For our fifth storytime of the winter session we read stories about colors!  I used my different colored scarves to introduce everyone to the colors of the rainbow!

FUN FACT: 

Did you know that engaging in scarf play actually helps your baby develop gross motor skills?  Gross Motor (physical) skills require whole body movement and involve the large (core stabilising) muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing, walking, running, and sitting upright.  Who knew that scarf play could be so athletic?  Just have some scarves at the ready and put on some music.  You and your toddler can move your scarves to the beat!   

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


BOOKS WE SHARED

In Colors pop-up Peekaboo! published by D.K. Publishing each page brings a lift-the-flap peekaboo surprise!  This is an interactive book that teaches colors and animal identification.  A yellow duck, a red bird, a blue fish, a green turtle and a rainbow butterfly emerge in 3-D as each flap is lifted up.  All babies love playing peekaboo and this book takes this simple game to another level!

Cat’s Colors by Arlie Anderson is a great introduction to colors!  We see a white cat on a cloudy, gray day doing gray-day things BUT she has an idea!  She decides to collect some colors!  In true cat style, Cat meanders and finds all sorts of colors in nature and (lucky for Cat), they rub off on her!  Eventually Cat has collected seven different colored spots.  Just when things get interesting, she disappears inside a bush.  When we take a peek, there is a colorful surprise.  (I won’t give it away.)


Flannel Boards We Shared

MAKING RAINBOW STEW

 

   

Take an apple;
put it in the pot
Stir and stir and stir a lot!
Shall we take it out now?  What will it be?
The prettiest red you ever did see!

Just repeat this chant substituting the other fruits and colors.

Orange, yellow lemon, green pear, blue berries & purple grapes.

When you’re done, sing:

Red and orange, yellow and green
Blue and purple colors are seen
Put them together, what will it be?
The prettiest rainbow you ever did see!

Credit:  Artfelt


Little Mouse, Little Mouse

(a variation on the game we played during storytime)

We have a problem. You see, we don’t know which house the little mouse is hiding in. Will you help me find her?

Let’s call for her:

(fill in the blank with one of the colors)

“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [Point to] ________ house?”

(Using sound effects slowly peel back all the houses but leave four on the board)

Hmmm … she wasn’t in any of those houses. Maybe if we whisper she’ll come out. [Softer]:

“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [Point to] ________ house?”

(Pull back another empty house)

Let’s try this house:

“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [Point to] ________ house?”

(Peel back the house to reveal the little mouse)

There she is! Hello little mouse!

Squeak-squeak!

Let’s make sure she’s the only one, okay?

“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [Point to] ________ house?”    

“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [Point to] ________ house?”

(Slowly peel off the remaining two houses with exaggerated SFX)

No. No more mice. She’s the only one! Thanks for your help everybody — I don’t’ think I could have found her without you!


If you have any colorful scarves at home, you can use them to teach your child about colors.  Colorful scarves are also a great way to engage in sensory play with your toddler!  An added bonus?  Moving with the scarf helps with development of your toddler’s gross motor skills.  (If you don’t have scarves you can use different colored construction paper cut into strips.)

Credit:  Jbrary


 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

Peppa Pig and the Day at the Museum

 


Continue the Fun

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