Friday, January 19, 2024

Wheels Go Vroom - 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: Dinosaurs In Cars (color song I adapted from a song I found at https://nancymusic.com/Dinocarsplay.htm)

There were lots of dinosaurs ridin' in cars
(pretend to be driving)

Havin' a "whelly" good time
They said "Step on the gas"

(step forward with one foot)

We'll go really fast!

(push one hand out in front of body)

And they did until the
{_red_} cars got a flat tire
Ca-chunk, ca-chunk, ca-chunk, ca-chunk

(roll hands unevenly as if rolling a flat tire)

Woosh!

(sink down to crouch position while making air sound)

And they said "Go on without me!"

(cup hands around mouth and shout upward)

REPEAT WITH OTHER COLORS UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE TO BRING UP.  THEN COUNT THE NUMBER OF DINOSAURS. 

All the dinosaurs were looking at their flat tires asking “What should we do?”
And one dinosaur said,
"I know what we'll do, we’ll change the tires."
So they jacked up the tires
(pretend to work a jack while making whoosh sound)
And they took off the flat
(pretend to lift off heavy tire as you say “UH!”)
And they put on the spare
(pretend to put on spare as you say, “UH!”)

Now, once again,
There were lots of dinosaurs driving in cars,
Havin' a "wheely" good time
The said "Step on the gas, We'll go really fast"
And they did and down the road they went flyin'
So long!

 

***Parent literacy tip:  Talk about putting toys in ordinal number order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) to expand your child’s vocabulary and knowledge about numbers. 

  

  


Book #1: Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman

Stand-up activity: “Wheels on the Bus” movement song from Little Songs for Little Me by Nancy Stewart

Sit-down activity: Twinkle, Twinkle Traffic Light (action fingerplay song to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Twinkle, twinkle traffic light

Round the corner shining bright

Red means stop,

Green means go,

And yellow means go very slow.

Twinkle, twinkle traffic light

Round the corner shining bright.

 

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: Supertruck by Stephen Savage

Book #3: Truck Jam by Paul Stickland (pop-up)  

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

   



Art activity: Painting with toy car wheels   

Optional books:
What Do Wheels Do All Day? by April Jones Prince
The Seals On the Bus by Lenny Hort, illustrated by G. Brian Karas 

 

 

 

Monday, January 15, 2024

Wishy Washy - 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: Mrs. Wishy-Washy by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (big book)

Stand-up activity: Bubbles (action chant written by Carol Hopkins to use with bubble machine)

I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
I like to pop, I like to pop, I like to pop, pop bubbles.
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles.

(Repeat with different action words such as jump, spin, stomp, sit, etc.)

 

Sit-down activity: Did You Ever Blow a Bubble? (action song to the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie?” that I adapted from a song I found at https://stepbystepcc.com/bubbles.html)  

Did you ever blow a bubble, a bubble, a bubble?
(Make a circle with hands)
Did you ever blow a bubble so shiny and round?

Go this way, and that way,
(Move hands left and right)
Go this way, and that way,
Did you ever blow a bubble so shiny and round?

Did you ever blow a bubble, a bubble, a bubble?
(Make a circle with hands)
Did you ever blow a bubble so sparkling and light?

Go u-up, and down,
(Move hands up and down)
Go u-up, and down,
Did you ever blow a bubble so sparkling and light?

 

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: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (lap bounce action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Frog be nimble, frog be quick,
Frog jump over the great big stick.
(lift baby/arms up)

Frog be nimble, frog be slick,
Frog swim under the great big stick.
(make swimming motions with arms)

Frog be nimble, frog go click,
Frog almost falls off the great big stick.
(pretend to fall off lap)

Frog be nimble frog be fine,
Frog gets a kiss at storytime.
(blow kisses)

 

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: 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: "M” is for mud

 

 

Flannelboard: Five Clean and Dirty Pigs (counting down rhyme I found at the Miss Mary Liberry blog)

Instructions: Start with five pigs, clean-side-up (mine were reversible).  Turn the pigs over one by one to their dirty side as they jump into the mud.   

5 pigs so squeaky clean,

cleanest pigs you’ve ever seen,

Wanted to go outside and play [shout: IN THE MUD!]

1 jumped into the mud,

landed with a great big THUD! [clap or slap leg]

now there are 4 pigs squeaky clean [oink oink]

3 pigs so squeaky clean…etc.

 

(Finish by counting how many dirty pigs we now have)

 

***Literacy tip: Counting objects is a good way to learn one-to-one correspondence.  You can count anything: Fingers, toys, food, so many things!    

Closing song with Scarves: “Around and Around” from Welcome from Miss Carole by Carole Peterson

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Miss Carol's Favorite Graphic Novel Finds of 2023

  Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  

CHAPTER BOOKS:


  

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married toHer Worst Enemy! series story by Touko Amekawa, art by Hinoki Kino, character design by Wan Hachipisu 

BL Metamorphosis series by Kaori Tsurutani (5 volumes) 

The Fiancée Chosen by the Ring series art by Jyun Hayase, original story by Yue Matsuyuki, character design by Yasuyuki Torikai

 

  

 

My Happy Marriage series story by Akumi Agitogi, art by Rito Kohsaka, character design by Tsukiho Tsukioka

The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices series  story by Mamecyoro, art by Kazusa Yoneda, character design by Mitsuya Fuji

Skip and Loafer series by Misaki Takamatsu



Also of interest:

Miss Carol's Picture Book Finds of 2023

Miss Carol’s Chapter Book and Non-fiction Book Finds of 2023


 

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Miss Carol's Favorite Book Finds of 2023

  Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  

CHAPTER BOOKS:


 

 


The Marvellers (The Conjureverse, Book 1) by Dhonielle Clayton 

Nimbus by Jan Eldredge

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee

Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five, Book 1) by Lisa McMann


NON-FICTIONS BOOKS:


 

How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures In It by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Amanda Hall  

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Storiesand Photographs by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal


Also of interest:

Miss Carol's Picture Book Finds of 2023

Miss Carol's Graphic Novel Book Finds of 2023

 

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Miss Carol's Favorite Picture Book Finds of 2023

  Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  

PICTURE BOOKS:


  


Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum 

Don’t Blink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by David Roberts

Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo 

 

  


Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima 

Ice Cream Face by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

I Hear You, Ocean by Kalie George, illustrated by Carmen Mok 

 

 

 

Let’s Add Up by Victoria Allenby, illustrated by Maggie Zeng (board book) 

A Mermaid Girl by Sana Rafi, illustrated by Olivia Aserr 

 

 

 

Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman

A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk Into a Book by Jonathan Fenske

 

Also of interest:

Miss Carol’s Chapter Book and Non-fiction Book Finds of 2023

Miss Carol's Graphic Novel Book Finds of 2023