This time of year is probably when I send the most mail.  Thinking about this, I thought it would be fun to do a mail and letters storytime, especially since I don’t think I’ve ever done one before!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:

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

INTRO:

I took this great idea from Abby the Librarian.  To kick off storytime, I pulled an envelope out of my bag.  We talked about what it was, the address, the stamp, and the return address.  Then I took out the letter and read it to the group to introduce that storytime today was going to be all about letters and mail.

BOOK:

It Came in the Mail by Ben Clanton

MOVEMENT:

Little Letter Carrier
I am a little letter carrier
Who loves to do nothing better
I walk, walk, walk (walk in place)
to your house to deliver your letter

Other verses:
I run, run, run (run in place)
I hop, hop hop (hop in place)

I opened this up to suggestions from the audience, so we also ended up doing:

Skip
Spin
March
Skip to my Lou (this was an interesting one, that I didn’t know how to do, so I had the suggester demonstrate, and then we all followed)
Drive

FLANNELBOARD STORY:

Lovely Letters in the Mail

For this flannelboard, I used a set that I purchased at Target from their $1-$3 section.  You can sometimes find some really great flannel sets there!  This is actually 2 sets put together.  I got it awhile ago, so I’m not sure it’s still available.  But it wouldn’t be too hard to make envelopes on your own.

I started by saying that I had gotten this bag full of mail delivered.

Then we opened it and counted how many letters were inside, as I placed them on the flannelboard. (All these are the same size, it’s just the weird angle of the photograph that makes them look different):

Then we sang this song:

Lovely Letters in the Mail
(to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

Oh, I got a lovely letter in the mail (clap, clap)
Oh, I got a lovely letter in the mail (clap, clap)
Getting mail is so much fun
Let’s see who sent this one
Oh, this lovely little letter in the mail. (clap, clap)

We opened up the envelope which had a letter inside:

I read the letter aloud without showing the audience, and they could guess which animal friend had sent me the letter.

Once the letter was read, and the audience had guessed, I turned the letter around to share the image of the friend that wrote it.  I got all the images from a google image search.

We then repeated the process, from the song on, until all the letters were open.   Here’s what my letters said:

Mouse
Dear Friend,
If you have any cheese, can you please leave it by my hole? Thank you.
Love, Mouse

Bear
Dear Friend,
I’m looking forward to sleeping all winter.
Love, Bear

Dog
Dear Friend,
Maybe we can play fetch soon?
Love, Dog

Cat
Dear Friend,
Let’s have fish lunch together!
Love, Cat

Fish
Dear Friend,
I’m lonely.  Can you please put a friend in my bowl?
Love, Fish

Bird
Dear Friend,
Can you please visit me in my tree?  I want you to see my new nest.
Love, Bird

MOVEMENT:

“Shake My Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs by Raffi

BOOK:

Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier

VIDEO:

“A Letter to Amy” from The Ezra Jack Keats Collection based on the book by Ezra Jack Keats

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, pictures by Oliver Jeffers
Book: Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
Book: Send It! by Don Carter
Book: Stanley the Mailman by William Bee
Book: A Letter for Leo  by Sergio Ruzzier
DVD: Hail to the Mail from Reading Rainbow

OTHER AWESOME RESOURCES:

– Abby the Librarian – Preschool Storytime: Mail
– Handly Regional Libraries Youthscope Blog – You’ve Got Mail Storytime
– Madelyn’s Library Programming – Toddler Storytime – Mail Time
– Read It Again! – Flannel Friday: Mailing Letters
– storytime katie – mail!
– storytime katie – Flannel Friday: Six Little Valentines
– Verona Story Time – Mail Story Time – Everybody
– The Wielded Pen – Children’s corner – You’ve Got Mail Storytime

HOW IT WENT:
Today was a fun storytime and a great theme.  Since I had such a small group, it was great that a lot of the kids got to participate in sharing ideas or guesses.   I hardly ever think up my own original flannelboard stories, so I was probably overly proud of myself when this one just came to me as I was prepping for the storytime.  The flannelboard took a little longer to present than I anticipated, but the kids were having fun with it, so I think it was fine.

I’m also trying to incorporate better parent patter and tips into my storytimes.  I’m not confident enough in that, but I know it’s something I need to do, so I’m trying.  This time, I made sure to ask some engaging questions after the video, to show that these can spark communication similar to how books can.

ATTENDANCE: 13 (adults and children.  It was slow this morning, since it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving)

DATE PRESENTED: Saturday, November 30, 2019 @ Children’s Room

*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