American Girl – Cécile Rey

Introduction	I’ve been really wanting to do a Cécile Rey program for a while now but did not really know what theme I wanted to focus on. Flipping through her books, I came across the yellow fever! I am a total sucker for morbid information, and I figured the subject was fair game if it was in her books. For my opening remarks, I gave the kids information about New Orleans during Cécile’s time, and how yellow fever was rampant. I provided all the kids an 1853 map of the United States, and they had to color in Louisiana and pinpoint New Orleans.
Symptom Checker/ Nursing Activity	After we talked about New Orleans, we started talking about the yellow fever. I gave the symptoms of yellow fever, and the kids colored and marked a human body chart with each of the symptoms. I also emphasized that this was a time where the community would tend to their neighbors if they were sick. I gave each kid a packet of gauze and they could either wrap their dolls or another person.
Masquerade Masks	I honestly could not not do masquerade masks. I outreached to a fellow librarian who lives in New Orleans, and she said that masquerades happen all the time. I figured that my participants would enjoy making their own masks.
Mosquito Spray	Finally, I decided to do a modern twist on the yellow fever. Why not make our own mosquito spray? I researched the different options and picked a kid-safe/toddler-safe spray recipe. I notified the parents about testing the spray first on clothing. I had an assembly line set-up and the kids moved down the table.

Ghosts – Preschool

Introduction	Welcome
Book	How to Scare a Ghost by Jean Reagan
Action Rhyme	Ring Around the Pumpkins Ring around the pumpkins Pocket full of spiders Boo! Boo! We all fall down! The ghosts are in the meadow Drinking witches brew Boo! Boo! We all stand up! Source: Awesome Storytime
Books	Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara
Action Rhyme	Tonight is Halloween Tune: Do You Know the Muffin Man!Did you hear a ghost say, “Boo!” A ghost say, “Boo!,” a ghost say, “Boo!” I think I just heard him too— Tonight is Halloween!Have you tasted Goblin Stew, Goblin Stew, Goblin Stew? I wouldn’t taste it if I were you— Tonight is Halloween!Did you see that bat fly through That bat fly through, that bat fly through? I’d run home if I were you— Tonight is Halloween! Source: The Mailbox
Action Rhyme	Ghost Chant Ghost so scary, Ghost so white, Don’t scare (child’s name) On Halloween Night Source: Piggyback Songs: Seasons & Holidays
Action Song	The More We Boo Together The more we boo together, together, together, The more we boo together the scarier we’ll be. ‘Cause my boo plus your boo will make goblins boo-hoo. The more we boo together the scarier we’ll be. Source: King County Library System
Dance Song	Put Your Fingers in the Air by Miss Carole
Closing Songs	ABC, Count to 10
Goodbye song	It’s Time to Say Goodbye

Craft: A big ghost and a little ghost.
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Ghosts – Toddler

Introduction	Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed
Books	Five Silly Ghosts by Hilli Kushnir
Action Rhyme	The Ghost I saw a ghost (fingers circle eyes) He saw me too (point to yourself) I waved at him (wave your hand) But he said “BOO!” (try to scare person next to you) Source: Preschool Education
Book	Pop-Up Haunted House
Traditional Rhyme	This is Big, Big, Big/Clap Clap Your hands I have started incorporating sign language into “This is Big, Big, Big” rhyme.
ASL	Ghost
Nursery Rhyme	Little Miss Muffet Little miss Muffet she sat on her tuffet, Eating her curds eating and whey Along came a spider who sat down beside her And frightened miss Muffet away.
Action Song	Baby Ghost Baby ghost, baby ghost Flying through the air. (Move puppet back and forth in front of toddler.) Baby ghost, baby ghost Touching your hair. (Have ghost touch toddlers hair.) Baby ghost, baby ghost Flying down low. (Bring hand with puppet down low.) Baby ghost, baby ghost Touches your toe. (Bend down and touch ghost to toddlers toe.) Baby ghost, baby ghost Flying up high. (Raise ghost puppet up high.) Baby ghost, baby ghost Touches your eye. (I had the kids hide behind their puppets and then we all shouted “Boo!”) Source: Preschool Express
Action Song	Two Little Ghosts A very old witch was stirring a pot (make a stirring motion) Ooo-oooo! Ooo-oooo! Two little ghosts said, “What has she got?” (shrug shoulders) Tippytoe, tippytoe, tippytoe…(“walk” fingers up arm or tiptoe in circle) Boo! (Clap hands loudly) Source: Storytimes for Two-Year-Olds by Judy Nichols
Dance Song	Wiggle Walk by Carole Peterson
Traditional Song	ABC, Count to 10
Goodbye Song	Say Goodbye

