Elephant Storytime 5/24/16 and 5/25/16

Books read: 
Hide and Seek by Il Sung Na
What to do if an elephant steps on your foot by Michelle Robinson

Other book suggestions:
Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems
Tweak, Tweak by Eve Bunting

ASL Sign of the Week: Elephant

Elephant Goes Like This (from Preschool Education)
The elephant goes like this, like that (swing arms like a trunk)
He's terrible big (hold arms up high)
and very fat. (hold arms out)
He has no fingers. He has no toes. (wiggle fingers and toes)
But goodness gracious! What a nose! (swing arms like trunk)

This is the way (from Miss Katie's Storytime Wiki)
This is the way I stomp my feet,
Stomp my feet, stomp my feet.
This is the way I stomp my feet,
Cause I'm an elephant!
Other actions can include: Wave trunk, shake tail, etc.

Up the Hill (from Storytime Katie)
Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy creepy! (crawl)
Here goes a rabbit up a hill, boing, boing, boing! (jump)Here goes a snake up a hill, slither, slither, slither! (make snake motion with arms)
Here goes the elephant up the hill, thud, thud, thud! (stomp)
Here comes the elephant down the hill, boom, boom, boom! (bounce to ground and clap)

Elephants have wrinkles (from The Loudest Librarian)
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles,
Elephants have wrinkles everywhere!
Wrinkles on their (insert body part)!

If you're an elephant and you know it (version of "If you're happy and you know it")
If you're an elephant and you know it stomp your feet.
If you're an elephant and you know it and your face will surely show it.
If you're an elephant and you know it stomp your feet!
Other actions: Swing your trunk, Swish your tail

One elephant went out to play (from many sources, done with elephant puppet)
One elephant went out to play,
On a bright and sunny day.
He had such enormous fun,
He called for another elephant to come.

Two big elephants (version of Two Little Blackbirds)
Two big elephants were sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and the other named Jill.
Run away Jack! Run away Jill!
Other verses can include: Fast and Slow, High and Low, etc

Literacy tip of the week: Talk with your child about things you see throughout the day. This is a great way to build their vocabulary!

Things That Pop Storytime 5/17/16 and 5/18/16

Books read: 
Animal Baths by Bob Barner
Perfectly Percy by Paul Schmid

Other book suggestions:Big Bad Bubble by Adam Rubin
Get Out of My Bath! by by Britta Teckentrup

ASL Signs of the Week: Balloon and Bubbles

Library Balloons (from Harris County Library)
This is the way we blow up the balloon (act like you are blowing up a balloon)
Blow up the balloon,
Blow up the balloon.
This is the way we blow up the balloon,
At the library.

This is the way we bounce the balloon (pretend to bounce a balloon in the air)
Bounce the balloon,
Bounce the balloon.
This is the way we bounce the balloon,
At the library.

This is the way we pop the balloon (clap)
Pop the balloon,
Pop the balloon.
This is the way we pop the balloon,
At the library.

Popcorn Calling Me (on "Buzz, Buzz" by Laurie Berkner)

Bubblegum (to the tune of "Lollipop" by the Chordettes, from SLC Book Boy)
Bubblegum, bubblegum,
Sticky, sticky, bubblegum.
Bubblegum! 

Washing (to the tune of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", from Perry Public Library)
Wash your head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Wash your head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.
Hands to dry and fingers and toes.
Wash your head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

10 Little Bubbles (to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")
One little,
Two little,
Three little bubbles (count on fingers)
Four little,
Five little,
Six little bubbles.
Seven little,
Eight little,
Nine little bubbles.
Ten little bubbles in the air.

Bounce and "pop" our beach ball on the parachute 

Craft: We put circular "bubble" stickers on a printout of a letter B.

Literacy tip of the week: Talking about the connections between things or ideas in a story you are reading with your child will help prepare them to make connections as they read on their own.

Dinosaur Storytime 5/3/16 and 5/4/16

Books read: 
I'm a Dirty Dinosaur by Janeen Brian
How to Raise a Dinosaur by Natasha Wing

Other book suggestions:
Dinosaur vs. (series by Bob Shea)
Dinosaur Stomp by Paul Strickland
How do dinosaurs... (series by Jane Yolen)

ASL Sign of the Week: Dinosaur

Dinosaurs were... (from Storytime Survival Kit)
Dinosaurs lived long ago.
Some walked (stomp in place).
Some swam (pretend to swim).
Some flew you know! (pretend to swim).
Some were big (hold arms out wide).
Some were small (crouch low).
Some were very, very tall! (reach high)

Dinosaur Wheels on the Bus (found at multiples sources)
The Pterodactyl wings go flap, flap, flap.
Flap, flap, flap. Flap flap flap.
The Pterodactyl wings go flap, flap, flap.
All around the swamp.
Other additions cam be Stegosaurus tail/swish swish swish, Tyrannosaurus Rex/grr grr grr, Brontosaurus/munch munch munch, etc.

Dino Ditty (to tune of "Do Wah Ditty", from Miss Meg's Storytime)
Here he comes just stomping down the street. (stomp)
Singing "Dino Ditty, ditty dum ditty do!"
Looking around for something good to eat. (look around)
Singing "Dino Ditty, ditty dum ditty do!"
He's big! He's strong! (flex muscles)
Won't be hungry very long!

We are the Dinosaurs (by Laurie Berkner) 

Dinosaur, Dinosaur (from Storytime Katie)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, turn around. (turn around)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, stomp the ground. (stomp)
Dinosaur, dinosaur show your claws. (hold out hands)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, snap your jaws. (arms snap open and closed)
Dinosaur, dinosaur turn around. (turn around)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, sit back down. (sit)

One Dinosaur Went Out to Play (adapted from Librarian Is On the Loose)
One dinosaur went out to play,
On a sunny summer day.
He had such enormous fun.
He called for another dinosaur to come.
(We used pairs of dinosaur cut outs and I had the kids come and march with me as the cutout that matched their own was shown)

Craft: We painted paper plate dinosaurs.

Literacy tip of the week: Painting is great practice for writing because it helps develop your child's fine motor skills.