Spring 2018 Preschool Storytime: Week Three 3-20-18

Today is the first official day of Spring!  Hurray!  Thankful for the sunny day, although it is still way too cold for it to be Spring.  Today I broke the news to the families that I am going to be doing a temporary schedule switch with someone which means I will be taking on the evening storytime programs while she covers the mornings.  I know they will just love her though.  It's going to be weird going back to Tuesday night storytimes.  That was my way of life for 10 years!  It'll be nice to shake things up a bit and get to know some new storytime families.  I'm really looking forward to it!


Spring 2018 Preschool Storytime
Week Three:  3-20-18

Opening Song:  “Hello Everybody!” (Track #1 Sticky Bubble Gum / Carole Peterson)

What’s the weather like today?

Color of the Day:  Yellow

Transition Rhyme:  “If You’d Like to Read a Book”

Book:  Corduroy / story and pictures by Don Freeman

Song:  “Bean Bag Rock” (Track #3 Bean Bag Activities / Georgianna Stewart)

Book:  Go Away, Big Green Monster! / Ed Emberley

Interactive Activity (iPad, Powerpoint rhyme, YouTube):  “Balloons” (Laurie Berkner Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZapVgQ1Z8)

Book:  Swimmy / Leo Lionni

Skill of the day:  Shapes (“Shapes” – Track #4 We All Live Together volume 3 / Greg & Steve)  Fat (3D) vs Flat (2D)

Scarf Rhyme:  “Popcorn Kernels”

Shaker Song:  “The Shaker Hop” (Track #14 Dancing Feet / Carole Peterson)

Closing Song:  “Goodbye” (Track #38 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Spring 2018 Music & Movement Storytime: Week Two 3-14-18

Just when I think I can't enjoy Music & Movement Storytime more, I find myself loving it more than ever before.  My storytime kiddos are the best!  Many of them have been with me since I started at my current branch almost two years ago, and I have watched them grow and change so much.  Kids that were so shy and hiding behind their moms in the beginning now leave the library waving and shouting "Bye Miss Jenni!" after giving me gigantic bear hugs.  This is after they were leading the charge during storytime, showing the newcomers how things are done!  I also love how so many of them insist on belly stamps in addition to hand stamps.  It cracks me up.  I was really impressed with how well they did today with the parachute.  It's always a question mark of how things will turn out when you introduce the parachute not only to a larger group, but to a larger group of very active toddlers and preschoolers.  Only the bravest of the brave children's librarians will tackle this unknown!  Ha ha!  Of course yours truly absolutely loves it! ;)

Spring 2018 Music & Movement Storytime

Week Two:  3-14-18

Opening Song:  “Good Morning” (Track #1 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Song:  “If You’re Happy and You Know It” (Track #6 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Rhyme:  “We Clap and Sing Hello!”

Ribbon Rhyme:  “The Elevator Song”

Yoga Activity:  “Hot Chocolate” Breathe Like a Bear / Kira Willey, illustrated by Anni Betts

Shaker Song/Rhyme:  “Alabama Mississippi” (Track #5 Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song)

Scarf Song/Rhyme:  “Popcorn Kernels”

Transition Rhyme:  “If You’d Like to Read a Book”

Book:  Old Black Fly / Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Nursery Rhyme of the Day:  “Five Little Ducks”

Activity:  Kaboom game

Song:  “This is How I Do It” (Track #5 Superhero / Laurie Berkner Band)

Parachute Activity

Closing Rhyme:  “Thanks For Coming”

Closing Song:  “Goodbye” (Track #38 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Spring 2018 Preschool Storytime: Week Two 3-13-18

Despite the random blizzard that greeted me when I left the grocery store before work this morning, it really is the second week of SPRING storytimes.  Oy!  When will it end?  Man, Punxsutawney Phil was right after all, although I question if it's really just going to be six more weeks of winter.  The skills for this week are ABCs & 123s.  We've covered them both in previous storytimes, but this time we are counting to 100 and then making a crazy alphabet soup where the kids have to think of something really silly that starts with each letter to add to the soup.  This has proven to be very comical in the past.  I love hearing what they come up with!

