storytime katie

The Plan

Books

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
My Garden by Kevin Henkes
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Three Little Kittens”

Action Rhyme: “Big Yellow Moon”
Big yellow moon shines so bright, (circle overhead)
Glides across the starry night (arms left to right)
Looks down at me (hand shades eyes)
Asleep in bed, (head on hands)
Whispers, “Good night sleepyhead.” (shh)
Big yellow moon, your turn is done (move arms down)
Here comes Mr. Morning Sun (circle overhead)
I wake up. (arms stretch out)
You go to bed. (head on hands)
“Sleep well, Moon, you sleepyhead.” (shh)
Credit: King Country Library System

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

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

Kevin Henkes is an author that just draws the kids in through illustrations. “Old Bear” is one of my all-time favorite storytime book and was absolutely the reason that I chose to do this storytime. I’ve never met a group that didn’t sit quietly, thoroughly engaged with that book and I’m pleased to say this storytime continued that streak. Also, “Sleepy Bear” is possible my absolute favorite puppet rhyme to do.

The Plan

Books

Max’s ABC by Rosemary Wells
Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells
Read to Your Bunny by Rosemary Wells
Time-Out for Sophie by Rosemary Wells

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”

Action Rhyme: “Loud and Quiet”
Quietly, quietly not a sound
I’m listening and I’m listening
As I look around
No sounds as I nod (nod)
No sounds as I clap (clap)
No sounds as I tap my hands on my lap (tap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
Loudly, loudly, stamp and clap (stamp and clap)
All that noise, well fancy that!
Credit: Preschool Storytime Outlines

Puppets: “Five Little Bunnies”
Hippety hop and hippety hay,
Five little bunnies went out to play.
Hippety hop and hippety hay,
One little bunny hopped away.
(No more bunnies are playing today,
I hope they come back another day.)
Credit: Twizzle Magazine

Song: “ABCs” (Two Ways)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

The kiddos were pretty much unfamiliar with anything except Max and Ruby, so I was glad to introduce them to more works by Rosemary Wells. She’s one of my favorite authors from my childhood and the first preschool program I ever did was a Max and Ruby program, so it’s close to my heart. Kids had the best time with “Max’s ABCs” and the corresponding activity of singing the ABCs to different tunes really blew their minds in the best of ways.

The Plan

Books

Dinosaur Vs. the Library by Bob Shea
I’m a Shark by Bob Shea
New Socks by Bob Shea
Race You to Bed by Bob Shea
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Dinosaurs” (Tune: “Ten Little Indians”)
One little, two little, three little dinosaurs
Four little, five little, six little dinosaurs
Seven little, eight little, nine little dinosaurs
Ten little dinos for me!
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Action Rhyme: “Old Shoes, New Shoes”
Old shoes, new shoes,
(Child) is wearing (description) shoes
One, two, three four,
Now I stomp them on the floor!
Credit: Preschool Education

Song: “Baby Shark”
Baby shark, Doh-doh, doh, doh
Baby shark, Doh-doh, doh, doh
Baby shark, Doh-doh, doh, doh
Baby shark
(Momma shark, shark mouth with forearms connected at elbows; Daddy shark, shark mouth with full arms; Grandpa shark, same as Daddy, but with fists instead of fingers to look like no teeth)
Credit: Co-worker! (Thanks, Amanda!)

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

One of these days I will get around to making a video about the baby shark song. It’s amazing. It’s glorious. It’s high-energy and the kids are hysterical during it. But Bob Shea books definitely can share the limelight with such a great song! The kids loved roaring along with Dinosaur and I absolutely adore using “Dinosaur Vs. the Library” because the kids get really quick at the end because it’s storytime!

The Plan

Books

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
Foxy by Emma Dodd
I Love Bugs by Emma Dodd
I Love My Mommy by Giles Andreae

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Pretty Ladybugs”(Sung to: “The Muffin Man”)
Ladybug has 1 black spot,
1 black spot, 1 black spot;
Ladybug has 1 black spot,
Pretty ladybug!
Continue until there are 6 spots.
Credit: Preschool Education

Fingerplay: “Five Little Puppies”
Five little puppies were playing in the sun. (Hold up hand, fingers extended.)
This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run. (Bend first finger.)
This one saw a butterfly, and he began to race. (Bend second finger.)
This one saw a pussycat, and he began to chase. (Bend third finger.)
This one tried to catch his tail, and he went round & round. (Bend fourth finger.)
This one was so quiet, he never made a sound. (Bend thumb.)
Credit: Perry Public Library

Puppet Rhyme: “Bumble Bee”
Bumblebee, bumblebee, landing on my nose.
Bumblebee, bumblebee, now he’s on my toes.
On my arms, on my legs, on my elbows.
Bumblebee, bumblebee he lands and then he goes.
Credit: Mrs. Jones – Insects

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

I love Emma Dodd and so do my kids! I did this storytime right around Mother’s Day which is why I went with “I Love My Mommy” instead of “I Love My Daddy.” But as awesome as all Emma Dodd books are…hands down, “Dog’s Colorful Day” wins every time. My kids know that book’s spine and if they see it in my pile, it’s likely that I’ll hear about it before I get to it.

