Off-site Preschool Class Visit, 12/14

I have recently developed a new relationship with an area rec. center, which I'm very excited about. On the second Wednesday of every month, I'll be visiting their preschool class to provide a story time. Today was my first visit, so I over-planned just in case I ran out of time, and wound up actually sharing the following:


Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
This song has become the source of my story time confidence. It's not quite a security blanket, but singing it gives me the opportunity to get into the right frame of mind for story time and lets me sort of assess the crowd and figure out what might work well, and what I might need to scrap. Today's group was not very talkative, but they were great with hand motions, so I knew right away they'd like my rhymes, and their wonderful attention spans told me I could read more than two books. By the time I finished singing, I felt comfortable and ready to read.

Song: If You'd Like to Read a Book
For the first time, I introduced this song by first asking if they knew If You're Happy and You Know It. They did, and that seemed to help them understand what this song would be.

Book: One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrated by Maggie Smith (2002)
I was so proud of myself because I actually rehearsed how I would present this book at home last night and then actually stuck to what I rehearsed! I talked about the cover of the book, which is something I often don't do in my large, hectic story times here at the library, and even though the kids didn't seem very excited by it, I continue to think that having the girl's face on the front of  the book and the back of her head on the back is brilliant. I also asked who wore mittens to school today and asked them to tell me what color the mitten on the front cover was. Then we read the story, which went over pretty well. It's kind of a step up from Under My Hood I Have a Hat, and worked really well for the age group (mostly threes.)

Song: Five Little Snowmen Riding on the Sled
This is a rewritten version of Five Little Monkeys, where snowmen ride on a sled, and Frosty is the one who calls the doctor. This was my first time doing this one with kids, and it was awesome.

Book: May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, illustrated by Beni Montresor (1966)
This was a book I loved as a kid, and I was thrilled to share it. This group knew most of the zoo animals - they thought the hippo was a pig, but got everything else right - and they got a kick out of the animals' wild behavior inside the King and Queen's castle. This was the perfect length for the age group, with just the right amount of repetition and rhyme. Also, in the middle of  the story, I realized it's one of those wonderful stories that fits many themes - castles, friendship, zoo animals, and days of the week. It would also be great to pair with A Sick Day for Amos McGee.

Book: The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins (1989)As I did with my group here on Monday, I asked the kids to say "ding-dong!" each time the doorbell rang. They got into the plot of the story much more  than any other kids I've shared this with,  and one little boy astutely observed, "There are just too many friends coming over!" Adorable. I have never had great luck with this book, but making it interactive has been the key to its success.

Rhyme: I Am Making Cookie Dough
Again, a Monday repeat. They really enjoyed this and got really into the stirring motions. I really didn't think this rhyme would work for me, but I do a pretty decent job with the motions.

Book: Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? by Jim Butler (2003)I intended to read this book and sing Cuddly Koalas, but was shorter on time than I expected, so we just did  the motions that go along with the animals in this book, and had a lot of fun with it. They especially liked swinging their arms like monkeys and jumping around like frogs and hares. And they were great listeners. That's what I love about school groups; they know how to behave, and someone is there to manage their behavior.

Song: One Little Finger
This song is too simple for them - I should have done Rum Sum Sum. Next time!

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This

Baby/Toddler Story Time, 12/13

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

 

Book: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell (2007)
This book is always a hit, because of the lift-the-flap format, and the cute ending.

Rhyme: Clap, Slap, Tap, Lap
I'm liking this rhyme more and more. So far, we've only done it fast and slow, but I want to try loud and soft and high and low as well. It might also be neat to try different rhythms once we've all got it down. 

Rhyme: Fingers
This one is really cute. It's still new so not everyone is participating just yet, but once we get it down, I think it will be a definite favorite.

Book: Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka (2004)
I like this book a lot. The text is really simple, the vocabulary for winter clothes is great (where else will kids learn that a scarf is also called a muffler?) and the humor  a la Randy from a Christmas Story - of not being able to get up in all those winter clothes - makes me laugh every time. I think this would also make a great flannel board.

Song: Shake My Sillies Out 

Song: I'm a Little Teapot

Song: There's a Little Wheel a-Turnin' in my Heart
I love Laurie Berkner. This song is just perfect. And I've already heard requests to do it again!

Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw (1988)
A repeat from yesterday. I wanted to see how this younger group would like it. And it was not very well-received, honestly. Maybe it would actually go over better as a flannel board. I will keep that in mind next time I get ambitious!

Song: Rum Sum Sum 
This is the stand-out favorite of this new Winter repertoire. I introduced it over the summer, and it seems like everyone really missed it!

Song: Numbers Are Our Friends

Song: One Little Finger

Song: Chickadee

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This

There is a holiday baby/toddler story time this Thursday, and then I'm done until January! I hope to have some year-in-review posts in the two weeks off. Stay tuned...

