Well it is almost that time, so of course I had to do a Back to School themed storytime.
Here’s what we did:
I always start with the same warm ups:
Song – Top of the Morning
This is a good song to warm up with because we stretch all the parts we will be using in storytime. Eyes, arms, legs, mouth, nose.
Rhyme – Say Hello
I love this rhyme. Everyone claps along and at the end we say hello how ever I tell them to. Loud, soft, quick, slow.
Song – Shake Your Sillies Out
I love this song and it’s a great way to get all the giggles and wiggles out before storytime really gets going.
From here we get into our theme.
ASL – School, Bus, Apple & Learn
I like to include a few new ASL signs in storytime. I usually print my own flash cards from Baby Sign Language.
Story – Mouse’s First Day of School by Lauren Thompson
This is an easy, short book with lots of different concepts and first experiences for children.
Movement Exercise – Back to School
This is a good movement exercise that helps to get those little fingers moving.
Two little houses all closed up tight (make two fists)
Open up the window and let in some light (open fists)
Ten little finger people tall and straight (wiggle ten fingers)
Ready for school at half past eight (walk your fingers)
Song – The Wheels on the Bus
Going back to school, what fits more than this great movement song!
Lap Theater – Mary Had a Little Lamb
I created my own lap theater for the classic rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Game – Stoplight freeze dance
I created red, yellow and green circles on popsicle sticks.
When I held up the green, they’d drive their cars. Yellow and they would drive in slow motion. Red and they would have to freeze in place.
I showed them in different orders and at different paces to make it more fun. A freeze dance for cars!
Action Rhyme – Ten Little Buses
I used the tune of Ten Little Indians and meshed together a few different rhymes to comes up with the following. I used simple hand movements for Honk, Flash and Shout.
One little, two little, three little buses.
Four little, five little, six little buses.
Seven little, eight little, nine little buses.
Ten little buses in a line.
—
Now let’s honk, honk, honk our horns.
Honk, honk, honk our horns.
Honk, honk, honk our horns.
Honk them all to school.
(second refrain: flash those lights ; third refrain: shout hooray)
Story – Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by James Dean
I think Pete the Cat is such a good storytime book and this one is fun and everyone gets to hear my lovely voice.
Song w/ Shakers – Recess Time by Putumayo Kids
I also like to use multicultural songs in my storytime if they have a good beat. This one is perfect to use with shakers and it’s all about recess!
Finally, I always end with the same three things:
Movement Exercise – If You’re Happy and You Know It
I tell the kids that I want to know how happy they are.
Rhyme – Say Goodbye
This is the same rhyme we started with, so the new guys are familiar with it by the end of storytime.
Song – Goodbye, So Long, Farewell my Friends by Music Together
I always put this one on as I go to open the door. Its a nice, slow, peaceful song to wind down on.
How’d it go: Goodness this storytime was packed! We definitely had a full house but it was still a lot of fun. If I did this one again, I would do Pete the Cat as my first story instead of my last, because we sort of lost focus by that point. Mary had a little lamb was also hilarious and we all got a kick out of it because after the first two stanzas no one knew the words and I kept butchering them. But we all laughed and I got a clap at the end. Overall, a fun back to school storytime!
That’s all for now!
-M-
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