Hmmm…how do you explain a storytime themed “Gulp & Swallow”?  Just take a look at the books, songs, flannel boards and activities we shared – it will all start to make sense.

Books We Shared

   

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli is all about a crocodile who LOVES watermelon!  He LOVES watermelon so much that he likes it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert UNTIL he accidentally swallows a seed.  GULP!  The crocodile goes into a panic as he starts thinking about that seed germinating in his tummy, wreaking havoc on his body.  Not to worry, there is a happy ending (sort of)…  A hilarious book – the children who attended storytime couldn’t stop laughing (and neither could the adults).   A great story to act out or to use for a lapsit.

In Karma Wilson’s book, Bear Sees Colors, bear traverses the woods and discovers all kinds of colors in the fruit and food (honeycomb) he encounters.  It’s all about the picnic at the end of the book where all of these delicious and colorful edibles (plus a few extras) add up to a marvelous feast!  A great book for a lap sit or a read aloud.

Betty literally “goes bananas” in Steven Anthony’s funny take on tantrums – Betty Goes Bananas.  Quirky and relatable, this book touches on the difficulties of eating bananas and the inevitable meltdowns that result when a preschooler is learning new fine motor skills.  Did I mention the Toucan?  Who can resist a Toucan in a picture book?  Not me!

Flannel Board Activities We Shared

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she’ll cry.

There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
that wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly.
I guess she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a bird.
How absurd to swallow a bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
that wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly.
I guess she’ll cry.

There was an old lady who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that, she swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
that wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly.
I guess she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a dog.
My what a hog, to swallow a dog.
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat, to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
that wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she’ll cry.

There was an old lady who swallowed a cow.
I don’t know how she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog…
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll cry.

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse –
She’s full, of course.

Magical Rainbow Stew

   

Take an apple, put in the pot.

Stir and stir and stir a lot!

Take it out now, what could it be?

The prettiest red you ever did see.

(PULL OUT YOUR RED STRIP)

[Continue with the other fruits until you’ve pulled out all of the colors of the rainbow!]

Credit:  Storytime ABCs  (Flannel Friday)

Songs & Activities We Shared

It’s fun to sing and dance to music.  Here are some of the songs and cds used in storytime.


“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Kathy Reid-Naiman

Clap everybody and say hello, (clap hands)
Clap everybody and say hello,
Clap everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.

Stamp everybody and say hello, (stomp feet)
Stamp everybody and say hello,
Stamp everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.

Wiggle everybody and say hello, (wiggle baby)
Wiggle everybody and say hello,
Wiggle everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.

Jump everybody and say hello, (lift baby up high)
Jump everybody and say hello,
Jump everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.

Sing everybody and say hello, (wave hi)
Sing everybody and say hello,
Sing everybody and say hello,
No matter what the weather.

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, pretend to put fingers in)
But do not let them in! (Hide hands behind your back quickly)

This is Big, Big, Big

This is big big big
Hold arms out to side

This is small small small
Cup hands together

This is short short short
Hold hands with palms facing each other

This is tall tall tall
Reach one hand above head

This is fast fast fast
Circle fists quickly

This is slow slow slow
Circle fists slowly

This is yes yes yes
Nod

This is no no no
Shake head

Credit:  Mel’s Desk

We’re Going to the Market (with egg shakers)
From the CD:  I Love to Hear the Sounds  ~ Kathy Reid-Naiman

We’re going to the market, we’re going to the fair, (Shake egg shakers)
To see a senorita with flowers in her hair.  (Shake egg shakers)
So shake it baby shake it, shake it if you can, (Shake egg shakers)
Shake it like a milkshake and drink it from the can (Shake egg shaker, pretend to drink milkshake)
Shake it to the bottom, shake it to the top, (Shake egg shaker down low, then up high)
Then turn around & turn around until we holler STOP!  ~REPEAT ONCE MORE
Click here for video: We’re Going to the Market

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 steamed up, hear me shout,
Just tip me over and pour me out,
Tip me over and pour me out.  Click here for video:  I’m a Little Teapot

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and the other named Jill
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill,
Come back Jack and come back Jill!  Click here for video:  Two Little Blackbirds

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.)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle little star (open and close fingers into fist to make star)
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, (move hands up)
Like a diamond in the sky. (make a diamond shape with hands)
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are. (open and close fingers into fist to make star) Y

You Are My Sunshine

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy when skies are grey.
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
And I love you more every day.  Click here for video:  You are My Sunshine

Goodbye Friends (In sign)

Goodbye Friends, goodbye friends, goodbye friends,
It’s time to say goodbye… Click here for video:  Goodbye Friends

Video We Watched

Pete’s a Pizza

Sharing the Fun at Home

If you’d like to share some more books about food and eating with your child, check out these titles at your Pasadena Public Library.