Last week’s Toddler Storytime, our last of the Winter Session, was all about the forest. We put together a flannelboard picture out of shapes, and I based it on the book Orange, Triangle, Fox by Sarah Jones:

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orange triangle fox 2

We played I Spy and talked about forest animals. Then we sang the song “I’m a Little Pinecone”:

I’m a little pinecone brown and small (make a fist with one hand)
I live in a pine tree oh so tall. (stretch arms up hih)
When the wind blows I dance and hop (with arms wave them as though the wind were blowing)
Down on the ground with a PLOP, PLOP, PLOP! (fall down on the floor)
(from http://wiki.kcls.org/index.php/I%27m_a_Little_Pinecone)

Our first book was Mama’s Little Bears by Nancy Tafuri. The large illustrations show bears discovering all the animals that share their forest home.

Mamas Little Bears

Then we sang “Five Fat Peas” and after that, we did something new! I created a sheet with rhyme lyrics, and an image of three eggs in a nest. Then I cut out slits around the eggs so that the parent holding it could poke their fingers through as the little birds hatch! Here is a PDF you can reproduce. And here are the lyrics:

Here’s an egg in a nest in a tree.
What’s inside? What can it be?
Peck, peck, peck,
Peep, peep, peep.
Out hatched a little bird, (poke finger through)
Cute as can be! (wiggle finger)

Here’s an egg in a nest in a tree.
What’s inside? What can it be?
Peck, peck, peck,
Peep, peep, peep.
Out came a second bird (poke finger through)
Wiggling free! (wiggle finger)

Here’s an egg in a nest in a tree.
What’s inside? What can it be?
Peck, peck, peck,
Peep, peep, peep.
Out hatched another bird, (poke finger through)
And now there are three! (wiggle fingers)

Then we read another book, Sally In The Forest by Stephen Huneck. It’s a funny book, also about exploring animals in the woods.

Sally In The Forest

We counted with a flannelboard about Five Furry Squirrels:

five little squirrels

Five little squirrels sitting by the door,
One ran away and then there were four.
Four little squirrels climbing up a tree,
One ran away and then there were three.
Three little squirrels wearing coats so new,
One ran away and then there were two.
Two little squirrels warming in the sun,
One ran away, leaving only one.
One little squirrel was having no fun,
He ran away and then there were none.

We sang a cute song with action words:

My little birdie one day old
She can do what she is told!
Sleep little birdie
Sleep, sleep, sleep!
Sleep little birdie
Sleep, sleep, sleep!

My little birdie’s two days old
She can do what she is told!
Tweet little birdie
Tweet, tweet, tweet!
Tweet little birdie
Tweet, tweet, tweet!

My little birdie’s three days old
She can do what she is told
Hop little birdie
Hop, hop, hop!
Hop little birdie
Hop, hop, hop!

Our video for the day, before we wrapped up with our song cube, was Spot in the Woods from the Storytime With Spot DVD. You can request it from us or from Glendale.

It was such a joy having you guys. Thank you so much for letting me witness your toddlers’ growth and delight while we sang, did fingerplays, danced and read. Remember to come tomorrow to register for the Spring Session. Take care of yourselves and your beautiful kids!