Snow – Preschool Storytime

Posted on January 28, 2016 by jeninthelibrary

So, I did this storytime back on December 5, but I forgot to post it! Better late than never…

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

If It’s Snow and You Know It, Clap Your Paws! by Kim Norman, illustrated by Liza Woodruff

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

MOVEMENT:

FLANNELBOARD: Snowball, Snowball

(Idea from So Tomorrow)

Snowball, snowball
cold and round!
Behind which mitten
can you be found?
Are you behind the color mitten?

MOVEMENT:
Cute Little Snowman
Cute little snowman (hold up left fist for snowman)
had a carrot nose. (stick out one finger of left fist to be the nose)
Along came a rabbit, (hold up 2 fingers of right hand for rabbit ears)
and what do you suppose?
That hungry rabbit (move right hand back and forth.)
looking for his lunch,
ate that snowman’s carrot nose. (lightly pinch left finger with right hand)
Nibble, nibble, crunch.

MOVEMENT:
These are Grandma’s Spectacles
These are Grandma’s spectacles (make circles with hands, place over eyes)
And this is Grandma’s hat (make hands into a hat on top of head)
And this is the way she folds her hands (fold hands)
And places them in her lap. (put hands in lap)

BOOK:

Supertruck by Stephen Savage

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

VIDEO:

“Hello Snow” from Little Bear Winter Games

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: A Perfect Day by Carin Berger
Book: Big Snow by Jonathan Bean
Book: Outside by Deirdre Gill
Book: A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
Book: You Make Me Smile by Layn Marlow
Book: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz
DVD: “Snow” from Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles and other stories

ATTENDANCE: 22 (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

Dogs – eStorytime

Posted on November 18, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

It’s been a while since I posted one of my eStorytimes. So, here is my monthly storytime I did in October about dogs.

Opening Slide on Keynote:
Slide1-2

SONG:

Come Along and Sing with Me

APP:

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell (no longer available as an app)

This is a wonderful adaptation of the beloved board book into an app. It’s simple, with the boxes that were lift-the-flaps in the print edition transformed into tapp-tastic fun. I just wish it was still available in the app store.

MOVEMENT:
Rover Can

We had fun pretending to be dogs! The kids enjoyed chiming in with suggestions for other things that dogs do.

eBook/APP:

Sago Mini Friends from Sago Sago (FREE; iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon)

Every Sago Mini app is amazing. In Friends, you get to choose a friend to be (we of course, picked Harvey the dog) and then visit other animal’s houses to play fun activities. When we played, storytime participates got to tuck Robin the bird and Harvey into bed, make a flower grow with Jinja the cat, blow up some balloons and more!

PRINT BOOK:

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

I’ve learned that it’s a good idea to keep something up on the screen while I am reading the print book, or else I end up getting our screensaver with photos (which the kids usually find more interesting than whatever I am reading), or the menu for Apple TV (which is ugly). When I first started doing eStorytime, I would put the cover of the book that I was going to read on the slide. But as I went on I found that didn’t afford me enough freedom to mix things up if I got a different audience than expected, or if I just wasn’t feeling the book that day. So I switched to a more generic screen shot like the one on the right. That works better for me.

APP:

Felt Board from Software Smoothie ($2.99; iOS)
I used felt board to do the song/rhyme “Five Little Puppy Dogs”

Five Little Puppy Dogs
5 little puppy dogs by the kennel door
One left the crowd, then there were four.
4 little puppy dogs, running round a tree
Mother called one home and then there were three.
3 little puppy dogs playing with a shoe
One ran after a cat, then there were two
2 little puppy dogs having so much fun
One went to find a bone, then there was one
1 little puppy dog sitting in the sun,
She went in the kennel and then there were none.

I started with five dogs on a blue background. Re-reading this rhyme again, I may see if I can add a dog house as well next time. Each time a puppy went away, I deleted it from the screen. I also had the kids doing this as a fingerplay with me, so they were using their fingers to do the rhyme.

