Hugs and Kisses fit in so well to the Valentine theme that I usually end up combining them into one love-fest of a storytime.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

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

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri

MOVEMENT: “Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

MOVEMENT: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

COUNTING SONG:*

Hearts

FLANNELBOARD:
This Valentine

(rhyme and pattern from Totline Magazine January/February 1999 pg 22)

This valentine is shaped like a square.
This valentine is shaped like a bear.
This valentine is shaped like a circle.
This valentine is colored purple.
This valentine is shaped like a rectangle.
This valentine is shaped like a triangle.
This valentine is shaped like a dove.
This valentine is made with love.

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

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

BOOK:

10 am: The Cuddle Book  by Guido Van Genechten
11 am: Mouse’s First Valentine by Lauren Thompson

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

VIDEO:

“Valentine’s Day” from Little Bear: Little Bear’s Band

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:

Book: Kitty’s Cuddles by Jane Cabrera
Book: Baby Loves Hugs and Kisses by Michael Lawrence
Book: Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond
Book: Snuggle Wuggle by Jonathan London
DVD: “Max’s Valentine” from Summertime with Max & Ruby
HOW IT WENT:
After adding in “Twinkle Twinkle” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider” last week, I decided that I was going to keep that in the storytime, and I think it worked really well.  It seemed to help calm down the children to have a really active movement (like Row, Row, Row) then follow it with a fingerplay to get them ready to then hear a story.  I think I will keep this in for this session, and then maybe look at expanding my fingerplay repertoire to other rhymes (though everyone seems to love these perennial favorites).  My 10am storytime was a little more wiggly than the 11 o’clock, which is why I picked a shorter book for the second reading.  Attendance was also a lot lower this week.  Maybe people had a three-day weekend and decided to extend it?

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  48 people      11 am: 29 people

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