Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Letters "S" and "U" -- Preschool Storytime for 4 & 5 year olds

Letters: S & U -- Preschool Storytime for 4 and 5 year olds

Display: Near the window I displayed sloth and unicorn stuffed animals with a yellow street sign that says "Sloth Crossing" 





The picture above shows two of my sloth stuffed animals and the "sloth crossing" sign that I own. 


Welcome Song (with actions)

Let's clap our hands for_____(child's name.)
Let's clap our hands for_____(next child in the circle.)
Let's clap our hands for_____(next child in the circle) 
You're welcome here today!

Song finishes when everyone has been welcomed. Other actions
may be: stamping feet,tapping knees,nodding head e.t.c. 


Book #1 - Slowly Slowly Slowly Says the Sloth by Eric Carle


Activity: Sammy the Star-Eating Sloth!

I introduced my puppet Sammy just as I previously mentioned in my last post.  Basically I told the children I asked the zoo to send me a pet and they sent me Sammy in a post office box. I opened the box in front of the children and they looked amazed by what they saw. I pulled the sloth out of the box and put him on my arm and said that he really liked stars. 


Then I had yellow stars laminated with images on the back of them that begin with the letter "s". I called the children one by one up to the front and they all had to give a clue away to the group of what the image was. If they didn't know what it was, I helped them out. 

Example: Star with an image of spagetti. I said "this is a noodle dish with tomato sauce! It rhymes with Magetti!" My supervisor says it is perfectly fine to make up a nonsense word to rhyme with it to give them a clue. I then had the children "feed" Sammy the stars by putting it in his mouth. They laughed so hard when I had the sloth make pretend eating sounds. "Om nom nom! Yummy!" I made the sloth say.  The kids laughed at this and thought it was very amusing. I discarded the stars into the box that the sloth came from with the puppet's mouth. 

Book #2 - I Wished for a Unicorn by Robert Heldbreder


Activity: Up the Stool or Under the Umbrella

After reading the unicorn story I brought Sammy the Sloth out again. I told the children to get into a circle and watch me. I'm going to have Sammy pick one child at a time (by tapping the kids on the head softly) and then the children will choose to go either under an umbrella (a Scooby Doo Umbrella to emphasize the letter "s") or up on a stool (stool also begins with the letter "s"! Would you look at that?!)

The children all closed their eyes and once I picked a child, that child would then go up on the stool or under the umbrella. The kids would then open their eyes and be surprised to see what the child chose to do. Then the kids and I (and Sammy the sloth!) would all sing 

"Under the umbrella, umbrella, umbrella

Then if the kids chose to be up on the stool we would sing:

"Up on the Stool, up up up! Up on the stool, up on it today!" 

Goodbye Song:Time to Say Goodbye
(tune: “Up on the House Top”)

Now is the time to say, “Goodbye”.
My how fast the time did fly.
Our day is done, so we must say,
“Goodbye, goodbye for today”.

Ho, Ho, Ho – Time to go.
He, He, He – Wave like me.
Now it is time to say, “Goodbye”.

Grab your things and off you fly! 

What I then did was I passed out out smiley-face or star stickers to re-emphasize the letter "s" but I wish I had been able to pass out unicorn stickers to remind them of both letters. 


Take Home Craft
I need to upload a picture of these letters to show an exaple but my supervisor has big letters that children color and decorate that coincide with an animal or object that begins with that letter. For this week the S was made to look like a sea-horse with seaweed surrounding it. 

Then as a take-home sensory activity the children are to use cotton balls to form the letter "s".  The cotton balls are supposed to resemble snowballs. Since it's February, this activity makes perfect sense! 


For the take-home craft for the letter "U" the children color an upside down umbrella with the letter U on it. The children are given instructions to splatter water down on blue paint for it to look like rain!

The take-home sensory activity for the letter "U" the children will simply write underneath something. For example, the children could write under the covers, under a table, under a chair, etc.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Jungle Themed Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)

Theme: Safari and Jungle Animals

Introduction Song of your choice.

 I use "Open Shut Them" at the beginning of every storytime for the 0-3 age group. My supervisor says children like the repetition of it. 

