Tag Archives: winter

Snow

20 Jan

TODDLER PROGRAM

OPENING SONG: Mister Sun

OPENING RHYMES: 

PRETENDING ACTIVITY:Playing in the Snow
I start out by asking, “Is it snowing outside today?”  (It’s not.)  “Well let’s pretend then!”

Let’s make some snow. (wiggle fingers like snow falling)
The snow covers the ground (crouch down and spread snow over the ground)
Brrr!  It’s cold out here! (shiver)
What should we wear when it’s cold out? (hats)
You’re right!  Where do we put our hat? (on our head)
Ok, everybody put on your hats (pretend to put on a hat)
What else do we wear? (continue with jacket, scarf, gloves, boots etc.)
Now that we have our boots on, let’s walk in the snow.
Can you stomp in the snow?
Can you jump in the snow?
Can you make a snow angel?
I think it’s time to go back inside.
Let’s take off our hats (continue with gloves, jackets, boots etc.)
Whew, I’m glad to be back inside where it’s warm!
Now let’s read a book! Continue reading →

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A little bit of this….

9 Feb

…..And a little bit of that.  With all of the snow from last night I thought I might only see a few brave souls at storytime this morning, so I thought I would hold off on our valentine’s day theme until next week.  Instead, I picked out a few favorite books, songs and rhymes this morning to create a hodge-podge of a storytime.

But I should have known better!  I have such an amazing group that comes every week – and everyone was here, ready for storytime this morning.  I know everyone is feeling a little stir-crazy after being stuck inside, so we had a pretty active morning with lots of music, jumping and shaking out our sillies!

OPENING SONG: Mister Sun

OPENING RHYMES:

BOOK 1: The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel

ACTION RHYME: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wink one eye,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, slap your knees,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please.

ACTION SONG/CD: Jumping and Counting
from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem CD
This one is always a hit!  This song teaches counting (practice counting to 10), following directions (waiting while counting), and gets kids moving (lots of jumping).

FLANNEL RHYME: Five Little Snowmen
Five little snowmen all in a row (Hold up 5 fingers)
Each with a hat and a big red bow. (Touch head on the word hat)
Out came the sun (Arms overhead in a circle)
And it stayed all day
And one of those snowmen melted away. (Flutter fingers down like melting)

BOOK 2: Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest

ACTION SONG: Shake My Sillies Out
 from Raffi’s More Singable Songs CD
Another no-fail song to get kids moving.

CLOSING SONG: Moon, moon, moon by Laurie Berkner

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Blanket Stories

19 Jan

TODDLER STORYTIME

Everyone brought their own soft, cuddly blankets to storytime today.  Below you will find what we did in storytime today……Get ready for some warm and fuzzy stories that will make you smile!

OPENING SONG: Mister Sun

ACTION SONG: ‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’ by Carole Peterson
Start out hiding under your blanket….and then pop out – Surprise!

OPENING RHYMES:

With little ones, you can march your fingers up and down your child’s arm, or you can bounce them on your knees.  This was the second week doing this rhyme.  We did it three times, getting progressively faster with each repetition.
The grand old duke of York (start sitting down)
He had 10,000 men
First he marched them UP the hill (stand up)
Then he marched them DOWN again (crouch down)
And when you’re UP you’re up (stand up)
And when you’re DOWN you’re down (crouch down)
And when you’re only half-way UP (crouch half-way)
You’re neither UP nor DOWN (stand up and then sit down quickly)

BOOK 1: Flora’s Blanket by Debi Gliori
Flora can’t find her blanket anywhere – not in the sandbox, not in the fridge, not in the cellar.  Sleepy Flora finally snuggles into her parents’ bed and finds….her special blanket.

RHYME: Fuzzy Blanket
I have a fuzzy blanket
To snuggle in at night
I wrap it all around me
And pull it warm and tight!

FINGERPLAY:Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar
Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar
Into a corner will creep  (creep fingers up arm)
He’ll spin himself a blanket (roll hands)
And then fall fast asleep  (rest head, close eyes)

Fuzzy, wuzzy caterpillar
Very soon will rise  (wake up)
And find he has grown beautiful wings (connect thumbs and flap hands like wings)
Now he’s a butterfly!

ACTION SONG/CD: Don’t Wash My Blanket by Hap Palmer
Chorus: Adult and child hold ends of blanket and slowly shake it up and down
Verse: Adult and child hold ends of blanket and turn in circle
This also works with a small group of children holding onto one blanket.


BOOK 2: Blankie by Leslie Patricelli

CLOSING SONG: Wave Goodbye Like This

CRAFT: Animal with blanket in pocket.  To make this craft:

  1. Print  animal printable here
  2. Print  pocket and blanket pattern here
  3. Cut out pocket from paper and glue pocket to tummy
  4. Cut out blanket from fabric (preferably something soft!) and tuck it into the pocket.
  5. Glue on eyes, and color/decorate as desired (cotton balls make a fluffy tummy!)

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Polar Animals

18 Jan

TODDLER STORYTIME

Welcome back to storytime everyone! It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces this morning, despite the snow coming down!  While it snowed outside, we read books about animals that live in the snow.

