Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Gardening

With the summer and "Dig Into Reading" themes in mind, I went with a Gardening-themed Family Storytime. What's better than digging in the dirt and learning about planting seeds!

Dig a Little Hole
Dig a little hole  (dig)
Plant a little seed  (drop seed)
Pour a little water  (pour)
Pull a little weed  (pull up and throw away)
Chase a little bug  (chasing motion)
Heigh-ho, there he goes!  (shade eyes)
Give a little sunshine (make sun)
Grow a little rose (smell flower, eyes closed)
source: Miss Meg's Storytime

We Are Gardeners
We all plant the seeds
We all plant the seeds
Heigh ho the derry-o
We all plant the seeds
(Bend down to plant seeds)

Other verses:
The sun comes out to shine (Hold hands up in the air to be the sun)
The rain starts to fall (Use fingers to simulate rain falling)
The seeds start to grow (Put hand through other hand to mimic plant coming out of soil)
We all smell the flowers (Sniff flowers extravagantly)
source: Preschool Storytime Outlines

Book: "And Then It's Spring" by Julie Fogliano



I loved the illustrations in this book and the color palette. It's very brown, emphasizing the brown-ness of the landscape in the spring, with simple pops of color here-and-there. Until, suddenly, it is spring and green after the seeds in the garden grow.


I'll Plant a Little Seed (tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'll plant a little seed in the dark, dark ground.
Out comes the yellow sun, big and round.
Down comes the cool rain, soft and slow.
Up comes the little seed, grow, grow, grow!
source: Preschool Education

Flower, Flower, Turn Around
Flower, Flower, turn around
Flower, Flower, touch the ground
Flower, Flower, reach up high
Flower, Flower, wink one eye
Flower, Flower, touch your nose
Flower, Flower, touch your toes
Flower, Flower, slap your knees
Flower, Flower, sit down please
*my version but the original source: Storytime Katie

Book: "Plant A Little Seed" by Bonnie Christensen 





Two friends help plant and tend their garden as it grows, until it is time to harvest and eat the fruits of their labor. The colors are bright and vibrant, and it is a fun way to teach children about the long wait period for the garden to grow--but in the end it is worth it.



And then we ended with a couple songs, including a personal favorite--"Itsy, Bitsy Spider" by Hap Palmer.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Turtle and Frogs

Well, going with the "Dig Into Reading" theme, I went with digging into a nice cool pond. At the height of summer, it's almost necessary. So we had a storytime about turtles and frogs.


This Is My Turtle (tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")
This is my turtle (make a fist)
She lives in a shell
She likes her home very well
She pokes her out (stick out thumb)
When she wants to eat
And pulls it back in (tuck thumb in)
When she wants to sleep.
source: Perry Public Library

I Have a Little Turtle (This is also a song so for my storytime I used a CD with the music as well)
I have a little turtle  (make a fist—stick out thumb)
He lives in a box (draw square in the air)
He swims in the puddles (pretend to swim)
And climbs on the rocks (pretend to climb)
He snapped at a mosquito (pinch air with fingers)
He snapped at a flea
He snapped at a minnow
And he snapped at me!
He caught the mosquito  (clap hands once)
He caught the flea
He caught the minnow
But he didn’t catch me! (shake head “no”)
source: Perry Public Library

Book: "Hi, Harry!" by Martin Waddell 




A little tortoise just wants to find a friend that moves at the same pace as himself.







Song and flannels: "Five Green and Speckled Frogs" by Raffi
               Lyrics
Five green and 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 are four green speckled frogs (gulp, gulp)
(count down till zero)

Turtle, Turtle Turn Around
Turtle, Turtle, turn around
Turtle, Turtle, touch the ground
Turtle, Turtle, reach up high
Turtle, Turtle, wink one eye
Turtle, Turtle, touch your nose
Turtle, Turtle, touch your toes
Turtle, Turtle, slap your knees
Turtle, Turtle, sit down please
*my version but the original source: Storytime Katie

Book: "Hoptoad" by Jane Yolen




Four words: Jane Yolen is amazing.










And we had lot's of happy storytime-goers hopping along with the hoptoad to get across the street. My favorite type of storytime books are those that have a little movement and action so we can act them out during storytime!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Ladybugs!

Yes, I did do a family storytime about my favorite type of bug--ladybugs!

I'm a Little Ladybug (tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")
I’m a little ladybug on the go,
Landing on an arm, now an elbow.
See me fly around and around your hand,
Now watch as on your thumb I land.

I’m a little ladybug searching for some toes,
But watch me quickly land on your nose.
Now you see me heading for your chest,
This little ladybug needs some rest.
source: Step By Step Child Care
**I actually cut down the original version because I felt it was a little too long to do during a family storytime.

