Storytime: Count With Me

I had a lot of fun planning this story time, and depending on the books you choose, it's easily adaptable for toddlers or preschoolers.  And let me tell you, there are a lot of books out there on numbers and counting.  I had to scale myself back from reading all the things.  Here is what I did.

BOOKS:



One is a Drummer: a Book of Numbers by Roseanne Thong
One Two That's My Shoe! by Alison Murray
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
The Long, Long Line by Tomoko Ohmura
Soup for One by Ethan Long

RHYMES & SONGS:

"This Old Man"
I have a sing-along kit from Lakeshore Learning.  I love to have kids participate in this song, so I hand out the pieces.  As we're singing, each one puts their piece up on the flannel board when we get to that part in the song.

This old man, he played one.
     (hold up one finger)
He played nick nack on my drum.
CHORUS:
With a nick nack paddy whack,
     (pat one knee and then the other)
Give a dog a bone.
     (mimic throwing bone to dog)
This old man came rolling home.
     (make rolling motion using both hands)

Repeat with these verses followed by the chorus:

This old man, he played two.
He played nick nack on my shoe.

This old man, he played three.
He played nick nack on my tree.

This old man, he played four.
He played nick nack on my door.

This old man, he played five.
He played nick nack on my hive.

This old man, he played six.
He played nick nack on my sticks.

This old man, he played seven.
He played nick nack up to heaven.

This old man, he played eight.
He played nick nack on my gate.

This old man, he played nine.
He played nick nack on my line.

This old man, he played ten.
He played nick nack on my hen.

"Jumping and Counting"
This song is from the album Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill.  This is a great song to get the wiggles out because it involves jumping and then stopping to count up to ten.  This is a favorite in my toddler group.

"Five Little Speckled Frogs"
Slowly, but surely, I've been integrating technology into my story times. For this childhood favorite, I used my iPad and an app called Felt Board.  It is just as interactive as a physical felt rhyme.  I had a small group, so each child was able to come up and "jump" a frog into the pool.

Five little speckled frogs,
Sat on a speckled log,
Eating some most delicious bugs,
Yum, yum!
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four speckled frogs,
Glug, glug!

Continue with four, three, two, one.

Five Elephants in a Bathtub
I have a felt board from Artfelt for this rhyme, and I love to do this with the kids.  This would also work for an elephant theme or bathtub theme story time.

One elephant in a bathtub going for a swim.
Knock, knock - Splash, splash - Come on in!
     (Clap twice with "knock, knock," slap knees twice with "splash, splash," and motion with both hands to come in with "come on in.")

Continue with two, three, four...

Five elephants in a bathtub going for a swim.
Knock, knock - Splash, splash and it all fell in!
     (knock elephants and tub off the felt board)

CRAFT:
The craft I did for this story time had nothing to do with numbers or counting.  I call it "Let's help Miss Jenny clean out the craft closet."  I had some leftover mask shapes and butterfly shapes that I had purchased at Michael's.  I brought out glitter glue, sequins, feathers, stickers and markers and let the kids decorate either shape.  Sometimes, the craft doesn't always match the theme and that is okay.  Kids don't care as long as they can create something.

Review: The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara

The Midnight Library

By Kazuno Kohara

Roaring Brook Press, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-59643-985-6

This is a story about a library that opens only at night.  A little librarian works there with three assistant owls, helping animals find the perfect book.  It's a quiet library, except when a band of squirrels decided to play their music.  Thankfully, the little librarian showed them the activity room, where they could play their music without disturbing everyone.  Then, the little librarian had to deal with rain in the library!  It turns out it was just wolf crying so much because her book was sad.  The little librarian took her to the story time room where they read a happy book.  When the sun came up, it was time for the library to close.  There is always a straggler, and tortoise didn't want to leave because he hadn't finished his book.  Being a good librarian, the little librarian signed tortoise up for a library card, checked out his book to him, and he left very happy.  After closing the library, the little librarian and her three owls read a bedtime story just perfect for drifting off to sleep.

This book is wonderful, and I'm not just saying that because it's about a library and librarian (although, it does give this book high bonus points, in my humble opinion).  The story is cute, and would work great in a number of story time themes (library/books, nighttime/bedtime, or animals).  What really makes this book distinctive are the illustrations.  I'm a big fan of Kazuno Kohara and read her book Ghosts in the House! every year at my library Halloween Party.  Her illustrations employ a delightful color palette, which enrich the story and represent the midnight setting perfectly.  From the goldenrod color of the animals and background, to the dark blue for the books and sky, to the bold black outlines, they blend together beautifully.  A cozy story, The Midnight Library is a great pick to share with your little ones.

