Dress-Up Storytime

A nice alternative to "Halloween" theme

Books

Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen

by Lisa Campbell Ernst

D is for Dress-up: The ABC's of What We Wear

by Maria Carluccio

Super Rawr!

by Todd H. Doodler

Graph Question

What would you like to dress up as?

Superhero, royalty, animal, someone you could grow up to be (doctor, firefighter, etc.)

Song

Old Shoes, New Shoes

Old shoes, new shoes,
Now we’re wearing _____________ shoes.
One, two, three, four.
Now, I stomp them on the floor.

pirate, elephant, firefighter, dance (twirl), superhero (fly them off the floor)

Play and Learn

Make a mask out of a paper plate

Slightly Spooky Storytime Celebration

I like that I was able to do a holiday storytime because it was scheduled specifically on a different day and well advertised as a "Halloween Storytime".

Books

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

by Linda William, illustrated by Megan Lloyd

We're Off to Find the Witch's House

by Mr. Krieb; illustrated by R. W. Alley

Flannel/Song

This is the House that is Haunted

This is the house that is haunted ...

This is the moon that shines on the house that is haunted.

These are the bats that fly past the moon that shines ...

This is the ghost that startles the bats that fly past the moon ...

These are the trees that sway in the breeze that flutters the ghost who startles the bats ...

This is the cat that sits by the trees that sway in the breeze ...

This is the pumpkin that glows in the dark that warms the cat who sits by the trees ...

Witch’s Brew

(tune: The Farmer in the Dell)

The brew is boiling up

The brew is boiling up

Simmer and stew

This nasty goo

The brew is boiling up

Add ingredients to the cauldron!

Bat Poop--Cocoa Puffs 

Fish Guts--Goldfish crackers

Cat Claws--Candy Corn

Ghost Boogers--Mini-Marshmallows

Dragon's Blood--M&Ms

Fried Flies--Chocolate Chips

Activities

Scavenger Hunt
Eat Witch's Brew
Masking Tape Mummies
Roll a Jack O' Lantern
Bean Bag Toss
Create a Monster

Crazy Themed Storytime (plus Math Mash-Up)

Two fun CRAZY Math Mash-ups (Big and Small/More and Less) for Preschool!

Books

Say Zoop!

by Herve Tullet

(I wish the title would have been a literal translation from the original French title:  The Book That Makes Sounds)  I skipped 13 double page spreads when I read it aloud at storytime.

This is a Ball

by Beck and Matt Stanton

My second group of preschoolers were a bit younger so I read The Nonsense Show instead of This is a Ball.

The Nonsense Show

by Eric Carle

Songs

Crazy Traffic Light

Shake Your Sillies Out

Play and Learn

Playdough—make big and small/more and less

Puppets—line up big to small

Crazy Scissors collage

Outdoor Math Activity--that I didn't do

Big and Small Math Mash-up {Baby Storytime}

Baby Storytime:  Big and Small Math Mash-up

Books

Mouse is Small

by Mary Murphy

Now I Am Big

by Stephen Krensky; illustrated by Sara Gillingham

Flannel Board

A small ___________
A big ____________
And the biggest ____________ I see.
Now help me count them
One, two, three!

Special Song

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Big, big, big

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Small, small, small

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Touch your nose

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Touch your toes

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Up to the sky

Roly-poly, roly-poly

Fly, fly, fly!

Touch a Fire Truck Storytime

A huge turnout for our Touch a Fire Truck Storytime!!  I knew our small library would draw a big crowd so I put out tarps on the lawn so we had an outdoor storytime!  Thankfully the weather was really nice.  We ended up with over 90 people at the program! (Our usual storytimes pull in about 30)  I think everyone had a good time.

Books

Fire Engine Man

Andrea Zimmerman & David Clemesha

Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake

Eileen Christelow

Song

When I'm a Fire Fighter!

(tune: Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush)

Set the stage...we are fire fighters, asleep at the fire station

This is the way the alarm sounds

The alarm sounds

The alarm sounds

This is the way the alarm sounds

When I'm a fire fighter!

This is the way I jump out of bed

...I slide down the pole

...I put on my gear

...I drive the truck

...the siren sounds

...spray my hose

We walked next door to the fire station.  The firemen had pulled out the engine.  We gathered around and watched the fireman put on (and explain) his gear.  The kids got to get their picture taken with the fireman.  The kids also got to go inside the fire truck.

I had some outdoor activities back at the library for any kids who wanted to go back and play.

We will definitely be doing this storytime again next fall!!

1, 2, 3 Count with Me!

Our first Math Mash-up of the school year.  Counting and Cardinality  (see Learning Pathway in Numeracy)  It was not one of my favorite storytimes....my next Math Mash-up I will be 'mathemitizing' regular books instead of focusing directly on the math concept.  I think they make a much better storytime.

Dog Loves Counting

by Louise Yates

Bear Counts

by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

I commented to parents that this is a great book to read one-on-one as there are many other things to count on each double page spread.

Pirate Storytime

Two Pirate storytimes with two different sets of books.  I liked all of them, but my second group needed shorter books.

Books

Pirate Treasure Hunt!

by Jan Peck; illustrated by Adrian Tans

Peg Leg Peke

by Brie Spangler

I Love My Pirate Papa

by Laura Leuck; illustrated by Kyle M. Stone

Bubble Bath Pirates!

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Song

When I was one I sucked my thumb

The day I went to sea

I jumped aboard a pirate ship

And the captain said to me:

We go this way (lean to left)

And that way (lean to right)

And forwards (step forwards)

And backwards (step backwards)

Across the deep blue sea! (spin in a circle)

Play and Learn

Dig for gold coins in the sand

Go on a treasure hunt around the room finding pirate related pictures

I found this cute song after storytime...I'll put it here to remind me for next time!

The Busy Pirates

(Start verse from a crouching position)

The pirates stand up

The pirates sit down

The pirates are running

All around town.

But where is their Captain?

Look carefully

He's snoring loudly

Beneath a tree.