STORYTIME: Autumn

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall- A lovely collage illustrated book that follows an apple tree and it's inhabitants through the four seasons. Well written with a great introduction to seasons & change for toddlers.

The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri - With brilliant illustrations Tafuri follows the journey of a a busy squirrel who doesn't have time to stop and play with the other animals because he is too busy collecting food to store for Winter. Introduces kids to the habits of animals in the book aside from the squirrel. Also a great read about the changing of the seasons and what animals do to prepare.

Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell- A really fun story about a hedgehog who starts out having an apple stuck on his back and then progresses to more and more things getting stuck on him. Very very cute.

Acorns Everywhere by Kenvin Sherry- So adorable! I am planning on using this book without the text to let the kids tell the story. Huge colorful and simply adorable illustrations make this book an instant hit.

Apple Pie ABC by Allison Murray-Such a lovely ABC book. A dog so wants this fresh baked apple pie he is just about ready to do everything in the alphabet to get a taste of it. Lots of fun, very creative.

Storytime Performed on 10/18/2011

STORYTIME: 12/21/2010

Book: Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
Fingerplay: 5 Little Peas
Book: I Took My Frog to the Library by Eric A Kimmel
Standing-Up: The Elephant
Book: Let's Count Goats by Mem Fox
Action Rhyme: Jack-in-the Box
Book: Martha Doesn't Say Sorry! by Samantha Berger
Yoga


Special treat halfway through, live piano and guitar sing along to Frosty The Snowman, and Jingle Bells

Rhyme: Jack-in-the Box

Let's climb into our boxes (mime action)
Push ourselves down (squat)
And close the lid (mime action)
Now let's wind ourselves up.... (mime action)
And here we go:

Jack-in-the box sitting so still,
Won't you come out?
Yes! I Will! (Jump up)

STORYTIME: Wolves

Books:
The Boy Who Cried Wolf retold by B.G. Hennessy - A good retelling of the popular fairy tale and a good lesson for toddlers. Not too much text plus no gruesome wolf eating sheep at the end.

Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen- A little bit longer but a real fun book for storytime. The illustrations are big and bold as well.

Wolf Won't Bite! by Emily Gravett-A great quick read, funny with brilliant illustrations.

STORYTIME: Here Piggy, Piggy

"Eat" Cried Little Pig by Jonathan London - A Little piggie's first word is "Eat" and as he yells it he makes a huge mess while doing so. A fun read aloud because you can do some really funny voices for the pig and his family. Be careful to get the comic timing of this one down before you read it with your kids.

Z-Z-Zoink! by Bernard Most - Boy does the pig in this story snore! He can't seem to find acceptance anywhere on the farm.

Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson- I am not super crazy about this book but I think it would work fine with 2 year olds. The text does nicely wrap throughout the story becoming part of the illustrations. This could also be used as part of an Autumn themed story time.

Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman- A great refrain that kids will have a blast shouting out loud.

STORYTIME: 12/14/2010

Book: Reading Makes You Feel Good by  Todd Parr
Rhyme: Mother and Father and Uncle John
Book: I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy
Drum: Rump a Pum Pum
Drum: Marching to the Drum
Rhyme: Bread and Butter
Book: Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington
Feltboard: Donut Shop
Book: It's Christmas David by David Shannon
Lullaby: Mr. Sun

STORYTIME: Christmastime

Books:
It's Christmas David! by David Shannon -  Shannon's lovable problem child is back and this time he wants Christmas!  The huge humorous illustrations paired with simple text is so much fun to act and read aloud with all ages.  A few pages may go over the preschool age kids heads but the parents are sure to enjoy.

STORYTIME: Baby, Baby, Baby

Books:
I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy - Huge black and white pictures, large enthusiastic writing! There is everything to love about this clever upbeat fun read aloud.

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee- Humorous and fun read aloud for kids and their parents about how a baby could really be seen as a high power executive!

Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri - Five little chickies want to each eat something different. All a little bit too much for them to handle. Thats when mama steps in and teaches babies to scratch, scratch, scratch. Very charming illustrations with a simple story that can teach kids about how farm chickens find food. (well on a free range farm that is)

Overboard! by Sarah Weeks - Naughty little baby bunny keeps throwing things from his crib, booster seat and anywhere else he happens to be. Cute pictures and a fun to read aloud story make this a hit. Have the kids all shout "Overboard" together on each page.

What Shall We Do With the Boo-Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell- Some farm animals are taking care of a baby (naturally!) when the baby starts to cry. They try several things to get the babe to stop from crying finally settling on putting him to bed. A short charming book with pretty adorable illustrations.

