Back to School Storytime

Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi

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Book: Foxy – Emma Dodd

(A bit abstract, but really fun illustrations, and goofs on Fox’s part.) 

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Activity: Little Cuckoo clock

(Sometimes the simplest stuff is the best stuff. The clock is drawn on a piece of foam, with the hour hand stuck in the center. We just moved it to the next number before the next verse of the song, then stopped and 4:00 and just counted the rest of the numbers. )

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
(swing arms in rythem)
Tick tock, tick tock, now it’s one o’clock.
Cuckoo! (jump once)

(Continue with two, three, four and five o’clock.)

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Book: Oliver and his Alligator – Paul Schmid

(I was a little hesitant about including this, but it was quite a hit! The kids and parents both enjoyed it, and it had some nice talking point opportunities.) 

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Activity: If You’re Wearing Any Red…
Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re wearing any red, any red
If you’re wearing any red, any red
If you’re wearing any red,
wave your hands above your head,
If your clothes have any red, any red.

…if you’re wearing any blue,
jump up and down inside your shoes,
…if you’re wearing any white,
scrunch your face up small and tight,
…if you’re wearing any yellow,
jiggle like a bowl of jello-o,
…if you’re wearing any green,
tilt sideways ‘till you lean,
…if you’re wearing any brown,
make a face like a clown,
…if you’re wearing any purple,
spin around in a circle,
…if you’re wearing any black,
pat yourself right on the back
…if your wearing any gray,
go ahead and shout Hurray!
…if you’re wearing any orange,
pretend to sleep and snoreange.

(The kids really like this activity, the only trouble is when we don’t have enough time to include every color.) 

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Book: Little Lola – Julie Saab

(This was a very nice addition. A few of the spreads were a little busy for storytime, but not enough to exclude it.) 

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Activity: There’s a Dog in School

(A really fun activity. There is a recording available out there, but I like the freedom of including a dinosaur!)

There’s a Dog in School, oh no!
What are we going to do?
As long as there’s a dog in school,
he’ll have to learn the alphabet too.

Ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff, etc…

(continue with other animals)

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Book: Ollie’s School Day – Stephanie Calmenson

(We do clip a few of the pages, but the kids quite like correcting Ollie’s sillyness.) 

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Activity: Books

(We end our back to school program by giving away free books to the kids!)

Back to School Storytime

(A little drama occurred prior to this storytime. I took my bag of books home to practice them, and it got lost somewhere! So I scrounged together a new set in the half hour before my program. It worked out pretty well though. )

Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi

Book: Late for School -Stephanie Calmenson

The kids had fun with this, it was nice having them identify all the different modes of transportation.

(wanted to use Cornelius P. Mud, are you Ready for School?  by Barney Saltzberg)

Song: There’s  Dog in School

There’s a dog in school, OH NO!

What are we going to do?

As long as there’s a dog in school

He’ll have to learn his alphabet, too!

(Bark the ABC song, then continue with other animals. I used a dog, cat, mouse, dinosaur, then child to sing the proper way.)

(This was very popular!)

Book: How Rocket Learned to Read – Tad Hills

This story is rather long, so I clipped some pages together. Not very suited to for storytime but it worked okay.

(wanted to use Llama Llama Misses Mamma by Anna Dewdey)

Activity: If you’re wearing any red

If your clothes have any red, any red

If your clothes have any red, any red

If your clothes have any red,

put your hands above your head,

If your clothes have any red, any red.

…if your clothes have any blue,

jump up and down inside your shoes,

…if your clothes have any white,

scrunch your face up small and tight,

…if your clothes have any yellow,

jiggle like a bowl of jello-o,

…if your clothes have any green,

tilt sideways ‘till you lean,

…if your clothes have any brown,

turn around and around,

Talked about wearing new school clothes, it was a good get up and move activity.

Book: If You Take a Mouse to School – Numeroff

This was a little flat, but worked okay. It was good we’d just done a moving thing!

(wanted to use Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin)

Activity: One Was Johnny from the book by Maurice Sendak

I had a little flip board with number for the kids to call out. It worked well enough, but some of the kids were getting a little restless.

Book: How do Dinosaurs go to School? – Jane Yolen

Pretty compact, and who doesn’t love dinosarus!  One little boy started shouting out No! after each of the questions. Love that participation!

(wanted to use Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten! by Heywon Yum)

Activity: Hand Out Books

(We had a bunch of books to give the kids to help them ‘Get ready for school’. And as a present for those that wouldn’t be able to attend storytime anymore when summer ends.)