After a brief break, we are back with our Fall session of Toddler Storytimes!  To kick things off with a fall-feeling, our first storytime of the session was all about that favorite fall fruit — apples!


Books We Shared

 
There is magic in a tree as it moves from season to season.  In Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson, children are encouraged to interact with the book and make this “magic” happen — growing leaves, springing flowers, and of course, fruiting apples!


The second book we shared was Pepo and Lolo and the Red Apple by Ana Martin Larrañaga.  Pepo the pig and Lolo the chick want a beautiful red apple from the tree.  But it is too high, and they cannot reach it!  Will these two friends figure out a way to get the yummy apple?  Of course they will — using teamwork!  Unfortunately, we no longer have a copy of this for check out in the library, but you can check out the other book in the Pepo and Lolo series.


Flannel Board Story

The Apple Tree 

(I know there are 4 apples in the image, but I just used three with our group.)

Way up high in the apple tree (raise arms up into the air)
3 little apples smiled at me (hold up number of fingers, and smile)
I shook that tree just as hard as I could (use both hands to pretend to shake the trunk of a tree)
And down came an apple! (take an apple off the flannelboard)
CRUNCH! (pretend to eat the apple)
Mmmmm… was it good! (rub belly)

How many apples are left?  2!

Way up high in the apple tree
2 little apples smiled at me….


Video We Watched

“Max’s Apple” from Springtime for Max & Ruby

Ruby and her friend just want to play a handclap game, but Max needs her help getting apples from the apple tree!  What is Max going to do with all those apples?


Rhymes & Bounces & Songs We Shared without Music

We sing a lot of songs during storytime!  You’ll find lyrics to those songs without music here.

Welcome Song
(to the tune of: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
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.

Open Shut Them
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands on “clap”)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Place them in your lap, lap, lap (Pat lap with hands on “lap”)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Right up to your chin, chin, chin (tap chin with hands on “chin”)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth wide and pretend to put fingers in)
But do not let them in! (Hide hands behind your back quickly)

For a video of me (Jennifer) doing this rhyme, watch the video below:

The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider (L shape with both hands.  Place thumb of one hand on forefinger of the other)
went up the water spout.   (“walk” your fingers up thumb to forefinger, alternating.)
Down came the rain and (wiggle fingers and bring then downward)
Washed the spider out. (make baseball “safe” motion)
Out came the sun and (hands above head in a circle)
and dried up all the rain. (hands out at side of body)
And the itsy bitsy spider (L shape with both hands.  Place thumb of one hand on forefinger of the other)
went up the spout again. (“walk” your fingers up thumb to forefinger, alternating.)

Storytime’s Over
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Now give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Our storytime’s over
So wave bye-bye (wave)


Music from CDs We Shared

Sometimes it’s fun to sing along with music.  Here are some of the songs and cds used in today’s storytime.


“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

Roll, roll, roll your hands
as fast as fast  can be
do it now, let me see
do it now with me

Tap tap tap your feet…
Shake, shake, shake your feet…
Roll, roll, roll your hands …


“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
life is but a dream.

Other verses:
Twist, twist, twist your boat…
Bounce, bounce, bounce your boat…
Sway, sway, sway your boat…
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your boat…
Tickle, tickle, tickle your boat…


Continue the Fun

Want more books about apples?  Check out some of these books at your Pasadena Public Library branch: