Toddlers: Hide & Seek

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

Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na
Peek-a-Zoo by Marie Cimarusti Torres**
Where’s Lenny? by Ken Wilson-Max**
Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill**

Early Literacy Tip
By developing an awareness of the designs and shapes that bodies can make as well as where the bodies are in space, children also gain an awareness of others and the world around them.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Wiggleworms Love You***

Featured Track: #29 Peek-a-Boo (twice with scarves)***

Flannelboard: “Dear Zoo”***

Flannelboard: “The Shape Game”**

Repeating Extension Activities

• Elevator Song***
• Everyone Can March*
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Thumbkin*
• Wiggle Your Fingers & Stomp Your Feet*

How It Went

Tuesday morning
This group couldn’t get enough of Where’s Spot?. It was like there were watching live news coverage and couldn’t turn off the TV until Spot was found. (Okay, that might have been a really bad analogy, but there you have it.) They also really enjoyed when I hid the dog from my “Dear Zoo” flannelboard under the shapes and let them guess where it was!

Thursday morning (9:30)
I did this storytime with Where’s Lenny? and Peek-a-Zoo. I loved watching their reactions and hearing their animal noises during Peek-a-Zoo! This class has several patrons with multiple kids under age two and they were SO EXCITED to hear that I will be doing a new storytime this winter for siblings since our baby and toddler programs are marked “no siblings, please” for fire code.

Thursday morning (10:30)
Oh, “Elevator Song”, I pledge my undying and never fading love to you. You magically bring every toddler to their caregiver in under two seconds and then reward me with excited squeals, happy faces, and tons of laughter. May I never forget the words to you, oh “Elevator Song.” This group also loved Where’s Spot? and I might need to add it to my personal storytime collection!