Toddlers: Zoo

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

Animal Opposites by Petr Horacek**
My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall*
Peek-a-Zoo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti**
Polar Bear, Polar Bear by Bill Martin Jr.*

Early Literacy Tip

When you read a book to your child, running your finger under the text lets them know you are reading words.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Color Zoo”**

Flannelboard: “Dear Zoo”***

Prop Song: “Where Are Animals?”**
Where is [animal]? Where is [animals]?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you.
Run away. Run away.
Credit: Modified from childhood

Action Rhyme: “Monkey See, Monkey Do”*
Monkey see, monkey do
Little monkey at the zoo
Monkey, monkey in the tree
Can you ________ like me?
(jump around, swing your arms, scratch an itch, eat a banana, screech)
Credit: Perry Public Library

Song: “You Can Hear”**
(Tune: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR! ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR! ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring, you can hear the lions roaring
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo! ROAR! ROAR!
(Elephants trumpeting, zebra braying, monkey eeking)
Credit: Perpetual Preschool

Repeating Extension Activities

• Dance Your Fingers**
• Open, Shut Them*
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat*
• Wake Up Toes**

How It Went

Tuesday morning
“Monkey See” was the most popular rhyme/activity this day! I kept it going for quite a while. “Peek-a-Zoo” was the most successful book with lots of good animal noise participation. And “Dear Zoo” was a great game to play. We did a lot of rhymes this session — a few of the kids were very restless.

Tuesday afternoon
Today was a day for a lot of singing. We had a new registration and the new toddler really shook up our rhythm. But “Where Is Animal?” was a great song and the kids were waiting on the edges of the rug to find out what animal would be next. They enjoyed the song cube so much that I rolled it twice.

Thursday morning
Both books were hits in this storytime — they loved both the flaps and fold-outs. “Color Zoo” was definitely their favorite activity though and it gave my heart such joy since that book is the first book I remember being read to me in the library. This session went by really fast and I couldn’t believe it was over already.