The Plan
Books
I Am Small by Emma Dodd
In the Snow by Sharon Phillips Denslow
No Two Alike by Keith Baker
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Red Sled by Lita Judge
Extension Activities
Action Rhyme: “Marco the Polar Bear”
Marco the Polar Bear, (make circle in front of body with arms)
White as the snow, (extend out arms proudly)
Sat down on the ice (sit down)
Near the cold water’s flow (shiver)
“Lunch! I need lunch,” he said (rub stomach)
“I’ll make a wish.” (rub hands together)
He stuck in his paw (put right hand down)
And came up with a fish! (hold up right hand and smile)
Credit: KidsSoup
Rhyme & Puppets: “There’s Something In the Snow”
There’s something in the snow, now what can it be?
There’s something in the snow that I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound…HOWL HOWL HOWL
A wolf is what I found! HOWL HOWL HOWL
(CAW CAW CAW, A cardinal is what I found! / GRR GRR GRR, A bear is what I found! / WADDLE WADDLE WADDLE, A penguin is what I found!)
Credit: Modified from “There’s Something In My Garden” originally found at SurLaLune Storytime
Song & Puppet: “Sleepy Bear” (Tune: Thumbkin)
Where is bear? Where is bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
(Have kids shout “WAKE UP BEAR” to do the song again.)
Credit: Preschool Education Music & Songs : Animals > Winter
Craft
This came from KidsSoup, which does have a membership requirement to view.
How It Went
We had a great time with this theme — the kids loved the extension activities and variety of puppets that I used! Their favorite book of the day was “Red Sled” and they had the best time talking about what was happening on the page. My storytime moms loved “I Am Small,” which came as no surprise to me — the ending is definitely geared for the mom “awww.” Our craft was a big success; we had a lot of creative hibernation caves!
storytime katie 
I love your craft!! What exactly is the format for your storytimes? Do you do 30min and then a craft or a craft in the middle? We currently do stations with lots of play activities and toys and I’m not the biggest fan of them. I think it takes away from the actual storytime, especially since very often I find that staff spend about 10min in storytime and the rest with the stations. Do your kids sit still for your books and rhymes? (Or as still as kids can be?)
We do a thirty minute storytime; fifteen minute craft/playtime/parent talking time. As for the order of stuff, I typically do: welcome song, opening song, two books, flannel, activity (fingerplay, song, or action rhyme), book, activity. Then I see how things go. I always prep five books, four-five extension activity, and lately one-two flannels.
I only plan on doing three books, but most often I do use all five. (I don’t know…my kids are bizarrely good at sitting? My parents are great at keeping them on task? I’m that good of a storytime librarian? Probably some combo of all three. But I do honestly think that my kids are remarkably well-behaved.)
We always do all the activities on the rug and after our goodbye song, we put our cushions away and do the craft. After that, parents hang out, the kids run around, I put out soft toys, life is good. Parents leave when they have to — I have some who leave before the craft, some who leave after, some who stick around for an hour or so after. (I do move the party to our Youth Services room by 11:00 (we start at 10:05) and help with book selection and puzzle playing and ELS computers, etc.)
Okay, that was hugely long. Did that actually answer your questions?
(Also, ONE WEEK!!!)
Yes! That helped. I think my group is pretty well behaved too and I don’t have a lot of “parent training” I have to do because new parents come in and follow the lead of the regular group.
And I can’t wait to see you!!:)