Giving Thanks Little Learners Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3- to 5-year-olds:

Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

 

Color literacy activity – Turkey Feathers

Hand out one turkey feather to each child.  The children bring up their turkey feathers to place on the board when their color is called.  

            

  

Book #1 – Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories 

Stand-up activity – “If You’re Happy and You Know It” action song from Wee Sing Children’s Songs and Fingerplays

Sit down activity – Ten Fat Turkeys (not sure where I picked up this fingerplay)

(Count fingers)
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 – Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman 

Book #3 – Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland, illustrated by Sonja Lamut

Closing – “Jump Up, Turn Around” action song from Moving Rhymes for Modern Times by Jim Gill 

 

 

 

Silly Thanksgiving Toddler Storytime

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 #1 – Thanksgiving Cats by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm

Stand-up activity – “I’m a Little Teapot” action song from This LittlePiggy by Adam Stemple, et al

Transition #1 - 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 – Turkeys Eating Cheese Fondue (a counting rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Letter of the day - "C” is for cheese

Transition #2 – 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 – Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

 

Halloween Costumes Toddler Storytime

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 #1 – Julius’s Candy Corn by Kevin Henkes (board book)

Stand-up activity – The Pumpkins Are Here (action rhyme to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell" adapted from one I found in a Mailbox Magazine)

The pumpkins are here; the pumpkins are there.

The pumpkins, the pumpkins are everywhere.

The pumpkins are up; the pumpkins are down.

The pumpkins, the pumpkins are all around.

The pumpkins are right; the pumpkins are left.

The pumpkins, the pumpkins are jumping up.

The pumpkins roll, they roll up high, they roll down low.

The pumpkins, the pumpkins all say, "Hello!"

 

Transition #1 - 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 – Three Little Pumpkins (Not sure where I picked up this rhyme a long time ago.  I love using it.)

Three little pumpkins, sitting very still
In a pumpkin patch on a great big hill
The first one said, "I'm very green,"
(show green side)
"But I'll be orange on Halloween."
(show orange side)
The second one said, "Oh me, oh my,"
(show orange pumpkin side)
"Today I'll be a pumpkin pie."
(show pumpkin pie side)
The third one said, "I'm on my way,"
(show pumpkin side)
To be a Jack-O-Lantern today."
(show face side)

Letter of the day - "H” is for Halloween

Transition #2 – 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 – Here Comes Halloween! by Caroline Jayne Church (board book)

Closing – “Popcorn Calling Me” from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Bug Dance Fun - Family Storytime

A Saturday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs forWiggleworms 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: Clap for a Butterfly (shape recognition rhyme adapted from a flannelboard rhyme I found on the Pasadena Library website)

(Hand out a butterfly shape to each child.  Each butterfly should have a shape on it.)

Caterpillars, caterpillars spinning cocoons.
(Roll hands)
Hoping spring would be here soon.
With a little bit of magic
(wiggle fingers in the air)
And some warm sunshine
(arms overhead for a round sun)
Clap, clap, clap for a {circle} butterfly to appear!
(Children with circle butterflies bring their butterflies to the board)

(Repeat with other shapes)

… Clap, clap, clap for a {triangle} butterfly to appear…

… Clap, clap, clap for a {square} butterfly to appear…

… Clap, clap, clap for an {oval} butterfly to appear…

 

 

Book #1: Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski

Stand-up activity: "Baby Bumblebee" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids 

Sit-down activity: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” traditional fingerplay

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

 

***Parent literacy tip: Learning the names of bugs and other animals is a great way to expose children to words they would not normally hear in daily conversations with adults.  It builds vocabulary!     

Book #2: Pop-up Bugs: Creepy CrawlersFace to Face by Sally Hewitt, illustrated by Chris Gilvan-Cartwright

Closing music with bean bags: “Bean Bag Rock” from Bean Bag Activities & Coordination Skills by Georgiana Stewart

  

Art activity: Watercolor paint a butterfly outline.

 

 

 

Measuring Our World - A Story and STEAM Event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts to preschoolers ages 3-6 years old.  

Intro song #1:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, and time)

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

 

Intro song #2: If You Are Ready for Stories... (my adaptation of a Rob Reid storytime rhyme)

If you are ready for stories...
...Count to three.
...Stretch your wings.
...Touch your toes.
...Touch your nose.
...Bark like a dog.
...Snore like a log.
...Sit like a kid at storytime.

 

 

Book: 

Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni

 

STEAM questions and concepts:

How did the inch worm measure all of the birds? 

How can we measure different things? 

A measurement is a system we use that tells us the height, weight, capacity, or even the amount of certain objects. 

 

Demonstration:

Show pictures of dinosaurs and try to name them.  Talk about how large a tyrannosaurus rex footprint might be.  Show the approximate size of this footprint.  Talk about measuring how many feet would fit inside this footprint (area of the footprint).  Allow children to take off their shoes to measure how many children’s feet large this footprint is. 

 

Stations: 

Station #1- Measuring to make playdough. 

The children used measuring cups to mix cornstarch and hair conditioner together to make playdough. 

Station #2 – Measuring time.

I set out various timers for the children to play with.  There was also the preschool version of the Perfection game to challenge the children. 

Station #3 – Measuring dinosaurs.

The children used Unifix cubes to measure the length and height of various toy dinosaurs.

 

Station #4 – Comparing weight.

The used a balance scale to compare the weights of a variety of small toys.

 

Station #5 – Measuring your height on the wall. 

I put up a large piece of butcher paper on a wall.  I also attached a measuring tape to this paper.  I invited the children to measure how tall they are and mark it on the paper with a pen. 

 

Station #6 – Height measurement keepsake.

This one was more for the grown-ups!  I instructed the parents to cut a length of ribbon the same length as their child.  Then, place this ribbon in a clear plastic Christmas bulb ornament.  I also had out a paper that the grown-ups could write their child’s name, age, and date. 

 

Station #7 – Make a rainbow by measuring paper strips.

I found this idea at the Liberin blog https://librerin.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/easy-paper-rainbow/.

  

Reflection: 

Way too many stations!!!  But there were so many good ideas.

The rainbow strip station turned out to be the most challenging.  The children needed lots of parent guidance for this station.  When parents had more than one child, the parents just did the measuring for the children while the children explored other stations.  If the parent had only one child, I saw some wonderful interactions as they worked together to measure the paper strips.  Probably not a station I would do again in this setting. 

The playdough was super messy.  I was vacuuming it up for a very long time.  Also, be sure to have a sink nearby.  Good thinking on my part to also grab a step stool for the children to get up to the sink.  I was surprised at how many children did not want to use their hands to mix the conditioner and cornstarch.