For our final storytime of the winter session we read stories about opposites in size – Big & Little!

FUN FACT: 

Click onto the PBS Parents’ link to learn a bit about the benefits of reading rhyming books to children.  You’ll also find a great list of rhyming picture books.  (FYI:  We have most of these in our collection so try and check a few out!) PBS Parents

What follows are the books, rhymes, songs, flannel board and finger puppet story we shared.


BOOKS WE SHARED

In Ruth Bornstein’s book, Little Gorilla we meet a “little” gorilla.  Everyone LOVES Little Gorilla!  The lion roars his loudest roar for Little Gorilla, the green parrot and red monkey play with him in the trees…even the boa constrictor thinks he is nice.  All of the animals in the forest do everything they can to show Little Gorilla how much they love him.  But there is only one problem – Little Gorilla doesn’t stay little.  He becomes HUGE!  Will he still be loved?  From a toddler’s perspective growing up might mean losing that special “little” status – this books offers reassurance that true love never depends on the “size” of the outer package.

Sitting In My Box by Dee Lillegard is a story about a boy and his box.  His box is his secret hideway – a place he can read and be left alone.  We find out what happens when some wild animals find him and immediately want him to let them in!  You can imagine it gets pretty tight in there and the little boy yells for someone to leave.  No one budges until a teeny, tiny fly buzzes by and wreaks some havoc!  A great picture book story with rhyming text, repetition, a group of beautifully illustrated wild animals and a little boy who just wants to be left alone to READ!


Flannel Board We Shared

Little Ball, Big Ball

A little ball, a bigger ball, a great big ball I see. 
Can you count the red balls? One, two, three.

Repeat for green and blue…
Add the the pink ball (or any other color ball) and say:

Little balls, big balls, another ball I see. 
Can you count all the balls? 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!

Credit:  Read, Rhyme and Sing


A Great Big Cat & a Teeny, Tiny Mouse

There was a GREAT BIG CAT (say “great big cat” in a big voice)
and a Teeny Little Mouse (say “teeny little mouse” in a small squeaky voice)
Who ran around and around (Roll hands with cat and mouse around each other)
In a tall, tall house! (Stretch arms above head)
Until that teeny tiny mouse (say “teeny little mouse” in a small squeaky voice)
got caught at last (have cat catch mouse)
Because that GREAT BIG CAT (say “great big cat” in a big voice)
ran around so fast! (Roll hands with cat and mouse around each other)


Action Songs & Fingerplays We Shared

We share a lot of songs, bounces & rhymes during storytime!  You’ll find lyrics/words to those songs & rhymes we shared without CD accompaniment here.

Welcome, Welcome Everyone
(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle)

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 – Video:  Open Shut Them

Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap.  (clap three times)
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close hands)
Put them in your lap, lap, lap. (place hands in lap and bounce them 3X)

Creep them, crawl them, creep them crawl them, (crawl fingers up arms)
Right up to your chinny  chin chin. (place fingers on chin)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth and say ahhhhhh)
But do not put them in!! (put hands behind your back)

This is Big

This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Video:  Twinkle Twinkle

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 – Video:  Itsy Bitsy

Goodbye Friends (in sign) – Video:  Goodbye Friends

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


Music from CDs We Shared

Children love to sing and dance to music.  Here are some of the action songs & rhymes on CD that we used in storytime.  Click onto the CD titles to find these items in our library catalog.

“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“I’m a Little Teapot” from Toddler Favorites by Music for Little People

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

“ABC”  from Go Baby Go! Baby Loves Jazz by Baby Loves Jazz Band

Two Little Blackbirds” from  Circle Time: songs and rhymes for the very young by Lisa Monet

“We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel


Video We Shared

Trashy Town

Video based on the picture book by Andrea Zimmerman

 Thumbnail  


Continue the Fun

If you want to read more books about opposites, make sure to check these out from your local Pasadena Public Library!