Elephants – Preschool Storytime

Posted on December 7, 2013 by jeninthelibrary

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

Safari – Toddler Storytime

Posted on December 4, 2012 by jeninthelibrary

Today we took a trip to see lots of different animals. We went on safari!

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT:“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman.

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider*

COUNTING SONG:*

Elephants

FLANNELBOARD:
One Little Lion (filed under Lions – Count Up Rhymes)

Rhyme from ABC Literacy Storytimes: Storytimes to Promote Literacy and Learning by Marilyn Lohnes

One little lion, roaring at the zoo,
Called for another: ROAR!
Then there were two.

Two little lions, underneath a tree,
Called for another: ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were three.

Three little lions, who heard a distant roar,
Called for another: ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were four.

Four little lions, happy and alive,
called for another: ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Then there were five.

Five little lions.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Ran off to play
And then there were no more.

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

BOOK:

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

VIDEO:

“Mouse in the House” from The Poky Little Puppy and Friends

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

When the Elephant Walks by Keiko Kasza
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon
Little Elephant by Miela Ford
Watch Us Play by Miela Ford

Flannelboard: 10 Lions (for Counting)

HOW IT WENT:
This storytime came about because I really wanted to try reading Tiny Little Fly to a group. I had put it on my good books list a while back, but hadn’t gotten around to using it, so I thought it was time. I think I want to try it again with a preschool audience to see how it works there. It was fine with these groups, but I think I either need to try it with a different age group or practice a bit more to get the most out of it. Splash! worked well as it always does.

ATTENDANCE: 10 am: 36 people 11 am: 33 people

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

Safari – Infant Storytime

Posted on December 4, 2012 by jeninthelibrary

Today was an adventure in African animals

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: Icky Bicky Soda Cracker*

BOOK:

Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon

I skipped the bear page and the owl page this time in this book.

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

FLANNELBOARD:
One Fierce Lion (filed with flannelboards under Lions – Count Up Rhymes)

Rhyme adapted from ABC Literacy Storytimes: Storytimes to Promote Literacy and Learning by Marilyn Lohnes
Pattern via Google Images Search

(to tune of Frere Jacques)
One fierce lion, one fierce lion —
Hear him roar, hear him roar
Calling for another, calling for another
There’s one more, There’s one more.

Continue counting for 2, 3

Four fierce lions, four fierce lions.
There’s no more, there’s no more.
Hear them ROAR!

I do this as a call and response song where I sing the first line and then the audience repeats it back to me. It seems to work well that way. And even though I have five lions featured in the picture, I only do this rhyme up to four.

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

BOOK:

Whose Tail? by Sam Lloyd

TICKLE: Chicken in the Barnyard*

NURSERY RHYME:
Jack Be Nimble

Flannelboard from Little Folk Visuals

Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Jack jumped over the candlestick.

I do this rhyme as a bounce as well. First we say the rhyme just on its own. Then I explain that the parents and “jump” their baby from one leg to the other when Jack jumps over the candlestick. We do it together this way a few times.

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

BOOK:

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Little Elephant by Miela Ford
When the Elephant Walks by Keiko Kasza
Splash! by Flora McDonnell

Flannelboard: Five Elephants in the Bathtub

HOW IT WENT:
This storytime went well. I’m trying to find some good larger size board books to use with the infants and toddlers, and Whose Tail? seemed to be a good choice. It isn’t the largest format size, but the pictures are bright and colorful, so it seemed to work well.

ATTENDANCE: 24 people

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

Jen in the Library

Storytimes, Programs and Library Thoughts

Tag Archives: elephants

Elephants – Preschool Storytime

Safari – Toddler Storytime

Safari – Infant Storytime