storytime katie

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

Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek
Here Comes the Rain by Mary Murphy
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox

Early Literacy Tip

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” is more than a fun song — it describes the natural world. It explains in simple terms what happens when it rains.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Ten Little Raindrops/Umbrellas”**

Puppets: “Five Little Bunnies”**

Puppets: “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 (Website has been updated and no longer links correctly)

Action Rhyme: “Rain Is Falling Down”*
The rain is falling down (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH! (clap once loudly)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
The rain is falling down (flutter fingers down)
SPLASH! (clap once loudly)
Pitter patter pitter patter (tap legs softly)
[Repeat until kids are worn out.]
Credit: Modified from King County Library System

Song: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” (Three ways)**
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
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
(Teensy weensy spider & great big hairy spider)
Credit: Childhood; extensions learned in library school

Repeating Extension Activities

• Open, Shut Them**
• Two Little Blackbirds*

How It Went

I had to flop some themes around so that we’d be doing spring storytime when it actually felt like spring. (Oh, Chicago.) The kids adored singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” three ways — lots and lots of laughs. They also seemed to be mesmerized during “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly”. Tuesday’s favorite book was definitely “Butterfly, Butterfly” with it pop-up ending and Thursday really liked “Here Comes the Rain”.

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

Hello Day! by Anita Lobel
Moo Baa La La La! by Sandra Boynton
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 each one. What sounds would they make?

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Seals on the Bus”**

Puppets: “There’s Something In My Garden”**
There’s something in my garden
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound…
RIBBIT RIBBIT RIBBIT
A frog is what I found!
RIBBIT RIBBIT RIBBT
(SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK, A mouse is what I found! / CAW CAW CAW, A crow is what I found! / THUMP THUMP THUMP, A rabbit is what I found!)
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime

Song: “You Can Hear…”**
(Tune: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR! ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo, ROAR! ROAR!
You can hear the lions roaring, you can hear the lions roaring
You can hear the lions roaring at the zoo! ROAR! ROAR!
(Elephants trumpeting, zebra braying, monkey eeking)
Credit: Perpetual Preschool

Repeating Extension Activities

• Dance Your Fingers**
• Open, Shut Them*
• This Is Big**

How It Went

I had a lot of fun planning this theme since I had never done an animal sounds storytime before. (I’m trying to repeat some classic themes, but I don’t want to just repeat exactly what I had done at my old library at my new library.) My favorite part is either class was when I opened up to suggestions after “You Can Hear” and had to come up with a dolphin sound and a raccoon sound. Dolphins clearly whistle and raccoon tap on garbage cans, right? Everyone’s favorite was “Peek-a-Zoo”, because it’s awesome and has pop-up flaps.

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

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd**
One, Two, That’s My Shoe! by Alison Murray
Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill**

Early Literacy Tip

It takes longer for children who are learning to talk to respond to our questions. Wait 5-12 seconds to give them a chance to respond.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “BINGO”**

Finger Puppets: “Five Little Puppies”**

Song: “How Much Is That Doggie?”**
How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)
The one with the waggley tail
How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)
I do hope that doggie’s for sale
Credit: Childhood

Song: “The Puppy Pokey”*
You put your small paw in, you put your small paw out.
You put your small paw in, and you shake it all about.
You do the Puppy Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
You put your cold nose in, you put your cold nose out.
You put your cold nose in, and you snuffle all about.
You do the Puppy Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
You put your floppy ears in, you put your floppy ears out.
You put your floppy ears in, and you shake them all about.
You do the Puppy Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
You put your wagging tail in, you put your wagging tail out.
You put your wagging tail in, and you shake it all about.
You do the Puppy Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
You put your puppy self in, you put your puppy self out.
You put your puppy self in, and you shake it all about.
You do the Puppy Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
Credit: Addison Public Library

Repeating Extension Activities

• Dance Your Fingers*
• Open, Shut Them**

How It Went

This week was spring break week and I had a lot of older siblings attend storytime with their younger siblings. (Generally, we have a no siblings policy, but relax that on school holidays.) This was a good theme for both toddlers and older siblings. For whatever reason, both Tuesday and Thursday were nearly identical in what I used — which rarely happens. Both group enjoyed both books and I would have a hard time picking which was their favorite.

