Catch-Up Storytime Blog Post!

I am writing this post in September, but backdating it to May so it is before Summer Reading.  I just don't have time to do a full post on each storytime, but I love having a record of what I've read and done in storytime.  So here's the quick and dirty storytime posts!

Baby Storytime--Spring!

When Spring Comes

by Kevin Henkes

Abracadabra, It's Spring!

by Anne Sibley O'Brien; illustrated by Susan Gal

Peek-a-Bloom!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Little Green

Keith Baker

Splish, Splash, Ducky!

by Lucy Cousins

Spring!  Preschool Storytime

Wake Up It's Spring

by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Spring is Here

Will Hillenbrand

Rainy!  Preschool Storytime

May I Come In?

by Marsha Diane Arnold; illustrated by Jennie Poh

Tap Tap Boom Boom

by Elizabeth Bluemle; illustrated by G. Brian Karas

The Big Umbrella

by Amy June Bates; cowritten with Juniper Bates

Kitty Cats!  Preschool Storytime
(5/8/18)

I Won't Eat That

by Christopher Silas Neal

Stack the Cats

by Susie Ghahremani

The 2nd time I did the storytime someone else had "I Won't Eat That" so I read Mr. Fuzzbuster, which ended up being a bit too long.

Play and Learn

Yarn!

Ducks!  Preschool Storytime

Flannel: Ducks Away

Just a Duck?

Dino Duckling

 Little Quack's New Friend

Water play

Big Cats

As I was putting together a storytime about cats I found two books that could make a specialized cat storytime:  Big Cats.

Books

Tiptoeing Tiger

by Phillippa Leathers

I am a Cat

by Galia Bernstein

Graph Question
Which big cat do you like most?
Tiger, Lion, Cougar, Cheetah

*Cougar won--WSU mascot :)

Songs

T-I-G-E-R

(tune: Old MacDonald Had a Farm)
words by Tammy Henry

There is a cat with lots of stripes

T-I-G-E-R

It is big and orange and black

T-I-G-E-R

With very large paws

And sharp, sharp claws

Great big teeth, scratchy tongue, and his legs can really run!

There is a cat with lots of stripes

T-I-G-E-R

I Can Walk on Two Feet

Play and Learn

Paint a lion's mane with a fork

Little People Zoo

A Windy Storytime!

It's been pretty windy out here (nothing like the wind in Nebraska though!) so I decided on a storytime all about the wind!

Books

Argyle Fox

by Marie Letourneau

Windblown

by Edouard Manceau

Graph Question

I know it's windy when I see...
Kite in the sky, Flag flapping, Hair blowing in my face, Pinwheel twirlling
Both Tuesday and Wednesday most kids voted for the pinwheel

Songs

W-I-N-D-Y

There is a day when kites fly high
And windy is the weather
W-I-N-D-Y
W-I-N-D-Y
W-I-N-D-Y
And windy is the weather.

Take away the Y and now it says wind.

There is a day when kites fly high
And windy is the weather
W-I-N-D-(clap)
W-I-N-D-(clap)
W-I-N-D-(clap)
And windy is the weather.

Continue taking letters away until all the letters are gone and you clap five times.

If You're Happy and You Know It

Play and Learn

Windsock

Hiccups, Sneezes, and Snores

A silly, noisy storytime!

Books

Stop Snoring, Bernard!

by Zachariah Ohora

Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups

by Tadgh Bentley

Chu's Day

by Neil Gainman; illustrated by Adam Rex

Graph Question

Which animal has the loudest snore?

Elephant, Bear,

Songs

Four Hungry Ants

Four hungry ants marching in a line;

Came upon a picnic where they could dine.

One marched into the salad,

He marched into the cake

He marched into the pepper--but that was a mistake!

Aaah, aaah, CHOO!

Are You Sleeping?

(zoo animal edition)

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping

Little Elephant Little Elephant?

[snore]

Wake up Little Elephant

Wake up Little Elephant

Stomp, stomp stomp!

