Dogs

Toddler Storytime

Book: Dog’s Noisy Day by Emma Dodd

Song: “B-I-N-G-O”

Magnetic Board Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle

Book: This Old Man illustrated by Pam Adams

Rhyme: Leg Over Leg
Leg over leg,
As the dog went to Dover;
When he came to a stile,
Jump, he went over.
Source: NurseryRhymes.com

Song: “Paws on the Dog”
Tune: “Wheels on the Bus”
The paws on the dog go dig, dig, dig.
Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig.
The paws on the dog go dig, dig, dig.
All over town.

The ears on the dog go flop, flop, flop…
The nose on the dog goes sniff, sniff, sniff…
The tongue on the dog goes lick, lick, lick…
The bark on the dog goes woof, woof, woof…
The tail on the dog goes wag, wag, wag…
Source: King County Library System

Book: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Preschool Storytime

Book: The Dog Who Cried Wolf by Keiko Kasza

Draw and Tell Story: BINGO!

Source: Dr. Jean

Book: Widget by Lyn McFarland

Felt Board Activity: Dog/Bone Color Match-Up
Red dog is saying bow-wow,
If you have a red bone bring it up now.
(Continue with various colors.)

Book: Oh, Tucker! by Steven Kroll

Book: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Craft: Paper Bag Dog Puppet

Source: Free Kids Crafts

Summary: The kids seem to enjoy the picture books.  Dog’s Noisy Day and Dear Zoo were the most interactive.  With the toddlers, I whip out my two favorite dog puppets for “B-I-N-G-O” and “Paws on the Dog.”  The puppets help refocus the kids when they get wiggly.

I love when the kids yell out “there he is” during the BINGO draw and tell story.  I always have a few parents/caregivers laughing in the back.

After the preschoolers bring up their bones to match the dog, we count and begin to graph the bones.  Since I randomly pass out the bones, some dogs end up with more.  I ask the kids which color dog has the most bones, which dog has the least bones and which dogs have the same amounts.

Beach Fun

Toddler Storytime

Rhyme: Here’s My Box
Here’s my box,
Here’s my lid.
I wonder what inside is hid?
Should we open it up?
It’s a (seashell)!
Source: Unknown

Book: Snappy Little Splashers by Beth Harwood

Magnetic Board Rhyme: Blue Whale, Blue Whale
Blue whale, blue whale,
What do you see?
I see a red crab looking at me?
Red crab, red crab …
Purple octopus, purple octopus …
Green sea turtle, green sea turtle …
Orange seahorse, orange seahorse …
Green fish, green fish …
Pink jellyfish, pink jellyfish …
Yellow starfish, yellow starfish …
I see storytime friends looking at me.
Source: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.

Book: Fun Dog, Sun Dog by Deborah Heiligman

Magnetic Board Rhyme: Five Little Sandcastles
Five little sandcastles sitting on the shore.
A wave came in-whoosh! (children use scarves for wave motion)
And then there were four.
Four little sandcastles sitting by the sea.
A wave came in-whoosh!
And then there were three.
Three little sandcastles sitting by the ocean blue.
A wave came in-whoosh!
And then there were two.
Two little sandcastles sitting in the sun.
A wave came in-whoosh!
And then there was one.
One little sandcastle sitting just out of reach.
A wave came in-whoosh!
but it stayed there on the beach!
Source: Storytime Secrets

Song: “Waves On the Sea” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)

The waves on the sea (children use scarves for motions)
Go up and down,
Up and down,
Up and down.
The waves on the sea
Go up and down,
All Day Long….

The sharks in the sea
Go chomp, chomp, chomp.

The fish in the sea
Go swish, swish, swish.

The whales in the sea
Go spray, spray, spray.

The jellyfish in the sea
Go float, float, float.

The crabs on the beach
snap, snap, snap.

Source: King County Library System

Book: Corduroy Goes to the Beach by B. G. Hennessy

Preschool Storytime

Book: To the Beach! by Linda Ashman

Rhyme: Here’s My Box

Book Activity: There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell! by Lucille Colandro

Magnetic Board Rhyme: Five Little Sandcastles

Song: “Waves On the Sea” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)

Book: Sylvie by Jennifer Sattler

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Little Jellyfish
Five little jellyfish swimming by the shore,
the yellow one got lost and that left four.
Four little jellyfish swimming in the sea,
the blue one swam away and that left three.
Three little jellyfish in the ocean bule,
the purple one took a seahorse ride and that left two.
Two little jellyfish swimming in the sun,
the oragne one took a dive and that left one.
One little jellyfish swimming all alone,
it was time for him to go home and that left none!
Source: Read, Sarah, Read!

Book: Snappy Little Splashers by Beth Harwood

Magnetic Board Rhyme: Blue Whale, Blue Whale

Craft: Sea Scene

Source: Read it again, mom!

 Summary:  I absolutely adore Sylvie.  It’s one of those books you immediately know is perfect for storytime.  For some reason, I enjoy books and rhymes where the character turns colors after eating a food or object.  The toddlers were really into Fun Dog, Sun Dog.  They sat absolutely still during the reading.  I like to make the There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell! book interactive by having the children feed pictures of the items mentioned in the story to our “old lady head.”  As for the craft, the blue plates came from Party City.