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

Animal Baths by Bob Barner*
Big Red Tub by Julia Jarman*
Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett Krosoczka
Dini Dinosaur by Karen Beaumont**

Early Literacy Tip

If your child dislikes bathtime, try to make it fun by singing a favorite song or playing with some toys.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Five Clean and Dirty Pigs”**

Flannelboard: “Five Elephants in the Bathtub”*

Action Song: “This Is the Way”
This is the way we wash our arms
Wash our arms, wash our arms
This is the way we wash our arms
When we’re in the bathtub.
(Legs, tummies, heads, hair)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Repeating Extension Activities

• Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes*
• Open, Shut Them**
• This Is Big*
• Tick, Tock*
• Two Little Blackbirds**

How It Went

I loved watching the kiddos “wash” themselves at storytime. We really got into making sure our hair was clean. Lots of kids and parents laughed at Miss Katie’s funny hair after our song. “Five Elephants In the Bathtub” went right over Tuesday’s class’s heads, so I skipped it for Thursday. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s favorite book was “Dini Dinosaur”.

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

Digger and Tom! by Sebastien Braun
Freight Train by Donald Crews**
I Love Trucks by Philemon Sturges*
Toot Toot Beep Beep by Emma Garcia**

Early Literacy Tip

Encourage your children to read informational books on topics that interest them. Things that go are a great bridge to non-fiction!

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: “Clickety-Clack”**

Flannelboard: “If You Have a Red Truck”**

Prop Song: “Where Is Pick-Up Truck?”**

Action Rhyme: “Hurry, Hurry”**
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (pretend to turn wheel)
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! (ring bell)
(Turn the corner (lean over to one side, then the other), climb the ladder (pretend to climb), spray the water (pretend to spray a hose).)
Credit: Childhood

Action Song: “Driving Round In My Car”*
Driving round in my little red car
Driving round in my little red car
Driving round in my little red car
Zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom
(Go through red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
Credit: Childhood

Song: “Down By the Station”*
Down the station
Early in the morning
See the little pufferbellies
All in a row
See the station master
Turn his little handle
Puff, puff, toot, toot!
Off we go!
Credit: Childhood

Repeating Extension Activities

• Dance Your Fingers*
• Open, Shut Them**
• Where Is Thumbkin?**

How It Went

This was the storytime week that I finally felt like I hit my toddler groove. I figured out to plan more movement than I had originally thought and I stopped trying to get to that third book. (Yeah…I don’t know what I was thinking either!) The kids at my library really enjoy the flannelboard, more than at my last library if you can believe that. Tuesday’s favorite book was “Freight Train” and Thursday’s was “Toot Toot Beep Beep”.

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

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.**
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Meeow and the Blue Table by Sebastien Braun*
Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin*

Early Literacy Tip

Children love to imitate their parents so you are the very best model for storytime participation!

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Dog’s Colorful Day*

Flannelboard: Maisy Mouse**

Folder Story: Scat the Cat**

Action Song: Driving Round In My Red Car*
Driving round in my little red car
Driving round in my little red car
Driving round in my little red car
Zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom
(Go through red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
Credit: Childhood

Action Song: Rainbow Dancers*
Rainbow dancers let’s get ready
Hold your scarves nice and steady.
You’ll hear the colors of the rainbow.
Listen for your time to go.
Shake red…
Shake orange…
Shake yellow…
Shake green…
Shake blue…
Shake purple…
Red scarves turn around,
Orange scarves up and down.
Yellow scarves reach up high,
Green scarves fly, fly, fly.
Blue scarves tickle your nose,
Purple scarves touch your toes.
Everybody dance around,
Swirl your scarves up and down.
Shake purple…
Shake blue…
Shake green…
Shake yellow…
Shake orange…
Shake red…
Rainbow dancers dance around,
Scarves swirl up and down.
Our colorful dance is at an end.
Thank you, thank you, all my friends.
Credit: Storytime Fun

