Month: March 2015

Shake, Shimmy, & Dance: 6/24

For the first time in our library’s history, we ran our own summer reading program — Make Some Noise! What better opportunity to do a bi-weekly music and movement dance party? This program was advertised for ages 0-7 and their families.

shakeshimmyanddance

The Plan

canyoumakeascaryface
Book
Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
This book is a pure crowd pleaser. I love watching the kids swat at themselves and blow furiously trying to get the bug out. It gave us a great warm-up and I love the first few pages of “get up” and “sit down” that really get a lot of laughs from both caregivers and kids!

Props
Bells!

The Playlist

Hello & How Are You? — Old Town School of Folk Music
I Really Love to Dance — Laurie Berkner
Jump Up, Turn Around — Jim Gill
Play Your Instruments — Ella Jenkins
Oh Children Ring Your Bells & Ring Them On the Floor — Kathy Reid-Naiman
Dance Around — Ralph Covert
Shake Hands With Friends — Ella Jenkins

How It Went

This was the session where I started noticing that the adults were having just as much fun as the kids. The opening song “Hello & How Are You?” is in English, French, and Spanish and I was so pleased to hear adults singing along with me. It only took five sessions, but they learned it! As previously mentioned, I am very used to being the only one in the room singing, so this was a treat for me!

(For an example of the Powerpoint and handouts that I made for each Shake, Shimmy please visit the original post.)

March 4, 2015 0 Comments Short URLMusic and Movement

Toddlers: Spring

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

toddler-spring

Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek
Here Comes the Rain by Mary Murphy
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox

Early Literacy Tip

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” is more than a fun song — it describes the natural world. It explains in simple terms what happens when it rains.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Raindrops/Umbrellas”**

Puppets: “Five Little Bunnies”**

Puppets: “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly”**
Flutter, flutter butterfly,
Floating in the spring sky
Floating by for all to see,
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter butterfly,
Floating in the spring sky
Credit: Best Kids Book Site (Website has been updated and no longer links correctly)

Action Rhyme: “Rain Is Falling Down”*
The rain is falling down (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH! (clap once loudly)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
The rain is falling down (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH! (clap once loudly)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
[Repeat until kids are worn out.]
Credit: Modified from King County Library System

Song: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” (Three ways)**
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again
(Teensy weensy spider & great big hairy spider)
Credit: Childhood; extensions learned in library school

Repeating Extension Activities

  • Open, Shut Them**
  • Two Little Blackbirds*

How It Went

I had to flop some themes around so that we’d be doing spring storytime when it actually felt like spring. (Oh, Chicago.) The kids adored singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” three ways — lots and lots of laughs. They also seemed to be mesmerized during “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly”. Tuesday’s favorite book was definitely “Butterfly, Butterfly” with it pop-up ending and Thursday really liked “Here Comes the Rain”.

March 3, 2015 1 Comment Short URLToddler Storytime

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