Book: Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier

Song: “Make a Circle, Draw a Square” (Tune: “Oh My Darling Clementine”)
Make a circle, make a circle, draw it in the sky
Use your finger, use your finger, make it round as pie
Make a square, make a square, make the lines so straight
Draw a square, draw a square, draw one or draw eight
Draw a triangle, draw a triangle, always start at the top
Make a tent, make a tent, use three lines and then stop!
(Credit: Best Kids Book Site)

Book: Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

Song: “Baby Duck/Duckie Countdown” – Carole Peterson: Sticky Bubble Gum

Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

Activity: Look at spilt milk shapes from flannel backwards

Song: “Jump Up, Turn Around” – Jim Gill: Moving Rhymes for Modern Times

Activity: Pass out sound shapes. If you have a square, bang your drum, etc.

Craft: Shape monsters

Weather Story Time – Preschool

July 2, 2014

Opening song

Talk about the weather, different types of weather, what the weather is like today

Book: Sun, Snow, Stars, Sky by Catherine and Laurence Anholt

Song: (Tune: BINGO) (Write words on white board)

There was a day, when it was hot and sunny was the weather
S U N N Y
S U N N Y
S U N N Y
And Sunny was the weather.

There was a day when it was wet and rainy was the weather. RAINY
There was a day when it was cold and snowy was the weather. SNOWY
There was a day when I got blown and windy was the weather. WINDY

(Source: preschooleducation.com)

Book: Storm is Coming by Heather Tekavec, illustrated by Margaret Spengler

Song: “It’s raining/Itsy-bitsy spider medley” – Music for Little People: 101 Toddler Favorites

Book: Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Regan Dunnick

Song: “If All of the Raindrops” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Craft: Umbrellas with cupcake liners and chenille stems on gray paper

Colors Story Time – Preschool

June 25, 2014

Opening song

Book: Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff

Rhyme: Color Rhyme by Jean Warren

If your clothes have any red
Put your finger on your head

If your clothes have any blue
Put your finger on your shoe.

If your clothes have any green
Wave your hand so you’ll be seen

If your clothes have any yellow,
Smile like a happy fellow

If your clothes have any brown,
Turn your smile into a frown.

If your clothes have any black,
Put your hands behind your back.

If your clothes have any white,
Clap your hands with all your might.

Book: I Spy with My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs

Flannel: This little chick (Credit: dltk-teach.com)

This little chick is black.
She stands in the barnyard on a big haystack.
This little chick is brown.
She is feeling sad and wearing a frown.
This little chick is yellow.
She’s friends with the rooster; he’s a handsome fellow.
This little chick is white.
She dances and plays, oh what a sight.
This little chick is purple.
She spends her day running around in a circle.
This little chick is green.
She is the prettiest chick I’ve ever seen.
This little chick is blue.
She lays eggs for me and you.
This little chick is pink.
She goes down to the pond to get a drink.
All of these chicks live at the farm,
Out in the big red barn.

Book: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, created and illustrated by James Dean

Song: The Goldfish – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Song (with scarves): “Colors” – Kira Willey: Dance for the Sun

Craft: Rainbow and clouds with fruity cheerios and cotton balls (on a half page). Also a fun snack!

Water Story Time- Day Care

June 20, 2014June 25, 2014

Welcome Song: All Through the Pond (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)

All the little frogs went “Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit
ribbit, ribbit, ribbit,
ribbit, ribbit, ribbit.”
All the little frogs went “Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit,”
All through the pond.
(ribbit = simulate jumping by patting hands on thighs or knees)
All the little ducks went “Quack, quack, quack”
(duck bill with both hands)
All the little fish went “Glub, glub, glub”
(fins on top of head, big cheeks for the glub sound)

Book: All the Water in the World — George Ella Lyon, Katherine Tillotson

Book: Life in the Pond – Craig Hammersmith

Song: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”

Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some moist, delicious bugs
Yum, yum! (rub belly)
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool (fan self)
Then there were four green speckled frogs.
Four green and speckled frogs…
…Then there were no green speckled frogs.

Book: Hooray for Fish, Lucy Cousins

Video Story: Fish is Fish, Leo Lionni

Plants and Trees Story Time – Preschool

June 17, 2014March 14, 2015

Opening song

Book: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Song: The gardener plants the seeds (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds.

The rain falls on the ground…
The sun shines bright and warm…
The seeds begin to grow…

Rhyme: Garden snail
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, creeps the garden snail. (Move hands down legs)
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, up the wooden rail. (Move hands up legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, runs the little mouse, (down legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, in his little house. Squeak! (up legs and body, make ears)

Book: Who Will Plant a Tree? By Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Tom Leonard

Song: “Oranges Grow on Trees” – Dance and Sing: The Best of Nick, Jr.

