For more information on how I plan and prepare my family storytimes, check out this introduction post. I starred the materials used in the plan. Some activities go unstarred because I only do this program once a week.
The Plan
Books
Dot the Fire Dog by Lisa Desimini*
Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin*
Firefighter Ted by Andrea Beaty and Pascal Lemaitre
Firehouse! by Mark Teague
Early Literacy Tip
Young children are able to absorb an amazing amount of information on topics of interest to them. They become experts, often knowing more than we do on some subjects. By taking advantage of their eagerness to learn, you can build their scientific knowledge.
Theme Extension Activities
Featured CD: “Ladybug Music”*
Featured Track: #10 Big Fire Truck*
Flannelboard: One Brave Firefighter*
Flannelboard: Calling All Firetrucks*
Action Song: “Hurry, Hurry Drive the Fire Truck”*
Action Rhyme: “Hurry, Hurry”
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! (ring bell)
(Turn the corner (lean over to one side, then the other), climb the ladder (pretend to climb), spray the water (pretend to spray a hose).)
Credit: Childhood
Repeating Extension Activities
I had lots of back-up activities in case I needed them for time. I starred which ones I used in this storytime:
- Ants Go Marching
- Five Little Monkeys Swinging From a Tree
- Green Says Go
- Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes
- If You’re Happy and You Know It
- Pat-a-Cake
- Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
- Two Little Blackbirds
- Way Up High in the Apple Tree
How It Went
This was my first Family Storytime since springtime! So many of my families have new siblings or friends and it was great to see new faces. I also had a fair amount of new families which was also wonderful. This was such an engaging storytime. I highly recommend that you add “Fire Engine No. 9” to your storytime shelves. A great book with vivid images and chances to make all the amazing fire sounds had my kids mesmerized.
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