APP:

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd, from Penguin New Zealand ($4.99; iOS)

A fun, straightforward ebook with a great rhyming scheme. Fans of Dr. Who take note: David Tennant narrates! (Of course, not for my storytime, but you know if I ever want to hear him I can just turn the narration on…)

APP:

Just Me and My Puppy by Mercer Mayer, from Oceanhouse Media ($1.99; iOS, Android, Kindle, Nook)

MOVEMENT:

Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog

MOVEMENT: “Storytime’s Over”*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

APP: Animal SnApp: Farm illustrated by Axel Scheffler, from Nosy Crow (I’m not sure if this app is still available) I liked this app a lot, and was hoping to use it, but I’ve found that some of the apps from Nosy Crow mirror strangely when I try to use them with our AppleTV. Anyone else have this problem?
APP: Meet Biscuit by Alyssa Capucilli, from iStorytime ($2.99; iOS, Amazon) Capucilli’s loveable dog in app form.

THOUGHTS ON THIS eSTORYTIME:
This was a fun, but small, eStorytime. In some ways, the smaller groups work better, because it means more kids can interact with the iPad. But, I’m wondering if this is a good program to keep doing. Maybe Friday mornings aren’t the best time? Maybe our community isn’t interested? Maybe I need to do more publicity? So, since most of the Fridays that I work in November and December are holidays, I have decided to go back to the drawing board with our eStorytime program and evaluate if and how this can be done better.

However, since I’m behind in posting my eStorytimes, there will probably still be a few to go up on the blog.

ATTENDANCE: 4 people (children and adults)

*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

Please note: App prices were correct at the time of writing this blog, but may have changed since. All prices taken from the iOS app price. There may also be changes to available platforms for apps as well.

Clouds – Preschool Storytime

Posted on October 27, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky on Saturday, but that didn’t stop us from having a wonderful time at our cloud-themed storytime.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

FLANNELBOARD:
“C-L-O-U-D-Y”

idea taken from PreSchool Express

(to the tune of “BINGO”)
Today the clouds are in the sky
and cloudy is the weather
C-L-O-U-D-Y
C-L-O-U-D-Y
C-L-O-U-D-Y
and cloudy is the weather

(turn over one of the clouds so the letter is no longer showing)
Today the clouds are in the sky
and cloudy is the weather
clap-L-O-U-D-Y
clap-L-O-U-D-Y
clap-L-O-U-D-Y
and cloudy is the weather.

Continue until all clouds are turned over and you are clapping six times in a row.

This rhyme is slightly more awkward than a regular BINGO adaptation since there are 6 letters instead of 5. I just sped up a bit for the O-U part and that worked ok. Just remember the correct rhythm so you can clap to it as well. I messed that up a bit.

MOVEMENT: I’m a Little Cloud
Rhyme by Jean Warren, taken from Preschool Express

(to the tune of: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little cloud, in the sky (have fingertips meet in circle above head)
You can find me way up high (stretch arms up high and stand on tippy toes)
Sometimes I’m puffy (put hands on hips to make you “puffy”)
sometimes stretched out. (hands out at your sides)
I just love to float about. (move side to side with hands still stretched out)

BOOK:

The Police Cloud by Christoph Niemann

FLANNELBOARD:
“5 Little Clouds”

Idea adapted from Mrs. Andre’s Library

5 little clouds up in the sky
Drifting, floating way up high.
When a big gust of wind came blowing through
(everyone blows big, wave hands back and forth)
One disappeared from the sky so blue. (remove cloud from flannelboard)

Continue counting down until 0 clouds are left.

VIDEO:

“Little Black Rain Cloud” from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

BOOK: Once Upon a Cloud written by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Matt Mahurin (This one wonders what exactly a cloud is, so it might be fun to pair with a nonfiction title that explains the science of clouds after.)
BOOK: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld
BOOK: Little Cloud by Eric Carle
BOOK: Thirsty Thursday by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Helen Craig (This would also make a cute flannelboard.
FLANNELBOARD: Try It Looked Like Spilt Milk the way that Busy Crafting Mama suggests: Using flannelboard/puzzle pieces and the book.