STORYTIME: In the Kitchen

Books:
Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington - Simple bright drawings adorn this simple text picture book about the process of a baker making and selling cookies. The text make this a good book for early readers with short easy to read sentences.

Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont - Mama kangaroo asks everyone if they are the one who ate the cookie dough. A funny book with lots of repetitive rhyming that doesn't get old and a cleverly placed lift the flap feature at the end.

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges- A funny spin on the traditional Little Red Hen story. My kids know the story form a flannel board I do with them so they can appreciate the changes in the story. The tale is changed just enough so that there is an element of surprise for the listener. The illustrations are amazing and so much fun to look at. Plus, a really good education on what pizza is made out of and how to assemble one.

Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal- Like her popular book "Spoon" this book introduces kids to the uses of chopsticks. I especially love this book because many toddlers have never even heard of a chopstick. I have a box of leftover chopstick packages from a previous sushi library program. I plan on giving each child a pair to take home and showing them how to use them. Of course at this age it is going to be hard for them to master the coordination but I will encourage them to try and eat at least one food using their chopsticks (anyway they can figure to) this week.

STORYTIME: Move it!

Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting - A delightful quick read aloud with bold beautifully executed illustrations. All the animals need to rush to witness the hatching of the new chick on the farm. Can be read to create some real anticipation for the end reveal of the story.

See Me Run by Paul Meisel- A great book for early readers. Especially funny ending where a pack of dogs dig up the bones of a dinosaur and the skeleton proceeds to chase the dogs around.

Brontorina by James Howe- Brontorina wants to be a ballerina. She enrolls in dance school and truns out to be a very graceful dancer indeed. This book uses some dance terminilogy. Have the kids stand up and try doing the 4 or 5 ballerina dance moves with you so they can see what Brontorina does when she dances.

Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont-A small fast read but fun none-the-less.Get a polka cd out of the library collection and have the kids dance around a little.Make feltboard pieces of some of the instruments being played.

Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh - Illustrated with simple constriction paper figures this is a nice basic intro into the concept of balance for young children. Two little mice make a seesaw but other critters want in on the fun (as usual.) These mice have to be pretty creative to figure out how to balance the stick while still letting their friends play.

The Best Picnic Ever by Clare Jarrett- A really lovely story featuring a darling cast of animals that play with a little boy in the park before they all site down to a picnic.

Hurry Up, and Slow Down by Layn Marlow - Really nice classic style illustrations. Features the tortoise reading a picture book to the hare at the end. A great story to keep your audience interested.

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andrea- Large format book about a giraffe that nobody in the jungle has faith can dance.

You Are a Lion! and Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo- I always do 5 minutes of yoga with my kids to close storytime. This book is a fun visual to try out too. Have a parent read the book while you go through the poses with the kids.(too hard to read and do yoga at the same time!)

STORYTIME: Winter

The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson - Great clear, large illustrations. A bear is hibernating in his cave for the Winter when a whole bunch of different animals seek refuge from the cold and in the process throw a little party. A little bit of a longer book so I would recommend this as your intro book at storytime. A nice, repetitive warm story.

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by Il Sung Na - During Winter some animals migrate, some store food, but when the snow melts everyone knows that Spring is here. A simple fast read with beautiful illustrations. A good book to use for a Spring themed story time.

When it Starts to Snow by Phillis Gershator - Ever wonder what animals do when it snows? This book is cute with a simple repetitive rhyming scheme.

One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell George- A really fun book about all the great ways you can use your imagination with a mitten.

A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann- Super adorable illustrations!!!! Four kittens are eagerly anticipating their first snowfall in this sweet and simple story. A real delightful read.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats-Captures the magic of snowfall to a young child. A fun look at all the great things you can do outside in the snow.

Duck Skates by Lynne Berry- Little ducks get dressed and play in the snow...nuff said

When it Starts to Snow by Phillis Gershator- Goes through what different animals do and where they take refuge when it starts to snow. Cute pictures.

Whose Footprints? by Molly Coxe- A great guessing game to play with kids. Before you read this book print out the footprints of the animals featured in the book and a picture of the animal. Put them on a feltboard and see if the kids can match the track to the animal. Then read the book and see if they can again match up the animal with the print, only this time it is a track in the snow.

The Mitten by Jan Brett- A classic with rich, beautiful illustrations.

Storytime Performed On:

1/24/2012

Developmental Tip: Syllables

Language and Literacy- Phonological Awareness and Alphabetic Knowledge

Helping children hear the smaller sounds in words, the syllables, by clapping them out is one way to develop their phonological awareness.  Children can hear the syllables more easily than each sound in words.

