Month: April 2024

My Name – Toddler

Opening SongHello Hello! by Super Simple Songs
CalendarKids helped identify the month, weather and season.
ASLName 
Book We Want Names Too by Jean LeRoy
Weekly RhymeThis is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is short, short, short.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes.
This is no, no. no. 
         
Sing two times. Second time add in ASL for yes and no.
Source: Mel’s Desk
Weekly RhymeClap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap your hands with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet
Source: Found this on another librarian’s site years ago.
Name ActivityMake Your Name a Song
Have the kids move to each letter. For older kids, you can have them create a whole movement for their name.
Source: The Inspired Treehouse
Letter RecognitionAlphabet Stickers
I hung the alphabet around the room in no particular order. I gave each kid a blue or purple sticker. They would sticker the letter of their first name with their blue sticker and use the purple sticker for the letter of their last name.
Dance SongBingo by Doggyland
Dance SongHokey Pokey Blues by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael
Cool DownWe melt all the way down to floor until we are laying down. We sing the Alphabet and count up to 5 and Down from 5.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Songs

Storytime Craft: I saw several versions of this craft on the internet. For the crayons, I labeled the top of the crayon with the letters of my name and the bottom of the crayon with numbers. I also mentioned to the patrons they could label the crayon with its color.

My Name – Preschool

Opening SongWelcome by Carole Peterson
CalendarThe kids helped identify the
Date, Day, Month, Season, and Weather
ASLWe learned the ASL for:
My
Name
Rhyming Match with National HolidaysThe kids had to identify what two words rhymed with “Name”.
I had the words the following words:
Brain
Rain
Bananas for National Banana Day
Animal Crackers for National Animal Cracker Day
Book Animal Soup by Todd Doodler
Silly Rhyme“My Name Is…”
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
One day, my boss said to me,
“Joe, are you busy?”
I said no.
“Push the button with your right hand.” (keeping pushing with right hand; add left hand, right foot, left foot)
… One day, my boss said to me, “Joe are you busy?” I said yes!!
Source: Storytime Katie

Use Buzzers/or Buttons for Funny Sounds
RhymeHickity Pickity
Hickety-Pickety Bumble Bee
Won’t you say your name for me?
Briony
Let’s Fly and Say it.
Briony (make bumble bee go up and down with syllables)
Let’s fly it fast!
Briony
Let’s fly it slow.
Briony  

Hand out Bumble Bees/pom-poms.  Have the kids move their bees up and down with syllables. If the crowd is too large, have guardians work one on one with their kids.  
Source: Adapted from Stories With Ms. Jenna
GameName Hunt
Have guardians write their child’s name on a piece of post-it and then collect them. Put the names around the room and then have the children find their names.
Name Recognition ActivityConstruction Paper and Goldfish
Have the adults write out their kids’ names on paper. Then have the kids trace their names with the goldfish moving with the flow of the letters.
Dance SongBumbleebee by The Laurie Berkner Band
The kids kept their Pom-Pom and danced with it.
Dance SongWhat’s My Name from The Descendants
Cool DownWe melt all the way down to floor until we are laying down. We sing the Alphabet and count up to 5 and Down from 5.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Songs

Storytime Craft: I saw several versions of this craft on the internet. For the crayons, I labeled the top of the crayon with the letters of my name and the bottom of the crayon with numbers. I also mentioned to the patrons they could label the crayon with its color.

Four and Roars – Preschool

Opening SongWelcome by Carole Peterson
CalendarThe kids helped identify the
Date, Day, Month, Season, and Weather
Introduction ConceptWhich Big Cats Roar?
I showed the kids pictures of the big cats that roar. I then played a sound clip from youtube with each big cat’s roar.
Lion, Tiger, Jaguar, Leopard

Cheetahs are example of a big cat that does not roar.    

