Pumpkin Storytime 10/8/13 and 10/9/2013

Books read: 
Pumpkin heads by Wendell Minor
The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis

Other book suggestions:
It's Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall
Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell
The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons

Mr. Pumpkin
I am Mr. Pumpkin big and round (use hands to stretch up and stretch out to make big stomach)
Once upon a time I grew on the ground. (crouch down)
But now I have a mouth, two eyes and a nose (point to each feature)
What are they for, do you suppose? (shrug shoulders)
When I have a candle inside shining bright (put one fist on top of the other, then move fingers of top hand up to show flame)
I'll be a Jack-O-Lantern on Halloween Night! (jump up and smile)

Once there was a Pumpkin
Once there was a pumpkin
And it grew (join fingers of each hand to make one pumpkin)
And grew (separate the hands keeping the pumpkin formation)
And grew (join hands before you, making a large pumpkin with your arms)
Now it's a Jack-O-Lantern and it smiles at you
And you, and you! (Move pumpkin shape around to greet each child)

Jack-O-Poem
I'm Jack-o-Happy! (smile, use happy voice)
I am Jack-o-Sad! (use crying, whiny voice)
I am Jack-o-Sleepy! (use sleepy voice, yawn)
I am Jack-o-Mad! (use growling, angry voice)
I am Jack-o-Small! (use teeny voice, crouch down)
I am Jack-o-Jumping! (Jump up and down)
I am Jack-o-Tall! (reach up high)
I am Jack-o-Lantern, the best one of all!

I'm a Little Pumpkin (to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'm a little pumpkin, orange and ground (hold arms in a circle)
Here is my stem, (place fist on your head)
There is the ground. (touch the ground)
When I get all cut up, don't you shout!
Just open me up and scoop me out! (pretend to scoop the pumpkin out)

Pumpkin Search Game:
Oh, where oh where has my pumpkin gone?
Oh, where oh where can it be?
I'm searching and singing my pumpkin song.
Won't you please help me?

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins at my door,
A neighbor took one and then there were four.

Four little pumpkin under a tree,
Along came a farmer and then there were three.

Three little pumpkins that looked so new,
I gave one away and then there were two.

Two little pumpkins out in the sun,
Mom made a pie and then there was one.

Of all the pumpkins there was just one,
So I made a Jack-O-Lantern and that was fun!

Pumpkin Count Jumping
Pumpkin cut outs are laid on the floor and labeled with 1-5. The children must jump from pumpkin to pumpkin in correct counting sequence. (Great for number recognition and especially good for kids who learn best through movement)

Literacy tip of the week:
When you are reading to your child and encounter a word they do not understand, don't change or skip the word. If you do, you miss the chance to develop your child's vocabulary by explaining what the word means.

Craft:  

We decorated pumpkins with torn paper :)

Baby Storytime 10/2/13

Books read: 
Puppy and Friends by Roger Priddy
DK's Touch and Feel Pets

Songs:

Wheels on the Bus

Tick Tock
Tick, tock, tick, tock, (rock back and forth with baby on your lap)
I'm a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's one o'clock! (lift baby once)

Tick, tock, tick, tock, (rock back and forth with baby on your lap)
I'm a little cuckoo clock,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's two o'clock! (lift baby twice)

Tick, tock, tick, tock, (rock back and forth with baby on your lap)
I'm a little cuckoo clock,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's three o'clock! (lift baby three times)

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Rickety Rocking Horse
Rickety, rickety rocking horse, (bounce baby on your lap)
Over the fields we go,
Rickety, rickety rocking horse,
Giddy up, giddy up! (bounce a little faster)
WHOA! (lean back)

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

If you're happy and you know it

Literacy tip of the week:
Look for board books with bright or high contrast illustrations. These type of illustrations are easier for the youngest babies to see and will help grab the attention of older babies.