Watch Out for the Bugs! (Movement, fun, and bugs? What's not to love?!)
Clap your hands.
Stomp your feet.
Wiggle all around
Reach up high, to the sky.
Now let’s touch the ground.
Hold your head.
Hold your hips.
Give yourself a hug.
Sit right down on the ground.
But, WATCH OUT FOR THE BUGS!!!
source: Harris County Public Library

Book: "What the Ladybug Heard" by Julia Donaldson


Okay, okay. So this one is a little long for the younger ones. It always depends on the crowd, but worst case some of the pages can be paper-clipped together to shorten it prior to storytime.

But it is a super cute story about a group of farm animals that team together in order to prevent some criminals from stealing the farmer's prize cow. Let's not forget the brain of the whole operation--the ladybug.


Ten Little Ladybugs (the ladybug version of "Ten Little Indians")
1 little, 2 little, 3 little ladies
4 little, 5 little, 6 little ladies
7 little, 8 little, 9 little ladies
10 little lady bugs.
Out in the garden they go,
To watch the flowers grow.
(and then reverse the count-down)

Ladybug, Ladybug Turn Around

Ladybug, ladybug, turn around
Ladybug, ladybug, touch the ground
Ladybug, ladybug, reach up high
Ladybug, ladybug, wink one eye
Ladybug, ladybug, touch your nose
Ladybug, ladybug, touch your toes
Ladybug, ladybug, slap your knees
Ladybug, ladybug, sit down please
*my variation, but the original version: Storytime Katie

Book: "Can You Make a Scary Face?" by Jan Thomas




SO MUCH FUN!!!! This book is amazing (as well as anything else by Jan Thomas). I can't remember the kids having so much fun as when I acted out the different actions and had them doing it with me.





Song: "Five Little Ladybugs" by Pam Schiller on Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
                    Lyrics:
Five little ladybugs dancing on the shore.
One danced away, and then there were four.
Four little ladybugs dipping in the sea.
One chased a fish, and then there were three.
Three little ladybugs admiring the view.
One skipped off, and then there were two.
Two little ladybugs bathing in the sun.
One flew home, leaving only one.
One little ladybug all alone,
She called her friends on the telephone.
They came back, now there’s five,
To dance a sing a ladybug jive.
*I made a flannel of five ladybugs, but it might be just as easy to do a countdown on your fingers.


Monday, July 22, 2013

Dirty and Clean

The theme for this particular storytime was dirty and clean. I focused on several pig-themed fingerplays and rhymes because, well...what creature more than any other has a reputation for getting a little dirty? Ummm, duh! Pigs!

So, after opening music, we started with a few fingerplays and songs. 

This one I particularly loved because it is super cute:
Two Mother Pigs
Two mother pigs lived in a pen, (Two thumbs up)
Each had four babies and that made ten. (Wiggle four fingers on each hand)
These four babies were black and white. (Wiggle four fingers on one hand)
These four babies were black as night. (Wiggle four fingers on the other hand)
All eight babies loved to play. (Wiggle eight fingers)
And the rolled and they rolled in the mud all day. (Roll hands)
At night, with their mother, they curled up in a heap, (Make fists, palms up)
And squealed and squealed, till they went to sleep. (Tuck thumbs under fingers)

After My Bath
After my bath...I try, try, try, to rub myself till I’m dry, dry dry. (pretend to dry with towel)
Hands to dry and fingers and toes. (point to body parts)
Two wet legs and one shiny nose. (point to body parts)
Just think how much less time it would take,
If I were a dog and could shake, shake, shake! (shake whole body)
source: Nursery Rhymes


Book: "Harry the Dirty Dog"by Gene Zion


This is a classic! As in, written before my own parents were even born. And yet, it is still so poignant (not that kids really need to know that). It has something for everyone: it's humorous, sad, sweet, and parents will genuinely enjoy hearing it just as much as the kids. 

It is a little longer, so I definitely would suggest this for an older audience of mostly preschoolers. I just happened to have a larger group of older kids at this particular storytime and...well, it's a favorite of mine so I couldn't not read it!


Song: "Soap" by Bob McGrath on Sing Along With Bob #2
                                Lyrics:
Soap, Soap, you gotta wash your nose with soap, soap
You gotta wash your ears with soap, soap
You gotta wash your toes with soap, soap, soap
Soap, soap, you gotta wash your knees with soap, soap
You gotta wash your palms with soap, soap
You gotta wash your cheeks with soap, soap, soap


Little Pig, Little Pig
Little Pig, Little Pig, turn around
Little Pig, Little Pig, touch the ground
Little Pig, Little Pig, reach up high
Little Pig, Little Pig, wink one eye
Little Pig, Little Pig, touch your nose
Little Pig, Little Pig, touch your toes
Little Pig, Little Pig, slap your knees
Little Pig, Little Pig, sit down please
*my variation, but the original version: Storytime Katie


Book: "Meet Wild Boars" by Meg Rosoff



Funny and fun, this is a great book to read during storytime! I would suggest this as a middle ground between toddlers and preschoolers. Obviously it's a little much for baby's but as my family storytime's lean towards the older crowd, it's acceptable. 