Stomp, stomp, stomp!

Play and Learn

Can You Paint with That?

Forest Friends Storytime

Another theme created from a new adorable book about a porcupine.

Books

No Hugs for Porcupine

by Zoe Waring

How to Find a Fox

by Nalah Magruder

Graph Question

Which forest animal would you like to see?
Deer, Raccoon, Porcupine, Fox
(fox was the winner with five)

Songs

If You're Ever in the Forest
(Have you ever seen a Lassie?)

If you're ever in the forest, the forest, the forest
If you're ever in the forest you might see a deer.
With antlers on one the other may run
If you're ever in the forest you might see a deer.

Additional verses:

Raccoon--it climbs a tree and hides from me
Snake--it hides in the grass and slithers real fast
Skunk--it's black and white, get out of sight!
Squirrel--it's tail is furry; he's always in a hurry

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Turn around
Touch the ground
Touch your nose
Dance on your toes
Reach up high
Touch the sky
Bend down low
Touch your toe
Jump up now
Take a bow
Stomp your feet
Take a seat

Play and Learn

Forest animal scavenger hunt

Forest animal puppets

Forest animal coloring page

Duplos

Gears

Magnets (farm, zoo, and forest)

Animals from Australia

A trip down under for some fun with Animals from Australia!  (Feb 6, 7 and 15)

Books

Kangaroos

by Sara Louise Kras

**looked at a few pictures and talked about them

Pouch!

by David Ezra Stein

Platypuses

by Sara Louise Kras

**looked at a few pictures and talked about them

Splatypus

by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen; illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic

Koalas

by Sara Louise Kras

**looked at a few pictures and talked about them

Graph Question

Which animal from Australia would you like to see in real life?
Koala, kangaroo, platypus, crocodile

Special Song

Are You Sleeping?

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Little koala, little koala?
[snore]
Wake up little koala
Wake up little koala
Climb, climb, climb
Climb, climb, climb

Crocodile--snap
Platypus--swim
Kangaroo--jump

Play and Learn

Q-tip Dot Art--Kangaroo

"I Love You" Baby Storytime

First three weeks of February

Read Aloud Books

I Love You as Big as the World

by David Van Buren; illustrated by Tim Warnes

Only You

by Robin Cruise; illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

The Cuddle Book
Guido Van Genechten

Flannel

Hearts

Hearts, hearts, how many do you see?

Heart, hearts, count them all with me.

One for father, one for mother

One for grandma too

One for sister, one for brother,

And here is one for you!

Special Songs

Tony Chestnut

(a fun play on words rhyme)

Tony Chestnut knows I love you

Tony knows! Tony knows!

Tony Chestnut knows I love you

That's what Tony knows!

Point to body parts as you say them

Toe, knee, chest, nut (head)
Nose I love you (give a hug)
Toe, knee, nose
Toe, knee, nose
Toe, knee, chest, nut (head)
That's what toe, knee, nose

Acka Backa Soda Cracker
(a bouncing and lifting rhyme)

Acka backa soda cracker
Acka backa boo!
Acka backa soda cracker
I love you!

Acka backa soda cracker
Acka backa boo!
Acka backa soda cracker
Up goes you!

Goodbye Song
(tune: The Farmer in the Dell)

We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands with all our friends
We clap our hands like this.

Additional Verses:
Blow a kiss
Wave Goodbye

Shared Reading

A variety of love-themed board books including

Sprinkle with Kisses: Sweet Dreams, Baby

by Emma Dodd

Bear Hugs

illustrated by Vicky Riley

Hug You, Kiss You, Love You

by Joyce Wan

Play and Learn

The Friday before Valentine's Day the adults and babies made Valentines!

In a clean plastic jar with screw on lid, put in cut-out paper heart, add a little paint (2-3 different colors) and a few marbles.  After securing the lid let the baby shake and roll the jar.  Pull out the heart and let dry.  Wash the jar and marbles and do it again!  Many parents wrote a note on the back before painting.