Cats Storytime 10/1/13 and 10/2/13

Books read:
Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin
Mama Cat has three kittens by Denise Fleming

Other book suggestions:
I love cats by Sue Stainton
Kitty cat, kitty cat, are you waking up? by Bill Martin Jr.
Pumpkin Cat by Anne Mortimer
There are cats in this book by Viviane Schwartz

Cat Talk
Cats can meow,
Cats can growl,
Cats can purr,
Cats can yowl.
Cats can arch their backs and hiss,
Just like this! (bend over, arch back and hold up hands like paws and hiss)

If you're a cat and you know it (to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it")
If you're a cat and you know it say meow, (meow)
If you're a cat and you know it say meow.
If you're a cat and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you're a cat and you know it saw meow.

If you're a cat and you know it lick your paws, (pretend to lick hands)
If you're a cat and you know it lick your paws,
If you're a cat and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you're a cat and you know it lick your paws.

If you're a cat and you know it pounce like this, (pretend to pounce on hands and knees)
If you're a cat and you know it pounce like this,
If you're a cat and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you're a cat and you know it pounce like this.

I've got a cat on my knee (to the tune of "Skip to my Loo")
Cat, cat, cat on on my knee, (put both hands on your knee)
Cat, cat, cat on my knee,
Cat, cat, cat on my knee.
Meow, meow, meow, meow.
(Use other body parts for additional verses)

Tiptoe Soft
by Margaret Hillert
Tiptoe soft as a pussycat, (tiptoe)
Soft on little cat feet.
Flap your wings like a baby bird. (flap arms like wings)
Open your beak for a treat. (look up and open your mouth)
Clomp, clomp, clomp like a big old horse. (stomp feet)
Pick up a hoof, and then,
Tip, tip, tip on the tips of your toes, (tiptoe)
Soft as a cat again.

Five Kittens Fingerplay
Five little kittens standing in a row (hold up five fingers)
They nod their heads to the children so. (bend fingers)
They run to the left, they run to the right (run fingers to the left and then to the right)
They stand and stretch in the bright sunlight. (stretch fingers tall)
Along comes a dog that's in for some fun. (Hold up fingers from opposite hand)
MEOW! See those kittens run! (Let fingers run)

Play "Kitten Says" instead of Simon Says

Lost Mitten Color Story
My poor little kitten lost her mitten
And started to cry "Boohoo".
So I helped my kitten look for her mitten,
Her beautiful mitten of BLUE.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
Under my mother's bed.
But alas the mitten was not the right mitten.
It was colored RED.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
On the hand of you brother's toy clown.
But alas the mitten was not the right mitten,
For it was colored BROWN.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
Under the laundry so clean.
But alas the mitten was not the right mitten,
For it was colored GREEN.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
Inside a grocery sack.
But alas the mitten was not the right mitten,
For it was colored BLACK.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
Under the kitchen sink.
But alas the mitten was not the right mitten,
For it was colored PINK.

I found a mitten just right for a kitten,
Inside my favorite shoe.
And this time it was the right mitten, for it was colored BLUE!

There are some great Pete the Cat activities at the website: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/feature/petethecat/

Literacy tip of the week:
Singing songs with your child is an important way to get them ready for reading. Songs can help children identify the rhythm and rhyme within language. For instance, singing a word can make it easier to identify the sounds and parts of the word. Over time singing many songs with your child can also help build their vocabulary.

Craft:
We glued yarn to our cats today :)

Baby Storytime 9/25/13

Book read:
The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O'Connell

Songs:

Tick, Tock
Tick, tock, tick tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock. (rock baby back and forth on your lap)
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's one o'clock! (lift baby once)

Tick, tock, tick, tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock. (rock baby back and forth on your lap)
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's two o'clock! (lift baby twice)

Tick, tock, tick, tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock. (rock baby back and forth on your lap)
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It's three o'clock! (lift baby three times)

Wheels on the Bus

Baby's Hokey Pokey from Baby Face CD

Ricktey Rocking Horse
Rickety, rickety rocking horse, (bounce baby on your knees)
Over the fields we go.
Ricktey, rickety rocking horse,
Giddy up, giddy up.
WHOA! (stop bouncing and lean back)

Toaster Song
I'm toast in the toaster and I'm getting really hot! (bounce baby on your knees)
Tick, tock, tick, tock, (rock back and forth with baby on your lap)
Up I pop! (lift baby up)

Literacy tip of the week:
Letting your baby hold books and turn pages on their own is a great way to help them learn what books are and how books work.