From the book: The Early Literacy Kit by Betsy Diamant-Cohen

Developmental Tip: Moving to Music

Physical Development-Gross Motor Development

Moving to music, dancing, swaying, running, and jumping help young children feel rhythm and begin to understand how their bodies work.  Such movements also help them gain muscle control and improve balance. All of this contributes to a child's gross motor development.

Storytime 11/23/2010

1. Welcome Song "The more we get together"

2. Book: Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

3. Rhyme: 2 Little Black Birds 

4. Book: Dog's Noisy Day by Emma Dodd

5. Prop: Bell Songs

6. Standing Up: If your happy and you know it

7. Book: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

8. Rhyme: 5 Fat Sausages

9. Book: Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarthy

10. Lullaby: The Itsy Bitsy Spider

11. Yoga

Storytime 11/16/2010

1. Welcome Song "The more we get together"

2. Book: What Pet to Get by Emma Dodd

3. Rhyme: A Delicious Cake

4. Book: Lemons are not Red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

5. Rum Pum Pum Drum

6. Prop: Drum Circle Walk

7. Feltboard: The Little Red Hen

8. Rhyme: Mother and Father and Uncle John

9. Book: I Love Bugs by Emma Dodd

10. Rhyme: Tommy Thumbs

11. Book: Penguin by Polly Dunbar

12. Lullaby: Itsy Bitsy Spider

13. Yoga

Mother & Father & Uncle John

Mother & Father & Uncle John
Went to the market one by one (bounce knees)
Mother fell off (lean to one side)
And father fell off (lean to other side)
But uncle John went on and on and on and on......................

A Delicious Cake

Mix the batter, stir the batter (make stirring motion)
Shake some flour in (make shaking motion)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make stirring motion)
Place it in a tin (make pouring motion)
Sprinkle little raisins on (sprinkle motion)
Pop it in to bake (make motion)
Open wide the oven door, (make motion)
and out comes a cake! (open palms)

Soft Kitty

 (Make fist of left hand for kitty. Pet kitty with right hand)
Soft kitty, warm kitty
Little ball of fur.
Lazy kitty, pretty kitty,
"Purr, purr, purr.."

I'm A Little Cat

(Sung to "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'm a little cat.
Soft and furry.
I'll be your friend.
So don't you worry.
Right up on your lap I like to hop.
I'll purr, purr, purr and never stop.

5 Fat Sausages

Five fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers and bounce them)

All of the sudden  (open arms wide)

One went BAM (clap hands together fast)

Four fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers and bounce them)

All of the sudden  (open arms wide)

One went BAM (clap hands together fast)

Three fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers and bounce them)

All of the sudden  (open arms wide)

One went BAM (clap hands together fast)

Two fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers and bounce them)

All of the sudden  (open arms wide)

One went BAM (clap hands together fast)

One fat sausages frying in a pan (hold up 5 fingers and bounce them)

All of the sudden  (open arms wide)

One went BAM (clap hands together fast)

And there were no sausages left!

Storytime 11/9/2010

1. Welcome Song "The more we get together"
2. Book: What the Sea Saw by Stephanie St. Pierre
3. Rhyme: 5 Little Monkeys
4. Book: Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney
5. Rum Pum Pum Drum
Rhyme: 5 Little Sausages
Book: We're Going on a Bear Hunt pop-up book by Michael Rosen
10. Rhyme: Soft Kitty
11. Book: I Took the Moon for a Walk by Carolyn Curtis
12. Lullaby: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
13. Yoga

We're Going to Kentucky

We're going to Kentucky, We're going to the fair,
We'll see a senorita with flowers in her hair
Oh, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it if you can.
Shake it like a milk shake, and drop it in the can.

Pop, Pop, Pop

Pop, pop, pop! Pour the corn into the pot.
Pop, pop, pop! Take and Shake it until it's hot!
Pop, pop, pop! Lift the lid- what have you got?
Popcorn!

Storytime 11/2/2010

1. Welcome Song "The more we get together"

2. Book: Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by Lisa Wheeler

3. Rhyme: I'm a Little Teapot
4. Book:  Hi! Pizza Man by Virginia Walter
5. Rum Pum Pum Drum

6. Instruments: We Shake Our Rattles Together
7. Instruments: Pop, Pop, Pop
8. Instruments: We're Going to Kentucky

9. Book: Stop Kissing Me! by Ethan Long

10. Stand-up: Head, Shoulder, Knees, and Toes

11. Book: Dinosaur Roar! by Paul & Henrietta Stickland

12. Lullaby: Mr. Sun

13. Yoga

FELTBOARD: 5 Little Pumpkins

Once there were 5 orange pumpkins growing in a pumpkin patch.There was a GIANT pumpkin, a LARGE pumpkin, a MEDIUM pumpkin, a SMALL pumpkin and a TINY pumpkin. (Put them on the flannelboard one by one.) 

