Toddlers: Construction

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

Busy Builders, Busy Week by Jean Reidy
Construction by Sally Sutton
The Mixed-Up Truck by Stephen Savage**
Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia**

Early Literacy Tip
Scarves are very versatile and can be almost anything. Sometimes we pretend they are popcorn, sometimes we pretend they are falling leaves or rain. All of this pretending encourages imaginative play and growth.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: More, Please!**

Featured Track: #5 Rocks and Flowers

Flannelboard: “Red Crane, Red Crane”**

Repeating Extension Activities

• The Elevator Song**
• Everyone Can March
• Popcorn**
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• We Wave Our Scarves Together**

How It Went

Monday morning (9:30)
Monday morning’s storytime didn’t happen! I was home sick with a cold. 😦

Thursday morning (9:30)
My first storytime back at work. I was really nervous about my voice giving out, but I managed! This group was so happy to see the scarves again and to do our first set of repeating rhymes. I’m really glad that I incorporated a weekly manipulative and that I’m repeating the rhymes/songs every three weeks. Their favorite book was definitely Tip Tip Dig Dig.

Thursday morning (10:30)
Seriously, I’m so glad that this theme was so excellent because I don’t know if I could have done back-to-back storytimes without an awesome theme. This group was ENTHRALLED during the flannelboard “Red Crane, Red Crane, What Do You See?” which is basically Brown Bear, Brown Bear using the characters from Tip Tip Dig Dig. I let both groups know that the cadence is different, especially during “blue dump truck” so when they were chanting with me everyone was prepared for the speedier rhythm. Their favorite book was The Mixed-Up Truck for sure. I had several boys who kept shouting “Noooo!” when I asked if trucks made cakes.