Book #1: 
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme by Marianne Collins 


Action Rhyme: Monkey, Monkey

Monkey, monkey turn around 
Monkey, monkey touch the ground 
Monkey, monkey dance on your toes 
Monkey, monkey touch your nose 
Monkey, monkey gives a little clap 
Monkey, monkey takes a nap.

Source: Vermont Libraries

Book # 2: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Song: Carole Peterson -  B-Banana/Monkey See, Monkey Do off of the CD Stinky Cake
"B-banana, B-B-banana, B-banana, B-B-banana
Peel banana, peel peel banana, peel banana, peel peel banana
Eat banana, eat eat banana, eat banana, eat eat
And go bananas, go go bananas!!  Go banana, go go bananas!"


Action Rhyme: I’m a Giraffe
I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up)
A big tall giraffe, I almost reach the sky (stand on tiptoes)
I eat the leaves from the tallest tress (pretend to eat)
And when I run, I move with ease (pretend to run)
I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up)
Way…up…high! (reach on tiptoes)

Credit: Perry Public Library


Book #3: If You're Happy and You Know It (Jungle Edition) by James Warhola
Action Rhyme Song: The Animals in the Jungle Say 
(sung to tune of “The Wheels on the Bus” --  also, doing the motions with the song sung will reinforce the words especially if the song is posted on the flannel board).

The parrots in the jungle say squawk, squawk, squawk, and repeat 6X  
The parrots in the jungle say squawk, squawk, squawk all day long.
Continue with Monkeys…eee,eee,eee 
Lions.. roar, roar, roar 
Tigers..grrr, grrr, grrr 
Snakes…sss,sss,ssss 


Book #4 Slowly Slowly Slowly Said the Sloth

Short Puppet Show/Dance with Shakers: Sammy the Storytime Sloth


This is an old picture of me but it shows me and my favorite sloth puppet, Sammy. Well technically I named him Douglas a long time ago but his alter ego is Sammy the Storytime Sloth. :) 

I'm going to tell the children I asked the zoo to send me a pet and they sent me Sammy in a box. I'll open the box in front of the children and they will all be amazed with what they see. He will be a sloth, just like from the book previously read!

I will then pass out shakers and have the children dance to music. I'll dance in front of everyone with my sloth. I have not yet decided what song it will be, but it will be some sort of action song.

I also decided to bring the sloth out at the end just so it would not distract children too much from the stories read. Sometimes children get so excited about things I bring that they will come up to the front of my table and grab things off. 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Valentines Day Themed Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)


Theme: Valentines Day
Introduction Song: Open Shut Them
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap

Creepy crawly, creepy crawly,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in, in in


Little Heart
I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)

And it goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest three times)

It keeps right on beating,

When I jump, jump, jump (jump three times)

I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)

It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug yourself)



Book #1 Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

Lovebird Fingerpuppets
Two lit­tle love­birds sit­ting on a hill
One named Jack, one named Jill
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill
Come back Jack, come back Jill.
*kiss* muah!

Two little lovebirds sitting on a cloud
One named Soft, one named Loud
Fly away Soft
Fly away Loud
Come back Soft, come back Loud 
*kiss* muah!



I personally sewed these. They could have looked a little more bird-like but I think they turned out well :) The rhyme was short but with the hand motions, it made the children pay attention and was a nice transition to the next book.

Idea taken from the blog, Sunflower Storytime 


Book #2 All the Things I love About You by LeUyen Pham




5 Kisses Flannel Board Poem

For this one, I laminated pictures of family member's faces (Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, a dog, and a cat just for good measure) and I laminated 5 images of lips. It will work best with the family pictures that are just faces, rather than the ones with full bodies since the kisses will have to be big enough to be seen from the back of  the room. Each time I "kiss" someone, I'll add the laminated image of lips to the person and I will make a kiss sound! One thing I wish I did differently is have more of a multicultural family.




I have five kisses that I want to give away.
Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?
I’ll kiss Mommy!
*kiss* muah!

I have four kisses that I want to give away.
Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?
I’ll kiss Daddy!
*kiss* muah!

I have 3 kisses that I want to give away.
Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?
I’ll kiss Grandma!
*kiss* muah!

I have 2 kisses that I want to give away.
Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?
I’ll kiss Grandpa!
*kiss* muah!

I have 1 kiss that I want to give away.
Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?
I’ll kiss my doggy!
*kiss* muah!