A man came by and looked at the five pumpkins.  He picked up the giant pumpkin. "This will be a fine pumpkin to put in my store window."  he said.  (Remove the GIANT pumpkin.) 

Soon a woman came by and looked at the four pumpkins still growing in the pumpkin patch. She picked up the large pumpkin.  "This will be a fine pumpkin to set on my doorstep" she said.  (Remove large) 

Next a teacher came by and looked at the three pumpkins still growing in the pumpkin patch.  She chose the medium pumpkin.  "This will be a fine pumpkin  for my classroom!" she said.  (Remove medium) 

Then a baker came by and looked at the two pumpkins still growing in the pumpkin patch.  He found the small pumpkin.  "This will be just fine for a pumpkin pie!" he said. (Remove small). 

Finally a little boy dressed in a ghost costume stopped by the pumpkin patch.  He saw the tiny pumpkin that was left.  "This is just right to take to my Halloween party!" he said. So he took the pumpkin, painted a face on it and said "This is my best Jack-o-lantern ever!"

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pumpkin, Pumpkin sitting on a wall;  (have a child sit down) 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin tip and fall; (have child tip over) 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin rolling down the street; (child rolls on floor) 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin trick or treat.

Storytime 10/26/2010

1. Welcome Song "The more we get together"

2. Book: Do not Build a Frankenstein by Neil Numberman

3. Rhyme: The Itsy Bitsy Spider / The Great Big Spider

4. Rum Pum Pum Drum
5. Circle Song: Handy Dandy
6. Rhyme: Open Them, Shut Them

7. Book: Boo Bunny by Kathryn O. Galbraith

8. Stand-up: Monster Hokey Pokey

9. Book: Aaaarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks

10. Lullaby: Mr. Sun

11. Feltboard: 5 Donuts

12. Yoga

Developmental Tips from Mother Goose on the Loose

• By hearing rhymes, children learn to recognize rhythm and musical patterns
• Rhymes about every day occurrences and familiar animals may spark a child's general interest in the world around her/him
• A great way to promote reading is to read books to your child
• Head and face rhymes encourage awareness of self and capabilities
• Tickle rhyme's are a lot of fun, and promote bonding and trust between parent and child, while developing their senses at the same time!
• Fingerplays can be your child's first learning game which introduces new ideas and concepts.  Your child's intellectual horizons are expanded through a simple song like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" which mentions up and down, and draws a connection between the rain coming down and the sun drying everything up.
• Knee bouncing rhymes can help children to develop an awareness of an underlying beat in music.  This can also be done by rocking and marching.
• Singing games and group music sessions encourage social responsiveness
• Circle songs are fun, they include lots of movement, and they are great for large motor coordination
• By mimicking animal sounds, children become more aware of the sounds around them.  It also promotes the use of voices, and helps to develop self-confidence.
• Singing songs, rhymes and lullabies trigger speech, provide a valuable source of speech patterning, provide pleasure, and give children a sense of security.
• Children can easily learn the concepts of high and low through music
• The use of small percussion instruments helps develop and coordinate muscular development and provides an emotional outlet through music.
• Listening to music helps develop concentration, prevents boredom, and provides for relaxation
• Singing a clean- up song makes cleaning up fun for children, and teaches them what we expect when it is time to put something away.
• Lullabies help babies to remember life in the womb when they were rocked close to mom and could hear her heartbeat.  Lullabies calm children and help them harness their energy so they will be likely to participate in the closing activities.
• Body awareness shows children that any part of the body can start a movement

Beep Beep!

I’m driving in my car. I’m driving in my car. 
Beep, Beep! Honk Honk! 
I’m driving in my car.
I’m driving very fast. I’m driving very fast.
Beep, Beep! Honk, Honk!
I’m driving very fast.
I’m driving very slow. I’m driving very slow.
Beep, Beep! Honk, Honk! I’m driving very slow.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Zoom, zoom, zoom
We're going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We're going to the moon
If you want to take a trip
Climb aboard my rocket ship
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We're going to the moon
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.........Blast Off!

Mr Sun

Mister sun, sun, mister golden sun
Please shine down on me
Mister sun sun, mister golden sun,
Hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you
Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun
Please shine down on me

Where is Thumbkin?

