Storytimes Begin!!

I am so excited for preschool storytime to begin again!  I will be doing the letter of the week approach again this year, but with a greater emphasis on the five early literacy practices:  singing, talking, reading, playing and writing.

I have also started a blog specifically for the library.  It is Storytimes and More.  At this blog I will be adding more professional thoughts and ideas...not just my storytime outlines.  At first I wasn't sure that I wanted to start another blog, but I am now looking forward to it--and have even written two posts already!

Tomorrow we will start the alphabet all over again with a new group of preschoolers!  I am looking forward to another great year wandering through the alphabet!!

S is for Swimming

Two Outreach Stotyimes

S is for Swimming!
(toddler/preschool children)

Splish, Splash, Splat! by Rob Scotton

Don't be Afraid, Little Pip by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Down in the Cool of the Pool by Tony Mitton

August "Holidays"!
(elementary-aged children)

National Watermelon Day--August 3
Peter Spit a Seed at Sue by Jackie French Koller

National Lazy Day--August 10
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

National Tell a Joke Day--August 16
[I used three different joke books found in the non-fiction area...any good joke books will do!]

National Dog Day--August 26
Always in Trouble by Corinne Demas

N is for Night Shivers

An Outreach Storytime


Book:  Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis Root

Fingerplay:  I'm Not Afraid
from 2012 Summer Reading Program Manual

I'm not afraid of the night
When my mom turns off the light.
If I see shadows on the wall,
I am not afraid at all.
If there are strange noises that I hear,
I am brave.  I have no fear.
Cause monsters aren't real and I'm safe in bed
So I think happy thoughts instead.
At night, I do not cray or scream.
I climb in bed and dream good dreams.

Book:  The Great Monster Hunt

Song:  Monster, Monster
from 2012 Summer Reading Program Manual


Monster, monster turn around.
Monster, monster touch the ground.
Monster, monster reach up high.
Monster, monster blink your eyes.
Monster, monster show your teeth.
Monster, monster stamp your feet.
Monster, monster slap your knees.
Monster, monster sit down please.

Book:  There was an Old Monster

S is for Stuffed Animals

This is the storytime we did in conjunction with our stuffed animal sleepover


Book:  Stuffed Animals get ready for bed by Alison Inches

Song:  Put Your Stuffed Animal on Your Head
Tune:  If you're happy and you know it
From http://wiki.kcls.org

Put your stuffed animal on your head, on your head
Put your stuffed animal on your head, on your head
Put your stuffed animal on your head then put that animal to bed.
Put your stuffed animal on your head, on your head.

Put your teddy bear on your knee, on your knee (repeat)

Put your teddy bear on your knee, Put him there just like me (repeat 1st line)

Put your teddy bear on your tummy, on your tummy (repeat)

Put your teddy bear on your tummy, it feels so very funny! (repeat 1st line)

Give your teddy bear a hug, give him a hug (repeat)

Give your teddy bear a hug, make him snug as a bug in a rug! (repeat 1st line)

Book:  Good Night Harry by Kim Lewis

Song:  Stuffed Animal, Stuffed Animal [yes, it was quite a mouthful!]
Tune:  Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear


Turn around
Touch the ground
Reach up high
Touch the sky
Bend down low
Touch your toe
Stand up now
Take a bow

Activity:  Using alphabet beads make a bracelet or necklace for your stuffed animal to wear.

Summer Storytimes

I haven't posted lately because I didn't develop/plan storytimes for the summer.  At our library we do a combined toddler/preschool storytime through the summer reading program and the Children's Librarian planned this summer's storytimes while I worked on school-age events--Guardians of Ga'Hoole; Tutus and Castles and Wings, Oh My!; Stuffed Animal Sleepover; Magic Tree House Night Adventurs; and Super Heroes.

So I don't have anything of my own to post, but I will add my few outreach storytimes.  My preschool storytimes will start up again mid-September.

Z is for...

(Sorry, just realized I didn't publish this--we start our summer storytimes tomorrow!)

Welcome Song

Henrietta’s Basket: Zero (I forgot to bring the zoo map from home!)

Song: Be my echo (6 syllables x 2) zoom and zebra; zipper and zucchini

Flannel Board: The Buzzing Busy Bee

The bee is such a busy soul.
She buzzes all around.
You see her flit from flower to flower,
Making her sweet buzzing sound. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz

She sips each flower’s nectar sweet,
‘Til she can drink no more.
Then back to her hive to prepare a treat
Of honey which she’ll store. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Once in her hive, she doesn’t stop.
Her chores continue on.
Feeding queen and young and fanning her hive,
Singing her sweet buzzing song. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Book: Zero (Otoshi)

Song: ZOO ANIMALS — an action song to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you want to be a monkey, go Ohh, Ohh!
If you want to be a monkey, go Ohh, Ohh!
If you want to be a monkey, if you want to be a monkey,
If you want to be a monkey, go Ohh, Ohh!

Parrot — flap your wings
Elephant — swing your trunk
Lion — roar out loud
Giraffe — stand up tall
Kangaroo—hop, hop

Nursery Rhyme: There was an old woman

Book: Life-Size Zoo (Komiya)

ABC Chant

Good bye Chant

Enrichment: ABC dot-to-dot, trace/cut zig-zag lines, Little People zoo/train play set, zoo file folder game, zoo stamps

B is for Bedtime

An outreach storytime
To introduce the Summer Reading Program--Dream Big--Read!

Book:  Go To Bed, Monster  (Natasha Wing)

Song:  Before I go to bed
(tune:  The Wheels on the Bus)

Before I go to bed I take a bath
Splash, splash, splash
Splash, splash, splash
Before I go to bed I take a bath
Splash, splash, splash!

Additional verses:
I brush my teeth--brush, brush, brush
I get a drink--gulp, gulp, gulp
I read a book--once upon a time
I give a kiss--(make kissing sounds)
I whisper good night--nighty-night, nighty-night

Now I'm in bed I go to sleep
(snore, snore, snore)
(snore, snore, snore)
Now I'm in bed I go to sleep
(snore, snore, snore)

Book:  Sweet Dreams: How Animals Sleep (Kimiko Kajikawa)

Song:  Sleeping Bunny
(Tune:  Frere Jacques)

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Little bunny?  Little bunny?
Shhhhh!!  Shhhh!!
Wake up little bunny
Wake up little bunny
Hop, hop, hop!
Hop, hop, hop!

Additional verses:
Little tiger--Grrrrr, grrrr, grrrrr
Little cheetah--run, run, run
Little crocodile--chomp, chomp, chomp
Little frog--jump, jump, jump

Book:  Chicks Run Wild (Sudipta Bardham-Quallen)