I love elephant storytime.  They are always TONS of fun, and there are so many great books to choose from.  I’ve noticed a few new elephant books out there, so I thought I’d try those out this time around.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem by Jim Gill

MOVEMENT: “Elephant Walk”

Right foot, left foot, see me go (step with one foot, then other, sway side to side)
I am gray and big and slow (hold hands out to side on the word “big”)
I come walking down the street (keep feet stomping)
With my trunk and four big feet. (Make arm look like a trunk from nose).

BOOK:

Elecopter by Michael Slack

FLANNELBOARD:
Five Elephants in the Bathtub
Flannelboard pieces and rhyme from ArtFelt

1 elephant in the bathtub
going for a swim.
Knock, knock (clap hands for each knock)
Splash, splash (pat lap for each splash)
Come on in! (Wave hand invitingly)

2 elephants in the bathtub
going for a swim.
Knock, knock (clap hands for each knock)
Splash, splash (pat lap for each splash)
Come on in! (Wave hand invitingly)

3 elephants in the bathtub
going for a swim.
Knock, knock (clap hands for each knock)
Splash, splash (pat lap for each splash)
Come on in! (Wave hand invitingly)

4 elephants in the bathtub
going for a swim.
Knock, knock (clap hands for each knock)
Splash, splash (pat lap for each splash)
Come on in! (Wave hand invitingly)

5 elephants in the bathtub
going for a swim.
Knock, knock (clap hands for each knock)
Splash, splash (pat lap for each splash)
And they all fell in! (Knock all the elephants and tub off the flannelboard!)

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

BOOK:

Hiding Phil by Eric Barclay

MOVEMENT: An Elephant Goes

An elephant goes like this and that (stomp one foot, then the other)
He’s terribly wide (hold arms out at sides)And he’s terribly fat (keep arms out at sides)
He has two fingers (wiggle index fingers)
And he has two toes (wiggle feet)
But goodness gracious!
WHAT A NOSE (use arm pretend you have a trunk)

VIDEO:

“Emily Elephant” from Peppa Pig: Bubbles

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
     

Book: Tweak Tweak by Eve Bunting
Book: I Dream of an Elephant by Ami Rubinger
Book: All By Myself by Ivan Bates
Book: Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na
Book: When the Elephant Walks by Keiko Kasza

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
I did the “Elephant Walk” movement as an activity before I told the kids what storytime was going to be about today.  I did the rhyme and had the children guess what animal I was describing.  Then we all did the movement together once they had guessed.  It was a fun way to kick things off.  Elecopter was a great choice, and it was fun to read aloud as well.  The pictures on that one are great.  Hiding Phil was a little more difficult, since a lot of that story is in the pictures and not the text.  I “talked” the story a bit, narrating what was happening in the pictures and asking the kids what they saw.  This seemed to work well, which I was happy about since the book and illustrations are so cute!  This was also my first time using this video, and it was a fun choice — lost of silly animal sounds including, of course, an elephant trumpet

ATTENDANCE: 29 (adults and children)

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page