We snuck “into the woods” for our  preschool storytime on Saturday.  We read a story about two teddy bears who were “lost in the woods”, followed a group of children “into the woods” as they searched for a moose, and were introduced to some very strange night animals “living in the woods”.    Sound silly to you?   Maybe just a little, but it was still a whole lot of fun.  Here are some of the books, songs and activities we shared.


Books We Shared

Where’s My Teddy?  by Jed Alborough is a cute story about a little boy named Eddie who goes searching for his lost teddy bear in the deep, dark woods.  Of course he runs into more than just his teddy!  He crosses paths with a gigantic bear who has also lost his teddy.  Trouble ensues as they each try to find their very own, treasured bedtime friend.  A great read aloud with humor and suspense making this a perfect book for preschoolers.

In Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root we find some children who are desperate to see their very first moose!  Do they succeed?  Well yes but not until they’ve traipsed through a swamp, some prickly bushes and a few other woodsy obstacles.  Great tongue twisting, rhyming text and a journey through some rough terrain please both the adventurers and the linguists of the preschool set.

Glenna Marino’s funny picture book, Night Animals, we are introduced to some silly night animals who are deathly afraid of running into “night animals”.  Wait!  That doesn’t make sense!  Eventually a bat sets them straight and tells them that they ARE night animals.  Funny with amazing visuals (black, white and grey) and an aha moment at the end.  The preschoolers (and the adults) loved it!


FLANNEL BOARD WE SHARED

Baby Bear’s Big Feast!

Little Bear and his Mama woke up from their long winter’s nap (stretch and yawn). Little Bear was so hungry his tummy went grumble grumble.  Mama Bear was hungry too, so they stepped outside their cave and looked around.  In the clearing was the tree stump where they always ate their feast.  Little Bear hopped up and sniffed around- sniff sniff sniff.

“Mama, where’s the food?” he asked.  “I’m hungry!”

“We have to go get it, silly,” Mama Bear said.  “Why don’t you go get the blueberries?”

“Okay!” Baby bear jumped down from the stump and ran to the woods (pat knees quickly to imitate running).  He looked high (pretend to look high) and he looked low (pretend to look low).  He looked all around until he thought he saw some blueberries, then he went back.

“Look Mama, blueberries!” he said.

“No Baby Bear,” Mama said, laughing.  “That’s not a blueberry.  That’s a – (pause to let children respond) fish!  This time go past the stream.”

So Baby Bear went running back to the woods again (pat knees).  He looked high (pretend to look high) and he looked low (pretend to look low). He looked all around until he thought he saw some blueberries, then he went back.

“Look Mama, blueberries!” he said.

“No Baby Bear,” Mama said, laughing.  “That’s not a blueberry.  That’s an – (pause to let children respond) orange!  This time go past the stream and the orange tree.”

So Baby Bear went running back to the woods again (pat knees).  He looked high (pretend to look high) and he looked low (pretend to look low). He looked all around until he thought he saw some blueberries, then he went back.

“Look Mama, blueberries!” he said.

“No Baby Bear,” Mama said, laughing.  “That’s not a blueberry.  That’s a – (pause to let children respond) strawberry!  This time go past the stream, past the stream, the orange tree and the strawberry bushes.”

“Look Mama, blueberries!” he said.

“No Baby Bear,” Mama said, laughing.  “That’s not a blueberry.  That’s a – (pause to let children respond) pear!  This time go past the stream,  past the orange tree pas the strawberry bushes and past the pear tree.”

So Baby Bear went running back to the woods again (pat knees).  He looked high (pretend to look high) and he looked low (pretend to look low). He looked all around until he thought he saw some blueberries, then he went back.

This time he was gone such a long time Mama Bear started to get worried.  But then Baby Bear came back and he said, “Look, Mama, blueberries!  And I found Daddy too!”

“Yes Little Bear, those are blueberries,” Mama Bear said.  “You’re both just in time for dinner.

Credit: adapted from Ready-To-Go Storytimes by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis


Rhymes & Songs & Fingerplays We Shared

We share a lot of songs & rhymes during storytime!  You’ll find lyrics/words to those songs & rhymes (without music) here.

Welcome Song (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 (fingerplay)

Click her for video:  Open Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them (open hands wide, close them tight)
Give a little clap, clap, clap (clap 3x)
Open shut them, open shut them (open hands wide, close them tight)
Place them on your lap, lap, lap (bounce hands on lap)
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them (crawl fingers up to chin)
Right up to your chinny, chin chin (tap chin with fingers)
Open up your little mouth BUT (open mouth)
Do not let them in! (quickly place hands behind your back)

 

“We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman
(Using egg shakers)

We’re going to the market, we’re going to the fair,
To see a senorita with flowers in her hair.
So shake it baby shake it!
Shake it if you can,
Dhake it like a milkshake and drink it from a can!
Shake it to the bottom, shake it to the top,
And turn around and turn around until we holler STOP!  (Repeat 1x)

“Goodbye Friends” (in sign)

Click here for video:  Goodbye Friends 

Goodbye friends, goodbye friends
Goodbye friends, it’s time to say goodbye.

Now it’s Time to Say Goodbye (tune:  Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Now it’s time to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye,
Not it’s time to say goodbye, we’ll see you all next week!


Music from CDs We Shared

Children love to sing and dance to music.  Here are some of the songs/bounces on CD that we 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.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammet & Elaine Bueffel

Click here for video:  Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.


Video We Watched

Camping


Extend the Fun at Home