Song: Skidamarink a Dinka Dink

Skidamarink a dinka dink. (Put right elbow in  left hand and wiggle  fingers)
Skidamarink a doo. (Put left elbow in right hand and wiggle fingers)
I love you. (Point to eyes, hug yourself, and point to others)

Skidamarink a dinka dink. (Repeat actions)
Skidamarink a doo.
I love you.

I love you in the morning. (Make a big circle over head  like the sun)
And in the afternoon. (Hold arms in circle out in front of you)
I love you in the evening. (Move arms in circle down)
And underneath the moon. (Release arms and make another big circle over head)

Skidamarink a dinka dink.
Skidamarink a doo.
I love you.

I chose the next book and poem because I really did not want to leave out Daddies! They are just as important as Mommies!



Daddy Loves Me
(To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Daddy loves me
Yes he does.
Yes he does.
Yes he does.
Daddy loves me
Yes he does.
He loves me every day.
He gives me hugs and kisses,
kisses, kisses.
He gives me hugs and kisses.
To tell me he loves me.
I love my daddy,
daddy, daddy.
I love my daddy and he loves me too.

 Book #3  I Love My Dad by Anna Walker



Song: It's a Very Simple Song


Songs to use with Shakers:







Closing Song  (to tune of the Mulberry Bush)
This is the way our hands say goodbye
With a clap clap-clap
Clap, clap-clap.

This is the way our hands say goodbye
With a clap, clap-clap ,clap-clap.
This is the way our knees say goodbye
With a tap tap-tap.
Tap tap-tap.

This is the way our knees say goodbye
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap.
This is the way we wave goodbye
Wave goodbye, wave goodbye
This is the way we wave goodbye
Goodbye until next time.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Let's Dance! Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)


Theme: Let's Dance! 

*Note: I will add personal descriptions of the books once Storytime is over to provide details on how the children responded to the stories. 

Introduction Song: Open Shut Them
Open, shut them,
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap

Creepy crawly, creepy crawly,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in, in in



Book #1 - Dance with Me by Charles R. Smith Jr.



Dancing Fingers



We’re going to dance our fingers up 
And dance our fingers down
We’ll dance them to the side
Let’s dance them all around
And we’ll dance them on our shoulders
And we’ll dance them on our head
Let’s dance them on our tummy
And we’ll put them all to bed!


It’s Time for Music by William Janiak





It’s time for music and lots of fun 
So, let’s stand up and now we run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run. NOW STOP!

It’s time to slow down so we’ll walk
So let’s start moving but don’t talk
Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk walk
Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. NOW STOP!


So now we’re tired and now we’ll stop
By sitting down and being quiet
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh
Shh, shh, shh, shh. NOW STOP!



Book #2 - Dance! by Ward Schumaker


Let's Get Fit by Billy Reid

I seriously love this song so much! It makes me want to work out and break a sweat. I also think the parents will appreciate that this song is a little more upbeat and interesting than your typical kids songs.

Book #3 - Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown





Clap Your Hands! (To the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat)
Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap your hands together

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers, wiggle your fingers like spiders
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers like spiders

Shake, shake, shake your shoulders, shake your shoulders now
Shake, shake shake, shake, shake, shake, shake your shoulders now

Move, move, move your hips, move your hips around
Move, move, move, move, move your hips together

Bend, bend, bend your knees, bend your knees right now
Bend, bend, bend, bend, bend your knees right now

Slide, slide, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown
Slide your feet, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown

Dance, dance, dance around, dance around together 
Dance around, dance around, dance around together

Michigan and Smiley - The Reggae Rock

I plan to play this song after I pass out the shakers to everyone! I want to give the children a unique and fun song to dance to that is unlike anything they had heard. We have a very diverse group at Storytime so I figured it would be more than appropriate to start featuring music from around the world when possible. 

Closing Song: Saying Good-bye 
(to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say goodbye
With a clap clap-clap
Clap, clap-clap.

This is the way our hands say goodbye
With a clap, clap-clap ,clap-clap.
This is the way our knees say goodbye
With a tap tap-tap.
Tap tap-tap.

This is the way our knees say goodbye
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap.
This is the way we wave goodbye
Wave goodbye, wave goodbye
This is the way we wave goodbye
Until you’re here next time