Apples (2018)
September 25th, 2018
The Books We Read:
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
Found an Apple by Harriet Ziefert
What's an Apple by Marilyn Singer
Songs and Fingerplays:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say "hello!"
We clap and say "hello!"
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and say "hello!"
We [fill in action--stomp, spin, jump, hop] and say "hello!"
...
Credit: Jbrary
Found an Apple by Harriet Ziefert--we sang this book for fun!
I Reached Way Up
I reached way up in the apple tree, and picked an apple just for me;
I took a bite, and what did I see? Five little worms a-lookin' at me--yuck!
[Repeat, counting down.]
Credit: Childhood
Project—Magic Apple Trees w/ Fall Surprise
Everyone had a different take on their autumnal apple trees, which we made with tissue paper, dot markers, and lots of glue!
Houses and Homes (2018)
September 18, 2018
The Books We Read:
Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na
The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds
The Doghouse by Jan Thomas
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say "hello!"
We clap and say "hello!"
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and say "hello!"
We [fill in action--stomp, spin, jump, hop] and say "hello!"
...
Credit: Jbrary
We Go In and Out the Doors
We jump in and out the front door,
We jump in and out the front door,
We jump in and out the front door,
And make a doorbell sound.
We hop in and out the back door,
We hop in and out the back door,
We hop in and out the back door,
Bend down and touch the ground.
We slide in and out the side door,
We slide in and out the side door,
We slide in and out the side door,
And turn ourselves around.
We jump in and out the front door,
We hop in and out the back door,
We slide in and out the side door,
And sit ourselves right down.
Credit: Adapted from susanmdailey.com
Elevator Song
Oh, the city is big and the city is grand,
and there are lots of tall buildings on a little piece of land.
And we live way up on the 57th floor.
And this is what we do when we go out the door.
We take the elevator UP, take the elevator DOWN,
take the elevator UP, take the elevator DOWN,
take the elevator UP, take the elevator DOWN,
and turn around.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Paper Bag Houses
The kids decorated brown lunch bags with shapes, tissue paper and buttons. We stuffed the bags, stapled on the roofs, and--voila!
We even had some enthusiastic builders create more houses (and a dragon) at home!
Going to School
September 11, 2018
The Books We Read:
Click, Clack, Quack to School by Doreen Cronin
Pete the Cat Wheels on the Bus by James Dean
Lena's Shoes Are Nervous by Keith Calabrese
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Pete the Cat Wheels on the Bus
Of course, we sang and acted out the book as we went!
Craft—School Buses
Kids had fun creating their own school buses:
Some even made springy stop signs:
Catch Me If You Can
July 31, 2018
The Books We Read:
Monkey: A Trickster Tale From India by Gerald McDermott
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Hare and Tortoise by Alison Murray
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys swinging from a tree, teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!"
Well, along comes Mr. Crocodile, quiet as can be, and he SNAPS that monkey right out of the tree.
[Count down until there are no monkeys left.]
Credit: Traditional
Craft—First-Prize Ribbons
Inspired by our prize-winning tortoise in Hare and Tortoise, kids made their own special sparkly ribbons.
Get Wet!
July 24, 2018
The Books We Read:
The Pig in the Pond by Martin Waddell
Aquarium by Cynthia Alonso
Swimmy by Leo Leonni
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
I Had a Little Turtle
I had a little turtle, his name was Tiny Tim.
I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap.
And now he's at home sick in bed with bubbles in his throat.
Oh, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, pop!
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, pop!
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Swimmy Watercolor Collages
We created vivid watery backgrounds for our sponge-print Swimmys!
Eric Carle
July 17, 2018
The Books We Read:
The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Scarf Play
- Popcorn Kernels
- One Bright Scarf
Credit: Various
Craft—Hungry Caterpillar Balloon Print Collages
Kids dipped inflated balloons into paint to create the caterpillar's body. They also had fun using hole punches to take "bites" out of all the different fruits their caterpillar ate.
Treasure Hunt
June 26, 2018
The Books We Read:
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Craft—Treasure Maps
We had a great time creating our own authentic treasure maps bedecked in gold paint and lots of sparkling jewels!
Hello Spring!
May 1, 2018
The Books We Read:
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes
A Perfect Day by Lane Smith
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Scarf Play
- Let's Go Riding on an Elevator
- Popcorn Kernels
Credit: Various
Craft—Egg Carton Flowers
Tempera paint, egg carton (cut into blocks of four), pipe cleaner, and a straw—that’s all you need to create a colorful spring flower!
