storytime katie

The Plan

Books

I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.
Ten Moonstruck Piglets by Lindsay Lee Johnson
Ten Tiny Tickles by Karen Katz

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ten Fluffy Chickens”
Five eggs and five eggs
And that makes ten
Sitting on top
Is Mother Hen
Cackle cackle cackle
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chickens
Yellow as can be

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Umbrellas & Ten Little Raindrops”
One little, two little, three little umbrellas
Four little, five little, six little umbrellas
Seven little, eight little, nine little umbrellas
Ten umbrellas up for the rain
Repeat with raindrops going on top of umbrellas – last line “Ten raindrops falling down.” Pull raindrops away, counting down – last line “No raindrops out today.” Pull umbrellas away, counting down – last line, “Everything’s put away!”

Action Song: “Ten In the Bed”
There were ten in the bed and the little one said, “Roll over, roll over.”
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
(count down until)
There was one in the bed and the little one said, “I’ve got this all to myself.”
Credit: Childhood

Craft

The kids finished their coloring books today! It was so awesome to see all of the pages filled in!

How It Went

I did this storytime right around the beginning of March, when Chicagoland had a sudden warm-up and we thought spring was here! The kids loved the flannelboard with the umbrellas since it was mirroring what was happening outside that day. (I always love when that works out!) Their favorite books were “Ten Little Caterpillars” and “I’m the Biggest Thing In the Ocean.” My favorite part of storytime was when one kid shouted out, “HE DESERVED TO BE EATED” during “I’m the Biggest Thing.”

The Plan

Books

Nine Ducks Nine by Sarah Hayes
Nine O’Clock Lullaby by Marilyn Singer
The Planets by Gail Gibbons
This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Nine Planets”

Song: “Nine Little Ducks Went Out to Play”
Nine little ducks went out to play
Over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only seven little ducks came back
(Count down by twos until one)
One little duck went out to play
Over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And none of her nine little ducks came back
Sad mother duck went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all of her nine little ducks came back
Credit: Childhood

Song: “This Old Man”
This old man he played one,
He played knick-knack on my thumb
With a knick-knack, paddy-whack
Give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home
Credit: Childhood

Craft

We continued with our numbers coloring book today, working on number nine!

How It Went

Nine was the hardest number. SO HARD. Now, I know that Pluto isn’t an official planet anymore, but in Illinois…it is? I took a minute of two in storytime to talk about this (look, STEM!) and the kids were just happy to see pictures of the planets in general. “This Jazz Man” — featuring nine famous jazz musicians — was a huge hit for both teachers and kids. They all sang along with me, as much as they could!

The Plan

Books

Bears! Bears! Bears! by Bob Barner
Funny Tails by Liesbet Slegers
Octopus Opposites by Stella Blackstone
Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Eight Teddy Bears”

Action Rhyme: “I’m a Little Octopus”
Arm #1 goes swish, swish, swish (swing arms back and forth)
Arm #2 helps me catch fish (wiggle hand back and forth)
Arm #3 pats my head (pat hand on head)
Arm #4 makes sure I’m fed (put hand to mouth)
Arm #5 swims me to shore (move arms in swimming motion)
Arm #6 touches the ocean floor (touch hand to floor)
Arm #7 can grab and tug (open and close hands)
But all eight arms give me a hug! (cross arms and hug yourself)
Credit: Pubyac Compilation

Fingerplay: “Two Mother Pigs”
Two mother pigs lived in a pen (show thumbs)
Each had four babies, and that made ten (show fingers & thumbs)
These four babies were black as night (thumb in palm, wiggle fingers)
These four babies were black and white (switch hands, repeat)
But all eight babies loved to play
And they rolled and rolled in the mud all day (roll hands)
At night, with their mother, they curled up in a heap (clasp hands)
And squealed and squealed till they fell fast asleep.
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime

Song: “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
Credit: Childhood

Craft
Still working on our number book!