Storytime: Gross and Messy

Let's face it, being messy can be fun, especially with kids.  They enjoy it so much.  For the grown-ups and the clean-up afterwards, not so much.  To fit in with this summer's "Fizz Boom Read" reading program theme, I thought a Gross and Messy story time was in order.  Here is what I did.

BOOKS:

Not Me! by Nicola Killen

Puddle Pug by Kim Norman

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs by Johnette Downing

Spider Sandwiches by Claire Freedman

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

RHYMES & SONGS:

Five Clean and Dirty Pigs
I used a printable pattern of pigs.  I cut them out, glued a clean pig to a dirty pig, and laminated them.  I affixed Velcro to them and used this as a flannel board.  You can easily flip the pigs over from clean to dirty!

Five little pigs rolled in the mud,
     (roll hands)
Squishy, squashy, felt so good.
The farmer took one piggy out,
"Oink, oink, oink!" the pig did shout.
     (turn pig over to clean side)

Continue with four, three, two, one...

No little pigs rolled in the mud.
They all looked so clean and good.
The farmer turned his back, and then,
Those pigs rolled in the mud again.
     (turn all the pigs over to the dirty side)

(Source: Sunflower Storytime)

I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
     (cup hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch! Ouch! It stung me!

I'm squishing up the baby bumblebee.
     (rub hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm squishing up the baby bumblebee.
Oh no!  It's yucky!

I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee.
     (wipe hands together)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me?
I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee.
Look at me! All clean!

(Source: King County Library System)

On My Toe There is a Flea

On my toe there is a flea,
Now he's climbing up on me,
Past my stomach, past my nose,
On my head where my hair grows.
On my head there is a flea,
Now he's crawling down on me,
Past my stomach, past my knee,
On my toe,
Take THAT, you flea!

(Source: King County Library System)

SCIENCE ACTIVITY:  SLIME

I found the directions for this activity on the Steve Spangler Science website.  I made one batch, and the kids helped me stir it.  It was lots of fun, and worked really well with my small group of preschoolers.  At the end, the slime can be divided up, put in Ziploc bags, and the kids can take it home.

8oz. bottle Elmer's glue
1 tsp. Borax (a powdered laundry soap, can be found in the laundry detergent aisle at grocery store)
Warm water
Food coloring
Large mixing bowl
Spoon
Glass measuring cup
Ziploc bags

1. Empty entire bottle of Elmer's glue into the mixing bowl.  Fill the empty bottle with warm water, put the cap back on, and shake it around.  Pour the glue-water mixture in the mixing bowl and mix it up well with the spoon.
2.  Add a drop or two of food coloring and mix this up.
3.  Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into the glass measuring cup and add 1 teaspoon of Borax.  Mix this together.
4.  While stirring the glue mixture, add a little bit of the Borax solution.  Immediately, you will see the mixture become thicker and stringier.  Keep adding the Borax solution until you get the desired consistency.  You will need to use your hands to really mix it up.
5.  Store slime in a sealed Ziploc bag.

CRAFT:  FINGER PAINT PICTURES
It doesn't get messier than this!  Pour out different colors of washable paint (I use Crayola) onto paper plates.  Give the kids a piece of construction paper and let them "paint" a picture with their fingers.  Make sure to cover your tables and have plenty of baby wipes and paper towels available!

Storytime: What's the Weather?

Our state participates in the Collaborative Summer Library Program, and this year's theme is Fizz, Boom, READ!  For my weekly storytimes, I've planned a a science-based theme each week.  This week was about weather.

BOOKS:



It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Split! Splat! by Amy Gibson
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand

RHYMES & SONGS:

Rain is Falling Down

Rain is falling down, splash!
Rain is falling down, splash!
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.
Rain is falling down, splash!
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
Peaking here, peaking there.
Sun is peaking out, peak-a-boo!
(Source: King County Library System)

Noisy Wind
(tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

I like the noisy wind,
I like the noisy wind.
It roars and mutters,
(voice loud and then soft)
And shakes and shutters,
(use shaker eggs)
I like the noisy wind.
I like the noisy wind,
I like the noisy wind.
It flaps the flag,
(use scarves and flap your arms around)
And rustles my bag,
I like the noisy wind.
(Source: Preschool Education)

Five Umbrellas
(I used this as a flannel rhyme)

Five umbrellas stood by the back door.
The red one went outside, and then there were four.
Four umbrellas stood pretty as can be,
The blue one went outside, and then there were three.
Three umbrellas with nothing to do,
The green one went outside, and then there were two.
Two umbrellas watching for the sun,
The yellow one went out, and then there was one.
Just one umbrella stood alone in the hall,
The purple one went out, and that was all!
(Source: Harris County Public Library)

SCIENCE ACTIVITY:  RAIN CLOUD IN A CUP

Ingredients:
Shaving Cream (use Barbasol or other brand that isn't a gel-based shaving cream)
Food Coloring
Cold Water
Clear Plastic Cup

Instructions:
1.  Fill the clear plastic cup 3/4 of the way with cold water.
2.  Spray the shaving cream on top of the cold water.
3.  Squeeze several drops of food coloring on top of the shaving cream and observe what happens.

