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!)

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.

Monster Hokey Pokey

(To the Tune of the Hokey Pokey)

You put your claws in, you take your claws out
You put your claws in and you shake them all about
You do the wild rumpus and you turn your self around
and that's what it's all about !

Additional Verses:

Fangs, horns, tail, big hairy feet, and whole monster self

Green Says Go

Green says, "Go" (march in place quickly)
Go! Go! Go!
Yellow says, "Slow!" (march slowly)
Slow...slow....slow
And red says "stop!" (stop suddenly)
Go!Go!Go! (move fast)
Slow...slow....slow (move slowly)
and STOP! (stop)

Repeat and allow children to pretend they are cars driving down the street

Get Your Wiggles Out

Wiggle your finger, wiggle your toes

Wiggle your shoulders, wiggle your nose

Now all my wiggles are out of me

I can sit down and be wiggle free!

When I stretch up

When I stretch up, I feel so tall

When I bend down, I feel so small

Tall, tall, tall, small, small, small

Tuck yourself into a ball