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
Bear Counts by Karma Wilson*
Bears in the Bath by Shirley Parenteau
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na*
Early Literacy Tip
Imagination plays a critical role in problem solving and learning. You can nurture your child’s imagination by playing games like “Sleepy Bear”.
Theme Extension Activities
Featured CD: “The Apple Tree and the Honey Bee”*
Featured Track: #1 Dancing Bear*
Flannelboard: All Kinds of Bears*
Flannelboard: Polar Bear!*
Fingerplay & Puppets: “Two Little Bears”*
Two little bears sat on a hill, (hold up two fingers)
One named Jack and one named Jill. (wiggle each finger)
Run away, Jack; run away, Jill, (put fingers behind your back)
Come back, Jack; come back, Jill. (bring fingers back)
Credit: Childhood
Song & Puppet: “Sleepy Bear” (Tune: “Thumbkin”)*
Where is bear? Where is bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
(Have kids shout “WAKE UP BEAR” to do the song again.)
Credit: Preschool Education Music & Songs : Animals > Winter
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
Future Flannel Friday coming to show the flannelboards I made for this program!
This was a very rambunctious storytime. I had kids moving around every which way and really not wanting to sit still. I was so happy I had a bunch of puppets and flannelboards to catch their attention. Their favorite book was Welcome Home, Bear. I think the newer Bear books by Karma Wilson might work better as one-on-one reads. And “Dancing Bear” off Bari Koral Family Rock Band’s new album was an awesome song to dance to!
storytime katie 
Thanks so much for sharing this! I’m new to children’s services and I’ve been using your site on a daily basis for the last couple months. I’ve been doing “Sleepy Bear” in my outreach storytimes at local daycares, and the kids have absolutely LOVED yelling “Wake up bear!” at my puppet. Your site is such a great resource! 🙂
Thank you! There’s something about getting to wake Bear up that makes them get so excited!