The Plan
Books
At My House by Priddy Books
Do Lions Live on Lily Pads? by Melanie Walsh
The House In the Night by Susan Marie Swanson
Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson
A New House for Mouse by Petr Horacek
Extension Activities
Flannelboard: “A House for Birdie”
Flannelboard Game: “Maisy Mouse”
Fingerplay: “Here is a House”
Here is a house built up high (hands over head to make a roof)
With two big chimneys reaching for the sky (raise arms up high)
Here is a window (draw a square)
Here is a door (pretend to open a door)
If we look inside (peek through fingers)
There’s a mouse on the floor! (scamper fingers away)
Credit: Perry Public Library
Fingerplay: “Houses”
Here is a nest for robin (cup both hands)
Here is a hive for bee (fists together)
Here is a hole for bunny (make a circle)
And here is a house for ME! (make a roof)
Credit: Perry Public Library
Craft
I found this AMAZING craft idea on Pinterest, but it’s originally from Snippety Gibbet. My volunteers filled the houses with some paper towels so that the preschoolers could push on them without squishing the whole paper bag. I had pre-cut circles and squares for them to make into windows or doors or whatever they wanted.
How It Went
This was a pretty fun theme to do — I really loved the extension activities that I found and so did the kids. As for books, they have a great time guessing in the lift-the-flap book, “At My House.” They also were very vocal when I read “Do Lions Live on Lilypads?” — they love telling me when the book is wrong! And the craft was very well received by kids and parents. They had a lot of creativity opportunities, drawing what was in their yards. Some drew flowers, some added in pathways or driveways, some drew cars. It was an excellent craft; absolutely recommended!
storytime katie 
I want to do a story time like this just for the craft alone!
This is by far one of my most favorite crafts ever.
Genius!! Pulled this together in about 20 minutes for my preschool storytime this morning. We just did the house without the lawn, but the kids loved it.