Lunar New Year

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 – Ten Mice for Tet by Pegi Deito Shea and Cynthia Weill, illustrated by Tō Ngọe Trang, embroidery by Phạm Viết Ðinh
• Stand-up Activity - Raw, Raw, New Year (action song written by Carol Hopkins to the tune of "Baa Baa Black Sheep")

Raw, raw new year let's go celebrate
Parties and dancing and parades go by
Fireworks and firecrackers boom in the air
Lanterns and candles light up the sky
Raw, raw new year let's go celebrate
Parties and dancing and parades go by

• 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 Green Dragons (counting backwards rhyme I found at http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/chinnesenewyear/songs.htm)
• Sit-down Activity - Ten Fingers (fingerplay I have seen in numerous places)

I have ten little fingers,
And they all belong to me.
I can make them dance,
Would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight,
Or open them wide.
I can put them together,
Or make them all hide.
I can make them jump high.
I can make them jump low.
I can fold them quietly,
And hold them just so.

• Book #2 - Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story by Jonny Zucker, illustrated by Jan Barger Cohen
• Activity – A Marching We Will Go (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell")

A marching we will go
A marching we will go
Hi ho the derry oh
A Marching will will go

A jumping...
A spinning...
A running...
A sitting...

• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate a paper Chinese lantern

Chickens - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - Look Up, Look Down (sign language song from Pick Me Up!: Fun Songs for Learning Songs)
• Book #1 - Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
• Book #2 - Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Jeff Mack (alternative longer book: Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein)
  
• Stand up activity - Mack Chicken Dance (action song from Big Fun by Greg & Steve)
• Flannelboard - Old Macdonald Had a Farm
  
• Book #3 - I Bought a Baby Chicken by Kelly Milner Halls, illustrated by Karen Stormer Brooks
• Book #4 - Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley
  
• Activity - This Is the Way the Chicken Moves (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

This is the way the chicken walks
Bob the head, chin in front
Bob the head, chin in front
This is the way the chicken stretches
Flap, flap, flap your wings
Flap, flap, flap your wings
This is the way the chicken dances
Move your tail feathers to the left
Move your tail feathers to the right
This is the way the chicken sits
Fold your legs on the nest like so
Fold your legs on the nest like so

• Closing - I Know a Chicken (egg shaker song from Whaddaya Think of That by Laurie Berkner)
  
• Family Small Motor Activity - Create chicken coops out of straw connectors

Thanksgiving 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 – Biscuit Is Thankful by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, pictures by Pat Schories (board book)
• Stand-up Activity - If You're Happy and You Know It (traditional action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music)

• 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 - Turkey Cheese Fondue (counting rhyme by Carol Hopkins)

1, 2, make some fondue
3, 4, make some more
5, 6, together they mix
7, 8, where's the plate?
9, 10, let's make it again
10 turkeys eating cheese fondue

• Sit-down Activity - 10 Fat Turkeys (not sure where I picked up this fingerplay)

Ten fat turkeys standing in a row.
They spread their wings and tails just so.
They look to the left,
They look to the right,
When they strut their stuff, they're quite a sight!
But you won't see them on Thanksgiving Day,
'Cause one by one they'll run away.

• Book #2 - Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon (board book)
• Activity – I'm a Little Turkey (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" found in The Mailbox Preschool magazine, Oct./Nov. 1999, page 37)
• Closing - Eggshakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner
• Craft – Glue feathers onto a turkey shape

Night Time - Family Storytime

This is for an all ages, whole family storytime:

• Opening - If You're Happy and You Know It (action song from Children's Favorite Songs Vol. 3 by Walt Disney Records)
• Book #1 - Dark Night by Dorothée de Monfreid
• Book #2 - Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont, picture by Jennifer Plecas (Alternative book: There's Something In My Attic by Mercer Mayer)
  
• Stand up activity - The Owl (action rhyme found in many sources)

There's a wide eyed owl
(thumbs and forefingers around eyes)
With a pointed nose,
(forefinger makes a V at end of nose)
Two pointed ears,
(forefingers extended up from head for ears)
And claws for toes.
(fingers and arms bent in front of chest)
When he sits up high in the tree,
(point up to top of tree)
And he looks at you,
(point at a child in the group)
He flaps his wings,
(fold arms into arm pits and flap)
And he says, "Whoo, Whoo."