Sing to the tune of Frere Jacques:
Start with hands behind your back

Where is thumbkin?
Where is thumbkin?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today sir?
Very well I thank you
Run away, run away

Go though with Pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man, Pinkie, and Family (all 5 fingers)

Tommy Thumbs

Tommy thumbs up and
Tommy thumbs down
Tommy thumbs dancing
All around the town
Dance them on your shoulders,
Dance them on your head
Dance them on your knees and
Tuck them into bed!

2010, 10/19 Storytime Script

1. Welcome Song
2. Book: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
3. Rhyme: The Wheels on the bus
4. Rum Pum Pum Drum
5. Book: Old MacDonald by Jessica Souhami
6. Stand-up:Two Little Blackbirds Soft Loud Variation
7. Book: Dinnertime by Sue Williams
8. Lullaby: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
9. Feltboard: Ice Cream Cones
10. Yoga

This will be the first storytime I am trying since taking the wonderful Mother Goose on the Loose workshop last week.  I am restructuring a little with the largest change being parents taking part in the program.  Usually they hang in the back and rarely participate, but I am going to take away most of the stools so that they are forced to sit with their kids on the story time carpet.  Not all of the Mother Goose program applies to my style but their are bits and pieces I just love, especially the use of musical instruments and graphics on the feltboard.

While most of the children who attend are ages 3-4 I do have several 2's and a couple babies. I struggle to find a perfect balance to please all the age groups.  Mother Goose seems a viable choice.  I can read longer stories with my kids and blend music and feltboard visuals for all ages.   I will let everyone know how it went tomorrow!

Colored Scarves Activities

Wind, oh wind, oh wind, I say.
What are you blowing away today? (sway scarves around)
Scarves, oh scarves, oh scarves, I say.
I am blowing the scarves away. (hold up scarf and blow, let fall to the ground)

Scrunch up scarf like it is a washcloth:

This is the way we wash our necks, wash our necks, wash our necks
This is the way we wash our necks early in the morning.
(follow with different body parts)

Put Away

Bells away, bells away, put your bells away today (can substitute any toy or instrument you are using)

Ring Your Bells, Ring Your Bells

To the tune of jingle bells:

Ring your bells, ring your bells, ring your bells today.
Oh, what fun it is to ring, ring your bells today, ay!
Ring your bells, ring your bells, ring your bells today.
Oh what fun it is to ring, to ring your bells today!

Handy Dandy

Handy dandy sugar and candy we all jump in
Handy dandy sugar and candy we all jump out
Handy dandy sugar and candy we all jump up
Handy dandy sugar and candy we all sit down

London Bridge

Hold hands in a circle:

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. (hold hands and walk in circle)
London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady
Build it up with sticks and stones, sticks and stones, sticks and stones. (everyone take one step into circle and raise hands up together while still holding hands)
Build it up with sticks and stones my fair lady (everyone steps back)

Marching to the Drum

Now we are going to march around the circle together and when it is time to stop, each child will have a chance to hit "stop" on the drum.

We're marching to the drum; we're marching to the drum.
Hi-ho the derry-o we're marching to the drum.
We're marching around the room; we're marching around the room.
Hi-ho the derry-o we're marching around the room.
We're marching to the drum, we're marching to the drum.
Hi-ho the derry-o we're marching to the drum
and the drum says STOP! (go around the circle and give each child a chance to hit the drum)

As each child hits the drum reward them with a positive word

* Can use the variations of running, creeping, tiptoeing,

Rum Pum Pum Drum Sequence

From "Mother Goose on the Loose"

Start by hitting drum or tambourine and saying:

Rum pum pum, this is my drum.  Rum pum pum, this is my drum.
My name is ____________, whats your name?

I'm now going to come around the circle, and I'd like each child to tap out their name on the drum, using syllables.  If your child is too young to do it alone take their hand and direct it so they may tap our their own name.  This is a great way to introduce phonics!

Walk around circle encouraging children to tap out their name.  Repeat each child's name and say good morning.

