13 Literacy Activities About Community Helpers

The CSLP Summer Reading theme for this year - Every Hero Has a Story - lends itself so well to story times and other programs focused on community helpers. Here is a collection of rhymes, songs, games, and other literacy activities which focus on the people who work to keep our communities safe, clean, and healthy.

Rhymes

• Helpers (from PreschoolEducation.com)
  In this rhyme, each of five fingers is assigned the identity of a helper who makes our community better by performing a particular service.
• Hats on Everyone (from Perry Public Library)
  Act out the characteristic motions of helpers who wear various hats.
• My Father is a Garbage Man (from Perpetual Preschool)
  This rhyme names the jobs of everyone in a hardworking family, using silly motions to act out what they do.
• Two Brave Firefighters
  I wrote the words for this simple fingerplay based on Two Little Blackbirds. I encourage the kids to pretend to put out a fire, and it is always a huge hit. 

Songs

• Workers and Their Tools
  I wrote this song to be sung to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus", but it could also work as a chant. Preschoolers really like pretending to use the different tools. 
• Hurry, Hurry Drive the Firetruck
  This is one of the least obnoxious children's songs ever to appear on Barney. Kids love pretending to drive the truck, climb the ladder, and put out the fire. 
• Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?
  This Sesame Street favorite has a lot of lyrics, but singing just the chorus and substituting in different helpers' names is usually perfect for toddlers. 

Games and Crafts

• Community Helper badges (from Crayola.com)
  Kids can label themselves as sheriff, state police, or members of the fire department with these badges to color and cut out. 
• People in the Community Mix and Match (from Kizclub.com)
  Match each community helper with the sentence describing his or her job.
• Whose Hat is That? Guessing Game
  Print our clip art pictures of different hats, and ask kids to tell you who wears each one. 

Flannel Boards

• One Brave Firefighter
  This flannel board (which I wrote) tells a simple story of firefighters teaming up to put out a big blaze. 
• Neighborhood Sorting Activity
  On the flannel board, sort various tools according to where they might be used, and by whom.
• Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do (from Storytiming)
  This picture book makes a perfect flannel board. Cate provides the paper dolls she used to make her flannel board pieces in the linked post.