Hocus Pocus Fall Leaves - 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: Color Leaves Falling (color name flannelboard to the tune of "Are You Sleeping")

{_Red_} leaves falling
{_Red_} leaves falling
In the wind
In the wind
Bring it up right now
Bring it up right now
To the board
To the board

(Repeat with other leaf colors)

  

Book #1: Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! by Anne Sibley O’Brien, illustrated by Susan Gal

Stand-up activity: “Little Squirrel” action song from Movin’ & Groovin’ Home 2 by Kindermusik

Sit-down activity: Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down (scarf song to the tune of "London Bridges" that I found at the Yogi Librarian blog)

Autumn leaves are falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
Autumn leaves are falling down,
On this sunny day!

The wind will blow them round and round,
Round and round, round and round,
The wind will blow them round and round,
On this sunny day!

Take the rake and rake them up,
Rake them up, rake them up,
Take the rake and rake them up,
On this sunny day!

Now let's jump into the pile,
Into the pile, into the pile,
Now let's jump into the pile,
On this sunny day!

 

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 

  

***Parent literacy tip:  It takes 5 to 12 seconds for children to respond.  We need to be patient after asking a question.                   

Book #2: Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Book #3: Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall,  illustrated by Shari Halpern  

Closing music with scarves: “Flitter Flutter” from The Second Line by Johnette Downing  

Art activity: Glue craft foam and paper leaves to a construction paper headband, plus coloring with metallic pens  

Optional other books:
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert (big book)
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber, illustrated by Leslie Evans

 

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table: Autumn Trees

 

 

For this passive program, I wanted to use up a huge supply of Halloween and Autumn Leaves craft foam shapes that I found in a closet.  The intention of this craft table was for children to walk up and help themselves to the intended craft using the supplies provided.  

Supplies:

-         Wood tree decoration I found online

-         Craft foam shapes

-         Colorful Sharpie pens

-         Silk leaves

-         White glue

 

This was a low staff event with some fun results. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storytime at Summer Camp, Week 5

My weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.  It is a short storytime with a simple art project, but sometimes when it is hot outside that is about all the children need.  

 

 

 

Books:

You’re Going to Love This Book by Jory John, illustrated by Olivier Tallec
Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter

 

 

Craft activity:

Jingle sticks!  Color a craft stick.  String three jingle bells onto a pipe cleaner.  Wrap the pipe cleaner around the craft stick.  So easy!  Plus, it forces the kiddos to use those tiny finger muscles. 

 

 

 

Maisy the Mouse - 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: Maisy’s Surprise Birthday Party by Lucy Cousins

Themed activity #1: "I'm a Little Teapot" action song from This Little Piggy: Lap Songs, Finger Plays, Clapping Games, and Pantomime Rhymes by Adam Stemple, Jane Yolen, et al. 

Themed activity #2: Hickory Dickory Dock (traditional fingerplay)

Hickory dickory dock 
(clapping) 
A mouse ran up the clock 
(one hand run up the other arm) 
The clock struck 1 
(clap once) 
The mouse ran down 
(one hand run down the other arm) 
Hickory dickory dock 
(clapping) 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 2 
(clap twice) 
The mouse said "BOO!" 
(try to tickle child) 
Hickory dickory dock 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 3 
(clap three times) 
The mouse said "Wheee!" 
(one hand slide down the other arm and the down to the floor as if on a slide) 
Hickory dickory dock 

Hickory dickory dock 
A mouse ran up the clock 
The clock struck 4 
(clap 4 times) 
There is no more 
(shake head, show empty hands) 
Hickory dickory dock.

 

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: Gregory Griggs (lap bounce rhyme I first saw as a Jbrary video at https://youtu.be/ntrcaKL_esA?si=twwqYr0wAanW2hrJ)

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs,
Had 27 different wigs. 
He wore them up. (lift baby up)
He wore them down. (bring baby back down)
To please the people of the town.
He wore them east. (tip baby to one side)
He wore them west. (tip baby to the other side)
But which one did he love the best?
This one! (hug or tickle baby)

 

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: 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.

 

Letter of the day: "C” is for cake

 

 

Flannelboard: Daddy Mouse House (rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

(On the flannelboard put out 5-8 houses of different colors.  Make sure the little baby mouse is under one house. Say the rhyme with the children and peek under the house color the children request until you find the baby mouse.)

Daddy mouse, daddy mouse where is your baby?
Daddy mouse, daddy mouse look for your baby under the _________ house.

 

Closing song with scarves: “The Ponies Are Walking” from Baby’s Boat: The Best of Kathy Reid Naiman   

 

 

 

 

Storytime at Summer Day Camp, Week 4

  My weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.  It is a short storytime with a simple art project, but sometimes when it is hot outside that is about all the children need.  

 

 

 

Books:

Don’t Feed the Coos by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox
What’s Next Door? by Nicola O’Byrne

 

 

Craft activity:

I used clip art to make a bird silhouette that the campers colored and cut out with scissors.  (I love to inflict scissor cutting on these kiddos!)  After folding the bird in half, they taped it to one end of a straw.  Now they had a flapping, flying bird. 

 

 

 

 

 

Passive Craft Table: Basket Weaving

 

For this passive program, I wanted to set up a craft table on a no school day.  I also had some leftover basket weaving craft kits from a previous program (from Baker Ross) that I wanted to use up.  Since I did not think I had enough kits, I did some internet searching and found a template for mini paper basket templates (https://butfirstwecraft.com/2021/01/14/mini-basket-weaving/) that can be done with yarn.  I had plenty of yarn!          

Supplies:

-         Paper weaving craft kits

-         Printed mini basket weaving templates on cardstock

-         Scissors

-         Scotch tape

-         Yarn

-         Tablecloth

  

 

 

Storytime at Summer Day Camp, Week 3

 My weekly storytime at a local summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.  It is a short storytime with a simple art project, but sometimes when it is hot outside that is about all the children need.  

 

 
 

Books:

Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey

Ursula Upside Down by Corey R. Tabor

 

 

Craft activity:

Folding fish surprise!  There are a ton of videos on YouTube on how to make this fun folding fish.  But my inspiration came from the Easy Peasy and Fun blog at https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/surprise-big-mouth-fish-printable/.  I added a little touch of fun to this project by giving the campers a craft foam insect to glue inside the fish’s mouth.