Craft:

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Skeleton – Preschool

Introduction	Welcome
Book	Dem Bones by Bob Barner
Flannel Rhyme	Build a Skeleton With the older kids, the kids had to tell me how to build the skeleton. I would make them be very specific. For example, if they said the hand went on top, I put the hand on top of the head. They had to tell me the hand went at the end of the arm. Template: Skeleton
Book	Skeleton for Dinner by Margery Cuyler
ASL	Skeleton
Action Rhyme	Skin and Bones There was an old woman all skin and bones, O-o-o-o! She lived down by the old graveyard O-o-o-o! One night she thought she’d take a walk, O-o-o-o! She walked down by the graveyard, O-o-o-o! She saw the bones a laying around, O-o-o-o! She thought she would seep the old church house, O-o-o-o! She went to the closet to get a broom, O-o-o-o! She opened the door and Boo! Source: Bus Songs
Action Rhyme	They’re Necessary! Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean I have lots of bones in my body, (hug self) They help me to stand straight and tall. (stand tall) ‘Cause if there were no bones inside of me, (throw arms out to sides) My body would crumple and fall! (crumple to the floor) I need bones! (stand and point to self) They help me to stand and to move, (march) You see. I need bones! (point to self) My bones are important to me! (march) Source: The Mailbox
Action Rhyme	Parts that Bend Sung to: “B-I-N-G-O” My arms have parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. And this is how I move them! My legs have parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Knee, ankle, heel and foot Knee, ankle, heel and foot Knee, ankle, heel and foot And this is how I move them! My trunk has parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Neck, back, waist and hips Neck, back, waist and hips Neck, back, waist and hips And this is how I move them! I’m made of parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.. Knee, ankle, heel and foot. Neck, back, waist and hips And this is how I move them! Source: Preschool Education
Game	Simon Says
Dance Song	Funny Bone Blues by Greg & Steve
Dance Song	Un Poco Loco by Coco
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 15
Goodbye Song	It’s Time to Say Goodbye

Craft: Source of Inspiration

Skeleton – Toddler

Introduction	Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed
Book	Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
Nursery Rhyme	This Old Man This old man, he played one, (hold up finger) He played knick-knack on my thumb; (show thumb) With a knick-knack (clap clap) paddywhack, (slap knees) Give the dog a bone, (pat knees) This old man came rolling home. (roll hands)
Book	Skeleton Meets the Mummy by Steve Metzger
ASL	Skeleton
Flannel	Recognize the Body Parts Template: Skeleton
Action Rhyme	Bones in My Body There are bones in my body And they keep me upright If I had no bones That would be a fright! Bone in my….feet! That wiggle and jiggle For ME-e-e-e (Do different body parts) Source:SLC Book Boy
Action Rhyme	What’s Inside of Me? Tune: Row, Row, Row Your BoatWhat’s inside my (arm) Where I cannot see? Strong bones are inside of my (arm). Right inside of me!Hand, leg, foot, hip, chest, neck and head Source: The Mailbox
Action Rhyme	I Went to the Dentist I went to the dentist and this is what she said: “Brush your teeth with your hand on your head!” Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, brusha-a, Brush-a, brush-s, brush!I went to the dentist and this is what she said to me: “Brush your teeth with your hand on your knee!” Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, brusha-a, Brush-a, brush-s, brush!I went to the dentist and this is what she said “Oh dear! “Brush your teeth with your hand on your ear!” Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, brusha-a, Brush-a, brush-s, brush!I went to the dentist and this is what she said something funny: “Brush your teeth with your hand on your tummy!” Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, brusha-a, Brush-a, brush-s, brush! I went to the dentist and what do you suppose? “Brush your teeth with your hand on your nose!” Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a, brusha-a, Brush-a, brush-s, brush! Source:Storytime Magic: Fingerplays, flannelboards, and Other Activities by Kathy Macmillan
Dance Song	The Skeleton Song by Super Simple Songs
Dance Song	Do the Skeleton Scat! by The Wiggles
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 10
Goodbye Song	Say Goodbye

Craft: Source of Inspiration

Chickens – Preschool

Introduction	Welcome
What’s in my Egg	Styrofoam Egg filled with different animals – Had the kids guess the different animals.
Book	Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Flannel	Five Little Eggs There are five little eggs And what do we see They’re about to crack open “My goodness me,” said Mother Hen.The first egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a snappy little alligator Looking at me.The second egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little purple dinosaur Looking at me. The third egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little green turtle Looking at me. The fourth egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a pretty little bluebird Looking at me. The fifth egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little yellow chicken Looking at me. “My baby!” said the mother hen, as happy as can be. “Mommy!” said the chick. “Did you meet all my sisters and brothers?” “What!” shrieked Mother Hen, “My goodness me.” Source:Kids Blog
Book	Chicken Butt by Erica S. Perl
Action Rhyme	If You’re a Chicken and You Know It (to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”) If you’re a chicken and you know it flap your wings: flap flap! (hands near armpits, elbows out, flap “wings” twice) If you’re a chicken and you know it flap your wings: flap flap! (hands near armpits, elbows out, flap “wings” twice) If you’re a chicken and you know it, and you really want to show it (hands near armpits, elbows out, flap “wings” twice) If you’re a chicken and you know it, flap your wings: flap flap!Other Verses: Fly up high: fly fly (jump up in air) Scratch with your feet: scritch scratch (drag one foot along ground, then other) Go peck peck: peck peck (Make a beak with hand, tap it on the other hand) Say bok bok: Bok! Bok! (say bok bok) Settle into your nest: settle settle (sit down and wiggle bottom) Source: Jen in the Library
Action Rhyme	This Is the Way the Chicken Moves This the way the chicken walks, chicken walks The chicken walks, the chicken walks. This is the way the chicken walks so early in the morning. (Bob the head, chin in front) This is the way the chicken stretches (flap wings) This is the way the chicken dances (move your tail feathers) This is the way the chickens sits (act like your sitting on a nest)Source: Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year’s Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins
Action Rhyme	Shake, Shake, Shake (Tune: Do your ears hang low?)Can you shake your egg up high? Can you shake your egg down low? Can you shake it side to side? Can you shake it by your toe? Can you shake it really fast? Can you shake it really slow? Can you shake your egg? Source: Storytimes and More
Dance Song	Put a Chicken on Your Head by Mr. Eric and Mr. Michael
Dance Song	Chicken Dance
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 10
Goodbye Song	It’s Time to Say Goodbye

Craft: Chicken headband! Source of inspiration.

Chicken – Toddler

Introduction	Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed
Action Rhyme	Ten Fluffy Chickens Five eggs and five eggs That makes ten Sitting on top is the mother hen Crackle, crackle, crackle What do I see Ten fluffy chickens As yellow as can be!
Book	Is Everyone Ready for Fun by Jan Thomas
Nursery Rhyme	Humpty Dumpty Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Book	Hurry Hurry by Eve Bunting
Sign Language	Chicken
Traditional Rhyme	This is Big, Big, Big/Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Flannel	Five Little Eggs There are five little eggs And what do we see They’re about to crack open “My goodness me,” said Mother Hen.The first egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a snappy little alligator Looking at me. The second egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little purple dinosaur Looking at me. The third egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little green turtle Looking at me. The fourth egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a pretty little bluebird Looking at me. The fifth egg cracks open And what do we see It’s a little yellow chicken Looking at me. “My baby!” said the mother hen, as happy as can be. “Mommy!” said the chick. “Did you meet all my sisters and brothers?” “What!” shrieked Mother Hen, “My goodness me.” Source:Kids Blog
Action Rhyme	Chicken in the Barnyard Chicken in the Barnyard (bounce child up and down) Staying out of trouble Along comes a turkey and…(slow down and build dramatic tension Gobble, Gobble, Gobble! (pretend to nibble/tickle) Source:Felt-Tastic Flannel Board Fun Time
Dance Song	Chicken Dance
Dance Song	I Know a Chicken by Laurie Berkner
Cool down	ABCs, Count to 5
Goodbye Song	Say Goodbye

Craft: Chicken headband! Source of inspiration.

