Space!

The Plan

Items used in storytime are starred; items with multiple stars indicate use in multiple storytimes.

Books

Higher, Higher by Leslie Patricelli**
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers*
I Want to Be a Astronaut by Byron Barton**
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle***
Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson**

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Four Little Stars”

Flannelboard: “Eight Planets”

Puppets: “Two Little Astronauts”

Action Rhyme: “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship,
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!
Credit: Jbrary

Action Song: “Mister Sun”
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you to please come out so we can play with you
Oh, mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me
Credit: Childhood

Song: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Credit: Childhood

How It Went

Site Information
At this location, I do combined classrooms. For this second and third visit of the summer, I saw the toddler classrooms combined (two classes), preschool classrooms combined (two classes) and the pre-k classrooms combined (two classes).

Topic
This particular facility selects themes for me to do ahead of time to tie into their curriculum.

In the best and most wonderful timing possible, I did this storytime on July 14th — the day that New Horizons returned with images of Pluto! I printed off a picture of my favorite planet to bring with me to show the kids. (Yep, I always empathized with short little Pluto!) They were incredibly aghast to realize how long we have waited for pictures: NINE YEARS?!

I specifically chose “Higher, Higher” and “I Want to be an Astronaut” for the toddler crowd. They had a great time with these titles. They also really enjoyed jumping up for “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”. I swear — “Zoom Zoom Zoom” is to toddlers like honey is to bees. The preschool crowd really enjoyed “Touch the Brightest Star” and the “Two Little Astronauts” rhyme. I always try to include a version of that rhyme for them. And pre-k classes LOVED talking about the planets in “Eight Planets”. (For the record, I do have a Pluto for that set and pulled it out for the kids to look at. But I put it on the edge of the flannelboard and made sure to be clear that it’s a dwarf planet.) I read “Papa Please Get the Moon for Me” for all classes and it was awesome. My reading of “Touch the Brightest Star” in the pre-k classes made the school’s video newsletter! A patron passed it on to me!