How It Went

I have to say it…eight was great! Really, the kids loved EVERY book and were so attentive during the stories. I personally enjoyed “Bears, Bears, Bears” which shows eight different kinds of bears, and “Funny Tails” where the kids had the opportunity to correct me during the eight different animal match-ups. It is always a pleasure to have thirty tiny voices shouting, “No, Miss Katie, that’s WRONG!” when you try and give a fish a pig’s tail.

The Plan

Books

Quack and Count by Keith Baker
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Seven Hungry Babies by Candace Fleming
Who Is Driving? by Leo Timmers

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Seven Continents

Action Rhymes: “Number Poems”
Number 1 is like a stick
A straight line down, that’s very quick!
For number 2 go right around
Then make a line across the ground!
Go right around, what will it be?
Go round again to make a 3!
Down and over and down some more
That’s the way to make a 4!
Go down and around, then you stop
Finish the 5 with a line on top!
Make a curve, then a loop
There are no tricks to making a 6!
Across the sky and down from heaven
That’s the way to make a 7!
Credit: CanTeach

Song: “Seven!” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
S-e-v-e-n spells seven.
S-e-v-e-n spells seven.
Seven airplanes in the sky,
Seven boats are floating by.
Let’s all shout “Hip, Hip, Hooray!”
For number seven.
S-e-v-e-n spells seven.
S-e-v-e-n spells seven.
Seven cars race on the track,
Seven trucks with heavy stacks.
Let’s all shout “Hip, Hip, Hooray!”
For number seven.
Credit: Mrs. Jones’ Room

Craft

Still working on our coloring book!

How It Went

We had a great time in storytime this week — I thought that number seven was going to be a tricky number to find books for, but it actually turned out to be much easier, thankfully. The kids absolutely loved “Seven Blind Mice” and guessing what it was that the mice were looking at. After I read that book, I talked to them about where in the world the story had come from. That’s when I pulled out my flannelboard pieces of the continents, pieces soon to come for a Flannel Friday post!

The Plan

Books

Digby Takes Charge by Caroline Jayne Church
The Gigantic Turnip by Aleksei Tolstoy
I Love Bugs by Emma Dodd
Scoot by Cathryn Falwell

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Six Little Bumblebees”

Song: “Six Little Ducks”
Six little ducks that I once knew
Big ones, little ones, fair ones too
But the one little duck with a feather on his back
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
Quack, quack, quack! Quack, quack, quack!
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
Down to the water they did go
Wibble wobble, wibble wobble to and fro
Home from the water they did come
Wibble wobble, wibble wobble, ho-hum-hum!
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Again, we worked on our coloring books!

How It Went

Six was another great number for books…though I did struggle to find extension activities for it. For whatever reason, the even numbers have been far harder than the odd numbers. I did stretch it a bit with “I Love Bugs,” but since most bugs have six legs, that counts in my book! Their favorite book was probably “Digby Takes Charge” at this storytime.

The Plan

Books

Bears in Beds by Shirley Parenteau
Five for a Little One by Chris Raschka
Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Five Little Strawberries

Action Rhyme: “Five In the Bed”
There were five in the bed
And the little one said, “Roll over, roll over!”
So they are rolled over and one fell out
(count down)
Credit: Childhood

Action Rhyme: “My Five Senses”
A small mouth for eating, (Point to mouth)
My nose for smelling, (Point to nose)
My two eyes for seeing, (Point to eyes)
My two ears for hearing, (Point to ears)
My two hands for touching (Point to hands)
And my head? (Lean head on both hands, as if to sleep)
Credit: Pierce County Library

Song & Puppets: “Five Little Monkeys”
Five little monkeys swinging in the tree
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, you can’t catch me, no you can’t catch me
Along comes Mr. Crocodile as quiet as can be
And snaps that monkey out of that tree!
Credit: Childhood

Craft

We continued working on our coloring book!

How It Went

Five is a great number! I had a lot of material to work with and the kids absolutely LOVE when I sing/chant “Five Little Monkeys” because I’m ruthless when it comes time to snap those monkeys. Lots of laughter and clapping there. “Bears in Beds” was probably the group’s overall favorite book, although I did have someone shout out “THAT’S MY FAVORITE BOOK MISS KATIE” when I pulled out “Little Quack.”