FLANNELBOARD: “Five Little Clouds” Version 2

taken from Abby the Librarian

5 little clouds, so white and plain
The first one said, “I want to make it rain!”
The second one said, “Where are we?”
The third one said, “In the sky, don’t you see?”
The fourth one said, “Let’s go, go, go!”
The fifth one said, “Look out below!”
The out came the stars, and out came the moon
And the clouds rolled away, but they’ll be back soon.

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
It was fun, but a loud storytime! I actually had to stop in the middle of reading It Looked Liked Spilt Milk because the kids were getting to loud! I love it when they join in and interact with me, but just screams. They quieted down a bit after that, but you’ll notice I threw Grandma’s Spectacles in there at the beginning because after the movements they were a bit rambunctious.

ATTENDANCE: 36 (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

Breakfast – Preschool Storytime

Posted on September 18, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

I don’t suggest this delicious theme if you haven’t eaten recently. It will leave you hungry for both breakfast and more good stories. I actually took a break while writing this to go have some breakfast for lunch.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Bread and Butter
(taken from Preschool Storytime Outlines)

Throughout this rhyme, pat your lap and clap your hands in time as you chant, except for when you are saying “Hello”.

Bread and butter
Marmalade and jam
Let’s say Hello
as _quietly__ as we can.
Hello.

Other verses:
loudly, slowly, fast, high, low

BOOK:

Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

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

MOVEMENT: Five Fat Sausages
Five fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers)
All of a sudden one went BANG! (clap hands)
Four fat sausages…
Three…
Two…
One fat sausage frying in a pan (hold up 1 finger)
All of a sudden, it went BANG! (clap hands)
There were NO sausages left.

FLANNELBOARD:
Eggs for Breakfast

(pattern and story from Ready-to-Go Storytimes by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis)

One morning I woke up early and no one was up yet. I was hungry, so I decided to make myself some eggs. I got out the griddle (point to flannelboard). I got out the eggs. I picked up one egg and:

Give it a whack, (clap hands)
hear it crack, (hand behind ear)
Drop it in the middle, (pat hands on your lap)
One egg frying on the griddle. (place egg on flannelboard)

That egg smelled so good. Soon, my sister came into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She said, “I want one too!” I picked up one egg and:

Give it a whack, (clap hands)
hear it crack, (hand behind ear)
Drop it in the middle, (pat hands on your lap)
Two eggs frying on the griddle. (place egg on flannelboard)

Here comes dad, nodding his head. He likes his on toasted bread. I picked up one egg and:

Give it a whack, (clap hands)
hear it crack, (hand behind ear)
Drop it in the middle, (pat hands on your lap)
Three eggs frying on the griddle. (place egg on flannelboard)

Last up was one. She gave me a wink and said, “Looks good, I’ll have one too!” I picked up one egg and:

Give it a whack, (clap hands)
hear it crack, (hand behind ear)
Drop it in the middle, (pat hands on your lap)
Four eggs frying on the griddle. (place egg on flannelboard)

Now my family’s all here and it’s time to eat together. So we ate 1, 2, 3, 4 eggs! (Take eggs off flannelboard).

MOVEMENT: If You Like Your Eggs Scrambled
(taken from Storytime Source Page)

If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands
If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands
Yes, they’re yummy and they’re yellow
So you’ll be a happy fellow
If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands

Other verses:
If you like your eggs fried, jump up high…
If you want bacon with your eggs, wiggle your legs…
If you want toast instead, nod your head (mmm-hmmm)

MOVEMENT: These are Grandma’s Spectacles

These are Grandma’s spectacles (make circles with hands, place over eyes)
And this is Grandma’s hat (make hands into a hat on top of head)
And this is the way she folds her hands (fold hands)
And places them in her lap. (put hands in lap)

BOOK:

Everyone Loves Bacon words by Kelly DiPucchio, pictures by Eric Wight

VIDEO:

