Tag: fall 2012

Seasons!

The Plan

Books

Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek
It’s Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall
Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Fall”
Flannelboard: “Spring”
Flannelboard: “Summer”
Flannelboard: “Winter”

My flannelboards for this session were purchased boards, which you can still buy online at Amazon. I put up each season as a lead-in to the books that I choose and let the kids tell me what we did in that season as I put up the flannel pieces.

Finger Puppets: “Five Little Pumpkins”
Five little pumpkins were sitting on the gate
The first one said, “My, it’s getting late!”
The second one said, “There are witches in the air!”
The third one said, “I don’t care!”
The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run!”
The fifth one said, “It’s all Halloween fun!”
Then “whooo” went the wind and out went the lights.
And the five little pumpkins rolled clear out of sight.
Credit: Childhood

Song & Puppet: “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

Craft

This was a purchased Oriental Trading craft kit. Honestly, it was too much coloring for my littlest patrons. But my preschoolers were determined to color every inch of space on these!

How It Went

This was another one of those storytimes where attendance was SO LOW and it turned out to be a storytime for only six kids. I wound up cutting out a lot of extension activities that I had planned and instead just read books and had great conversations via the flannelboards.

December 3, 2012 4 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Cookies!

The Plan

Books

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
The Duckling Wants a Cookie by Mo Willems
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Cookie Match-Up”

Flannelboard: “Down Around the Corner”
Down around the corner in the bakery shop
Were five yummy cookies with sprinkles on top
Along comes (child’s name) with a dollar to pay
He/she buys a cookie and takes it away
(continue with four, three, two, and one)

Action Rhyme: “Making Cookies”
I am making cookie dough, round and round the beaters go (make round motion)
Add some flour from a cup, stir and stir the batter up (pour and stir)
Roll them and cut them, nice and neat, put them on a cookie sheet (as says)
Bake them and count them, 1 2 3, and serve them to your friends for tea! (count)
Credit: Sunflower Storytime

Action Rhyme: “Who Stole the Cookies?”
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
Kitty stole the cookies from the cookie jar.
Who me? Yes, you!
Couldn’t be? Than who?
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Pat-a-Cake”
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Another kit from Oriental Trading, clearly marketed to go with the Numeroff book. This was a great craft idea. It was all self-adhesive and very easy to put together.

How It Went

You want a guaranteed hit? Do cookies! Kids LOVE cookies, and they loved all the cookie books. One of the little boys recited “If You Give a Mouse” along with me. My flannelboard was a lot of fun. I went through “Down Around the Corner” three times so that every kid got to “buy” a cookie.

November 26, 2012 3 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Leaves!

The Plan

Books

Leaves by David Ezra Stein
The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Fall Is Not Easy”

Flannelboard: Leaves by Colors

Action Rhyme: “Raking Leaves”
I like to rake the leaves (make raking motion with hands)
Into a great big hump (pretend to pile leaves)
Then I move back a bit (take a step or two back)
Bend my knees and jump! (jump)
Credit: Step By Step

Song: “The Leaves Are Falling Down” (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
The leaves are falling down
The leaves are falling down
Red, yellow, green, and brown
The leaves are falling down
Credit: Preschool Education

Song: “Ten Little Leaves”
One little, two little, three little leaves,
Four little, five little, six little leaves,
Seven little, eight little, nine little leaves,
Ten little leaves fall down.
Credit: Modified from Childhood

Craft

This craft was a scratch art kit from Oriental Trading. The kids love scratch art!!

How It Went

This was a very quiet storytime. The kids were engaged, but not very responsive. Unless, that is, that I was singing. Then they sang along and got up and moved around. So I did a LOT of singing in this storytime, including “The Leaves on the Trees” book.

November 19, 2012 2 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Horses!