The Plan

Books

A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohman
Everywhere the Cow Says Moo by Ellen Slusky Weinstein
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Four Little Stars”

Action Rhyme & Puppets: “Four Little Kittens” (Modified from five…)
Four little kittens standing in a row
They nod their heads to the children so
They run to the left, they run to the right
They stand up and stretch in the bright sunlight
Along comes a dog, who’s in for some fun
M-e-oooow, see those kittens run!
Credit: Los Angeles Public Library

Action Rhyme: “Seasons”
Seasons turn like a big round ball (roll arms)
Winter and spring, summer fall (count four fingers)
Seasons turn like a big round ring (roll arms)
Summer and fall, winter spring (count four fingers)
First come green buds then comes grass
Green leaves turn brown, fall comes fast
Winter snows soon turn to rain
Green buds spring out once again
Seasons come and seasons go
Watch the grass and flowers grow
Winter, spring, summer, fall (count four fingers)
And everything’s growing throughout it all (stand up)
Modified from: Songs for Teaching

Craft

Number four coloring page in our coloring book!

How It Went

I have to admit that I don’t remember a ton from this storytime because I did this on December 14th, 2012. Oddly, the only thing sticking in my mind is how grossed out the kids were when Pete’s belly button showed up — apparently this is related to a daycare thing about remembering to keep shirts down. Whoops!

The Plan

Books

123 Peas by Keith Baker
Every Little Thing by Cedella Marley
I’m 3! Look What I Can Do! by Maria Carluccio
Rubia and the Three Osos by Susan Middleton Elya
What About Bear? by Suzanne Bloom

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “The Three Little Kittens”

Rhyme: “Three Little Bears Jumping on the Bed”
Three little bears jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Modified from: Childhood

Craft

A number three coloring page for our number book!

How It Went

This has been my favorite number storytime so far. I had some GREAT books that the kids really responded to and loved and they were ridiculously well-behaved in storytime and participating throughout all of the books, it just made my heart so happy to be there.

The Plan

Books

Ones and Twos by Marthe and Nell Jocelyn
One, Two, That’s My Shoe! by Alison Murray
Two at the Zoo by Danna Smith
Two Is for Twins by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

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)
Credit: Childhood

Fingerplay with Puppets: “Two Little Hoot Owls”
Two little hoot owls,
Sitting on a hill,
One named Jack,
The other named Jill
Fly away, Jack
Fly away, Jill
Credit: Childhood

Rhyme: “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”
One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, shut the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight
Nine, ten, a big fat hen!
(Repeat until “Nine, ten, that’s the end!”)
Credit: Childhood

Craft

Worked on page two of our coloring book!

How It Went

Reading “One, Two, That’s My Shoe!” and following up with the action rhyme was a great idea that the kids loved. I specifically chose “Two Is for Twins” since I have a set of twins at daycare and I think they really enjoyed being highlighted at this storytime.

The Plan

Books

Count On It! One by Dana Meachen Rau
One Boy by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George
One Spooky Night by Kate Stone

Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Farmer in the Dell”

Action Rhyme: “One Little Flower, One Little Bee”
One little flower, one little bee.
One little blue bird, high in the tree.
One little brown bear smiling at me.
One is the number I like,
you see.
Credit: Lit2Go

Song & Stick Puppets: “Baa Baa Black Sheep”
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
One for the farmer, one for the dame
One for the little boy who lives down the lane.
Credit: Childhood

Craft

We are working on a number book. I had teen volunteer fold construction paper in half, then hole-punched three holes in the covers and each page in the book. Each week, we color a new number picture together at daycare!

How It Went

One was a harder number to find books for than I thought it would be. I found a lot of books that counted up to ten and I really wanted books to highlight each number instead of be a cumulative series of counting books over and over again. “One Spooky Night” was the biggest hit, as I did this storytime right before Halloween.