Toddlers: Apples

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington*
Pepo and Lolo and the Red Apple by Ana Martin Larranga***
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
Ten Red Apples by Virginia Miller**

Early Literacy Tip

Library programs can be considered a child’s first class. Encouraging personal interactions with the group leader help children develop a positive attitude toward learning.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Apple BINGO**

Flannelboard: Five Red Apples***

Action Song: “The Leaves Are Falling Down”*
Song: “The Leaves are Falling Down” (Tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The leaves are falling down
The leaves are falling down
Red, yellow, green, and brown
The leaves are falling down
Credit: Preschool Education – Songs: Fall

Fingerplay: “Way Up High In the Apple Tree”***
Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arms up high)
Two red apples smiled at me (hold up two fingers)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (make a shaking motion)
Down came the apples… (make a downward motion)
And mmm, they were good! (smile and rub stomach)
Credit: Childhood

Repeating Extension Activities

• Open, Shut Them*
• Put Your Hands Up High**
• This Is Big***

How It Went

(This fall session I learned to take much better notes, so I’ll break it up by session.)

Tuesday morning
This was the class where we realized that we needed bouncers at the storytime door. We do registration-based storytimes and we had five non-registered kids sneak in to the storytime room. Since we don’t know everyone on sight on the first day, our room was uncomfortably packed. This was my second session and I was so excited to see so many familiar faces. Their favorite activity was Apple BINGO.

Tuesday afternoon
My afternoon session is much more intimate since I only have eleven registered patrons instead of the usual twenty. I really enjoyed getting to have more one-on-one time with each child and adult. This week, they loved “Pepo and Lolo” the most out of all of the activities.

Thursday morning
The puppets were a huge success in “Five Red Apples” — the kids loved when the puppets “ate” the apples. My adults were great during “Ten Red Apples” as we counted along, with lots of voices chiming in. After a summer of no toddler times, the kids were SO HAPPY to see bubbles again. They was such great bubble popping enthusiasm!