Grand Old Duke of York

Oh, the Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men.
He marched them up (feet up) to the top of the hill, and marched them down (feet down) again.
And when they were up, they were up (up)
And when they were down, they were down (down)
And when they were only half way up (half way up), they were neither up (up) nor down (down)

* Can also be done standing

Mother and Father John went to town

Mother and Father and Uncle John went to town one by one (bounce legs seated at the same time)
Mother fell off (lean) and father fell off (lean to the other side),
but Uncle John went on and on and on and on (bounce knees going faster)

*Great for babies on laps as well

The Great Big Spider

Do to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider:

The great big spider climbed up the water spout (use arms real wide as the spider and sing in deep voice)
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and
The great big spider climbed up the spout again

Round and Round the Garden Goes

Round and round the garden goes the teddy bear (circle your finger on open palm)
One step, two step, tickle him under there! (creep finger up arm and tickle armpit)

VARIATION:

Round about, round about goes the wee mouse (circle your finger on open palm)
Up a step, up a step, all around the house! (creep finger up arm and tickle armpit)

My Little Turtle

I had a little turtle, he lived in a box.
He swam in the water and he climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a minnow, he snapped at a flea, he snapped at a mosquito, and he snapped at me.
He caught the minnow, he caught the flea, he caught to mosquito, but he didn't catch me!

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill (use pointer fingers, bounce up and down)
One named Jack and the other named Jill (bring pointer up higher than other finger when each name is spoken)
Fly away Jack (put finger behind back)
Fly away Jill (put finger behind back)
Come back Jack (bring finger back)
Come back Jill (bring finger back)
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill

VARIATION:

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill (use pointer fingers, bounce up and down)

One named Soft and the other named Loud (bring pointer up higher than other finger when each name is spoken, say each name in either a loud or soft voice)

Fly away Soft (put finger behind back, say name softly)

Fly away Loud (put finger behind back, say name very loudly)

Come back Soft (bring finger back, say name softly)

Come back Loud (bring finger back, say name very loudly)

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill

Goosey Gander

Goosey, goosey gander, where do you wander?
Upstairs, downstairs, and in my lady's chamber. (use fingers to go upstairs and downstairs)

Old Mother Goose

Old Mother Goose when she wanted to wander
would fly through the air on her very fine gander.

(have children use arms as wings)

Musical Instruments: We Ring our Bells Together

We ring our bells together,
We ring our bells together,
We ring our bells together because it's fun to do.

Ring them up high, (alter voice in a high pitch)
Ring them down low,(alter voice in a low pitch)
Ring them in the middle,

We ring our bells together because it's fun to do.

FELTBOARD: Mrs. Wishy-Washy

"Oh lovely mud," said the cow
and she jumped in
"Oh lovely mud," said the pig
and he rolled in it
"Oh lovely mud," said the duck
and she paddled in it
Along came Mrs. Wishy-Washy
"Just look at you!" she screamed
"In the tub you go."
In went the cow, wishy-washy, wishy -washy
In went the pig, wishy-washy, wishy-washy
In went the duck, wishy-washy, wishy-washy
"Thats better," said Mrs. Wishy Washy
and she went into the house
Away went the cow
Away went the pig
Away went the duck
"Oh, lovely mud," they said

* A very fun feltboard to do. Get the audience to sit and twist like a washing machine when the cow, pig and duck are being wishy-washy in the tub. A great companion to a messy storytime.

STORYTIME: CAT MAT HAT : stories with rhythm

Books:

Jump! by Scott M Fisher - A fun rhyming book with a great refrain "jump" that kids will enjoy yelling aloud when prompted.  If they need to get a little energy out, you can even have them stand and jump, or jump like a frog.  

Bear in the Air by Susan Meyers - Lovely illustrations and a beautiful story about a stuffed bear who gets shuffled all over by different characters in the story.  

STORYTIME: I'm So Misunderstood

Big Al by Andrew Clements - Al may be the scariest fish in the ocean but all he really wants are some friends. A little bit long, but an engaging story none the less.
Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer- A book about being yourself even if you are supposed to be a scary monster.

Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin- A great story about colors and going with the flow. There is a great 3 line refrain the cat sings and the kids can sing along. A must read book.

Scaredy Cat by Joan Rankin- A really funny book! A kitten keeps thinking everyday household things are actually scary thingamajigs out to get him.

Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen- An empowering tale that shows young girls that not all princesses were crowns and fancy dresses. Sometime princesses like to dig in the mud just like them (while wearing fancy crowns!)

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen- This is my new favorite book. The humor is amazing and the illustrations are simple and minimalist. A bear has had his red hat stolen so he interviews all the animals in the forest to see if they have his read hat. At one point he meets the critter who stole it and is wearing it but he doesn't noticed. The audience will have fun noticing the hat and pointing it out. As a craft help the kids fold their own origami red hat that looks like the one in the book.

Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen- A little grey wolf who hangs out with a grandma (without eating her) and is friends with a pig is the main character in this funny read aloud. He starts to doubt himself when he meets a big bad wolf who tells him all the things a wolf should be doing. A great book to use different funny reading voices. Plus it is the perfect length.

