Time for Two’s can be a rambunctious storytime. I was prepared this time with lots and lots of wiggle songs!
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.
ASL – Hello FriendsI like to use sign language in my story time. We go over the signs for: Hello, Friends, Time and Say. Thanks to Jbrary for this one!
Movement Exercise – Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
We do this three times, faster and FASTER each time.
Song – SkidamarinkIt’s a classic, I know you all know it!
Then I get into my theme. This time we did all things camping!
Story – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Micheal Rosen
This one is great for repetition. The kids almost know the words before you reach the end. You can throw in some movements too, which helps because it is a little long.
Song – Do Your Ears Hang Low
We love to sing around the campfire right? First we practiced the words using a flip chart and then I put on the song for us to dance to.
Flannel – Five Little KernelsThis is just a simple flannel that you can work on counting with. It is also fun to go POP! and pop goes the kernel.
Rhyme – Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
This is a classic. I asked the kids if they ever look up at the stars when they go camping and then we do you simple movements to the rhyme. Repeat twice.
Song – The Ants Go Marching
I used Freegal to download a decently paced version of this song. We only let it play to 5 ants marching.
Story – Scare a Bear by Kathy-jo Wargin
Our library didn’t have a copy of this one so I had to get it from ILL. But it was a great one because the rhyme was fun and at the end I pulled out my bear puppet and all the kids got a chance to scare him!
Song w/ Shakers – Chug-a-lug-a Choo Choo
We just shake our shakers and dance. By this point in storytime we just need to dance!
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:
Overall, things went pretty well this time. We did just enough to keep us happy and not too much to get all fidgety. I was glad I had all my songs prepared because this is a loud group, so anytime I don’t have to sing/shout over the kids, I’m happy. I do need to find another version of Do your hears hang low; the song was a little too fast for us, so we mostly just swayed to the music.
That’s all for now!
-M-
Comments