The Plan

Books

Are You a Horse? by Andy Rash
Clip Clop by Nicola Smee
Horseplay! by Karma Wilson
In My Barn by Sara Gillingham & Lorena Siminovich

Extension Activities

Flannelboard Activity: Color Matching Horses

Action Rhyme: “I Gave My Horse an Apple”
I gave my horse an apple, (pretend to give something)
And she gave me a neigh. (neigh)
I gave my horse a carrot, (pretend to give something)
And she moved her head this way. (move head up and down)
I gave my horse a sugar lump, (pretend to give something)
She gave me a smile. (smile big)
And then she took me for a ride,
For more than half a mile. (slap hands on thighs like galloping)
Credit: Storytime in a Box

Fingerplay: “Ten Galloping Horses”
Ten galloping horses, (hold up ten fingers)
Came through town. (slap hands on legs like galloping)
Five were white, (hold up five fingers)
And five were brown. (hold up five fingers on other hand)
They galloped up, (slap up toward top of thighs)
They galloped down, (slap down toward knees)
Ten galloping horses, (hold up ten fingers)
Came through town. (slap hands on legs like galloping)
Credit: King County Library System

Prop Song: “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain”

Craft

This was a craft kit that we purchased from Oriental Trading. The whole kit was self-stick adhesive foam and super easy to put together. Kids were able to do the craft themselves and it gave them a lot of confidence. Their confidence definitely showed when they showed me the final project!

How It Went

This theme was such a great theme for storytime — the kids LOVE horses and it shows. Really, all of the books that I read were wonderful choices and really captured the attention of the kids. “Are You a Horse?” probably got the most laughs, and “Clip Clop” is a favorite that many of the kids have seen before. The prop that I made was one of the best decisions ever because it really engaged them during “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain.” Once again, a really great storytime.

November 12, 2012 2 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Music!

The Plan

Books

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Ed and Rebecca Emberley
Old Macdonald Had a Woodshop by Lisa Shulman
The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort
Ten in the Bed by Jane Cabrera

Extension Activities

Song Dice: “The Ants Go Marching”
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain.
(two, tie his shoe; three, climb a tree; four, shut the door; five, take a dive)
Credit: Childhood

Song Dice: “Apples and Bananas”
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas (Repeat with other vowels sound)
Credit: Childhood

Song Dice/Flannelboard: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Credit: Childhood

Song Dice/Flannelboard: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
Five green and speckled frogs
Sitting on a hollow log
Eating the most delicious bugs
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are only four speckled frogs
(count down from there)
Credit: Childhood

Craft

This craft came from Pinterest and was originally from Preschool Crafts for Kids. I have to say…this was a bit of a craft fail for me. I think our rubber bands were too tight and kept stretching out the plate. I ran out of paint stirers and had to use rulers from our supply cabinet. The kids had a hard time with this one, and while they loved making noise, they were super frustrated during the actual crafting.

How It Went

Other than the craft fail, this was a great storytime. I love singing, and I think that the kids are really engaged when they’re singing along. Their favorite for the day was definitely “Seals on the Bus.” I will do a post about the Song Dice later on for a Flannel Friday, but it’s my new favorite storytime tool!

November 5, 2012 2 Comments Short URL, Family Storytime

Favorites!

The Plan

Books

Dear Zoo by Rob Campbell
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Higher, Higher by Leslie Patricelli
I’m Not Cute! by Jonathan Allen
LMNO Peas by Keith Baker

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Old MacDonald”

Flannelboard: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Action Rhyme: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes
Two eyes, two ears, a mouth and a nose
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay & Puppets: “Two Little Owls”
Two little owls, 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

I came up with this craft on my own. I wanted to have a free-draw, so I left most of the page blank. The kids drew a wide variety of favorite things — their drawings were great conversation starters between child and parent.

How It Went

This was a last minute theme; I wasn’t planning on doing it! But at ten minutes to storytime, I had a daycare group drop in…with twenty extra kids. I wasn’t expecting them and didn’t want to turn them away, so I changed up my theme to “Favorites.” It was easy to pull from our in-house storytime collection the books that have always been storytime hits. It’s really hard to pick a favorite book from the ones we read since they were all old favorites for the kids. I think “Grumpy Bird” got the biggest laughs and most participation.

October 29, 2012 0 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime

Elephants!

The Plan

Books

Elmer by David McKee
Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na
My Elephant by Petr Horacek
What to Do If An Elephant Stand on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Elephants in the Bathtub”

Action Rhyme: “Big Gray Elephant”
The big gray elephant slowly walks.
She doesn’t make a sound.
She swings her trunk from left to right.
When she puts her feet on the ground.
Swing, swing, left and right,
She doesn’t make a sound.