The shaving cream represents the cloud and the food coloring represents the rain.  As water droplets inside a cloud continue to grow, they become heavy and eventually turn into rain and fall to the ground.

CRAFT:  RAIN STICKS

Ingredients:
Paper towel tubes
Construction paper or scrapbook paper
Glue sticks
Rubber bands
Dry rice
Dry beans
Aluminum foil

Instructions:
1.  Cover the paper towel tube with paper and glue in place.  If you are using construction paper, the kids can decorate the paper however they choose before gluing it onto the tube.
2.  Cut two squares out of the paper.  Cover one end of the tube with the paper square and rubber band it in place.
3.  Fill the tube with some rice, beans, and two crumpled up lengths of foil.
4.  Cover the other end of the tube with the second paper square and rubber band it tightly.
5.  Shake gently and hear the sounds of rain...or rock out to some music, as this craft makes an excellent music instrument!

Storytime: In My Garden

Spring is here - sunny skies, warm and windy air.  And rainy days, too.  But that makes the grass greener, the trees blossom, and flowers and plants grow.  This nice weather made me think of gardening.  Not that I have a green thumb.  Oh, no.  But, I like to eat the yummy vegetables and fruits that are in abundance this time of the year.  Thank you, regional farmer's market!  Thinking of gardening made me think of some great picture books on this very topic and a storytime was born.



Books to Share With Toddlers:

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting
I Have a Garden by Bob Barner
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
Carrot Soup by John Segal

Books to Share With Preschoolers:

Jo MacDonald Had a Garden by Mary Quattlebaum
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming
And the Good Brown Earth by Kathy Henderson
Eddie's Garden and How to Make Things Grow by Sarah Garland
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

Finger Puppet Rhyme:  There's Something in my Garden
I purchased this finger puppet set from Artfelt.  I keep the puppets hidden as I say the rhyme and reveal it after the kids have guessed what it is.

There's something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There's something in my garden,
That I can't really see.
Hear its funny sound...RIBBIT - RIBBIT - RIBBIT.
A frog is what I found!

There's something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There's something in my garden,
That I can't really see.
Hear its funny sound...THUMP - THUMP - THUMP.
A rabbit is what I found!

There's something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There's something in my garden,
That I can't really see.
Hear its funny sound...SQUEAK - SQUEAK - SQUEAK.
A mouse is what I found!

There's something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There's something in my garden,
That I can't really see.
Hear its funny sound...CAW - CAW - CAW.
A crow is what I found!

Fingerplay:  Five Spring Flowers

Five spring flowers, all in a row.
The first one said, "We need rain to grow!"
The second one said, "Oh my, we need water!"
The third one said, "Yes, it is getting hotter."
The fourth one said, "I see clouds in the sky."
The fifth one said, "I wonder why?"
Then BOOM went the thunder,
And ZAP went the lightning!
That springtime storm was really frightening!
But the flowers weren't worried - no, no, no!
The rain helped them grow, grow, grow!

(Source: Harris County Public Library)

Rhyme:  Dig a Little Hole

Dig a little hole,           (pretend to dig)
Plant a little seed,        (pat a seed)
Pour a little water,       (pretend to water)
Dig a little weed,         (pretend to pull weeds)
Chase a little bug,       (shoo away with hands)
There he goes!            (wiggle fingers away)
Give a little sunshine,   (circle arms overhead)
Grow a little rose.       (pretend to hold flower)

(Source: Perry Public Library)

Craft:  Vase of Flowers
I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this craft; I didn't have time to make a sample craft before storytime.  But, this is very simple.  I had children (with the help of their grown-up) cut the shape of a vase out of patterned scrapbook paper.  They glued this onto a piece of construction paper.  Finally, using markers (or crayons) they drew flowers or plants or whatever they wanted to put in their "vase."  If you are feeling adventurous, you could even use washable paint and use their fingerprints to make the flowers.

Storytime: Bunnies, Eggs and Chicks!

Easter is coming up this Sunday.  Stores are inundated with chocolate rabbits, marshmallow Peeps, Easter eggs, and other pastel-colored decorations and candy.  Well, I just HAD to get into the Easter spirit, so I planned a storytime featuring bunnies, chickens and eggs.  If you're uncomfortable doing an Easter-themed storytime depending on your community, this would also work as a "Spring Things" storytime.  If you'd like any non-Easter book suggestions, please send me a comment.