Spring 2018 Preschool Storytime

Week Two:  3-13-18

Opening Song:  “Hello Everybody!” (Track #1 Sticky Bubble Gum / Carole Peterson)

What’s the weather like today?

Color of the Day:  Orange

Transition Rhyme:  “If You’d Like to Read a Book”

Book:  Caps for Sale: a tale of a peddler, some monkeys & their monkey business / told and illustrated by Esphry Slobodkina

Song:  “This is How I Do It” (Track #5 Superhero / Laurie Berkner Band)

Book:  The Wolf’s Chicken Stew/ Keiko Kasza

Interactive Activity (iPad, Powerpoint rhyme, YouTube):  “Let’s Get Fit – Count to 100” / Jack Hartmann

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbHobZOKY5w)

Book:  The Little Red Hen / Byron Barton

Skill of the day:  ABCs & 123s:  Making alphabet soup with the parachute

Scarf Rhyme:  “Popcorn Kernels”

Shaker Song:  “The Shaker Hop” (Track #14 Dancing Feet / Carole Peterson)

Closing Song:  “Goodbye” (Track #38 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Spring 2018 Music & Movement Storytime: Week One 3-7-18

I'm shaking up Music & Movement for the spring storytime session!  I'm changing around the format a bit to include more music and movement at the beginning of the program and featuring the book more towards the end.  I figure at the beginning they'll have a lot more wiggles, giggles, and movement to get out and at the end they'll be more likely to sit for the story!  This time around in storytime we are also adding just about everything that I have in my storytime supply closet, shakers, ribbons, scarves, parachute, and puppets.   If possible, I think I am going more high octane than ever before.  The timing and flow seemed to work really well this morning, and everyone had a great time.  I also had an awesome helper for this first program.  This week we have a high school junior who is completing a career shadowing project.  She's interested in working in libraries and had the chance to get involved in storytime.  The kids loved her and I already know they'll be asking about her next week.  I told her she needs to get special permission to skip school and come to the library.  Her teacher and school librarian happens to be my college roommate, so I'm thinking I can make this happen!  We had a great variety in ages as well as in caregivers.  I have parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, babysitters, and nannies bringing little ones to storytime, and this particular group of adults happens to be incredible at participating which isn't always the case.  It's going to be a great session!

Spring 2018 Music & Movement Storytime

Week One:  3-7-18

Opening Song:  “Good Morning” (Track #1 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Song:  “If You’re Happy and You Know It” (Track #6 Songs for Wiggleworms)

Rhyme:  “We Clap and Sing Hello!”

Ribbon Rhyme:  “The Elevator Song”

Yoga Activity:  “Candle Breath” Breathe Like a Bear / Kira Willey, illustrated by Anni Betts

Shaker Song/Rhyme:  “Goin’ to Kentucky” (Track #10 Baloney! / Carole Peterson)

Scarf Song/Rhyme:  “Popcorn Kernels”

Transition Rhyme:  “If You’d Like to Read a Book”

Book:  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom / Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Nursery Rhyme of the Day:  “Five Little Monkeys”

Activity:  Kaboom game

Song:  “Open Shut Them” (Track #7 Early Childhood Classics / Hap Palmer)

Parachute Activity

Closing Rhyme:  “Thanks For Coming”

Closing Song:  “Goodbye” (Track #38 Songs for Wiggleworms)

If You'd Like to Read a Book rhyme:  To the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It

If you'd like to read a book, clap your hands.

If you'd like to read a book, clap your hands.

If you'd like to read a book, listen up and take a look.

If you'd like to read a book, clap your hands.

Thanks For Coming rhyme:  To the tune of Clementine

Thanks for sitting.

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for coming here today.

Now that storytime is over,

Hope you have a lovely day!