Cozy Caterpillars

Preschool Storytime

Book: Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

Flannel Rhyme: Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar

Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar
Into a garden did creep
And spun himself a blanket
Then fell fast asleep
Fuzzy, wuzzy caterpillar
Woke up by and by
To find he had wings of beauty
For he had changed into a butterfly!

Book: The Crunching Munching Caterpillar by Sheridan Cain

Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book by Eric Carle

Craft: Butterfly Life Cycle Wheel

Source: Kiz Club

Summary:  I decided to take the plunge this summer and raise Painted Lady butterflies.  A patron recommended I get them from Insect Lore.  I was nervous about the safety of the caterpillars since there did not seem to be a safe place to put them.  Our children’s room is set off to the side in an unmonitored space.  After some staff debate, we decided to set the butterfly habitat on a display case in front of our circulation desk.  The staff keeps an eye on little (and big) hands.  I do not have children, but feel some of the pangs of motherhood, as I constantly check on the butterfly larvae to make sure they are hitting their developmental stages on time.

The caterpillars made an appearance in preschool storytime.  This was a perfect time to introduce new vocabulary words and science concepts.  I printed the words “Egg/Caterpillar/Chrysalis/Butterfly” on our whiteboard and we discussed the butterfly metamorphosis process.

All the books worked well with this theme.  I knew many of the children were familiar with The Very Hungry Caterpillar so I decided to make it interactive by having the children place the food on the magnetic board when I came to its place in the story.   I like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but I still feel conflicted reading it in storytime due to the use of the word “cocoon” instead of “chrysalis.”  I read Eric Carle’s explanation on his website, but I still have my doubts.  I also still really like the book.

Let’s Go to the Zoo

Toddler Storytime

Book: The Color Box by Dayle Ann Dodds

Flannel Rhyme: Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Crocodile: “You can’t catch me!” “You can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Crocodile
As quiet as can be and…SNAPPED! that monkey right out of that tree!

Four, three, two, one.

Book: Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Action Rhyme: An Elephant

An elephant goes like this and that!
He’s terrible big and terrible fat.
He has no fingers!
He has no toes!
But goodness gracious what a nose!

Credit: King County Library System

Book: Corduroy at the Zoo by B. G. Hennessy

Magnetic Board Story: Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice

The figures came from Toddler Storytime II by Dianne Briggs

Group Activity: Walking Through the Zoo

Walking through the zoo and what did I see?
I saw an elephant looking at me!

When I said an animal’s name, the children put the animal they were holding on the magnetic board.

Source: Abby the Librarian

Preschool Storytime

Book: Smile If You’re Human by Neal Layton

Flannel Rhyme: Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree

Book: Penguins by Liz Pichon

Magnetic Board Story: Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice

Book: My Camera: At the Zoo by Janet Marshall

Group Activity: Walking Through the Zoo

Craft: Parrot Puppet

Source: Starting a Preschool

Summary:  The preschool group laughed at the surprise endings in Smile If You’re Human and Penguins.  The toddlers at the early learning center really enjoyed The Color Box.  Panda Bear, Panda, What Do You See? introduced some new vocabulary, but the story did not interest them.  I should have used Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? for this age group.

I Like Me!

Toddler Storytime

Song: “If You Wanna Hear Some Stories” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you wanna hear some stories, clap your hands
If you wanna hear some stories, clap your hands
If you wanna hear some stories, if wanna hear some stories
If you wanna hear some stories, clap your hands.
Additional verses:
If you wanna sing some songs, stomp your feet.
If you’re ready for some fun, shout hooray.

Book: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr.

Song: “This is the Way We Wash Our Hands” (Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands so early in the morning.
Additional verses: Ears, nose, elbows, tummy, knees, and toes.

Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Book: I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss

Action Rhyme: Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum

Fee, fi, fo fum (uncurl fingers 1 by 1)
See my fingers, see my thumb (wiggle fingers, then thumb)
Fee, fi, fo, fum (curl up fingers 1 by 1)
Bye-bye fingers, bye-bye thumb. (curl up thumb)

Credit: King County Library System

Book: We’ve All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin

Preschool Storytime

Book: Eggbert, the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross

Book/Flannel: Arthur’s Nose by Marc Brown

I found the original of this flannel/prop in the storytime closet of my first job.  I copied the set, but I never found out the identity of the creator.  I hold up each picture and ask the kids if they think Arthur should choose this nose.  At the end, the kids vote on their favorite nose.

Song: Hokey Pokey from Songs for Wiggleworms

Book: Good Thing You’re Not an Octopus! by Julie Markes

Craft:  Egg Man

Source: KIZCLUB

Summary: Born Librarian’s Body-Positive Self-Esteem Storytime inspired me to create my own I Like Me storytime.  This was a very interactive storytime.  Body parts are always a hit with toddlers.  The preschoolers really got into the Hokey Pokey the more I hammed it up.  My explanation of Arthur’s “nose job” from his original illustrations probably went on a little long since one kid called out “Read the story!”