Book: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Song: Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree – The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow

Song: The Goldfish – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Craft: Recycled magazine paper garden scene (inspired by laughpaintcreate.blogspot.com)

Frogs Storytime – Daycare group

June 9, 2014

We had a special request for a storytime in between Spring and Summer sessions for a daycare group (ages 3-5). We offered the program at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm on Friday, June 6.

Finger Play: Baby Frogs (Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Tadpoles are little baby frogs (pinch fingers and thumb for size)
Baby frogs (pinch)
Baby frogs (pinch)
Tadpoles are little baby frogs (pinch)
And they can swim like fish. (pantomime swimming)

Tadpoles grow four stretchy legs (stretch arms and legs)
Stretchy legs
Stretchy legs
Tadpoles grow four stretchy legs
So they can hop, hop, hop (pat hands up and down into lap)

Book: 999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura

Song/Flannel Toy: 5 Little Speckled Frogs

Book: The Wide Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner

Song/Movement: Hop Hop Went the Little Green Frog

Hoppp hop went the little green frog one day (hop in place)
Hop hop when the little green frog!
Hop hop went the little green frog one day
And his legs went boing, boing, boing! (tap legs)

Glunnnnk glunk went the little green frog one day (Stick out tongue to catch food)
Glunk glunk went the little green frog!
Glunk glunk went the little green frog one day
And his eyes went blink, blink, blink! (BIG blinks!)

Munnnch munch went the little green frog one day (Open and close mouth)
Munch munch went the little green frog!
Munch munch went the little green frog one day
And his mouth went gulp, gulp, gulp! (BIG gulps!)

Splaaaaash splash went the little green frog one day (Splash motion with hands)
Splash splash went the little green frog!
Splash splash went the little green frog one day
And he swam, swam, swam away! (Slow swimming arms)

Book/Movement: Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

We had the kids clap every time they heard the word “jump,” but could have them jump too.

Hat Story Time – Preschool

March 25, 2014March 25, 2014

Introduction: This week’s stories are about hats. How many kinds of hats can we think of (cowboy hats, chef hats, winter hats, etc.)?

Opening song

Book: This is the Hat by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Holly Meade

Action Rhyme: “Hats on Everyone”
Hats on police officers starchy and blue (salute)
Hats on fire fighters shiny and new (spray with hose)
Hat on marchers in a band (drum)
Hat on astronauts when they land (float)
Hats on farmers made of straw (shovel hay)
Hats on artists when they draw (paint)
Hats on kids out in the sun (shade eyes)
Hat on almost everyone! (hold hands out to side)
(Credit: Perry Public Library)

Book: Red Hat by Lita Judge

Fingerplay: “Grandma’s Glasses”
These are Grandma’s glasses
This is Grandma’s hat
This is the way she folds her hands
And lays them in her lap
Here are Grandpa’s glasses
And here is Grandpa’s hat
And here’s the way he folds his arms
And takes a little nap

Book: The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa OR Hat by Paul Hoppe

Song w/hat prop: “I Like My Hat” – Carole Peterson: Stinky Cake

Movie: Happy Birthday, Moon adapted from the book by Frank Asch, Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD

Craft: Decorate newspaper hats

Love and Friendship Story Time – Preschool

February 10, 2014February 11, 2014

Introduction: It’s Valentine’s Day this week, so we are sharing stories about love and friendship.

Opening song

Book: You are the Pea, and I am the Carrot by J. Theron Elkins, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre

Song: “The More We Get Together” with sign language actions

Book: Snowy Valentine by David Petersen

Song: “Love Grows One by One” – Tom Pease

Book: A Friend Like You by Tanja Askani

Song: “Skidamarink” – Sharon, Lois & Bram

Book w/ puppet: Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Janie Bynum

Craft: Paper Hugs!

Bakery Story Time – Preschool

February 6, 2014

Introduction: This week’s stories are about things we bake. What kinds of things do we bake? Do you help in the kitchen?

Opening song

Book: Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington

Song: “Three Little Muffins” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties

Book: All for Pie, Pie for All by David Martin, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev

Song: “Peanut Butter & Jelly” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Book: The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

Song w/shaker eggs: “Milkshake Song” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Movie: The Little Red Hen adapted from the book by Paul Galdone, Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD

Craft: “Frosting” cupcakes with homemade puffy paint (equal parts white glue & shaving cream, plus food coloring) with sequin sprinkles. Puffy paint is my new favorite thing! Super easy to whip up and the kids had a blast painting with it.