Clumsy Crab by Ruth Galloway- A crab cannot seem to stop breaking things with his pincers and is feeling pretty down when at last his most distinguished feature comes in handy.

I Don't Want to be a Pea! by Ann Bonwill- 2 best friends cannot see eye to eye on what costume to dress up in for the party. Funny book with a hint of sarcasm.

STORYTIME: Messy Messy Messy

Books:
Mrs. Wishy-Washy by Joy Cowley - A little board book about a woman who's farm animals can't help but play in the mud. This can be turned into a feltboard easily. Can also be used as a stand up action story. Get the kids to twist and turn when Mrs. Wishy-Washy cleans the animals. Or, have them mine using a sponge to clean-up.

Max Cleans Up by Rosemary Wells - Likable Max has a really gross messy room. With the help of Ruby he just might be able to change his messy ways.... or can he.

What Did You Put in Your Pocket? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers - One of my favorite read alouds. Funky illustrations with some really fun opportunities to get kids involved. Each day of the week you put a new gross thing in your pocket and make a total mess. Kids really love how silly and gross this story is.

Mouse Mess by Linna Riley - I just love the collage illustrations in this book. A mouse sneaks out after the family is off to bed to snack on the treats in their kitchen, making a huge mess in the process. The artist uses multiple panels on pages showing a sequence of events. This is a good intro to the concept of sequences for young kids.

Maisy Bakes a Cake by Lucy Cousins - Baking a cake can be messy work, luckily Maisy is a neat little mousey. This book is full of pull tabs to show kids the process of making a cake from start to finish. Loads of fun and very interactive.

Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia - A fun read aloud that encouraged kids to make hand motions mimicking what each type of truck does. Lots of repetition makes kids really feel ownership of this story.

STORYTIME: Imagine.....

The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli - A littlle boy shows all the creative uses for the box he got for his birthday.

That's How by Christoph Neiman- Did you know the inner mechanics of a steamroller are nothing more that a parrot tickling two brown bears? Why not! In this playful book a boy imagines that the mechanics of all kinds of machines are quite different than they actually are.

Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler- I love books where you are talking directly to the character in the book when you read aloud. It makes for some pretty funny moments during storytime. Follow up this book with a craft where you make your own pirate hat and bird to wear!

Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage- Wordless picture book with great graphic illustrations that look like old screen prints. Walrus is cleverly hiding on each page hiding from the zoo keeper.

Blackout by John Rocco - Very few words with great illustrations that tell the story of the power going out one night in the city. Pictures are creatively laid out in panels inspired by graphic novel illustration. Make no mistake though this is a great picture book for toddlers. A fun story about what families can do when the lights go out. Ask your kids what they do when the power goes out.

What Shall We Play? by Sue Heap - Three young friends play make believe throughout a day and come up with some very fun ways to pretend. Have your kids mime some of the ways they pretend to be cats, jello, fairies and other fun interactions.

I'm Me! by Sara Sheridan- A little girl listens to suggestions from her auntie about what they can pretend to become for the day but finally settles on being herself. A bit on the longer side so do this book as your first for the program.

Chalk by Bill Thomson- A wordless picture book with amazing hyper-realist paintings. Some children find a bag of chalk on the playground and each thing they draw on the sidewalk comes to life. A great introduction to getting kids into telling the story in their own way in a picture book. If you are into Visual Thinking Strategies, this is a perfect book to exercise VTS.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall- Think "Press Here." A square gets torn up into all sorts of shapes that are turned into flowers, parks, and oceans. A very creative book that can show kids how a square can be broken down and turned into anything...with a little imagination. A great craft activity to accompany is right from the book. Give each child a square of tissue paper, have them rip it up into 6-8 pieces. Glue those pieces onto a piece of paper. Give them crayons and let them draw flower stems and leaves to make the bits of tissue paper the flowers.

Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal- What if for one day all your parents said yes to your every request? The result is a fun to read for parents and kids. From eating ice-cream to staying up late kids will appreciate the humor. When the main character asks if he can do something have the audience yell yes. Then turn the page and ask them to describe the scene

Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis- The follow up to the popular book "Not a Box" this time with a stick! Cute, clever, funny, and a joy to read aloud.

Storytime Performed on:

1/10/12

STORYTIME: Weather

Books: 
Thirsty Thursday by Phyllis Root -  A little girl tickles a raincloud with the help of her farm animals to bring some much needed rain to the land.   A good introduction to a few varieties of flowers.

STORYTIME: Sounds and Noises

Books:

Dog's Noisy Day by Emma Dodd- A dog investigates all the animals living on the farm. Loads of chances for kids to show off their animal noises.