Five Little Piggies 
Five little piggies rolling in the mud.
Squishy, squashy, felt so good!
Then along came the farmer,
who took one for a bath.
Continue to one little piggy


Then we finished up with a few songs, including: 
Song: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" by Bob McGrath on Sing Along With Bob #2



Sunday, July 14, 2013

Pirates

Just this last week, we did a Family Storytime about Pirates. Yes, this included me wearing a lovely bandanna and an eye-patch (How often do you get to dress up on days other than Halloween? I will milk this for all its worth!).

After our opening song, I borrowed several Fingerplays and Songs from the Born Librarian.

Ten Little Pirates
Ten little pirates stood in a row (hold up all ten fingers)
They bowed to their captain so (lower and raise fingers)
They marched to the left  (march hands to left)
And they marched to the right (march hands to the right)
They shouted yo-ho! (cup hands over mouth)
And gave their captain a fright (act scared, cover mouth with hands)
source: Born Librarian

If You're A Pirate and You Know It:
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, then you’ll hear the sea winds blowin’
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)

Verses two and three
If you’re a pirate and you know it, walk the plank (stomp, stomp)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, shout ahoy—AHOY! (with arm movement)
source: Born Librarian


Book: "Bubble Bath Pirates!" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka



















Song: ABC Song

We sang the ABC song and learned about the pirates favorite letter -- "R"




I made a flannel letter "R" and used it on the flannel board while we sang our ABC's.





I taught our little pirates the song we sing aboard our ship:

Sail, Sail, Sail, Your Ship
Sail, sail, sail your ship
Gently over the sea
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
A pirate’s life for me!
source: King County Library System

Pirates Go Up
Pirates go up, up, up
Pirates go down, down, down
Pirates lean backwards and forwards
Pirates twirl round and round
Pirates now all sit down.
source: British Columbia Public Libraries


Book: "Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors" by Danna Smith


This was such a cute book, as well as a wonderful book to help teach colors. Prior to storytime, I actually paper-clipped several of the pages together. My Family Storytimes have been leaning towards the younger spectrum of 0-5 year-olds, so I didn't want to have another long book for the babies and toddlers to sit through.



We ended with a few closing songs and I was left with a whole crew of little pirates aboard my ship.


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Dinosaurs

This is a dinosaur-themed storytime I shared for Family Storytime earlier this summer for our summer theme of "Dig Into Reading." After our opening song, we started off with several fingerplays and rhymes.

Dinosaurs Lived Long Ago:
Dinosaurs lived long ago.
Some walked (stomp feet)
Some swam (pretend to swim)
Some flew, you know! (flap arms like wings)
Some were big (hold hands up high)
Some were small (hold hands low)
Some were simply gigantic (stretch hands out wide)
Shhhh! Do you hear one? (stomp, stomp, stomp)
source: Bry-Back Manor

I'm a Mean Old Dinosaur:
I’m a mean old dinosaur, big and tall. 
Here is my tail, and here is my claw. (Gesture to ‘tail’, make ‘claw’ with hands)
When I get all hungry, I just growl. (GRRRr)
Look out kids, I’m on the prowl! (stomp, stomp, stomp)

Book: "Dinosaur vs. Bedtime" by Bob Shea



After some rhymes and fingerplays, we read "Dinosaur vs. Bedtime" by Bob Shea. If you haven't read anything in this series, please do!! They are super adorable and fun to read aloud to kids.








Song: "We Are the Dinosaurs" by The Laurie Berkner Band 

Five Enormous Dinosaurs:
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.

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Turn Around:
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, turn around
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch the ground
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, reach up high
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, blink your eyes
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your nose
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, touch your toes
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, slap your knees
Dinosaur, Dinosaur, sit down please
source: Storytime Katie
*I actually use a variant of this most storytimes, because it is a fun action rhyme to get the kids ready for the second book we are reading. But I like Storytime Katie's version of the "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around" best. 

Book: "How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon" by Jane Yolen




Yet another great series! And "How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon" is a riot. It's a ton of fun to read and all of Jane Yolen's dinosaur books are great!






And then we finished up with a few closing songs that we have at every storytime. A little repetition in every storytime is a great thread to help kids learn the songs and play along with movements that they are already familiar with. 

Friday, July 12, 2013

Starting Off

Welcome to my blog (and the first post)! I decided to add to the online forum of blogging because I think it is fun to share ideas and storytimes with fellow librarians (and library assistants!) in the field. I have found such valuable resources in the blogs online and felt this was a great way to help add to what is already out there, as well as keep track of my own storytimes.

I will be playing catch-up for the next few entries, adding some of the storytimes I have already done for the summer session of "Dig Into Reading."And then I get to start the exciting process of planning for the fall!