Book #2 -My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
• Book #3 -Snappy Little Fairy Tales by Beth Harwood, illustrated by Derek Matthews
  
• Activity – Fairies In the Yard (action song to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus")

The fairies in the yard are twirling around, twirling around, twirling around,
The fairies in the yard are twirling around, all around the yard.
(repeat with more action words, such as flying, jumping, running, etc.)

• Closing – Round of Applause (action rhyme adapted from one told by Rob Reid)
• Craft - Decorate a rock to be a "magic pebble" with cloth pens and Sharpies

Bears Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – My Bear and Me by Barbara Maitland, pictures by Lisa Flather
• Stand-up Activity - Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear (action chant)

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear dance on your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear jump to the sky
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your feet
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your seat

• 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/Math Activity - All Types of Bears written by Carol Hopkins (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Grizzly bears are big and brown.
Big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown.
And live in the woods.

Polar bears are soft and white.
Soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white.
And live where it is cold.

Panda bears are black and white,
Black and white, black and white
Panda bears are black and white.
And live with bamboo.

Koala bears have great big ears,
Great big ears, great big ears,
Koala bears have great big ears,
And live high in a tree.

Teddy bears are just my size.
Just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size.
To cuddle with at night.

• Sit-down Activity -Bears Eat Honey (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

A bear,
(sign language for "bear")
Eats honey.
(pretend to eat)
He thinks it's yummy in his tummy.
(rub tummy)
But the bees don't think it's funny!
(put fingers of hands to together for the bee)
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

• Book #2 - Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., pictures by Eric Carle
• Activity – Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

• Closing - Goin' On a Bear Hunt (rhythm stick song from Kids In Action by Greg & Steve)
• Craft – Decorate teddy bear stick puppet