Categories
Story Times

Becoming a Big Sibling/Growing Up & Getting Bigger Story Time (Toddler/Family)

Hello songs

Book 1: Little Miss, Big Sis by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Theme Song:

Note: This song is mostly made up as far as I can remember but you may recognize a big part of it from the old Toys ‘R’ Us commercials!

I’m A Big Kid Now

I’m a big kid now
I can climb the stairs
I’m a big kid now
I can brush my hair
I’m a big kid now
I can pick my clothes
I’m a big kid now
I can touch my toes
I can do so many things I couldn’t do before!
And when I get much bigger I’ll do even more!
Cuz I’m a big kid now
Yes I’m a big kid now

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: I am Just Right by David McPhail

Favorite songs and goodbye!

 

Categories
Story Times

Birds Story Time (Toddler)

Hello songs

Book 1: Birds by Kevin Henkes

Theme Song:

My Little Birdie

My little birdie one day old
She can do what she is told!
Sleep little birdie
Sleep, sleep, sleep!
Sleep little birdie
Sleep, sleep, sleep!

My little birdie’s two days old
She can do what she is told!
Tweet little birdie
Tweet, tweet, tweet!
Tweet little birdie
Tweet, tweet, tweet!

My little birdie’s three days old
She can do what she is told
Hop little birdie
Hop, hop, hop!
Hop little birdie
Hop, hop, hop!

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: Hooray for Birds! by Lucy Cousins

Favorite songs (including 5 little ducks) and goodbye!

Categories
Class Visits

Pizza Story Time (Class Visit)

Pizza story time conducted with a 3-K class.

Hello song

Book: Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter

Theme Song:

Patty cake patty cake pizza man
Make me a pizza as fast as you can
Roll it and toss it
And sprinkle it with cheese
And don’t forget the pepperoni please

Activity:

Paper Pizza Slices

I completely forgot to take pictures but hopefully I can describe what we did well enough!

Materials:

-Plain paper pizza slices (googled and printed out on cardstock, I used two different slice drawings and arranged them in a circle like a pizza pie for a little bonus pattern recognition action)
-Crayons
-Random colorful scraps (I used felt, colored paper and tissue paper)
-Gluesticks
-Pizza box (optional)

Directions:

-Arrange pizza slices inside pizza box prior to visit
-Open pizza box to reveal blank slices!
-Have each child choose their slice
-Color slices for 5 minutes
-Hand out glue sticks and allow children to add their “toppings”
-Arrange slices back into a pie to show off all the different slices!

 

Categories
Story Times

Being Brave (Feeling Scared/Fear) Story Time (Toddler/Family)

Hello songs

Book 1: Run, Elephant, Run: An Indonesian Forest Adventure by Patricia MacCarthy

Theme Song:

Our theme song this week is an adapted/shortened version of a Mr. Rogers song!

You’ve Got To Do It

You’ve got to do it.
Every little bit, you’ve got to do it, do it, do it, do it
And when you’re through, then you’ll know who did it
For you did it, you did it, you did it

If you want to ride a bicycle and ride it straight and tall,
You can’t simply sit and look at it ’cause it won’t move at all.
It’s you who has to try it, and it’s you who has to fall
If you want to ride a bicycle and ride it straight and tall.

You’ve got to do it.
Every little bit, you’ve got to do it, do it, do it, do it
And when you’re through, then you’ll know who did it
For you did it, you did it, you did it

Re-focus song

Book 2: I Am So Brave! by Stephen Krensky

Favorite songs and goodbye!

 

Categories
Story Times

Non-Traditional Body Parts Story Time (Toddler/Family)

For this story time I tried to use books and songs that I do not traditionally use/sing when talking about body parts. I landed on butts and wings for our books, and a theme song that included body parts we may not often mention.

Hello songs

Book 1: Whose Bum? by Chris Tougas

Theme Song:

I Love My Toes

Everybody knows I love my toes.
Everybody knows I love my toes.
I love my shoulders, my knees, my elbows, and my nose.
But everybody knows I love my toes.

Other verses: chin and shin, hips and lips, thigh and eye, and any other rhyming body parts you can think of if you want to keep going!