Repeating Extension Activities

• Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes*
• Open, Shut Them**
• Tick, Tock*
• Two Little Blackbirds**

How It Went

Colors is a great theme for toddlers — they get to hear a lot of wonderful vocabulary and color identification is a great skill to master before school. Tuesday’s favorite book was “Monsters Love Colors” and it’s a great book to incorporate movement during. Thursday’s favorite book was definitely “Brown Bear” — they are on the younger side of toddlerhood and definitely appreciated a book they were more familiar with. For both groups, Scat the Cat is a magical cat and I love doing that rhyme with kids.

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

Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker*
Clip Clop by Nicola Smee*
Old MacDonald by Jane Cabrera
Say Hello Like This by Mary Murphy*

Early Literacy Tip

Children want familiar sounds from people who mean a great deal to them. Sing along even if you feel your voice is not the greatest.

Theme Extension Activities

Flannelboard: Five Clean and Dirty Pigs*

Flannelboard: Ten Fluffy Chickens*

Action Song: “Farm Chores”
(Tune: “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”)*
This is the way we plant our seeds, plant our seeds, plant our seeds
This is the way we plant our seeds so early in the morning
[Water our seeds, weed our seeds, our seeds grow up, pick our plants, eat our plants]
Credit: Library School

Song with Puppets: “When Animals Wake Up In the Morning”*
When animals wake up in the morning, they always say hello
When animals wake up in the morning, they always say hello
And what do they say? [animal noise]
And that is what they say!
Credit: Jbrary

Repeating Extension Activities

• Dance Your Fingers
• Open, Shut Them
• This Is Big*
• Tick, Tock
• Two Little Blackbirds*
• Where Is Thumbkin?

How It Went

This was my first ever toddler storytime. It also coincided with the week of PLA, so I was only able to lead Tuesday’s session since I was in Indianapolis during Thursday’s. I thought that this storytime went very well. I started with the same set-up that I did at my old library and quickly learned that a floor easel flannelboard would not work without preschoolers in the group to model how to sit. I had a slew of toddlers next to me the whole time, running their hands on the soft felt. I adjusted for the next week and used one of our tabletop easels.

After introducing “This Is Big”, I had a grandparent stop me and ask for a copy. Her daughter was going to teach abroad in China and she thought it would be perfect for teaching opposites in English! As always, Charlie the Chick was a huge pop-up success. I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost my copy of that one.

To read more about how I plan and prepare my Toddler Storytimes, please visit this post.

Each session, I pick some extension activities to repeat from week to week. Most of the time these have nothing to do with my theme of the day and just allow me to add more movement or songs if that’s what the toddlers need that week. Of course, I don’t use every activity every week. I’ll note in the individual theme summaries which activities I used. These are the activities that I had planned for Spring 2014.

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

Action Rhyme: “This Is Big”
This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Fingerplay: “Dance Your Fingers Up”
Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down
Dance your fingers to the side, dance them all around
Dance them on your shoulders, dance them on you head
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed
Credit: Best Kids Book Site (Site appears to be completely reorganized…)

Fingerplay: “Two Little Blackbirds”
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack, the other named Jill
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill
Come back Jack, come back Jill
(Other verses: cloud/quiet & loud; pole/fast & slow)
Credit: Modified from childhood

Fingerplay: “Where Is Thumbkin?”
Where is thumbkin? Where is thumbkin? (put hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (bring hands around from behind the back)
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you! (wiggle thumbs, one at a time)
Run away, run away! (hide hands behind back again)
(Repeat for each finger; I did leave out middle finger/tallman. It was too early in the morning and I feared I would burst into giggles.)
Credit: Childhood

Lift/Rhyme: “Tick, Tock”
Tick, tock, tick, tock
I’m a little cuckoo clock
Tick, tock, tick, tock
Now I’m chiming one o’clock
Cuckoo!
(Count up to three o’clock)
Credit: My co-worker Jane

Song: “Open, Shut Them”
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in, in, in!
Credit: My co-worker Sarah