Fingerplay with Puppets: “Two Big Elephants”
Two big elephants were sitting on a hill
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Run away, Jack! Run away, Jill!
Come back, Jack! Come back, Jill!

Fingerplay: “Up the Hill”
Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy (crawl up arm)
Here goes a rabbit up a hill, boing, boing, boing, boing (bounce up arm)
Here goes a snake up the hill, slither, slither, slither, slither (slide up arm)
Here goes an elephant up the hill, thud, thud, thud, thud (clap up arm)
Here comes an elephant down the hill, boom, boom, boom, boom, CRASH! (bounce down, clap hands for crash)

Song: “One Elephant Went Out to Play”

Craft

This craft came from this amazing Pinterest pin, originally from Tippytoe Crafts! Parents and kids loved this craft, and Miss Katie made sure to buy noisemakers that were super difficult to make the noise with.

How It Went

I had a lot of new families in this storytime and I got a lot of high compliments on their way out the door! (It is totally reassuring, even if you a veteran, to hear that your work is appreciated!) I think they had the best time during “What If An Elephants Stand on Your Foot,” which was the book that inspired this theme! I also modified the “Up the Hill” fingerplay, which led to lots of giggles once the elephant went down the hill!

September 24, 2012 Short URL, , Family Storytime

Picnic!

The Plan

Books

The Best Picnic Ever by Clare Jarrett
Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson
One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge
We’re Going on a Picnic! by Pat Hutchins

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Strawberries”

Flannelboard: “Popsicle” (Based on a Jodi Koplin Song)

Flannelboard: “Watermelon Counting”

Action Rhyme: “Going on a Bear Hunt”
We’re going on a bear hunt (We’re going on a bear hunt)
Gonna catch a big one (Gonna catch a big one)
I’m not scared (I’m not scared)
What a beautiful day! (What a beautiful day!)
Oh look! It’s some long, wavy grass!
Can’t go under it (Can’t go under it)
Can’t go over it (Can’t go over it)
Can’t go around it (Can’t go around it)
Gotta go through it (Gotta go through it!)
(Trees, River, Storm, Cave, etc. until you meet a bear; then run back!)
Credit: Library School

Action Song: “Ants Go Marching”
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain.
(two, tie his shoe; three, climb a tree; four, shut the door; five, take a dive)
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay: “Five Hungry Ants”
Five hungry ants, marching in a line
They came upon a picnic, where they could dine
They marched into the salad
They marched into the cake
They marched into the pepper
Oh-uh! That was a mistake!
AAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCHHHHOOOOOOO!
Credit: Miss Mary Liberry

Song: “Watermelon Patch Song” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
Watermelon, watermelon (make a circle with arms)
On the vine, on the vine (wiggle arms)
Sweet and red and juicy, sweet and red and juicy (rub tummy)
Please be mine! Please be mine! (palms together, pleading)
Credit: Explorastory (Heights Library)

Craft

This craft idea came from a Pinterest pin, but you can read the original blog post at Creative Family Fun. I wove mine for the picture, but it was super hard (for me at least!), so the kids glued tissue paper squares down instead! I got the ant stickers to add some extra fun and the kids loved them!

How It Went

I’m back for fall after a month-long August break of morning storytime. I was so jazzed about this storytime that I woke up probably a dozen times between five a.m. and eight a.m. thinking “IT’S STORYTIME DAY!” And all I have to say is that this storytime session did not disappoint!!

First off, you might notice an upswing in extension activities this fall. My core group of ST kids (from when I started four years ago) are now all in school! So, my average of storytime ages right now is 2.75 and that’s a big change for me. I planned on starting to include more flannelboards and more movement and so far, it is working out awesome.

Okay, on to the theme — picnic worked out great! The weather was still in the nineties in Illinois and with Labor Day weekend being so close, the kids were totally into the theme. Their favorite books were “Mouse’s First Summer” and “The Best Picnic Ever,” with “Best Picnic” being the ultimate best book this week. They had a great time identifying the fruit and veggies in “One Watermelon Seed” as well, but that led to a little bit of side chatter about who likes to eat what. Really, all of the extension activities were ridiculously fun and I think the group had a great time with them!

September 17, 2012 3 Comments Short URL, , Family Storytime