Sail Into Storytime 9/24/13 and 9/25/13

Books read:
I love boats by Flora Mcdonnell
Sail away little boat by Janet Buell

Other book suggestions:
Boats by Anne Rockwell
Don't rock the boat by Sally Grindley

The Boat on the Waves (to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus")
The boat on the waves goes rock, rock, rock,
Rock, Rock, Rock. (stand and rock back and forth)
The boat on the waves goes rock, rock, rock,
All around the lake.

The wind in the sails goes swish, swish, swish,
Swish, Swish, Swish. (swing arms back and forth)
The wind in the sails goes swish, swish,
All around the lake.

The waves on the lake go up and down,
up and down, up and down, (alternate bending knees and standing up)
The waves on the lake go up an down,
All around the lake.

Danced to "A Sailor Went to Sea" on the Wiggles CD "You make me feel like dancing"

Float around in canoes
(Have kids hold hands in a circle like in "Ring Around the Rosie")
Float around in canoes,
(move in circle clockwise)
We are wearing no shoes,
Upstream,
(move counterclockwise)
Downstream,
(move clockwise)
We all splish, splash!
(drop hands and fall to the ground)

Row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your boat, (rowing motions)
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream. (pretend to sleep)

Rock, rock, rock your boat, (rock back and forth from foot to foot)
Rock in to and fro.
Watch out! Give a shout!
Into the water you go! (pretend to fall into the water)

Row, row, row your boat, (rowing motions)
Down the jungle stream.
If you see a crocodile,
Don't forget to scream! (scream)

Five Little Sailors (counting rhyme)
Five little sailors rowing out from shore,
One fell out and then there were four.
Four little sailors rowing out to sea,
One fell out and then there were three.
Three little sailors calling out "Yoohoo!",
One fell out and then there were two.
Two little sailors having lots of fun,
One fell out and then there was one.
One little sailor all alone.
He jumped in and they all swam home!

Literacy tip of the week
Rhyme is an important element in children's books and songs. Hearing and repeating two words that sound alike in a story helps teach that words are made up of smaller parts. It will even help your child learn to sound out words as they get older.

Craft: 
We worked on our fine motor skills by coloring boats :)

Sports Storytime 9/17/13 and 9/18/2013

Books read:
Goodnight Baseball by Michael Dahl
Hit the Ball Duck by Jez Alborough

Additional book suggestions:
Dino Sports series by Lisa Wheeler (Dino-Baseball, Dino-Soccer)
Other suggestions found at: http://storytimepreschooltoddlers.blogspot.com/2009/04/sports-and-games-storytime.html

This is the way...
This is the way we hit the ball, 
Hit the ball, hit the ball,
This is the way we hit the ball, 
When we play baseball.

This is the way we kick the ball, 
Kick the ball, kick the ball,
This is the way we kick the ball,
When we play soccer.

Substitute other sports related actions (ex. Run the bases, throw the ball, swing the bat)

Here is a ball (catching game)
Here is a ball I keep on the shelf.
I can toss it and catch it and bounce it myself. (do actions as indicated)
Here is a ball I toss to you.(throw ball to child)
Please catch it and toss it right back to me too.

(Note: These action related rhymes and songs are great for helping develop your child's large motor skills.)

My favorite fastest shoes (color identification song using cut out shoes)
I was walking along the street one day (march)
With my knees up high, can you walk this way?
But I stepped in something. What should I do?
My favorite, fastest shoes have turned the color blue!

I was hopping along the street one day (hop)
On just one foot, can you hop this way?
But I hopped in something. I'm filled with dread.
My favorite, fastest shoes have turned the color red!