Plant a Seed
April 17, 2018
The Books We Read:
The Digger and the Flower by Joseph Kuefler
If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Five Fat Peas
Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed. [Wrap one hand around the other fist.]
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest. [Unfurl fingers, one by one.]
Well, they grew, and they grew, and they did not stop. [Motion outward with hands.]
And they grew and they grew, ‘til they finally popped! [Motion outward with hands, then clap.]
Credit: Jbrary
The Gardener Plants the Seeds
To the tune of ”Farmer in the Dell”
The gardener plants the seeds, the gardener plants the seeds.
Hi ho a Derry-o, the gardener plants the seeds
The sun comes out and shines...
The rain begins to fall...
The plants grow big and tall...
Credit: Adapted from traditional
Craft—Planting Our Own Seeds
The children decorated their pots (yogurt containers) with stickers, filled them with potting soil, and tucked in bean or sunflower seeds.
And one week later...
And three months later!!!
Get Messy!
April 10, 2018
The Books We Read:
I'm Dirty by Kate & Jim McMullan
Tidy by Emily Gravett
Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Adapted from Jbrary
Egg Shaker Play
If You're Happy and You Know It
If you're happy and you know it, give a shake...
If you're happy and you know it, give a tap...[tap shaker on different parts of body]
If you're happy and you know it, give a clap...
If you're happy and you know it, wave "hello"...
Credit: Jbrary
Shake Your Shaker
To the tune of "London Bridges"
Shake your shaker in the air, shake it here, shake it there.
Shake your shaker in the air. Shake your shaker.
Additional verses:
Shake your shaker..
...up and down, rub your shaker on the ground...
...high and low, shake it fast, shake it slow...
...near and far, drive your shaker in the car...
...fast and slow, shake it stop, shake it go...
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Painting with Objects
We had fun painting with a variety of objects, including LEGOs, pom-poms, feathers and more:
As you'd expect, each artist had a unique creation in the end. Here are two examples:
Helping Out
March 27, 2018
The Books We Read:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead
Little Tug by Stephen Savage
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
The More We Get Together
(Sung with sign language for key words)
The more we get together, together, together.
The more we get together, the happier we'll be.
'Cause your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends.
The more we get together, the happier we'll be.
Credit: Traditional
Craft—Little Tug Collage
We used bubblewrap stampers and brushes to paint landscapes for our tugboat rescue scenes.
Everyone had a different interpretation...
Cats & Dogs
March 13, 2018
The Books We Read:
I am a Cat by Galia Bernstein
The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
Cats are Cats by Valeri Gorbachev
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
My Dog Rags
I have a dog, his name is Rags. He eats so much his belly sags.
His ears flip-flop and his tail wig-wags, and when he walks he goes zig-zag.
Chorus:
He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag.
He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag.
He goes flip-flop, wig-wag, zig-zag. I love Rags and he loves me.
My dog Rags he loves to play. He rolls in the mud most every day.
But when I call, he doesn't obey. He always runs the other way!
Repeat chorus
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Cat & Dog Paperbag Puppets
Using precut shapes, children made their own cat or dog puppets...or in some cases, a hybrid critter! Here is one of our friends' puppets:
Adventure!
March 6, 2018
The Books We Read:
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
The Umbrella by Ingrid Shubert
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip, climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the moon.
5-4-3-2-1 blast off!!!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the stars...
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the sun...
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—An Umbrella Adventure
Everyone created a different scene featuring the little dog from The Umbrella. We used cupcaker liners for the umbrella, cotton balls for clouds, and lots of shiny shapes we found in the craft drawer for scenery!
Hot & Cold
February 20th, 2018
The Books We Read:
Bear & Hare Snow! by Emily Gravett
Beach Feet by Kiyomi Konagaya
All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
Snowflake Dance
Snowflakes, snowflakes all around. In the air and on the ground.
Some are big and some are small. Roll them into a snowball.
When the sun comes out to play, all the snowflakes melt away!
Credit: Intellidance
My Chubby Little Snowman
My chubby little snowman, had a button nose.
When along came a bunny, and what do you suppose?
That chubby little bunny was searching for some lunch;
And he ate my snowman's nose: nibble, nibble, crunch!
Credit: Various
Craft—Hot & Cold Collage:
We took a yummy approach to the theme and made ice cream cone and hot cocoa collages:
Fun with Art!
February 13th, 2018
The Books We Read:
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy
Olivia by Ian Falconer
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
Scarf Play:
- Let's Go Riding on an Elevator
- Popcorn Kernels
- One Bright Scarf
Credit: Various
Craft—Watercolor & Salt Paintings
Dinosaurs 2018
January 30th, 2018
The Books We Read:
Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton
T is for Terrible by Peter McCarty
Dino Pets by Lynn Plourde
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, stomp, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
Dino Chant
Dino ditty ditty dum ditty doo;
Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty doo.
