Today’s preschool storytime was an homage to fabulous felines!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

BOOK:
 
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

THEMED MOVEMENT:
5 Little Kittens
5 Little kittens, standing in a row  (hold up 5 fingers)
They nod their heads to the children so  (“nod” fingers)
They run to the left, they run to the right  (move hand left and right)
They stand up and stretch in the bright sunlight  (lift hand up)
Along comes a dog, who’s looking for some fun (move other fist towards fingers)
MEOW!  See those 5 kittens run! (hide fingers behind back)

MOVEMENT: “Shake My Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

FLANNELBOARD:
“I Had a Cat”

Song and Patterns taken from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra

I had a cat, my cat pleased me,
I fed my cat under yonder tree,
Cat goes fiddle-i-fee!

I had a pig, my pig pleased me,
I fed my pig under yonder tree,
Pig goes oink-oink,
Cat goes fiddle-i-fee!

Continue in the same manner with all the other animals.

Before beginning the flannelboard story I asked all the kids what sound a cat makes.  Then I brought up that if I cat has a fiddle like this one (and placed the cat on the board), then the sounds it makes is “fiddle-i-fee”!  This helped prep the fact that the cat wasn’t going to be saying what you expected it to.  Depending on your group size it may make sense to change the number of animals you use during the story.

PUPPETS:
Great Big Cat and Teeny Tiny Mouse

I purr-chased (sorry, I couldn’t resist) these beautiful puppets from ArtFelt.  Here’s the rhyme that goes with them:

There was a GREAT BIG CAT  (say “great big cat” in a big voice)
and a Teeny Little Mouse   (say “teeny little mouse” in a small squeaky voice)
Who ran around and around  (Roll hands with cat and mouse around each other)
In a tall, tall house!   (Stretch arms above head)
Until that teeny tiny mouse  (say “teeny little mouse” in a small squeaky voice)
got caught at last   (have cat catch mouse)
Because that GREAT BIG CAT  (say “great big cat” in a big voice)
ran around so fast!   (Roll hands with cat and mouse around each other)

BOOK:

What Will Fat Cat Sit On? by Jan Thomas

MOVEMENT: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

VIDEO:

“Splat the Cat” from Splat the Cat…and Other Furry Friends!

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over