This week I schemed and came up with a fun fox-themed storytime for our preschool storytime.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

Fox and the Jumping Contest by Corey R. Tabor

MOVEMENT:
Fox Has Got a Long Red Tail
(to the tune of: “Mary had a Little Lamb”)
Fox has got a long red tail,
Shake that tail, shake that tail!
Fox has got a long red tail,
Shake that tail now!

Other Verses:
Pointy nose… wiggle that nose
Two front paws… clap those paws
Two pointy ears… twitch those ears
Two bright eyes… blink those eyes
Long sharp teeth… bite those teeth

Rhyme taken from:  Storytime Sparks

FLANNELBOARD:
A-Hunting We Will Go

Flannelboard taken from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.  She also has a version in her Mother Goose’s Playhouse.  Templates for this story found here.

A-hunting we will go,
A-hunting we will go.
We’ll take a fox,
Put him in a box,
And then we’ll let him go.

Other Verses:
Bear… sit her in a chair
Frog… put him on a log
Mouse… put her in a house
Whale… tickle his tail
Goat… put him in a boat.

At the end put all the animals on the board, and have the kids remember what we did with each.

MOVEMENT:
Foxy Loxy
Foxy Loxy touch your toes.
Foxy Loxy touch your nose.
Foxy Loxy pat your head.
Foxy Loxy go to bed.
Foxy Loxy wake up now.
Foxy Loxy take a bow.
Foxy Loxy touch the ground.
Foxy Loxy turn around.
Foxy Loxy sit back down.
Foxy Loxy don’t make a sound.

taken from Storytime Sparks

BOOK:

Dinnertime! by Sue Williams, illustrated by Kerry Argent

MOVEMENT:
If You’re a Fox and You Know It
(to the tune of: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a fox and you know it, swish your tail.
If you’re a fox and you know it, swish your tail.
If you’re a fox and you know,
then you’ll really want to show it,
If you’re a fox and you know it, swish your tail.

Other verses:
– wiggle your nose
– show your claws
– say “yip yip yip”

taken from: Sunflower Storytime

VIDEO:
 
“Rosie’s Walk” from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom …and Lots More Learning Fun! Based on the book by Pat Hutchins.

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Alone Together by Suzanne Bloom (or any of the Goose & Bear books that have Fox in it too.)
Book: One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian
Book: Do Like a Duck Does by Judy Hindley, illustrated by Ivan Bates
Book: That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems
Book: Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox, illustrated by Patricia Mullins
Book: Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
DVD: “Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” from I’m Dirty!… and More Stories of Adventure and Science.

GREAT RESOURCES FOR MORE IDEAS
Storytime Sparks – Fox Storytime
Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California – Foxes Storytime Ideas
Sunflower Storytime – Foxes
Yogibrarian – “Foxes” toddler storytime
Read It Again! – Story Time Fox
Storytime All-Stars – Foxes for Pre-School

HOW IT WENT:

I was really surprised that I hadn’t done a fox storytime yet!  I decided to do it after reading Tabor’s Fox and the Jumping Contest.  I was originally thinking of showing “Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” as my video, but I seemed to get a bunch of younger children, so I decided to go with the shorter option.

I’m so thankful for other storytime bloggers out there — they helped so much with ideas for movements for this storytime!

ATTENDANCE: 20 (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