OPENING SONG: Mister Sun

OPENING RHYMES:

With little ones, you can march your fingers up and down your child’s arm, or you can bounce them on your knees.

BOOK 1: Good Morning, Little Polar Bear by Carol Votaw

FLANNEL RHYME:5 Perky Penguins
(Rhyme and pattern from Mother Goose’s Playhouse by Judy Sierra)

Five perky penguins, Stood on the shore
One went for a swim, And then there were four. (swimming motions)

Four perky penguins, Looked out to sea (look around)
One went swimming, And then there were three. (swimming motions)

Three perky penguins said, “What can we do?” (shrug shoulders)
One jumped in the water, And then there were two.

Two perky penguins, Sat in the sun.
One swam off, And then there was one. (swimming motions)

One perky penguin said, “This is no fun!”
He dived in the water, And then there were none.

ACTION SONG/CD: Penguin Polka
Words and actions can be found on the Polar Animals handout, on the Toddler Rhymes page.
MP3 download available here from Music K-8: KidTunes for personal use, and from Music K-8 for professional use.

BOOK 2: Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin

CLOSING SONG: Wave Goodbye Like This

CRAFT: Penguin puppet
These cute little penguins are made out of black cardstock, and white and yellow paper.  They are taped onto popsicle sticks to make stick-puppets – perfect for dancing the penguin polka!
You can print out my pattern here.

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Ho Ho Ho, Stories with Santa

16 Dec

FAMILY PROGRAM

This was a special evening storytime for children of all ages and their families.  Everyone gathered around the warm fireplace to listen to some Christmas stories and sing carols.   Then Santa came to visit all of the good boys and girls and brought them treats! Continue reading →

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Christmas

16 Dec

TODDLER STORYTIME

This will be our last storytime meeting before the holidays.  We will take a short break, and then start up again on January 19th.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my storytime friends!

OPENING SONG:  The More We Get Together

FINGERPLAYS:

BOOK 1: Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear! By Don and Audrey Wood

ACTIVITY/SONG: Reindeer Pokey
Tune: “The Hokey Pokey”
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
You put your hooves in….
You put your red nose in….
You put your fluffy tail in…

SONG: Let’s all do a little clapping
Tune: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Let’s all do a little clapping,
Let’s all do a little clapping,
Let’s all do a little clapping,
& spread Christmas cheer.
     continue…..
2. Jumping
3. Bending
4. Twirling

BOOK 2: Dream Snow by Eric Carle

SONG: We Wish You A Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

CRAFT:  A simple wreath craft that can be used as an ornament, or can be hung on a door or wall for decoration.
Here is my printable wreath pattern/template.

I cut out two wreaths: one in light green and one in a darker green.  We used stickers to decorate our wreaths, but these also look nice decorated with cut-out holly leaves and berries (see photo below), buttons, ribbon, glitter, or any odds and ends that you may have lying around!


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Snuggly in the Snow

13 Dec

TODDLER STORYTIME

We hadn’t had any snow here yet, but wouldn’t you know it – just a few days after this storytime…..it snowed!  I think our songs brought the snow to town :D

OPENING SONG: The More We Get Together

FINGERPLAYS:

SONG: Snowflakes

(Tune: Row Row Row Your Boat)
Snowflakes falling down (wiggle fingers downward)
Falling on the ground
Great, big white flakes (make circles with thumbs and forefingers touching)
That do not make a sound (fingers to lips and shake head no)
Shhhhh!

BOOK 1: Hello Snow! By Hope Vestergaard

FINGERPLAY: Chubby Little Snowman
A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot nose  (Point to nose.)
Along came a bunny   (Hold up two fingers to make a bunny.)
And what do you suppose? (shrug shoulders)
That hungry little bunny (rub tummy)
Looking for his lunch (hand over eyes, looking)
Ate that little snowman’s nose   (Pretend to grab nose.)
Nibble nibble crunch!

FLANNEL RHYME: Five Little Snowmen
Flannelboard tips: Make five snowmen, each with a different hat and scarf. You can also make them five sizes, and remove them one at a time from smallest to largest.  Here are my printable snowmen.

Five little snowmen all in a row
Each with a hat (touch head)
And a big red bow.
Out came the sun (arms over head in a circle)
And it stayed all day
And one of those snowmen melted away.

BOOK 2: Oh! By Kevin Henkes


SONG/CD: Frosty the Snowman sung by Raffi
I used this as a “draw-and-tell” story, and had everyone sing together as I illustrated the song (I drew a very simple snowman.)  Then we clapped out the “thumpity-thump” part. Parents were given words on the handout (available on the Toddler Rhymes page.)

CLOSING SONG: We Wave Goodbye Like This

CRAFT: Puffy Paint Snowmen
This is a bit messy, but completely worth it!  Mix equal parts shaving cream and elmer’s glue together.  Exact measuring is not necessary – If you hold up your spoon , the mixture should form stiff peaks.  This makes a homemade puffy paint and it will dry 3 dimensional.

We used it to paint snowmen this week.  Make sure to use sturdy paper (I used poster board cut into pieces, but cardstock would also work well).  Glue on a paper top hat, a nose and eyes and Frosty is complete.  (Note: just lay the nose and eyes over the puffy paint and they will stick.)

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