We read books about birds today! Here are some of the stories, songs & activities we explored:
OUR FIRST BOOK
For our first book I read Night Owl by Toni Yuly. Night owl stays up late and is very brave UNTIL she realizes she’s lost sight of her mommy. She strains to hear her mother’s hoooot! Before she finds her mommy she hears tap, toot, chirrup and croak…then it’s thunder, rumble, BOOM! (These are not the sounds of her momma!) She flies back home, hoping to hear her mommy’s familiar voice. Finally, as she sits up in the tree and listens one more time…she hears a faint hoooot! Guess who that is? Great visuals and simple text make this a great book for the wee ones…the older children seemed to enjoy it too.
OUR TRANSITION ACTIVITIES:
Open Shut Them
Open shut them, open shut them (hands open and close)
Give a little clap clap clap (hands clap)
Open shut them, open shut them (hands open and close)
Place them in your lap, lap, lap. (place hands in lap)
Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them (crawl fingers up both arms)
Right up to your chinny, chin, chin (tap fingers onto chin)
Open up your little mouth BUT (keep tapping and open mouth)
DO NOT LET THEM IN!!! (quickly place both hands behind back)
Roll Your Hands
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Clap, clap, clap your hands as loud as loud can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Tap, tap, tap your feet as softly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Shake, shake, shake your feet as quickly as can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be
Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.
(Carol Hammett & Elaine Bueffel, Toddlers on Parade CD)
OUR SECOND BOOK
For our second book I read Early Bird and we find out that the early bird does really catch the worm! Isn’t that how the saying goes? In this simple, yet colorful and boldly illustrated picture book, Toni Yuly shows us that the early bird is up VERY EARLY and does catch the worm (after some shenanigans) but she and the worm share a beautiful, red, juicy strawberry – the worm is not eaten…phew!
OUR FLANNEL BOARD:
Five Little Birds
1 little bird with feathers of blue, flew beside the green one and then there were 2
2 little birds singing in the tree, the red one came to join them and then there were 3
3 little birds wishing there were more, along came the pink bird and then there were 4
4 little birds happy to be alive, found a yellow one and then there were 5
5 little birds happy as can be, singing songs for you and me!
OUR FINGERPLAY: Little Bluebird
Little bluebird rests in a tree (put thumb up)
Little bluebird looks at me (move thumb)
Little bluebird chirps hello (tap thumb with index)
Spread your wings & away you go! (cross hands, hook thumbs & wave fingers to fly away)
OUR VIDEO:
Larry’s New Friends
OUR OPENING & CLOSING SONGS:
Welcome, Welcome
Welcome, welcome everyone,
Now we’re here, let’s have some fun
First we clap our hands just so,
Then we bend and touch our toes
Welcome, welcome, everyone
Now we’re here, let’s have some fun!
Clap Everybody and Say Hello
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather…
REPEAT verse with Stamp, Wiggle, Jump & Sing
(Kathy Reid-Naiman, Sally Go Round the Sun CD)
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are!
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again!
I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my spout
When I get all full of steam I shout
Tip me over and pour me out!
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Fly away Jack and fly away Jill
Come back Jack and come back Jill
OUR GOODBYE SONG & STRETCH:
Goodbye Friends (in sign) – to the tune of “Goodnight Ladies”
Goodbye friends, goodbye friends, goodbye friends,
It’s time to say goodbye….
Tickle the Clouds
Tickle the clouds,
Tickle your toes
Turn around and tickle your nose
Reach down low,
each up high,
storytime’s over,