Elephants – Preschool

Introduction	Welcome
Book	I Want to Go First! by Richard Byrne
Flannel Rhyme	Elephants in the Bathtub One elephant in the bathtub Going for a swim. Knock, Knock, (Clap twice with “Knock, Knock.”) Splash, Splash, (Slap knees twice with “Splash, Splash.”) Come on in! (Motion with both hands to come in.) Two elephants elephants in the bathtub… etc. (Until…) Five elephants elephants in the bathtub Going for a swim. Knock, Knock, Splash, Splash, They all fell in! Source: Storytime Katie
Book	Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
ASL	Elephant
Action Rhyme	Up the Hill Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy creepy! (crawl) Here goes a rabbit up a hill, boing, boing, boing! (jump)Here goes a snake up a hill, slither, slither, slither! (make snake motion with arms) Here goes the elephant up the hill, thud, thud, thud! (stomp) Here comes the elephant down the hill, boom, boom, boom! (bounce to ground and clap) Source: Storytime Katie
Action Rhyme	Elephants have Wrinkles Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles, Elephants have wrinkles everywhere! Wrinkles on their (insert body part)! Source:The Loudest Librarian
Action Rhyme	Who is He? Tune: Feres Jacques Big and slow, hear him go, Oh, so huge; oh, so huge. He makes a sound like thunder, Who is he, I wonder? See his Trunk. Elephant. Source: Unsure of where I found this one.
Dance Song	No More Monkeys by Asheba I busted out the parachute and threw some balls on it. The kids tried to keep the balls on the parachute.
Dance Song	If You’re Happy and You Know It by The Big Kidz Band
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 10
Goodbye Song	It’s Time to Say Goodbye

Craft: Here is the template for the elephant.
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Elephants – Toddlers

Introduction	Hello Everybody, Yes Indeed
Fun Opening	I Went to Visit the Zoo One Day I went to visit the zoo one day Saw an elephant along the way! And what do you think I heard him say? [elephant noise] Source: Abby the Librarian
Book	I Dream of an Elephant by Ami Rubinger
Nursery Rhyme	I Asked My Mother I asked my mother for fifty cents, To see the elephant jump the fence, He jumped so high, He reached the sky, And didn’t come back till the Fourth of July!
Book	That’s Not My Elephant by Fiona Watt
ASL	Elephant
Action Rhyme	This is the Way This is the way I stomp my feet, Stomp my feet, stomp my feet. This is the way I stomp my feet, Cause I’m an elephant! Other actions can include: Wave trunk, shake tail, etc.
Action Rhyme	The Elephant Hokey-Pokey You put your trunk in, You put your trunk out, You put your trunk in, And you shake it all about. You stomp around on your big feet And turn yourself around, That’s what it’s all about.Right ear in… Left ear in… Tail in… Tusks in… Whole self in.. Source:Falling Flannelboards
Dance Song	Wag Your Tail by Super Simple Learning
Dance Song	No More Monkeys by Asheba I busted out the parachute and threw some balls on it. The kids tried to keep the balls on the parachute.
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 10
Goodbye Song	Say Goodbye

Craft: Here is the template for the elephant.

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Pumpkins – Preschool

Introduction	Welcome
Book	Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Flannel Rhyme	Where’s My Pumpkin Tune: Where is Thumbkin Where’s my pumpkin? Where’s my pumpkin? Here it is! Here it is! (______) jack-o-lantern. (______) jack-o-lantern. Looks likes this. Looks like this. Source: Sing a Song of Season: Over 200 Original Songs, Poems, and Fingerplays by The Mailbox
Flannel Rhyme	FIVE LITTLE JACK-O’LANTERNS Five little jack-o’lanterns glowing by the door Father took one and that left four. Four little jack-o’lanterns, a sight to see Mother took one and that left three. Three little jack-o’lanterns lit through and through Brother took one and that left two. Two little jack-o’lanterns greeting everyone, Sister took one and that left one. One little jack-o’lantern, with a great big grin I picked him up and took him in. Source: Preschool Express
Book	The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
ASL	Pumpkin
Action Rhyme	Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pumpkin, pumpkin, Sitting on the wall, (sit on the floor) Pumpkin, pumpkin Tip and fall. (fall to one side)Pumpkin, pumpkin Rolling down the street, (roll on floor or roll hands) Pumpkin, pumpkin, Trick-or-treat. Source: Busy Bees Fun for Two’s and Three’s by Elizabeth McKinnon
Action Rhyme	Pumpkin Roll Pumpkins, pumpkins (Have the kids roll around on the floor like pumpkins) On the ground, Rolling, rolling All around. See them rolling Down the hill- Now they stop And lie so still Source: Busy Bees Fun for Two’s and Three’s by Elizabeth McKinnon
Action Rhyme	Pumpkin Song [tune: “I’m a Little Teapot” ]I’m a little pumpkin orange and round. Here is my stem, there is the ground. When I get all cut up, don’t you shout! Just open me up and scoop seeds out! Source: DLTK
Dance Song	Pass the Pumpkin by Carole Stephens We passed a pumpkin around in a circle. I did modify the instructions.
Dance Song	Pumpkin Polka
Cool Down	ABCs, Count to 15
Goodbye Song	It’s Time to Say Goodbye