The Plan

Books

Chew, Chew, Gulp! by Lauren Thompson
Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson
Little Quack’s Bedtime by Lauren Thompson
Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Apples and Bananas”
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
(Repeat with different vowel sounds)

Flannelboard: “Five Little Ducks”
Five little ducks went out to play, over the hill and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And only four little ducks came back
(count down until)
Sad mother duck went out one day, over the hill and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all of her five little ducks came back

Action Rhyme: “Little Duck”
I saw a little duck go hop, hop, hop (hop three times)
I told the little duck to stop, stop, stop (hold up hand for stop)
I went to the window to say, ‘How do you do?’ (hold out hand for handshake)
He wagged his little tail and far away he flew! (shake tail and fly away)
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Pat-a-Cake”
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Roll it, and pat it, and mark it with a “B”
And put it in the oven for baby and me
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

I started asking the kids what they think the author writes about once I finish the storytime. Kids reported that Lauren Thompson writes about animals and mommies and food. So there you have it! Had a lot of fun with this storytime, and really these author storytimes are so easy to plan and put together!

The Plan

Books

Big Frog Can’t Fit In by Mo Willems
The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”

Action Rhyme: “Monster, Monster”
Monster, monster, turn around
Monster, monster, touch the ground
Monster, monster, reach up high
Monster, monster, touch the sky
Monster, monster, find your nose
Monster, monster, touch your toes
Monster, monster, find your knees
Monster, monster, sit down please
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Song: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
Five green and speckled frogs
Sitting on a hollow log
Eating the most delicious bugs, yum, yum
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are four green, speckled frogs, ribbit, ribbit
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

It’s no secret that Mo Willems is one of my favorite picture book authors. (You can see a picture of me meeting Elephant and Piggie on the ALSC bloggers info page!) I had such a good time reading these books to the kids and we had some great conversations on what kinds of pictures Mr. Mo Willems makes. It’s hard to pick a most successful read here, but “Big Frog” and the pop-up aspect is always a crowd-pleaser.

The Plan

Books

Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert
In My World by Lois Ehlert
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Thanks A Lot”
Thanks a lot, Thanks for sun in the sky.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for clouds so high.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for whispering wind.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the birds in the spring.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the moonlit night.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the stars so bright.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the wondering me.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the way I feel.
Thanks for the animals, Thanks for the land, Thanks for the people everywhere.
Thanks a lot, Thanks for all I’ve got. Thanks for all I’ve got.

Activity: “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” Tree

Fingerplay: “Two Little Butterflies”
Two little butterflies sitting on a hill
One named Jack, the other named Jill
Fly away, Jack, fly away, Jill
Come back, Jack, come back, Jill
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

Lois Ehlert is a special author to me, because she won the Caldecott Honor for “Color Zoo” when I was in kindergarten. I distinctly remember my elementary school librarian reading us this book — he loved to read to us, if my memories are any indication — and I feel like when I read this book to my kids, I’m honoring him. (Okay, sappy moment aside!) We had a great discussion about what kinds of techniques Ms. Ehlert uses — cut-outs, flaps, small pages. The kids really enjoyed comparing “Color Zoo” to “In My World” and “Planting a Rainbow” to “Waiting for Wings.” Our Chicka tree activity was awesome and super interactive since I let the kids put the letters on the tree. I used “Thanks a Lot” as my flannelboard since “In My World” ends with “Thank you, world, for everything.”

Since I finished up my numbers series, I thought I would do an author series for my daycare kids. I started with the great Eric Carle.

The Plan

Books

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”

App: Eric Carle’s My Very First App

Action Song: “Flutter, Flutter, Butterfly”
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the spring sky
Floating by for all to see
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the spring sky
Credit: Best Kids Book Site

Song: “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
The itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again
(Great big hairy spider, teensy weensy spider)
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Since coloring sheets have gone over so well at the daycare, I’ve decided to go ahead and keep using them. The teachers love the sheets and the practice the kids get with holding crayons.

How It Went

We had some great discussions about what kinds of things Mr. Carle likes to use in his books. Such answers included: animals, swirly paints, color, and stars. The kids were SUPER jazzed that I brought a picture of him to show as well. Their favorite book — super hard to pick, but I think it was “From Head to Toe.” Also, the kids had a lot of fun matching colors and objects in the app and the teachers responded very positively to using the iPad in storytime!