I used the video “All Big Cat Sounds” by Meow Meow TV.
ASLFour
Lion
Rhyming Match with National HolidaysRhyming Activity:
I showed an image of the number four. Then I showed the kids four more pictures and had them identify each one. Then the kids had to identify which two pictures rhymed with four. The other two pictures corresponded with a national holiday.
Door
Floor
Unicorn
Submarine
BookRoar, Roar, Growl, Growl: Sounds From the Jungle by Jennifer Shand
Finger RhymeWhere Is Big Cat (Tune: Where is Thumbkin)
Before starting I introduced the kids to Big Cat (my thumbs) and Little Cat (my pinkies). The cats give a little meow and the kids show me their Big Cat and Little Cat. Where is big cat, where is big cat (hide thumbs)
Here I am, here I am (bring thumbs out)
How are you today cat (wiggle one thumb)
Very well I thank you (wiggle other thumb)
Roar, Roar, Roar (put thumbs behind back)
Roar, Roar, Roar   Where is little cat…meow, meow, meow.
Source: Adapted from Adventures of a Bookworm
BookRoar: A Book of Animal Sounds by Katerina Kerouli
RhymeA Lion is Big
A Lion is big (arms wide open)
And very strong. (show muscles)
It has a tail (show tail)
That’s very long (shake tail).
A Lion can roar In a great big way.(roar)
I feel like a lion today! (roar again!)
Source: Adapted from Totally for Twos by The Mailbox.
Math ActivityBig Cats Missing Addend
Have the kids figure out how many big cats they need to equal the number of cats on the strip.
Source: Robin Reifel
Habitat ActivityWhere do Big Cats Live?
We talked about each big cat and then the kids had to match the big cat to where they live.
Source: Salaam Mummy
Dance SongLion Lessons by Pinkfong
Cool DownWe melt all the way down to floor until we are laying down. We sing the Alphabet and count up to 5 and Down from 5.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink by Old Town School of Folk Songs

Storytime Craft: The number 4 representing the 4 big cats that roar. The spotted 4 represents the jaguar and leopard.

Four and Roars – Toddler

Opening SongHello Hello! by Super Simple Songs
CalendarKids helped identify the month, weather and season.
Introduction to ConceptIdentify the Big Cat pictures that roar.
Leopards
Jaguars
Lions
Tigers
Cheetahs (purr)
ASLNumber 4                           
Book I Can Roar by Frank Asch
Weekly RhymeThis is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big.
This is small, small, small.
This is tall, tall, tall.
This is short, short, short.
This is fast, fast, fast.
This is slow, slow, slow.
This is yes, yes, yes.
This is no, no. no. 
         
Sing two times. Second time add in ASL for yes and no.
Source: Mel’s Desk
Weekly RhymeClap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap your hands with me
Clap your hands, let me see
Clap your hands with me

Beep, beep, beep your nose
Touch, touch, touch your shoulders
Tap, tap, tap your knees
Shake, shake, shake your feet
Source: Found this on another librarian’s site years ago.
Guessing ActivityDoes it Roar?
I mixed the big cat pictures in with other animals that do not roar. I would pull out each animal and ask the kids if it roars. If the animal does not roar then kids made the sound appropriate for that animal.
RhymeSpots, Spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, (tap spots around your body)
spots, spots, spots, spots (tap spots)
A leopard has lots of spots (tap spots)
What a lot of spots he got
A tiger’s stripes are always nice (make stripes down your body)
But a leopard has lots of spots (resume tapping spots on body)
Spots, spots, spots, spots,
Spots, spots, spots, spots
Source: Jbrary
Nursery Dance songSoft Kitty
Soft kitty,
Warm kitty,
Little ball of fur!
Happy kitty,
Sleepy kitty,
Purr, purr, purr!

Make a “kitty” with your fist and put it against your chest. Pet the kitty while you sing the song.
Dance SongThe Lion by Pinkfong
Cool DownMelt all the way down to floor until you are laying down. Sin the Alphabet and count up and down from 5.
Goodbye SongSkidamarink (Ipod)

Storytime Craft:

I wanted to work on the recognizing the letter 4 but incorporating elements of the roaring big cats. Each number 4 represents a roaring big cat. The spotted 4 is technically representing two big cats (leopard and jaguar) because they have similar spots.

Gabby’s Dollhouse: A-Meow-Zing Forts

Set-Up/RegistrationFor this program, I had families register as one unit. Once I knew how many families were going to be in attendance, I created stations. Each station had one table, three chairs, and 6 clothespins. Families were expected to bring their own blankets and pillows.



Activity 1: Paper BlanketsI have done this craft in the past and it is a huge hit. I die-cut a bunch of different scrapbook paper and then created a 6 X 6 square sheet for the kids to create their own quilt. After they were done quilting, they would cut out their quilt and glue it on to a colorful piece of construction paper.
Activity 2: PillowsI had the kids create their own no-sew fleece pillows. To be cost effective, I opted for 9X9 size squares for 43 kids. This size turned out some cute small pillows, but the adults definitely had to help younger kids out. If I had my way, I would have gone 12×12 size.

SnackRainbow Sherbet Punch with animal crackers.

Recipe from Bitz & Giggles
I really liked this recipe because it did not require a ton of extra ingredients. A library board member helped me dish out individual cups to participants. Once all the kids had their snack and drink, we allowed the adults to come up. Surprisingly a lot of the adults also enjoyed the snack.