Toddlers: Shapes

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

Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert*
Not a Box! by Antoinette Portis**
Press Here by Henri Tullet
Shape by Shape by Suze MacDonald***

Early Literacy Tip

Identify the shapes you see and talk about them. Shapes are the precursors to letters!

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Shape Game”***

Flannelboard: “The Shape Story”***

Props: “Green Says Go”***

Action Rhyme: “Big, Bigger, Biggest”*
A little ball, a bigger ball,
And a great big ball I see
Now help me count them,
One, two, three!
Credit: Debmonn PB Wiki

Action Song/Fingerplay: “Where Is…?”**
(Tune: Where Is Thumbkin?)
Where is triangle? Where is triangle?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you.
Run away. Run away.
(Circle, rectangle, square, diamond)
Credit: KidsSoup

Repeating Extension Activities

• The Elevator Song***
• Open, Shut Them*
• Put Your Hands Up High*
• Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear*
• This Is Big***

How It Went

Tuesday morning
I got SO MUCH accomplished this storytime and I probably could have done a third book for most of the crowd, but I didn’t feel like pushing it. “Shape by Shape” was the best book. Both flannels were well-received and “Green Says Go” was a great chance for movement!

Tuesday afternoon
One of my little girls absolutely stole the show for participation. She stood in the middle of the rug and did all of the motions. It was adorable! “Where Is Circle?” was a great opportunity to repeat the Thumbkin tune especially because “Where Is Animal?” worked so well for this group in zoo storytime. And bubbles finally got through to some of our shier kids — it was great to see them on the carpet, jumping around.

Thursday morning
“Green Says Go” was the best thing I could have ever given these kids this morning. We played for nearly five minutes with everyone participating! Kids are now squealing if I say “Let’s do The Elevator Song” which gives me so much happiness. “Shape by Shape” was again a great hit.