This was my first week using my new story time strategy, which came about after last week's group talked through every story. Right after the hello song, I started in with a book, and didn't do any of the usual favorite songs until the end. It worked really, really well, and I was so flattered when a grandmother came up to me afterward and said my story time is the best one she's been to. I was feeling overwhelmed and down earlier this week, so that was a most welcome compliment!
Opening song: Hello, How Are You?
(This week's actions were clapping hands, waving arms, and tapping knees.)
Book: One Lighthouse, One Moon by Anita Lobel
I'm a big fan of Anita Lobel's books about Nini - I actually read
Nini Lost and Found at a story time back in March - and this one is probably my favorite of them all. It's divided into three parts. Part one focuses on Nini's week, in which she watches a human girl wear 7 different types of shoes - red on Tuesday, pink on Saturday, white on Sunday, etc. The second part focuses on the year and talks about how Nini spent each month. In February, for example, she avoided kisses on Valentine's Day.
Song: Five Astronauts Went Up In Space (with flannel board)
I wrote the words to this one, but the tune is the same as Five Little Ducks, or One Elephant Went Out to Play.
One astronaut went up in space
Upon the moon to play one day
He had such enormous fun
That he called for another astronaut to come!
(Repeat, counting up to five.)
Five astronauts went up in space
Upon the moon to play one day
They had such enormous fun
That they called for everyone to come!
My astronauts are five different colors (red, blue, orange, green, and purple), so we named the colors and then waved goodbye to each one. I left the moon on the flannel board to lead directly into the next song.
Song: Aikendrum (a cappella once, and once with Raffi; also with flannel board)
I introduced the different parts of Aikendrum's face - spaghetti, meatballs, cheese, and pizza - before we sang the song. Then we did it once without music so the grown-ups could learn the song, and once with the more upbeat Raffi recording. When we were finished, I waved goodbye to Aikendrum and turned the flannel board around to reveal a single star.
Book: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Michael Hague
I sang this book, and everyone joined in for the first verse and the refrain after all the other verses. During the first session, a little boy walked right up to me during this book and, holding out a Where's Waldo book, said, "Can you help me find Waldo?" It was adorable. And funny. This book doesn't seem to have a cover image available anywhere on the internet, which strikes me as strange, but I guess it is out of print.
Song: One Little, Two Little, Three Little Stars (sung to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little stars
Four little, five little, six little stars
Seven little, eight little, nine little stars
Ten stars in the sky!
(Wiggle fingers to show stars are twinkling.)
Ten little, nine little, eight little stars
Seven little, six little, five little stars
Four little, three little, two little stars
One star in the sky!
Song: Shake My Sillies Out
Song: I'm a Little Teapot
Song: The Itsy-Bitsy Spider (a cappella sing-along)
I brought out my sunshine puppet for this one, and held it up when we sang, "Out came the sun."
Book: Under the Sun by Ellen Kandoian
This story tells of the sun's travels throughout a 24-hour period. While children are still asleep in Hawaii, Russia, Japan, and China, the sun comes peeking through an American child's window! A simple introduction to the movement of the sun - even though it was published in 1987, and has some older-fashioned looking illustrations, it still works well for a contemporary audience.
Song: Monkeys on the Bed
Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Song: There's a Little Wheel a-Turnin' in my Heart
Goodbye Song: Skinnamarink
This was the best story time I've had in a long time. I hope to do another one like it next week!
