Horse Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall
• Stand-up Activity – "Wild Running Horses" from Sing It! Say It! Stamp It! Sway It! volume 3 by Peter and Ellen Allard

• 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 

• Book #2 – Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee
• Activity – Ponies In a Meadow (fingerplay, I have had this one for a long time, not sure where it came from)

Ten little ponies in a meadow green

Friskiest ponies I've ever seen

They go for a gallop, they go for a trot

They come to a halt in the big feed lot

Ten little ponies fat and well fed

Curl up together in a soft straw bed

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Color pens on a horse shoe coloring sheet

Little Engineers: Ready to Read

An introduction to technology and engineering skills for young learners (ages 3-6 years old).  Using simple robots and engineering manipulatives to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts.
WHY?  The following activities encourage fine-motor strength and coordination in a STEM environment.  Children practice hand-eye coordination when they reach for, touch,and hold objects purposefully.  They use fingers and whole-arm movements to manipulate and explore objects.  All of this prepares them for reading and working in a school classroom.

After a short story, caregivers and their children were invited to visit each station with a check list

(simplified below).  When done visiting each station, the children received a special treat (we gave out pencils left over from Halloween trick or treating).  This checklist was particularly helpful in spreading everyone out throughout the room and to all of the stations.  The mini robot station could only handle 2 families at a time.  We didn't want everyone crowding this fun station when there were plenty of other activities to do.  The checklist spelled out all the different activities to do while waiting their turn for the robots.

Scissor Station: Apply scissor technology to cut patterns in paper which strengthens small muscles in hands.  

Design a Robot Station: Use craft foam shapes and glue to design a personal robot.  Name and describe the shapes used. Utilize these simple shapes to form larger shapes or images.

Mini Robot Station: Develop scientific investigation skills by constructing a small robot using cubes that perform various tasks.  (Cubelets that came in an engineering kit from Hatch Early Learning.)

Connect the Pieces Station: Explore and investigate ways to make something happen by working with the Zoob Jr. manipulatives to build robot-like figures using diverse parts and joints.  (The Zoob Jr. pieces were also part of the Hatch kit.)

Build Station:  Support fine-motor skills by demonstrating engineering and building techniques with varied opportunities and materials.
- Straw Connectors
- Lego Duplos
- Wood blocks

Overall, this program was easy to create.  My library did spend some money on the Hatch kit, but this program could be recreated without the kit.  The building station and the mini-robot station were equally popular.  The Cubelets were fun to explore, but we only bought 2 sets because of the cost.  We are now trying to figure out how to use these robots in a program for older kids.

Reptiles - Family Storytime at the Mall

This was for an all ages family storytime at the local mall.

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It (classic action song)
• Book #1 - The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
• Book #2 - Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
• Flannelboard - Five Little Monkeys Swinging From a Tree (classic counting backwards tale)

At this point, all the children left (there were only two families at this storytime).  Not sure why, but both mom's were saying, "It's time for us to go!"  I did have more with me but I guess it was not meant to be.

Animal Sounds Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
• Stand-up Activity – Two Moths (an action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

I see two moths flying toward the light

They fly around in circles

Sometimes they fly fast

Sometimes they fly slow

But never do they touch that light as they fly out of sight

• 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 

• Book #2 – Good-night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins
• Activity – "Little Squirrel" action song from Movin' & Groovin' Home 2 by Kindermusik

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Water color painting sheets

My Dad Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, 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")

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 

• Book #2 – Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch
• 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)

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Chalk coloring on a construction paper fish

Food Fun - Family Storytime at the Mall

This was for an all ages storytime I did at the local mall.

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It (classic action song)
• Book #1 - Mrs. Gigglebelly Is Coming for Tea by Donna Guthrie, illustrated by Katy Keck Arnsteen
• Activity - I'm a Little Teapot (classic action song)
• Book #2 - The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall
• Book #3 - Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert
• Activity - Alligator Pie (fingerplay)
• Storyboard book - Ice Cream Colors by John Fosberg
• Book #4 - Maisy Bakes a Cake by Lucy Cousins (pop-up)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Baking Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – My Pop Pop and Me by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson
• Stand-up Activity – "I'm a Little Teapot" action song from This Little Piggy: Lap Songs, Finger Plays, Clapping Games and Pantomime Rhymes edited by Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, et al.

• 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 

• Book #2 – Maisy Bakes a Cake by Lucy Cousins (Pop-up)
• Activity – A Delicious Cake (fingerplay I found in the book I'm a Little Teapot by Jane Cobb)

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Put stickers onto a tissue paper chef's hat.