A hungry T-rex was a-walking down the street,
Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty doo.
Looking around for something good to eat,
Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty doo.
[call and response]:
He was HUGE! [arms out]
He was STRONG! [show muscles]
Won't be hungry very long. [wag finger]
Singing dino ditty ditty dum ditty doo.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Paper Plate Stegosaurus:
Let's Pretend!
January 23rd, 2018
The Books We Read:
Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
King Jack and the Dragon by Peter Bently
I'm a Frog! by Mo Willems
Songs and Fingerplays:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say hello! We clap and say hello!
With our friends at storytime, we clap and say hello!
We [wiggle, jump, hop, dance, spin, whisper] and say hello...
Credit: Jbrary
Snowflake Dance
Snowflakes, snowflakes all around. In the air and on the ground.
Some are big and some are small. Roll them into a snowball.
When the sun comes out to play, all the snowflakes melt away!
Credit: Intellidance
Project—My Circle/My Square:
Taking inspiration from Not a Stick, the kids used precut circles and squares to create their own unique pictures. Such as balloons...
Or robots...
Fairy Tales 2017
December 19th, 2017
The Books We Read:
Little Red Riding Hood by Ed Bryan
The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chicken by Lynn Munsinger
Hare and Tortoise by Alison Murray
Songs & Activities:
We Clap and Say Hello
We clap and say "Hello!" We clap and say "Hello!"
With our friends at story time, we clap and say "Hello!"
Repeat with different actions: stomp, jump, wave, turn, hop...
Credit: Jbrary
Craft—Paperbag Crowns
We decorated our crowns with dot markers, paper jewels, and colorful feathers:
Blankets
December 12th, 2017
The Books We Read:
Hooray for Harry by Kim Lewis
Small Bunny's Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney
Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer
Songs and Fingerplays:
My Scarf Has Four Corners
My scarf it has four corners, four corners has my scarf.
But if there weren't four corners, it would not be my scarf.
Repeat w/ different objects: blanket, cape, pillow, hat...
Credit:Jbrary
Snowflake Dance
Snowflakes, snowflakes all around. In the air and on the ground.
Some are big and some are small, roll them into a snowball.
But when the sun comes out to play, all the snowflakes melt away.
Credit: Preschooleducation.com
Project—A Quilt for Bear:
We made felt blankets and pillows for our sleepy bears!
Hibernation 2017
November 28th, 2017
The Books We Read:
Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip Stead
Forever Friends by Carin Berger
Songs and Fingerplays:
Hibernation Song
Sung to the tune of Allouette
Chorus:
Hibernation. Time for Hibernation.
Hibernation. Time to go to sleep.
In the winter where's the bear?
Sleeping in its log or lair.
Where's the bear? Log or lair. OH!
Chorus
In the winter where's the frog?
Sleeping in a rotten log.
Where's the frog? Rotten log.
Where's the bear? Log or lair. OH!
Chorus
In the winter where's the snake?
In the mud beneath the lake.
Where's the snake? Beneath the lake.
Where's the frog? Rotten log.
Where's the bear? Log or lair. OH!
Chorus
In the winter where's the bat?
In a cave is where it's at.
Where's the bat? Where it's at.
Where's the snake? Beneath the lake.
Where's the frog? Rotten log.
Where's the bear? Log or lair. OH!
Credit: Charles County Public Library
Little Green Frog
Mmm ah! went the little green frog one day
Mmm ah! went the little green frog
Mmm ah! went the little green frog one day
and they all went mmm mmm ah!!
But we know frogs go shanananana! shanananana! shanananana!
We know frogs go shanananana!, they don't go mmm mmm ah!
Bloop bloop! went the little blue fish one day
Bloop bloop! went the little blue fish
Bloop bloop! went the little blue fish one day
and they all went bloop bloop bloop!
But we know fish go kissy kissy kiss! kissy kissy kiss! kissy kissy kiss!
We know fish go kissy kissy kiss!, they don't go bloop bloop bloop!
Grrr grrr! went the big brown bear one day
Grrr grrr! went the big brown bear
Grrr grrr! went the big brown bear one day
and they all went grrr grrr grrr!
But we know bears go huggy huggy hug!, huggy huggy hug!, huggy huggy hug
We know bears go huggy huggy hug!, they don't go grrr grrr grrr!
Credit: Jbrary
Project—Hibernating Bears:
