Colors for Toddlers

This is one of my oldest storytime themes I have done. Since I do it about every 4 months...(see here)...I will just give you my impressions.

The kids have been enjoying 5 days of snow so I was expecting a large crowd. Instead I had a regular smallish sized crowd. My 18 month olds didn't make an appearance so it was an easy storytime.

I was surprised how popular Dog's Colorful Day by Dodd was and how much they seemed to enjoy Rainbow Stew. I ended with scarf dancing to "Rainbow Connection" (from "Mary had a Little Amp" CD)

All had a great time!

Jungle Animals - toddler storytime

Opening song - Open Shut Them
Book #1 - If I were a Jungle Animal by Ellery
 -  This book was a bit wordy for this age so I just summarized some of the pages. They liked it.
Song: I went to the Jungle -
 - not bad but I messed up a little
Flannel: Five little monkeys sitting in a tree
Fingerplay: Five little monkeys jumping on a bed
Book #2 - If You're Happy and You know it by Cabrera
 - we sang and acted out this one
Action song; Shake your sillies out
 - This is where I lost the 18 month olds
Song: The Lion Sleeps Tonight with shakers
 - On my uke. Went well
Song: Rhinoceros Tap - Boynton

Book #3 - Tiny Little Fly by Rosen
 - The 3 little ones were running around the room but the rest liked the story.
Closing song - May there always be sunshine - on the uke.

I was excited to do this one because I had a song to play on my uke and a puppet show based on It's a Tiger by LaRochelle. Unfortunately, I didn't get to the puppet show so I will save it for another time.

Baby storytime, early head start and head start storytimes....Farm Animals

On Saturday, I did a baby storytime and today and on Tuesday I did Head Start and Early Head Start.

I figured why not do Farm Animals...again! so I did!  It went great! I used my ukulele for Early Head Start and Babies. I did my usual The More We Get Together and May There always be Sunshine. I did the same books that I did last week for Toddlers with the addition of Book, Book, Book! by Bruss for Head Start. They are 3-5 years old so I thought they might enjoy it. They seemed to like the story but the last joke fell very flat...not surprisingly. And I did Farm Yard Beat with puppets which was a hit!

Tomorrow, Toddlers!!! Bring it on!!!

Body Parts - Toddler Storytime

Opening song - Open Shut Them

Book #1 - I Like Myself by Beaumont

Fingerplay - On my face

On my face I have a nose (point to nose)
And way down here, I have ten toes. (point to toes)
I have two eyes that I can blink (blink eyes)
I have a head to help me think (put hands on head)
I have a chin and very near (point to chin)
I have two ears to help me hear (put hands to ears)
I have a mouth with which to speak (point to mouth)
And when I run I use my feet. (pretend to run in place)
Here are my arms to hold up high (put arms up high)
And here’s a hand to wave goodbye (wave) 

The kids liked this so we did it twice.

Book #2 - Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Fox

Action songs -

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Tony Chestnut

Hands are for clapping - Gill

Book #3 - All of Baby Nose to Toes by Adler

I might have done a few too many action songs because this one I had to cut short.

Bean Bag Rock with beanbags

The kids just looked a me and shook their beanbags but the parents were doing the song. 

Closing song- What a Miracle by Palmer

Not too bad but there are many little ones in my group now that just graduated from baby storytime. This means more music and less books which I did. The two 4 year old girls might be encouraged to go to preschool storytime where they do more books but it is a scheduling issue for the caregivers.

Farm Animals - Toddler Storytime

Opening Song - Open Shut Them

Book #1 - Hurry Hurry by Bunting
 - Might not have been the best to start with...very young kids book.

Finger Play- Plant a seed
I plant a seed in the cold, cold, ground (put fingers on palm like planting)
Out comes the sun, big and round (arms for sun over head)
Down come the raindrops, soft and slow. (fingers wiggling)
Up comes the flower, grow, grow, grow (arms up and stand up to make tall)
 - did this one twice...they liked it!

If you're happy and you know it...ending with "if you want to hear a story"

Book #2 Farmyard Beat by Craig
 - I have done this one as a puppet show but I think I like it better as a book.

Song with puppets - Old MacDonald

Flannel - Chook chook chook
Chook, chook chook, chook, chook
Good morning, Mrs. Hen
How many chickens have you got?
Madam, I've got ten.
Four of them are yellow,
And Four of them are brown,
And two of them are speckled red,
The nicest in town.

Flannel/Finger Play -Little boy blue
Book #3 - Spots, Feathers, and Curly Tails by Tafuri
 - a nice one but the toddlers were winding down at this point, the preschoolers present answered all the questions.

Shakers to "Down on the farm" by Raffi

Closing song - What a Miracle by Palmer

For my first storytime of the year I decided to do an old standby. This is a theme I could do in my sleep which is good because I am recovering from a cold and didn't have much of a voice or much energy. The kids have bunches, however :-)