Monday, April 15, 2013

Farms and Gardens Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)


Theme: Farms and Gardens! 


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



(Same song used in all of my storytimes. Repetition is good for young children!) 

Book #1 - Farmer McFee by Pam Miller



We have the Big Book version of this story at the library where I am doing my internship at. I really love this story because it shows that women can be farmers too and they can get dirty in overalls just like men. I like a story that doesn't follow stereotypical gender roles. The book reads "Could it be... Farmer Mcfee? and the picture shows the back of someone. You can't tell whether the person is male or female from behind and then when you see the face, it's a woman and the story reads "No! That's Grandma Mcfee!"  then it goes through other people in the family and eventually it gets to Farmer Mcfee. 

Action Rhyme: African Planting Chant

Down to the earth and up to the sky. 
(repeat three times, bending to touch ground and stretching high)

Our shovels are sharp. 
(repeat three times, pretending to dig with a shovel)

We sow our seeds, we sow our seeds, we sow our seeds. 
(reach into left hand with right, and scatter seeds)

Down to the earth and up to the sky, 
down to the earth and up to the sky, 
down to the earth and up to the sky



Book # 2 
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

This is the perfect book to read during the springtime! I really love the colorful illustrations of all the plants and it's also perfect for teaching children about colors and gardening. 


The Farmer Plants the Seeds (Sung to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)


The farmer plants the seeds. 
(put seeds in the ground)
The farmer plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The farmer plants the seeds.

The sun comes out to shine. 
(make big circle with arms)
The sun comes out to shine.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The sun comes out to shine.

The rain begins to fall. 
(hands flutter to the ground) 
The rain begins to fall.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The rain begins to fall.
The seeds begin to grow.
(children begin to rise)

The seeds begin to grow.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The seeds begin to grow.

The farmer digs them up.
 (pretend to use a shovel)
The farmer digs them up.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The farmer digs them up.

Now we'll have some to eat.
(pretend to eat)
Now we'll have some to eat.
Hi ho the derry oh,Now we'll have some to eat.



Book #3 Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown








This is an excellent book for young children because of the way the book reads like a song with repetition! 



Song: Goofy Old Macdonald by Carole Peterson


This is a goofy version of the regular Old Mcdonald that everyone knows. With this song, Carole Peterson makes the wrong animal noises and all the kids shout out "No! That's not right!!" and then the children sing the correct animal sound. I played this for the children at storytime and kids were laughing and singing. It was a nice filler song because it let children get out some giggles in between a few books.  



Book: 5 Little Ducks by Penny Ives


This is a great book for any duck or farm storytime and it helps children practice their counting

Song with shakers: Ducks like Rain

This song is one of my favorites! I get it stuck in my head often and in the song, Carole Peterson sings out "Quack, quack quack quack!" over and over again and the kids really enjoy singing it out. 


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.