BOOKS TO SHARE WITH TODDLERS:

Peek-a-Boo Bunny by Holly Surplice
Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson

BOOKS TO SHARE WITH PRESCHOOLERS:

I Hatched! by Jill Esbaum
Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs by Janet Morgan Stoeke
The Easter Bunny's Assistant by Jan Thomas

FLANNEL RHYME:  Five Little Bunnies

One little bunny, wondering what to do,
Another bunny came along, then there were two.
Two little bunnies, hopping just like me,
Another bunny came along, then there were three.
Three little bunnies, jumping around outdoors,
Another bunny came along, then there were four.
Four little bunnies, so fluffy and alive,
Another bunny came along, then there were five.
Five little bunnies ready for some fun,
Hopped away in the warm, spring sun.

Source:  King County Library System

SONG:  "I Know a Chicken" by Laurie Berkner from the album Whaddaya Think of That?
I seem to play this song A LOT at storytime, but it's such fun and fits in with lots of themes.  You can't go wrong with a bunch of shaky eggs.

FINGERPLAY:  Ten Fluffy Chicks

Five eggs
     (hold up five fingers)
And five eggs
     (hold up five more fingers)
That makes ten
Sitting on top is the mother hen
     (lock fingers, knuckles up)
Crack, crack, crack, what do I see?
     (wiggle fingers apart)
Ten baby chicks as yellow as can be
     (hold up ten fingers)

Source:  Perry Public Library

FLANNEL RHYME:  Jelly Bean Countdown
Use five different colored jelly beans

Five little jelly beans, I wish I had more!  I'll eat the (color) one - now there are four!
Four little jelly beans, tasty as can be.  I'll eat the (color) one - now there are three!
Three little jelly beans, only a few.  I'll eat the (color) one - now there are two!
Two little jelly beans, eating them is fun.  I'll eat the (color) one - now there is one.
One little jelly bean, the one for me.  I'll eat the (color) one - I'm as happy as can be!

Source:  Perry Public Library

CRAFT:  Pom Pom Easter Egg Painting
I found this on Pinterest (where else?) and knew I had to try it with my toddlers.  This is great way for toddlers to paint.  Using clothespins, attach a pom pom to each one.  Holding this makeshift paint brush, kids dip their pom pom into different colors of washable paint and press it onto a coloring page of an egg.  Super easy and super fun!

SNACK:  Cupcakes
I don't normally have snacks at storytime, but for special occasions I'll break out my mixing bowl.  I made homemade yellow cupcakes with homemade vanilla buttercream frosting that I tinted light green.  Then I decorated them with bunny Peeps (attached with a toothpick) and jelly beans.  Adorable and quite yummy, if I do say so myself.

Storytime: Spring Has Sprung!

The official first day of Spring was last month, but you couldn't tell that from the lovely weather in Syracuse.  Snow in April, really?!  That didn't stop me from planning a spring-themed storytime.



BOOKS TO SHARE WITH TODDLERS:

Wake Up, It's Spring! by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Mouse's First Spring by Lauren Thompson

BOOKS TO SHARE WITH PRESCHOOLERS:

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb by Marion Dane Bauer
And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano
Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand

FINGERPLAY: During the Spring

During the spring, it often showers.
     (flutter fingers down)
Or the sun shines for many hours.
     (form circle in the air with your arms)
Both are good for the flowers!
     (cup each hand and extend like a flower)

SOURCE: SurLaLune Storytime

FLANNEL RHYME:  Five Little Pigs in the Mud
Spring is all about mud, so this rhyme fits in perfectly.  Also, this can be used for bath time or farm animal themed storytimes.

Five little pigs rolled in the mud
     (hold up five fingers)
Squishy, squashy, felt so good.
     (roll hands)
The farmer took one piggy out,
"Oink, oink, oink," that pig did shout!

Continue with four, three, two, one...

No little pigs rolled in the mud.
They all looked so clean and good.
The farmer turned his back and then,
Those pigs rolled in the mud again!

RHYME SOURCE: King County Library System
FELT TEMPLATE: Storytime Katie

FINGERPLAY: Five Little Flowers

Five little flowers standing in the sun,
     (hold up five fingers)
See their heads all nodding, one by one.
     (bend fingers several times)
Down, down, down comes the gentle rain,
     (raise hands, wiggle fingers and lower hands)
And the five little flowers lift their heads up again!
     (hold up five fingers)

SOURCE: SurLaLune Storytime

CRAFT:  Fork Print Flowers

Pinterest to the rescue, again!  I found this idea here.  This was an easy and surprisingly non-messy craft that worked great with the toddlers and preschoolers.