“Spot’s Breakfast” from Spot Goes to School

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book:If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond
Book: Sausages by Jessica Souhami
Book: We’re Making Breakfast for Mother by Shirley Neitzel, pictures by Nancy Winslow Parker
Flannelboard: Flip-Flack Jack (from Ready-to-Go Storytimes by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaiti
Movie: “Breakfast at Farzzle’s” from Farzzle’s World: Breakfast at Farzzle’s

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
Before I came up with this theme for storytime, I was feeling a little blah about having to do storytime for the week. But once I looked through some books, and realized I hadn’t used Please, Mr. Panda yet, and that we had just gotten Everyone Loves Bacon I knew I had a theme on my hands I was looking forward to. (You know, I think I do A LOT of storytimes about food.) I was a little worried about finding a video, but the Spot one worked just fine.

I think there are probably a few other great breakfast themed books I could have used, but since I was putting this together last minute I didn’t have time to request books from the branches. Do you have a favorite first-meal-of-the-day story?

If I were to do this again, I think I would switch the order I read the stories and do Everyone Loves Bacon as my first book, since it’s a little long. Also, as I was reading Please Mr. Panda I realized I should probably do a black and white themed storytime sometime.

ATTENDANCE: 36 (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

Chickens – Toddler Storytime

Posted on August 26, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

Chick-chick hooray! Chickens was the theme of our last storytime of the Summer session.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

This Little Chick by John Lawrence

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

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Chickens

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Little Chickens

(Patterns and poem taken from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra. I think. It’s not cited, so I have to double-check. )

Said the first little chicken, with a queer little squirm,
“I wish I could find a fat little worm.”

Said the second little chicken, with an odd little shrug,
“I wish I could find a fat little bug.”

Said the third little chicken, with a sharp little squeal,
“I wish I could find some nice yellow meal.”

Said the fourth little chicken, with a sigh of grief,
“I wish I could find a little green leaf.”

Said the fifth little chicken, with a faint little moan,
“I wish I could find a wee gravel stone.”

“Now see here,” said the mother, from the green garden patch,
“If you want any breakfast, just come here and SCRATCH!”

Start with mother hen on one side of the flannelboard, near the garden. (My garden patch is brown instead of green. Note to self: read entire story before making flannel pieces. Must remake.) Make slits in the garden where you can put the things the chicks are looking for. Add each chick when you get to it. Then after you’ve read the poem, see if the children can remember which chick wanted which treat, and match them up accordingly.

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

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

VIDEO:

“Diva Hen” from Little Bear’s Band

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri
Book: Here a Chick, Where a Chick? by Suse MacDonald
Book: Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by John Butler
Book: The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley
Book: Little Chicken’s Big Day by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis
DVD: “Rosie’s Walk” from Chicka Chick Boom Boom …and lots more learning fun

HOW IT WENT:
This was a fun storytime. Since it was the last one of the session, and kids can usually settle down for the movie, I decided to do Everyone Ready for fun? which is a fun interactive book that gets the kids jumping up and down. It worked really well. Jan Thomas books are great.

As noted above, I really do need to remake my hill for the Five Little Chickens flannelboard so that it is green — not just because that is what is mentioned in the poem, but also because it will stand out better on our black flannelboard.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 37 people 11 am: 34 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page

Chickens – Infant Storytime

Posted on August 26, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

We finished up our Summer Infant Storytime session with a clucking good storytime about chickens.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCES: Ride a Little Pony*
In the Toaster*
Roly Poly*

BOOK:

Pepo and Lolo are Friends by Ana Martín Larrañaga.

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Eggs and 5 Eggs

Template and Rhyme taken from Storytime Katie who got it from Mel’s Desk

Five eggs and five eggs
(Add a clutch of eggs each time you say “five eggs”)
And that makes ten
Sitting on top
(Add the hen)
Is Mother Hen
Crackle crackle crackle
(Clap hands as you say Cackle!)
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chickens
(Flip over each clutch of eggs.)
Yellow as can be.

