Wild Animal Tails - 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: Tails by Matthew Van Fleet (pop-up, moving pieces)

Stand-up activity:  “Jumping and Counting” action song from Jim Gills Irrational Anthem by Jim Gill

 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

 

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 

 

***Literacy tip: Imitating animal noises helps children hear the small sounds in words which is good for when they are starting to sound out words to read. 

Letter of the day: "T” is for tails and tick-tock

 

 

Flannelboard: Counting at the Zoo (flannelboard rhyme I found in a flannelboard animal set)

One: The zoo is fun.
Two: There’s a kangaroo.
Three: See a chimpanzee.
Four: Hear the lion roar.
Five: The seal can dive.
Six: The bear does tricks.
Seven is for elephants not eleven.
Eight: A tiger and its mate.
Nine: Penguins in a line.
Ten: Let’s count them all again!

 

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:
Spectacular Spots by Susan Stockdale

 

 

 

Fruit is Food - 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: Lunch by Denise Fleming

Stand-up activity:  “If You’re Happy And You Know It” traditional action song from Songs for Wiggleworms

 Sit-down activity: Alligator Pie  (an action rhyme I found many years ago that I have seen on many websites)

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie, 
(Open and close arms like the jaws of an alligator)

If I don't get some, I think I'm gonna cry.
(Rub eyes like you are crying)

You can take away the grass,
(Point to the ground)

You can take away the sky,
(Point to the sky above)

But don't take away my alligator pie!
(Open and close arms like an alligator)  

 

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: 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) 

 

***Literacy tip: When you give your child positive reinforcement by clapping or telling them that they did a good job, you are encouraging them to act both independently and cooperatively.   

Letter of the day: "F” is for fruit

 

 

Flannelboard: Many Colored Fruit (flannelboard chant written by Carol Hopkins to go with a flannelboard set I found)

I have an orange fruit, an orange fruit, an orange fruit.
I have an orange fruit, and it’s an ORANGE.

I have a green fruit, a green fruit, a green fruit.
I have a green fruit, and it’s a PEAR.

I have some purple fruit, purple fruit, purple fruit.
I have some purple fruit, and it’s a bunch of GRAPES.   

I have a red fruit, a red fruit, a red fruit.
I have a red fruit, and it’s an APPLE.

I have some yellow fruit, some yellow fruit, some yellow fruit.
I have some yellow fruit, and it’s a BANANA and a LEMON.

I have some pink fruit, pink fruit, pink fruit.
I have some pink fruit, and it’s a slice of WATERMELON. 

 

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:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast: A Counting Book by Eric Carle, Penguin Random House (board book)

 

 

 

Fruit Basket - 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.

 

 

Color literacy activity flannelboard: Basket of toy fruit
(I found bag full of plastic toy fruit.  I handed out the toys to the children.  Then the children placed their toy in the basket after I called out its color.) 

***Parent literacy tip:  When you give your child positive reinforcement by clapping or telling them they did a good job, you are encouraging them to act both independently and cooperatively.    

 

  

Book #1: The Little Mouse, the Red RipeStrawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

Stand-up activity: “I’m a Little Teapot” from This Little Piggy by Adam Stemple, et al.   

Sit-down activity: Pat-a-Cake (traditional clapping nursery rhyme) 

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it 
And roll it 
And mark it with a "B"
Put it in the oven for baby and me. 

 

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: Who Eats Orange? by Dianne White, illustrated by Robin Page

Book #3: How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague   

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

   

Art activity: Watercolor paint pineapple shape.  Trace handprint on green paper.  Cut out this green handprint and glue it to the top of the pineapple shape to be the leafy top. 

Optional books:
Counting to Bananas: A Mostly Rhyming Fruit Book by Carrie Tillotson, illustrated by Estrela Lourenco
Jamberry by Bruce Degen  

 

 

Nocturnal Animals - 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, science, fun, and time)

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

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

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Show the word cards for nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular.  Talk about what these words mean. 

·         Hand out a picture of an animal to each child.  Invite them to place the picture on the whiteboard under the category (nocturnal or diurnal) they think it belongs under. 

 

 

·         Read: After the Moonrise by Rich Lo

·         Animals who survive well at night have special adaptations (word card) that help them.  List some adaptations: Vision, ears for better hearing (echolocation), smell (raccoons), bioluminescence (glow). 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Listen like a bat (as seen at https://academy.animaljam.com/posts/discover-echolocation or https://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2014/10/preschool-lab-bats.html ) 

The children follow the directions to work with a partner.  One partner wears a blindfold while the other partner rattles a maraca around the room.  The first partner points to the rattle sound when they hear it.     

Station #2 – Opossum paper craft (adapted from what I saw at https://inthebagkidscrafts.com/possum-craft-for-kids/ )

Children cut out, color, and assemble a paper opossum.  They can even tape a pipe cleaner to its behind to then wrap around a craft stick or chopstick.  The paper opossum looks cute hanging from its “branch”.      

 

Station #3 – Hoot Owl Hoot board game

Invite the children to play this color recognition board game (similar to Candyland).