I was twirling along the street one day (twirl)
Around and around, can you twirl this way?
But I twirled in something. I'm not a happy fellow.
My favorite, fastest shoes have turned the color yellow!

I tiptoed along the street one day. (tiptoe)
Way up on my toes, can you tiptoe this way?
But I tiptoed in something. I'm about to make a scene!
My favorite, fastest shoes have turned the color green!

I stood still on the street one day (stand in place)
With my feet like this, can you stand this way?
I stepped in nothing, but this isn't very fun.
My shoes are meant to run, run, run! (run)

Bouncing Ball
I'm bouncing, bouncing everywhere,
I'm bouncing, bouncing, like a ball.
I bounce and bounce until I fall.

Five Little Footballs (counting activity, using )
Five little footballs, trying hard to score. 
One makes a touchdown! 
Hear the crowd roar!

Four little footballs, trying hard to score.
One makes a touchdown!
Hear the crowd roar!

Countdown until there are no footballs left.

Sing "Take me out to the ballgame"

Literacy tip of the week: In school your child will be asked to make connections between similar stories and books. If a book you read to your child is similar to one you have already read with them, make sure to point this out. Ask them some simple questions about how the books are alike or different. One of the books we read this week, "Goodnight Baseball" is very similar to the classic "Goodnight Moon", so it provides a great example of this.

Craft: 
We decorated our football pictures with torn paper :)
 

 

All About Me Storytime 9/10/13 and 9/11/13

I am so glad storytime is back after our August break :) This week's theme is "All About Me".

The books read: 

The Things I can Do by Jeff Mack
I Like Me by Nancy Carlson

Other book suggestions:
I'm Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis
I'm Me by Sara Sheridan

Songs and Activities

Touch game

Touch your nose,

Touch your chin

That's the way this game begins

Touch your eyes

Touch your knees

Now pretend you are going to sneez

Touch your hair

Touch one ear

Touch your two red lips right here

Touch your elbows where they bend

That's the way the touch game ends.

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Head and shoulders
Knees and toes
Knees and toes
Head and shoulders 
Knees and toes,
Knees and toes,
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head and shoulders 
Knees and Toes

Note: Songs like these are great for developing motor skills, and for teaching identification of body parts.

  

I can!

Chanting "I can" followed by having the children repeat different actions. (ex. Running, Jumping, Spinning, Stomping Feet, Clapping Hands)

If you're happy and you know it 

Hello, My Name is Joe
Hello, my name is Joe and I work at the Pizza Factory.
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe are you busy?" I said "No".
The cook said "Then can you stir this sauce with your right hand (make stirring motion with right hand, continue through rhyme)
Hello, my name is Joe and I work at the Pizza Factory.
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe, are you busy?" I said "No."
The cook said "Then can you chop these veggies with your left hand?" (make chopping motion with left hand continue throughout rhyme)
Hello, my name is Joe and I work at the Pizza Factory.
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe, are you busy?" I said "No."
The cook said "Then can you close this trash can with your right foot? (make motion with right foot continue throughout rhyme)
Hello my name is Joe, and I work at the Pizza Factory. 
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe, are you busy?" I said "No."
The cook said "Then can you open this door with your left foot?" (make motion with left foot, continue throughout rhyme)
Hello, my name is Joe and I work at the Pizza Factory.
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe, are you busy?" I said "No".
The cook said "Then can you lick these stamps with your tongue? (continue with tongue out)
Hello, my name is Joe, and I work at the Pizza Factory.
I have a house and a dog and a family.
Now one day the cook said to me:
"Hey Joe, are you busy?" I said "YES!" 

Literacy Tip of the Week: When reading stories like "The Things I can Do", where the pictures don't match with the text is saying, make sure to point out the differences to your child as you read. In school they will be asked to think about choices authors have made to tell their stories, and these differences are one type of choice made by the author.

Craft:

We made pictures of ourselves with yarn and crayon :)