Re-focus song

Book 2: Wings by Katrine Crow

Favorite songs and goodbye song

Categories
Story Times

Dinosaur Story Time (Toddler)

Hello Songs

Book 1: Rosa Loves Dinosaurs by Jessica Spanyol

Theme Song: 

Dinos Out To Play

Sung to: ” 5 Little Ducks”

One dinosaur went out to play
On a bright and sunny day
He had such ENORMOUS fun
That he called another dinosaur to come.
(Call very loud) DI-NO-SAUR!
(Then chant while patting hands on laps) Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Then repeat for 2 dinosaurs, 3 dinosaurs, etc.
Instead, they heard their mother say
DINNER TIME
Now stop your play

Re-focus song

Book 2: Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs! by Sandra Boynton

(Side Note: At least at my library this book only comes in very tiny board book format, so though I do use the book I make sure every page is highly interactive so that participants who cannot necessarily see the book are still very much included & enjoy!)

Favorite songs and goodbye!

Categories
Class Visits

My No Prep Time Class Visit Story Time (Large Age Range)

This is the story time I use if I have had absolutely no prep time for a class visit. I use my favorite, multi-age friendly most reliable book and some of my favorite songs.

Hello song 

Book: Shh! We Have A Plan by Chris Haughton.

I don’t usually comment on my book choices but I cannot stress enough how much I adore this book for reading aloud. I almost don’t want to share it and keep it my little story time secret but I suppose I will be nice and share in the spirit of library generosity. I have read this book for Pre-K up to 3rd graders and it has always been a joy. Of course the questions and interaction will change based on grade level.

Favorite or silly songs

Free time to read/play/explore library

 

Categories
Early Literacy Workshops

Early Literacy Workshop: Multi-Station Intro to 5 Foundations of Literacy

I conduct a version of this workshop every year for one of my favorite teachers. Parents and children come to the library and we do several things together:

  • Reveal children’s artwork on library wall
  • Hand out library cards and achievement certificates
  • Sing silly songs and/or read a silly book
  • Discuss benefits of library and library resources
  • Participate with children in multiple simple activities that enhance parental knowledge of read, write, talk, sing, play concepts and show parents how easy it can be to tackle at home.

Here are the details on the different stations we had available for the event. The stations contained a sheet of quick tips, and emphasized simplicity and collaboration between parent and child:

Dramatic Play Station:

Writing Skills Station:

More Dramatic Play:

More Writing Skills:

Even More Writing Skills:

Reading Skills/Collection Promotion:

And here you can see our silly song time and the children holding their certificates with their artwork behind them! (Apologies if they are blurry, I am a photography dumdum)

 

Categories
Class Visits

Fall Story Time (3k to Pre-K Class Visits)

I used this story time throughout the Fall season for several class visits. I used this same basic format, but edited my story time somewhat based on the age and size of the class. Enjoy!

Hello song

Book: Mouse Loves Fall by Lauren Thompson

Activity/Song: This was sort of a combined song and activity. I used a mystery bag. Inside the bag were different colored leaves, a felt mouse and a little mouse puppet. Below were some of my materials:

I think there are a lot of mystery bag songs out there but here is a very simple one I used. I actually made this up on the spot because I 100% forgot to look one up the first time I did this activity but then I think I just ended up using it for all my visits:

What’s In The Bag?

Oh what’s is in the bag?
Oh what’s in the bag?
I’d like to know what’s in the bag
What’s in the bag?

After each song round I pulled out a leaf (ending with mouse and mouse puppet) and we talked about color, shape etc a bit.

Puppet time: The last item I pulled out was always my little mouse finger puppet. Each child would then get a bit of time to pet/feed/hug him.

Goodbye song

Categories
Story Times

Fruit Story Time (Toddler)

Hello songs

Book 1: The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli

Theme Song:

Apples & Bananas

I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas
I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas
I like to oot oot oot ooples and banoonoos
I like to oot oot oot ooples and banoonoos
Upples and banuhnuhs
Aypples and banaynays
Eeples and baneenees
Etc.

Re-focus song

Book 2: The Little Mouse, the Red Rip Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

Favorite songs including the Bananas Unite! song and goodbye!