Is there anything more adorable than toddlers in costume?  At today’s storytimes we had a clown (rosy cheeks and all), a lion, a pumpkin, a football player (with padded fabric helmet), Thor (cape and muscles included), and cowpokes!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them

BOOK:

Pumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo

MOVEMENT: “Reach for the Ceiling” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:

Pumpkins from Artfelt (one side is a pumpkin, one side is a jack-o-lantern)

FLANNELBOARD:
Mouse’s Halloween House

Story and Pattern from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra

One day in the fall, a little gray mouse found a big orange house.  She nibbled a hole in the middle, to make a door.  And she nibbled two holes up near the top, to make two windows.  And then she nibbled a wide hole near the bottom, so that all her children could run in and out.  Then she put a candle inside to light up the darkness.

The mouse’s little house
was a sight to be seen.
It was a jack-o’-lantern –
Happy Halloween!

MOVEMENT: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

BOOK:

It’s Halloween Night by Jennifer O’Connell

MOVEMENT: “Two Little Blackbirds” from Fingerplays and Footplays by Rosemary Hallum and Henry “Buzz” Glass

VIDEO:

“Bat” from Good Night Maisy

MOVEMENT:
Once There was a Pumpkin
Once there was a pumpkin (put hands together to make a circle)
And it grew (separate hands but keep circle shape)
and grew (arms bigger)
and grew (arms bigger)

Now it’s a jack-o-lantern
And it smiles at you (smile and point at audience)
and you (point at audience)
and you. (point at audience)

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over

HOW IT WENT:
Fun!  I like Pumply Dumply Pumpkin, event though at first it seems a bit long.  But the pictures are bright and so fun.  And it’s always great to find a nice new Halloween book for this age group – I read the reviews of It’s Halloween Night! and just got it sight unseen because it seemed like a good fit.  And while the kids were kind of too young to guess, it still made a good read.  Mouse’s Halloween House got a lot of awws.

ATTENDANCE:   10 am: 36 people     11 am: 42 people