Preschool Storytime: Dinosaurs

If there is one topic most children gravitate towards, it's dinosaurs.  Thankfully, my library has a pretty large selection of picture books on these extinct creatures, so I give you the makings for a dinosaur storytime (roaring included).

Book:  Dinosaur Pet by Marc Sedaka

I started off storytime with this newer addition to our collection.  Based on the song "Calendar Girl" by Neil Sedaka, this version had a dinosaur hatching out of an egg in January and growing bigger and bigger as the year progresses.  I love the illustrations in this book, and the repetition of the lyrics.

Song:  "We Are the Dinosaurs" by Laurie Berkner

You can't have a dinosaur storytime without playing this awesome song!  I gave the kids shakey eggs (again, a must) and we stomped around the room, stopped and ate a snack, took a nap, stomped some more, and ROOOAAARRED because, well, we were being dinosaurs.  This song is on her album Whaddaya Think of That? which is available at my library.  If you don't know the awesomeness that is Laurie Berkner, I urge you to check out her music.  You and your kids will love it!

Book:  Dinosaur Countdown by Nicholas Oldland

I chose another relatively new book to our collection, and the kids really liked it!  They got to countdown from 10 to 0.  One of my particulars in picking dinosaur books is to make sure I can pronounce the names of the different types of dinosaurs, because in the past I read a book and mispronounced a name, and boy oh boy, did the kids correct me.  So, I double checked and got all the dinosaurs right in this cute book.

Flannel Rhyme:  Five Enormous Dinosaurs

(If you don't have flannel dinosaurs, you can easily change this to a fingerplay and count on your fingers.)

Five enormous dinosaurs, letting out a roar,

One went away and then there were four.

Four enormous dinosaurs, munching on a tree,

One went away and then there were three.

Three enormous dinosaurs didn't know what to do,

One went away and then there were two.

Two enormous dinosaurs having lots of fun,

One went away and then there was one.

One enormous dinosaur afraid to be a hero,

She went away and then there were zero.

(Source:  SurLaLune Storytime)

Book:  Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

I just had to read this funny book - it's one of my favorites!  The kids loved it too.  Who wouldn't love a story about a friendly, helpful dinosaur that also bakes you chocolate chip cookies?

Song:  Dino-Pokey (tune of: "The Hokey-Pokey")

Put your claws in.  Put your claws out.

Put your claws in and scratch them all about.

You do the dino-pokey and turn yourself around.

That's what it's all about!

Put your feet in...stomp them all about.

Put your teeth in...chomp them all about.

Put your tail in...wag it all about.

(Source:  SurLaLune Storytime)

Craft:  Paper Plate Dinosaur

For each child you will need two paper plates, scissors, tape, and crayons and markers.

1.  Cut around the rim of one of the paper plates, and then cut that rim in half.  One part will be the dinosaur's head and neck and the second part will be the tail.

2.  Cut two legs from the middle of the paper plate.

3.  Tape these pieces to the second paper plate.

4.  Kids may decorate their dinosaurs any way they'd like.