Siblings: Animal Sounds

For more information on how I plan and prepare my siblings 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

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. (Board)*
Peek-a-Zoo by Marie Torres Cimarusti
Say Hello Like This! by Mary Murphy*

Early Literacy Tip
Children love being able to identify animals and imitate the sounds they make. Use some stuffed animals and make up new verses for “Old MacDonald”. What noise would each animal make?

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Mr. Jon & Friends*

Flannelboard: “The Shape Game”*

Puppets: “When Animals Get Up in the Morning” (jungle animal edition)*

Bounce: “A Smooth Road”*
A smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road, a smooth road (bounce baby gently)
A bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road, a bumpy road (bounce baby faster)
A rough road, a rough road, a rough road, a rough road (bounce baby faster)
A hole! (drop baby gently between your knees)
Credit: Co-worker

Lift: “Icka Bicka Soda Cracker”
Icka bicka soda cracker, icka bicka boo
Icka bicka soda cracker, up goes you! (lift baby)
Icka bicka soda cracker, icka bicka boo
Icka bicka soda cracker, I love you! (hugs and kisses)
Credit: Co-worker

Partnering: “These Are Baby’s Fingers”*
Toddlers were asked to first find baby’s fingers, toes, and belly button. Then they touched each body part during the rhyme and ended with a tickle for baby and a tickle from caregiver to toddler.
These are baby’s fingers (touch fingers)
These are baby’s toes (touch toes)
This is baby’s belly button (touch stomach)
Round and round it goes! (tickle)
Credit: Co-worker

Repeating Extension Activities

• Clap Your Hands
• Open, Shut Them*
• Thumbkin

How It Went

This session’s Siblings class has moved into our large programming room to accommodate the amount of families registering and the strollers/car seats that they bring. We all have more space to move around now! I was split 50/50 with families from the previous session attending and families that were brand-new. Both Polar Bear, Polar Bear and Say Hello Like This! were equally successful. The partnering for today was especially sweet to watch as most of the kids dissolved into giggles. My one “whoops” moment was realizing that I need a second bubble wand since our toddler storytime was taking place at the same time in the smaller programming room. Whoops!