Have You Got My Purr? by Judy West - Ridiculously adorable story of a kitten who cannot make her purr sound so she ventures around the farm going from animal to animal to find it. Kids will enjoy making all the different farm animal noises along with you.

Say What? by Angela DiTerlizzi- Wonderful illustrations. A fun rhyming scheme that introduces kids to the concept of similar sounding words ie: "hiss and kiss." A fun, highly recommended storytime read.

STORYTIME: Sharks!

Books:

Five Little Sharks Swimming in the Sea by Steve Metzger - Told in the style of 5 Little Monkeys

Shark in the Park by Nick Sharratt - A great interactive book. This book has it all, humor, cutouts, physical and verbal participation.

The Great White Man-Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy- A funny book, but long so use only with your pre-schoolers.

I'm a Shark by Bob Shea- I must say Bob Shea really is the best. This book is so funny and is easily one of my new favorites. It can work for pre-school, Kindergarten age kids as well and parents will appreciate the subtle humor. Two narrators so a great opportunity to do multiple voices while reading.

STORYTIME: Don't Bug Me

I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodd- Big simple illustrations with fun text with lots of movement around the page. A great book to introduce the concept of text design.

Bugs Galore by Peter Stein-With Bob Staake illustrations this big book is great fun to look at. The rhyming scheme is fun and interesting to read. A bit too long so I will paperclip some of the pages together, or perhaps create feltboard pieces to go along with the book.

Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth - Ok this book is really cool simply because there are plastic ladybugs popping off the page. I find a little gimmick goes a long way in storytime and I try to incorporate lift the flap, etc books every so often. It really excites the kids! This story follows similar counting rules as some of our fingerplays. Ie: five little ladybug sitting on a leaf......"something happens".............and then there were four!

Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr- Features the wonderful artwork of Lois Ehlert. A simple story that introduces kids to the world of caterpillars and butterflies. Fun to read.

Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming - A huge format for a picture book. Big interesting illustrations with fun to read aloud adjectives describing the beetles on each page. A quick read.

The Very Lazy Ladybug by Isobel Finn & Jack Tickle - Great transitions between the board book pages as the ladybug hops onto different animals to try and find a cozy place to rest.

Butterfly Butterfly by Petr Horacek- A really neat book with Eric Carle like illustrations and a pop up butterfly on the last page sure to WOW!

Little Bea by Daniel Roode- A Little bee goes around helping other animals with their daily tasks. A pretty vapid story but can be used as a filler book because it has sweet illustrations.

STORYTIME: Fathers

Books:

Oh, Daddy! by Bob Shea - Really cute and colorful illustrations. A silly story where a father teaches his son the correct way to do things by doing them the complete opposite way!

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away by Elanna Allen- A longer story about a girl who wants to run away. good thing she has a clever father to distract her with all the burdens that accompany running away from home.

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle- A little girl asks her father to get the moon for her. A wonderful imaginative story with Carles classic style of illustration. The pages of this book open to expand the scenes on most pages which is a real treat for story time patrons. Kids are also learning about the phases of the moon in a very subtle way. This story can be followed up with photographs of the different moon phases.

My Dad, My Hero by Ethan Long- A hilarious book! Parents and kids will find this story charming and funny.

My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven- A fun portrait of family members. Uses everyday objects and is a very simple introduction to metaphors.

STORYTIME: Pets

What Pet to Get by Emma Dodd - A little boy talks with his mom about all the exotic pets he can get. Mom has some valid points as to why most all of them wouldn't work out. Very funny and cute, a little long though.
Me Want Pet! by Tammi Sauer-What a riot! This team effort between Sauer and Bob Shea's illustrations is a storytime hit. Caveboy want pet. Parent say no pet. Book write in caveman speak. Fun read.
Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly- On the longer side. I may save this one until the end of this storytime session once the kids can sit through more complex stories.
My Rhinoceros by Jon Agee- Such wonderful illustrations, and a really funny book. Sometimes working with really young kids makes me sad because they are too young to understand the humor in the books I read. The parents usually get it which is fun, but I do love reading to school age kids for that reason.
Pet Shop Lullaby by Mary Ann Fraser- A story that I am not crazy about the text but love the illustrations. Luckily it lends itself well to having the kids tell the story through the pictures.
Dino Petsby Lynn Plourde- A fun book about what kind of dinosaur to choose as a pet. Great big illustrations.

Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kely DiPucchio- This book is one of those books where I would skip over a bit of the text. It is a funny book so I did not want to write it off for storytime.
2/14/2012