ABCs: S is for Story Time Drop-In Story Time, 5/14/13

 ABCs: S is for Story Time Drop-In Story Time, 5/14/13

Book: The Big Sneeze by Ruth Brown
This is a simple story about the ripple effect of one farmer's big sneeze. This book was checked out at the end of story time.

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Book: Senses at the Seashore by Shelley Rotner
I really liked this book, and the kids were really drawn to the photographs. This book was also checked out at the end of the session.

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Pretty Sandcastles
The adults didn't get this. I don't know why, as I thought the surprise ending was cute, but there was this moment of awkward silence at the end where I could see them all thinking, "huh?"

Book: Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
I was able to borrow a big book version of this book from another branch, and I used the easel to hold it up while I turned the pages. Unfortunately, the adults decided that, since the book was large, and I wasn't holding it, it was fine to pretend like nothing was happening at the front of the room. The kids were really into it, but their grown-ups made it hard for the kids to hear what I was saying.

Letter of the Day: S

• Song with Puppet: Brown Squirrel
  We did this song with a puppet first, then danced to it the second time.
• Song with Foam Stars: Stars Shining Bright
• Flannel Board Song: Five Astronauts Went Up in Space
• Song with Puppet: Mr. Sun

Songs with ukulele: ABCs / Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/ Baa Baa Black Sheep

Song: Hands Up High

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Concepts: Feelings Preschool Story Time, 5/10/13

Concepts: Feelings Preschool Story Time, 5/10/13

 
Book: My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood by Tameka Fryer Brown
This book is very poetic and the colors are not easily identifiable for four year olds.The kids unanimously thought gray was black and orange was yellow. They seemed to like the book, but it felt awkward trying to read it aloud.

Song: If You're Happy and You Know It
I usually just sing a bunch of different versions for happy, but because these were preschoolers, we also threw in mad and sad, and they got a kick out of crying boo hoo.

Book: Harriet You'll Drive Me Wild  by Mem Fox, illustrated by Marla Frazee
I asked the kids if they had ever done something to upset their parents, and all said they had. They seemed to like Harriet, and the fact that her mom didn't stay mad for too long. 

Book: Silly Billy by Anthony Browne
There was no real hit of this session, but this book was probably the favorite.

Song: Shake My Sillies Out 

Book: Laugh Out Loud Baby by Tony Johnston 

Well, I like this book because of the phrase "whoopee-doodles!" but I have to admit it's no The Relatives Came. 

Craft: Feelings and Faces Mini-Book

*Also show in the photo above is a set of feelings faces I printed from kizclub.com. I planned to tell a story I made up based on I Look Like This by Nick Sharratt, but decided  this group would probably not be receptive and saved it for another time. 

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Concepts: Opposites Toddler Lap Time, 5/10/13

Concepts: Opposites Toddler Lap Time, 5/10/13

Book: Black? White! Day? Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
I wasn't sure how some of the concepts in this book would work for toddlers, but the lift-the-flap format made it very exciting for all three of the kids who came to this story time. 

Song: Go In and Out the Window 
I modified this from baby story time to suit more active kids. For "in and out" we bent our elbows in and out and for "up and down", we moved our hands up to the ceiling and down to the floor. 

Book: Big Little by Leslie Patricelli
My decision not to repeat the shapes theme from the Thursday Toddler Lap Time was partly informed by how successful the Patricelli opposites books were with the babies. I used both books again, and they were huge hits, even with just a few people in the room.

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big 

Book: Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli 
As I did with the babies, I asked everyone to help make a quiet sound after every quiet page in this book. We didn't quite stick with it until the end, but even with just me making the sound, it seemed to help keep the kids focused.


Song: Bumpin’ Up and Down in My Little Red Wagon 


Activities with Foam Stars

• Rhyme: Stars Up, Stars Down
• Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Song: There’s a Star Upon...

Song with Puppet: I'm a Little Green Frog 
I was sick of singing Mr. Sun, so I brought in the frog instead. I could not have imagined his popularity! We stayed in story time an extra ten minutes to pass the frog around and talk about his features. ("Nose?" one little boy kept saying. He wasn't sure the frog actually had one.)

Rhyme: Dance Your Fingers

Song: Hands Up High 

Song: Here We Go Up, Up, Up

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Concepts: Numbers Drop-In Story Time, 5/10/13

 Concepts: Numbers Drop-In Story Time, 5/10/13

Book: Daisy 123 by Peter Catalanotto
I wanted this to work. I asked  everyone to make a dog sound with me after every page. Only two or three adults actually did it, and therefore none of the kids did. I seemed to be the only one in the room who liked the book at all. 

Song: Numbers Are Our Friends 
I have to start using this song more regularly. All the nannies have forgotten it! Still, it's catchy and the second time through was much more lively than the first.

Book: Four Fur Feet by Margaret Wise Brown
I thought this rhythmic, repetitive book would be a hit. It was a flop. I'm not sure why. Maybe just this group's particular mood today. 

Song: Four Red Cherries
I don't particularly like this song, but everyone else enjoys it, so I use it every now and then. Today it seemed like a perfect opportunity to talk about the number four. 

Book: Five Green and Speckled Frogs by Priscilla Burris
We sang this book, and it was the only one that kept the adults and the kids interested. Everyone wanted to borrow it after story time, but someone grabbed it right after the goodbye song, so anyone else had to place a hold! 

Song: Monkeys on the Bed 
This brought down the house. It's nice to have something so consistent in my repertoire.

Letter of the Day: W

• Rhyme: Wiggle Fingers
• Flannel Board Song: Wash the Cars
  I wrote the words to this simple song which can be used as a flannel board and a movement song. The kids seemed to have mixed feelings about it, but if they'd been a tiny bit older, they would have loved it. The three year olds in the room were into it, for sure.
• Song: Wheels on the Bus

Songs with ukulele: ABC / Twinkle Twinkle Little Star / Baa Baa Black Sheep

Song: Hands up High 

Song with Puppet: Mr. Sun

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.