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

Chick by Ed Vere

TICKLES: Round and Round the Garden*
Slowly Slowly Very Slowly*

SONG: “Babies Little Self” from the album Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Hickety Pickety My Black Hen

Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Hickety pickety, my black hen,
She lays eggs for gentlemen.
Gentlemen come every day
To see what my black hen doth lay.
Sometimes nine and sometimes ten,
Hickety, pickety, my black hen.

Recite the rhyme once. Then place either 9 or 10 eggs on the flannelboard. Count the eggs with the audience to see how many the black hen laid today. Then repeat the rhyme once more.

TICKLES: Chicken in the Barnyard*
These are Baby’s Fingers*

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Pepo and Lolo and the Red Apple by Ana Martín Larrañaga
Book: This Little Chick by John Lawrence
Book: Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker

HOW IT WENT:
I was surprised that I didn’t find more great chicken books to use with infants. This was probably because I was all about the last-minute planning this session. Do you know of any other great chicken books I could use for this age group?

This was my first time reading Vere’s Chick, and I was a little concerned that some parents might not like the fact that the book mentions poop. But I figured, these are parents of infants, they deal with poop everyday. If anyone would understand about little ones pooping, it would be them. And no one said anything about it.

Since this was my last storytime of the Summer Session, I like reviewing all the different bounces and tickles that we did throughout our ten weeks together.

ATTENDANCE: 31 people

* For these songs, please see my page Storytime Movements & Music

Bedtime – Toddler Storytime

Posted on August 24, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

We got nice and snuggly with this sleepy storytime!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Bedtime Bunnies by Wendy Watson

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

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Sheep

FLANNELBOARD:
5 in the Bed

Template and song taken from Making Learning Fun

There were five in the bed,
and the little one said,
“It’s crowded!
Roll Over!”
So they all rolled over
And one fell out.

How many were in the bed now?
That’s right! 4!
There were four in the bed…

**Continue counting down until…

There was one in the bed
and the little one said

“I’m Lonely!”
So all the others climbed back into bed.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
And everyone drifted off to sleep.
Goodnight!

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:
Tuck Me In by Hacohen
Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen & Sherry Scharschmidt

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

VIDEO:

“Four Beds” from Baby’s First-Word Stories: Nighttime

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: No Bed Without Ted by Nicola Smee
Book: Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay by Cynthia Rylant, pictures by Brian Biggs
Book: I’m Not Sleepy! by Jonathan Allen
Book: Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
Flannelboard: 10 Teddy Bears (for counting song)
Flannelboard: 10 Teddy Bears Sleeping in the Bed
Other Ideas from my https://jeninthelibrary.com/2012/11/10/bedtime-storybox/

HOW IT WENT:
Sleep is a fun theme. And there are so many great books for toddlers on the topic!

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 40 people 11 am: 40 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page

Bedtime – Infant Storytime

Posted on August 24, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

Even though we have Infant Storytime early in the morning, it’s still never too early to share bedtime books.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Roly Poly*

BOOK:

Little Sleepyhead by Elizabeth McPike and Patrice Barton

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
5 in the Bed

Template and song taken from Making Learning Fun

There were five in the bed,
and the little one said,
“It’s crowded!
Roll Over!”
So they all rolled over
And one fell out.

How many were in the bed now?
That’s right! 4!
There were four in the bed…

**Continue counting down until…

There was one in the bed
and the little one said

“I’m Lonely!”
So all the others climbed back into bed.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
And everyone drifted off to sleep.
Goodnight!

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
(I used the larger Lap Sized board book so that everyone could see the pictures.)

TICKLE: These are Baby’s Fingers*

SONG: “Babies Little Self” from the album Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Little Bo Peep

Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
and doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone,
And they’ll come home
Wagging their tails behind them.

Recite the rhyme once, then ask the children if they can find Little Bo Peep’s sheep. Lift up the bushes to reveal the sheep, and then recite the rhyme once more.

BOOK:

Wild! Bedtime by Courtney Dicmas

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen & Sherry Scharschmidt
Book: Sleepy Kittens by Jill and Martin Leman
Book: Goodnight, My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri

HOW IT WENT:
When I saw the book Little Sleepyhead, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into an infant storytime. I think it worked pretty well! Since The Going to Bed Book was so short, I’m glad I had Wild! Bedtime to use as an additional story. I always feel like we do so much in Infant storytime, yet it still feels hard to fill up 20 minutes!

