In the midst of Summer, with everyone taking vacations, I thought it would be fun to feature airplanes in today’s eStorytime!

Opening Slide on Keynote:

SONG:

Come Along and Sing with Me

APP:

100 Planes from Michael Krynski    ($2.99; iOS)

This simple app, part of the 100 things series, shows lots of pictures and has videos of all types of planes.  I wanted to use this as a started for what the theme of storytime was going to be.  I just showed a few different pictures from the app, and then played a short video clip.

APP:

Build and Play 3D from Croco Studio ($2.99 ; iOS, Android, Samsung app)

Before we read stories about planes, I thought we should build our own.  Build and Play 3D is an app that includes a bunch of different toys (trucks, airplanes, robots, etc) and then you “assemble” the parts of the toy by touching and dragging on your tablet.  It’s a fun way to build shape recognition and puzzle solving skills.  I learned about this app at “Explore, Play and Imagine: Interactive Tech Time in Kids Library Programming”  a presentation at ALA 2015 by staff from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburg.

eBook/APP:

Planes by Byron Barton from Oceanhouse Media ($1.99, iOS)

This book is what made me want to do a plane storytime.  Based on the print book, it translates beautifully into a vibrant app.  While the price above is for the single app, you can also buy the Bryon Barton Collection #1 from Oceanhouse Media which has Planes, Trains, Boats and Trucks for $4.99.

FINGERPLAY:

The Airplane
The airplane has great big wings (arms out at sides)
Its propeller spins around and sings (move arms in circle)
The airplane goes up (raise arms)
The airplane goes down (lower arms)
The airplane flies high (arms out at sides)
Over our town. (turn in a circle with arms out at sides)

APP:

Felt Board from Software Smoothie ($2.99; iOS)
I used felt board to do the song/rhyme “Five Little Airplanes” I found from pattyshukla on YouTube.

Five Little Airplanes
Five little airplanes flying around
Zoom…zoom…zomm
One decided to touch down …zoom
Leaving 4 little airplanes flying around.

Continue song with 4…3…2…1…

There were not little airplanes flying around
Then all 5 airplanes left the ground
Zooooooom!
All five airplanes flying around.

I started with five airplanes on a blue background.  When we sang about them flying around I used my fingers to touch the screen and move the planes gently.  When it was time for one of the planes to touch down, I just tapped on the trash can for the board, then on one of the planes so it would “zoom” away.  When you get to the last verse of the song, just add five new planes to the screen.  Fun!

PRINT BOOK:

My First Airplane Ride by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Nancy Speir

APP:

Plane Wash from Happy Touch Apps (FREE; iOS)

The title of this app explains it perfectly — you wash a plane.  First, select which type of plane you’d like to clean.  Next, go step by step to make sure that plane is sparkling – rinse it, scrub it, wipe it and dry it!  For this app, I brought it down to the kids and we took turns doing the different cleaning activities.

MOVEMENT:

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

eBook/APP:


Around the World by James Carter and Anne Wilson from Collins Big Cat (FREE; iOS)

A brief story about children who travel around the world through sun and snow and visit Africa, India, and China.  I just read the story part of the app, but one of the fun features of this (and all the free Collins Big Cat apps) is that they all come with a story creator section. You can use this to make your own stories using set backgrounds, objects, and characters from the story.  Then add your own text.  You can even record and listen to the stories you create.

SONG: “Storytime’s Over”*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

APP: Bamba Airport from, Mezmedia ($3.99; iOS):  Similar to all the other Bamba apps, where you get to guide characters through all the steps of an airport or plane ride.
APP: Dr. Panda’s Airport from Dr. Panda ($3.99; iOS, Android, Amazon, Windows)  Like Bamba Airport, take animals through the airport
APP: I Learn with Transportation from Dada Company ($2.99; iOS, Andriod, Amazon) Children learn shapes, colors, numbers and more by way of various methods of transportation.

THOUGHTS ON THIS eSTORYTIME:
This storytime went pretty well!  I think I am getting the hang of eStorytimes!  (Knock on wood.)  I had a really small group of people today (as you can see from the numbers below), but the adults were really interested in the apps I was using, and took lots of photos so they could remember them.  One caregiver was very effusive in her compliments to me as well, saying that she liked that I stuck with a theme and she was very impressed by me.  That was very sweet.  And ti’s a nice thing to look back on and remember for when my programs don’t go so well.

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.