Preschool Story Time, 12/12 (Cookies Theme)

Today's story time - the last Monday preschool story time I will ever do - had a theme of cookies. I like everything I did, but I did wish two particularly wild boys could have settled down just a bit more to let the other three kids who attended enjoy themselves. Then again, even with their shenanigans I managed to do five books, which is a record, so maybe I'm being too hard on myself. Either way, here's how it all went down.

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
This hello song is so perfect for my babies and toddlers, but I think the older kids, especially once they've been to school, just think it's cheesy. Time to think about how to start things off a different way next month.

Book: Cookie Count by Robert Sabuda (1997)
This book is very short, but the pop-ups are gorgeous, and I loved seeing the depictions of the different types of cookies. This book is the reason I read five and not four - it was mostly just a prop to kick things off.

Book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (1985)
I find this book hard to read aloud. I feel like my voice gets higher and higher pitched as I go, and I don't have many comments to make on what happens. But the kids did seem to love it, as it was an old favorite for them.

Rhyme: I Am Making Cookie Dough
A better action rhyme than I expected! The preschoolers got right into it, trying to copy my moves exactly. I need to come up with some more rhymes like this that will grab the attention of restless little boys (and girls.)

Rhyme: Blue is the Lake

Book: The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins (1989)
This book was not previously a big story time hit, but today I made it interactive, asking the kids to say ding-dong every time the doorbell rings. Suddenly, it became much less of a boring math lesson and much more of a fun experience as we all anticipated the next chime of  the bell.

Song: Who is Knocking at my Door?
The best thing about this song is that a little girl was heard singing it throughout the library about 20 minutes after story time ended. She was singing, "Who is knocking at my roof?" but still. It was a nice moment. 

Rhyme: Five Little Cookies
I changed this one slightly from the way the King County librarian in this video does it. I wanted to use my thumb as the little man, but I can't make a thumbs up with my left hand, so I opted to use a stick puppet. And I decided I was tired of grown-ups having all the fun and made it a little boy instead. Not at all a huge hit, but it was worth a shot!

Book: Cookies by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (2006)
To my great surprise, the two wild little boys who couldn't sit still during anything else, sat and stared at this book like they were mesmerized. It was a true shock, since there is no real plot, and the text is essentially just a lesson in manners!

Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw (1988)
I have never done this book in story time for fear the kids wouldn't like it. I know that's silly now, though, because they had a great time guessing at what each shape was before I read it. One very small girl came up to tell me thank you at the end and said she loved this one the most!

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This

---

Other books I considered reading at this story time include:

• Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? by Bonnie Lass & Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Ashley Wolff
•  Fortune Cookies by Albert Bitterman, illustrated by Chris Raschka

Find more Baking story times on these other blogs:

• Kids' Bibliotheque
• Sunflower Storytime
• Rain Makes Applesauce

Flannel Friday: Who is Knocking at my Door?

This is not strictly a holiday flannel board, but it works so well for this time of year when people are having so many family get-togethers.

I used my door from Five Little Birds, and my kizclub.com family from Knock, Knock! and wrote this song about relatives coming to visit, and how we might greet each one. The tune is London Bridge.

Begin each verse by pretending to knock on a door.

Who is knocking at my door, at my door, at my door?

Who is knocking at my door?

Look! It’s Mommy.

Let’s give Mom a great big kiss, great big kiss, great big kiss.

Let’s give Mom a great big kiss.
Goodbye, Mommy!

Pause each time you sing the word kiss to blow a kiss.

Who is knocking at my door, at my door, at my door?

Who is knocking at my door?

Look! It’s Daddy.

Let’s give Dad a great big hug, great big hug, great big hug.

Let’s give Dad a great big hug. 

Goodbye, Daddy! 

For this one, adults can hug the kids in their laps, or kids can hug themselves.

Who is knocking at my door, at my door, at my door?

Who is knocking at my door?

Look! It’s Grandma.

Let’s give Grandma a great big smile, great big smile, great big smile.

Let’s give Grandma a great big smile.
Goodbye, Grandma!
It's tricky to smile and sing, but they get a kick out of trying. I also put my fingers up to the sides of my mouth to show I'm smiling.

Who is knocking at my door, at my door, at my door?

Who is knocking at my door?

Look! It’s Grandpa.

Let’s give Grandpa a great big wave, great big wave, great big wave.

Let’s give Grandma a great big wave. Goodbye, Grandpa!
Wave in a big exaggerated motion.

Who is knocking at my door, at my door, at my door?

Who is knocking at my door.

Look! It’s my family.

Let’s tell everyone I love you, I love you, I love.

Let’s tell everyone I love you.

I love my family!

Make the ASL sign for I love you, which my groups know from our version of Wheels on the Bus.

This week, Flannel Friday is hosted by Liz at Putting Smiles on Faces. Also check out Flannel Friday's boards on Pinterest, and the list of previous Flannel Friday round-ups at So Tomorrow.