TODDLER PROGRAM

I missed storytime last week because I was at another library giving a talk, so I was thankful to be back with all of my storytime friends this morning!  Next week storytime falls on Thanksgiving day, and the library will be closed, so we talked about Thanksgiving today

OPENING SONG: The More We Get Together

OPENING RHYMES:

• Open, Shut Them
• Two Little Blackbirds

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?
Since we were talking about Thanksgiving, I asked the group what they were thankful for.   I thought this might be a little difficult to understand, so I started with a few examples.  I told them that I was thankful that they came storytime this morning!  And that I was glad that the sun was shining, so no one had to walk to storytime in the rain or snow.  Then they caught on……my group was thankful for puzzles, ponies, trains, trains, and more trains!  I suggested mom, dad, grandma or grandpa, but they were much more enthusiastic about their toys. :)

ACTION SONG: If You’re Thankful and You Know It
Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Since we were all feeling very thankful (and because sometimes it’s hard to close a conversation and get everyone to quiet down again), we sang “If You’re Thankful and You Know It.”

If you’re thankful and you know it,
Clap your hands.

If you’re thankful and you know it,
Stomp your feet.

If you’re thankful and you know it,
Shout “I am!”

If you’re thankful and you know it,
Do all three. (clap your hands, stomp your feet, shout “I am!”)

BOOK 1: 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
A very silly book that will get lots of laughs.  You can have your audience participate by clapping and shaking their hands to the refrain “Gobble, gobble, wibble, wobble!”

FLANNEL SONG: Did You Ever See a Turkey?

Did you ever see a turkey, a turkey, a turkey,
Did you ever see a turkey, with feathers so bright?
With red ones and orange ones and yellow ones and brown ones,
Did you ever see a turkey with feathers so bright?

I copied this idea from Sarah at Read it Again!  Her turkeys are just so cute, I had to make some myself!  The turkey feathers are made out of craft foam and the bodies are laminated brown paper (because I didn’t have any brown foam and didn’t have time to run to the store.)  I put them together using super glue and foam squares used to mount posters (again, working with what I had available.)  To make the sparkly feather, I covered the foam with white craft glue and sprinkled on the glitter.  Once it was dry, I used spray adhesive to seal in the glitter….and it worked!  I could shake and dance with the sparkly turkey without glitter falling all over the place.

BOOK 2: When the Leaf Blew Inby Steve Metzger
While not a Thanksgiving book, this is a cute book for fall.  Our library has this in big book form, which always makes things more fun (especially for a large crowd!)

SONG: Turkey in the Straw by Phil Rosenthal
from the album Turkey in the Straw

Everyone had to find a partner for this dance. Those with little ones could hold them and dance.  I called out instructions as we went.  The actions that we did today were as follows:

Face forward and clap hands
Hold hands with your partner and turn in circle
Turn in the other direction.
Face forward and clap hands.
Walk forward while clapping hands.
Walk backward while clapping hands.
Hold hands with your partner and swing your arms from side to side.

CRAFT: Make-a-Turkey Stickers
Stickers are so much fun!  These came from Oriental Trading.

Tags: thanksgiving, turkey

TODDLER STORYTIME

No turkey’s were harmed during the making of this storytime: This week’s storytime turned out to be mostly about turkeys (rather than Thanksgiving.)  I couldn’t bear to read books about hunting or eating turkeys – so here you have a “vegetarian Thanksgiving” storytime.  I particularly like the end of the book Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale, when the turkey family sits down to eat a bountiful Thanksgiving meal of fruits and veggies (and dog biscuits, for the hunting dog whom they befriended.)

OPENING SONG: The More We Get Together

FINGERPLAYS:

• Open, Shut Them
• Two Little Blackbirds

• Apple Tree
  Way up high in the apple tree (reach arms up high)
  Two little apples smiled at me (make two fists)
  So I shook that tree as hard as I could (shake fists)
  And DOWN came the apples. Mmmm they were good (bring fists to ground, rub tummy)

ACTION SONG: Hello Mr. Turkey
(Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It*)
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap, clap)
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap, clap)
With a gobble, gobble, gobble (hand under chin, wiggle fingers)
And a wobble, wobble, wobble (shake body)
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap, clap)

BOOK1: 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston

FLANNEL RHYME: Old Tom Turkey
Pattern for this flannel board can be found in Judy Sierra’s Flannel Board Storytelling Book. All you need is a turkey, a duck, and a hill.  Before starting this rhyme have children practice tilting heads from side to side whenever you say “gobble, gobble, gobble” and flapping their arms with “quack, quack, quack.”

Old Tom Turkey lived on a hill.
Gobble, gobble, gobble (tilt head from side to side)
If he’s not gone, he lives there still,
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
A duck came by and said hello,
Quack, quack, quack (flap arms)
Gobble, gobble, gobble. (tilt head)
Goodbye now friend, it’s time to go.
Quack, quack, quack (flap arms)
Gobble, gobble, gobble. (tilt head)

ACTION SONG/CD:  Turkey in the Straw by Phil Rosenthal

I had children and parents partner-up for this active song.  Call out instructions during the song.
1st verse: Clap hands
Chorus: Hold hands with partner and turn in circle
2nd verse: Clap hands
Chorus: Motion like milking a cow
3rd verse: Clap hands
Chorus: Bend up and down
4th verse: Clap
Chorus: Hold hands and turn in circle

BOOK 2: Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale by Derek Anderson
A new take on the classic song “Over the River and Through the Woods.”  In this book we meet a turkey family who encounters some trouble on the way to Grandmother’s house.   The entertaining pictures tell the story in this one.  For storytime, I pre-read this by telling the story through the pictures.  Then we go back through and sing “Over the River” along with the book.

CLOSING SONG: We Wave Goodbye Like This

CRAFT: Why turkey’s, of course!  Here is my Turkey Pattern and printable Happy Thanksgiving words.  I used die-cut leaves, but they can also be cut out by hand.

Tags: thanksgiving, turkey