• Flannelboard - Five Little Bats on a Dark Night (counting down rhyme I found on the website Estherstorytimes)
• Book #3 - The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood (Alternative book: Hush!: A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, pictures by Holly Meade
  
• Activity - Ten Little Kittens Good Night (fingerplay, not sure where I picked up this one)
  
• Closing - Shake My Sillies Out (action song from More Singable Songs by Raffi)
  
• Family Small Motor Activity - Create a paper plate shooting star: (1) Spiral cut a paper plate. (2) Cut out a star. (3) Invite children to glue the star to the paper plate and decorate with color pens.
  

Apple 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 – Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
• Stand-up Activity - Great Big Apple Tree (action song to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?" written by Carol Hopkins)

Great big apple tree
Great big apple tree
Standing tall
Standing tall
Moving your branches
When the wind blows
Then the apples fall
Down to the ground

• 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 - Four Little Apples (counting down rhyme found in Ready to Go Storytimes: Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music, & More by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis)
• Sit-down Activity - Four Red Apples (action song to the tune of "This Old Man" written by Carol Hopkins

Four red apples on the tree
Two for you and two for me
So-o shake that tree and watch them fall
1, 2, 3, 4, that is all.

• Book #2 - Apples, Apples by Salina Yoon (lift-flap board book)
• Activity – I'm a Little Teapot (traditional action song from This Little Piggy: Lap Songs, Finger Plays, Clapping Games, and Pantomine Rhymes edited by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, musical arrangement by Adam Stemple)
• Closing - Eggshakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner
• Craft – Print out a tree for each child. Use red dot stickers to add apples to the tree.

Firetruck 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 – Fire Fighter Piggywiggy by Christyan and Diane Fox
• Stand-up Activity - I'm a Little Firefighter (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" written by Carol Hopkins)

I'm a little firefighter off I go
Here is my helmet
Here is my truck
When my clothes catch on fire I know what to do
I stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out

• 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 Firefighters (counting down song to the tune of "Five Little Ducks" found in Mailbox Preschool magazine Oct/Nov 2007, page 40)
• Sit-down Activity - Drive the Firetruck (action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music)
• Book #2 - Maisy's Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins (board book)
• Activity – Wheels on the Fire Truck (action song to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus" found in Mailbox Preschool magazine Oct/Nov 2006, page 34)
• Closing - Eggshakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner
• Craft – Color a paper fire fighter hat

Halloween 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 – Snappy Little Halloween by Dugald Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews (pop-up)
• Stand-up Activity - Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern turn around.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern roll on the ground.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern dance on your toes.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern light up your nose.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern reach up high.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern jump to the sky.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern smile with heat.
Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern 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 - Three Little Pumpkins (my notes do not say where I found this rhyme)
• Sit-down Activity - I Know a Little Pumpkin (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

I know a little pumpkin who sat on a wall
(large circle in front of body)
I know this pumpkin had a great fall
(touch ground)
He rolled out the garden
(roll hands)
He rolled down the street
He rolled to a stop in front of a gate
(one hand palm out for stop)
Along came kid with a design update
(tap head)
Later that night as the kids trick or treated
By the door sat the pumpkin with a smile that greeted
(point to smile)

• Book #2 - Maisy's Halloween by Lucy Cousins (board book)
• Activity – Pumpkins Over There (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Pumpkins small
(make small pumpkin with hands)
Pumpkins tall
(hands up high)
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere
(spin around)
Pumpkins fat
(hands make fat pumpkin)
And pumpkins thin
(hands together almost touching)
Pumpkins, pumpkins over there!
(point across the room)

• Closing - Eggshakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner
• Craft – Triangle jack-o-lantern: Give each child an orange pumpkin shape and some small yellow triangles. Invite the children to make a jack-o-lantern face by gluing on the triangles.