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

* For these songs, please see my page Storytime Movements & Music

Buses – Toddler Storytime

Posted on August 5, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

Buses seemed like a fun change from some of the usual transporation theme I do. Especially because some of the newer books on this topic work great with toddlers!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

The Bus is for Us! by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Gillian Tyler

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

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Buses

FLANNELBOARD:
Wheels on the Bus

Template and song taken from Felt Board Fingerplays
by Liz & Dick Wilmes, art by Janet McDonnell. Pieces inspired bySouthCentralFlannelboardFactory.

The wheels on the bus go round and round, (roll arms in front of body, fist over fist)
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

Other verses:
The wipes on the bus go swish, swish, swish… (move arms back and forth like wipers)
The door on the bus goes open and shut… (palms facing out, move hands apart then together)
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep… (pretend to be pushing on a horn)
The windows on the bus go up and down… (palms toward you, hands horizontal, move apart, then together)
The babies on the bus go waa, waa, waa… (fists up to eyes and twist)
The parents on the bus go shh, shh, shh… (finger in front of lips)

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

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

The Bus Stop by Janet Morgan Stoeke

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

VIDEO:

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus … and more stories by Mo Willems (The Mo Willems Cartoon Collection Vol. 1)

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Little School Bus by Carol Roth, illustrated by Pamela Paparone (may need to do some editing to make it shorter for toddlers, but this would also make a cute flannelboard story)
Book: My Bus by Byron Bartonl
Book: The Seals on the bus by Lenny Hort, illustrated by g. Brian Karas (also Storytime Katie has a great version of this as a flannelboard)
Book: The Wheels on the Bus by Jane Cabrera
Book: Don’t Squish the Sasquatch! by Kent Redeker and Bob Staake
Flannelboard: The Lonely Bus Driver from Read, Rhyme and Sing

HOW IT WENT:
Buses was a great topic to use for storytime. I’m surprised I haven’t done a bus storytime prior to this! The kids seemed to get excited about the theme, and that’s always fun when that happens. In the 10am storytime, we also had some older sibling present, which was good when it came to the movie — the older ones said “No” to the pigeon much louder.

I was also thinking I could probably just do a storytime all around the different variant of The Wheels on the Bus.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 31 people 11 am: 40 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page

Buses – Infant Storytime

Posted on August 5, 2015 by jeninthelibrary

I’d noticed a few new books coming in about buses for younger ones, so I thought I would try that out for this week’s storytime theme

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Roly Poly*

BOOK:

The Bus is for Us! by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Gillian Tyler

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
Wheels on the Bus

Template and song taken from Felt Board Fingerplays
by Liz & Dick Wilmes, art by Janet McDonnell. Pieces inspired by SouthCentralFlannelboardFactory.

The wheels on the bus go round and round, (roll arms in front of body, fist over fist)
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Patty Cake*

BOOK:

My Bus by Byron Barton

TICKLE: These are Baby’s Fingers*

SONG: “Babies Little Self” from the album Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

NURSERY RHYME FLANNELBOARD:
Humpty Dumpty

Flannelboard pattern taken from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the King’s horses
And all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: The Wheels on the Bus by Penny Dann

HOW IT WENT:
Buses was a fun theme! When I used The Bus is for Us I did paperclip one stanza of the book together so that it didn’t run too long.

ATTENDANCE: 32 people

* For these songs, please see my page Storytime Movements & Music

Jen in the Library

Storytimes, Programs and Library Thoughts

Category Archives: Storytimes

Snow – Preschool Storytime

Dogs – eStorytime

Clouds – Preschool Storytime

Breakfast – Preschool Storytime

Chickens – Toddler Storytime

Chickens – Infant Storytime

Bedtime – Toddler Storytime

Bedtime – Infant Storytime

Buses – Toddler Storytime

Buses – Infant Storytime