Toddler Storytime: Pets

This is a versatile theme for storytime, because there are so many picture books about animals.  The obvious choices are cats or dogs, but you could include books about fish, snakes, hamsters, and the list goes on!  Here is what I did:

BOOK:  What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd
Jack would like a pet and his mother said yes, but what should they get?  Jack has several suggestions, from an elephant to a Tyranasaurus Rex, but mom explains why each of these animals would be impractical.  This is a funny book, and I love the illustrations.


RHYME:  I Went to the Pet Store
I used puppets and had the kids "guess" the animal based on the rhyme.  You could also make the animals out of felt and use on a flannelboard.

I went to the pet store and made a special wish.
The pet that I wanted was a very special (fish)!

I went to the pet store, I went there at a jog,
To get a pet with a wagging tail, it was a little (dog)!

I went to the pet store, it had become a habit.
The pet I wanted now was a soft, white, fluffy (rabbit)!

I went to the pet store, I'm sure this sounds absurd,
But the pet I wanted was a colorful flying (bird)!

I went to the pet store, it was no mistake.
What I really wanted now was a hissing green (snake)!

(Source: Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan.  Chicago: American Library Association, 2009)

SONG:  "The Goldfish" by Laurie Berkner (from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band)
This interactive song is so much fun!  Kids get to act out swimming like fish and other activities like riding a bike and taking a nap.  My toddler group loves to play with the musical instruments, so I usually put a bunch out when we dance to songs.


BOOK:  A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
Four kittens have never seen winter or snow, and three of them are worried they won't like it, but their sibling can't wait to experience it.  The kittens watch out the window as the seasons change and snow finally arrives.  The three kittens watch as the fourth kitten has so much fun in the snow that they all decide to go out and enjoy it.  This is a really cute story.


FLANNEL STORY:  Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
A child writes to the zoo asking for a pet.  The zoo sends a different animal, but there is something wrong with each one, so it gets sent back, until the perfect one arrives.  The template for this story is available at Kizclub.  I didn't have time to make it out of felt, so I printed out the images, laminated them, cut them out, and attached a magnet to each piece.  Voila!  Instant story on a board.


FLANNEL STORY:  Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
This is a great story to share because it incorporates colors, counting and a dog!  I did make this out of felt and it was very easy because there aren't a lot of pieces.  The template is from Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan and is available online.


CRAFT:  Tabby Cat
I found this craft idea from The Mailbox, a magazine for teachers our library subscribes to.  They have some easy and fun ideas for things to do in the classroom.  This was a great craft for toddlers because it didn't involve a lot of steps, just folding paper, tearing paper, gluing and coloring.