Storytime: Busy Builders

Wiggle Song: Wiggle Song

I wiggle my fingers. I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my shoulders, and I wiggle my noes.
I wiggle with a jump. I wiggle with a run
I wiggle with a bump (sit down). And I wiggle till I'm done.
Now mo more wiggles are left in me.
So I will be still and quiet as can be.   
 

Hello Song: Let's All Go to Storytime

Let's all go to storytime (clap to song)
Storytime
Storytime
Let's all go to storytime
We'll have some fun today
Yay! (throw hands up in the air) 

Sing song three times: First very slowly, then at a normal pace, then very fast! 
 

Discussion Questions: 

We are going to build today.  But we need some tools.  Does anyone know any tools you use to build?

Story Selections:

    

    

Story/Flannel Activity: Busy Builders, Busy Week by Jean Reidy

A fun rhyming read that reinforces the days of the week.  I also asked what the kids would build if they were an architect (answers included Kitty House, pool, and "my own room") and then we tried to guess throughout the story what the animals were building (they guessed correctly by Wednesday's page).

Movement Song: Johnny/Suzy Build With One Hammer (from KCLS)

Johnny build with one hammer,  (start hammering with one hand)
One hammer, one hammer.

Johnny plays with one hammer 
All day long.

Add another hammer with your other hand, repeat with appropriate number.  Do again, adding one foot, and then the other.

Johnny’s getting tired, 
Tired, tired. 
Johnny’s getting tired
All day long

Suzy is going to take over so Johnny can have a break!  Repeat!

Movement Song: Slippery Fish (from Jbrary)

We built a BIG boat.  Everyone take an oar and we'll paddle out to sea!  Oh my... Do you see what I see?

Slippery fish, slippery fish, 
sliding through the water, 
Slippery fish, slippery fish, 
Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It's been eaten by an ...  

Octopus, octopus, 
squiggling in the water 
Octopus, octopus, 
Gulp, Gulp, Gulp! 
Oh, no! It's been eaten by a ...  

Great white shark, great white shark, 
lurking in the water, 
Great white shark, great white shark, 
Gulp, Gulp, Gulp! 
Oh, no! It's been eaten by a ...  

Humongous whale, humongous whale, 
spouting in the water, 
Humongous whale, humongous whale, 
Gulp! ... Gulp! ... Gulp! ... 
BURP! (Cover your mouth.) Excuse me!

Story: The House That Zack Built by Allison Murray

This story is much shorter than many of its read-alikes, but is good for a younger age group and fantastic for predication practice.  I also asked kids to keep track of the fly, since it was the one causing all the trouble; we then took a BIG breath and blew the fly away with Zack at the end of the story!

Closing Song: Tickle the Clouds

Tickle the clouds,
Tickle your toes.
Turn around
And tickle your nose.
Reach down low.
Reach up high.
Storytime's over.
Wave goodbye! 
 

Craft: Play-Dough

• Play-Dough
• Play mats (ours were free downloads from Picklebums)
• Play-Dough tools 

I try to bring out Play-Doh about once a month.  This is a fantastic craft as it encourages great interaction between caregivers and children, presents opportunities for process art and imagination, and is easy to set-up/clean-up.