Preschool: Bugs and Mud

IntroductionWelcome by Miss Carole
Daily ReportMonth, Date, Day, Season, Weather
Book 
Imaginary RhymeMud Walk
Have kids put on their pretend boot and start to walk to an imaginary puddle of mud. Have them step in the mud and become “stuck”.
Try to pull their boots out of the mud, but their hands get stuck.
Knees.
Head.
All the way to floor.
Adapted from a rhyme in The Mailbox.
Book 
Action RhymeFlies Fly
The fly flew over my head.
The fly flew under my chin.
The fly flew between my feet.
The fly flew down my nose.
The fly flew beside my cheek.
The fly flew beneath my eyes.
The fly flew in front of my tummy.
The fly flew above my eyebrows.
The fly landed on my right hand.
The fly blew behind my left knee.
The fly flew up my whole body.
Source: The Mailbox Bugs

Each kid received a popsicle stick with a stamp of a fly. They moved the stick around based on the rhyme.
Movement ActivitySnail, Worm, Cricket
Using bug cards, have kids practice moving like the bug on the card. Slowly increase the speed of the switching of the cards as kids become more comfortable with the movement. Source: The Mailbox
MovementSurprise!
I am a little caterpillar. (have kids curl)
In my cocoon, I go to sleep. (make sleeping sounds)
And I won’t move about for days! (stop moving)
But I know I’ll surprise you soon.
And do you know just why? (yell why!)
When the time is right for me, I’ll be a butterfly! (Burst out) Source: Adapted the gross motor movement from The Mailbox.
CreativityMake a Bug
Hand each kid a bag with play-dough, pipe-cleaners, and eyeballs. Have them make their own bug.
Closing SongsABC’s and Counting to 10.
Goodbye songSkidamarink By Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft:

Toddlers: Bugs and Mud

IntroductionHello Everybody by Miss Carole
Daily ReportMonth, Season, Weather
Yoga Move / ASLDead Bug
Book 
Nursery RhymeShoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me
Shoo fly, don’t bother me. Shoo fly, don’t bother me.
Shoo fly, don’t bother me, ‘cause I belong to somebody!  
I feel, I feel,
I feel like the morning star.
I feel, I feel,
I  feel like the morning star.  
Shoo fly, don’t bother me. Shoo fly, don’t bother me.
Shoo fly, don’t bother me, ‘cause I belong to somebody!

I handed out popsicle that had a stamp of the fly at the end of it. The kids made the popsicles fly around.
Book 
Action RhymeCaterpillar Caterpillar
Tune: Frere Jacques
Caterpillar.
Caterpillar.
On the floor.
On the floor.
First you wiggle this way.
Then you wiggle that way.
Crawl, crawl, crawl.
Crawl, crawl, crawl.
Slight adaption from Elizabeth McKinnon’s Poem.
Action RhymeThe Spider Spins Its Web
Tune: Farmer in the Dell
The spider spins its web,
The spider spins its web,
Round and round it goes,
The spider spins its web.  

The spider catches flies,
The spider catches flies,
Stuck in sticky webs,
The spider catches flies.  

The spider runs around,
The spider runs around,
Up, down, all around.
The spider catches runs around.  

The spider climbs a wall.
The spider climbs a wall.
Creeping quietly,
The spider climbs a wall.
Source:Twinkl
Color Recognition ActivityBugs in the Grass
Hand out different color bugs to the kids. When I call a color, have the kids place their bug in the grass.
Source: The Mailbox
Caregiver ActivityWhat’s in the Mud?!
Hand each child a playdough and a few items. Have the kids work on hiding items and then finding them again.
Closing SongsABC’s and Counting to 10.
Goodbye songSkidamarink By Old Town School of Folk Music

Craft:

Bugs – Toddler

Opening Song

Well Hello Everybody, Can You Touch Your Nose

Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
Touch your nose, touch your nose?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your nose,
touch your nose?

Well hello everybody can you touch your toes,
touch your toes, touch your toes?
Well hello everybody, can you touch your toes,
touch your toes?

Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy, rub your tummy?
Well hello everybody, can you rub your tummy,
rub your tummy?

Books

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Snappy Little Bugs by Claire Nielson
The Big Bug Book by David A. Carter
Giant Pop-Out Bugs by Chronicle Books

Traditional Rhymes

This is Big Big Big

This is big big big
This is small small small
This is short short short
This is tall tall tall
This is fast fast fast
This is slow slow slow
This is yes yes yes
This is no no no
Source: Mel’s Desk

Clap, Clap, Clap Your hands

Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them now 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

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Action Rhymes

Spider Crawl

The spider’s crawling on my leg,
Where will he go?
There is no use in asking me-
Only the spider know! (jump the spider to a different body part)

Now the spider’s on my ____(identify body part)
Where will he go?
There is no use in asking me –
Only the spider knows! (repeat, jumping spider to other part)
Source:More Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan

Dragonfly, Dragonfly

Dragonfly, dragonfly, flutter around. (flap wings)
Dragonfly, dragonfly, land on the ground. (crouch down low)
Dragonfly, dragonfly, fly up high. (stand on tiptoe)
Dragonfly, dragonfly, touch the sky. (reach arms up high)
Dragonfly, dragonfly, fly down low. (crouch and flap arms)
Dragonfly, dragonfly, land on my toe. (point to toe).
Dragonfly, dragonfly, there is a fading light, (move hands in front of face).
Dragonfly, dragonfly, time to say goodnight. (wave)
Source: More Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan

A Bee is On My Toe
Tune: Farmer in the Dell

A bee is on my toe. A bee is on my toe.
Heigh-ho just watch me blow.
A bee is on my toe. (blow gently on toe)

(refrain: On my nose; On my head; On my ear)

Source:King County Library System

Activity Songs by Joe Scruggs

La Cucaracha by A World of Kids Mexico
Bumblebee by Laurie Berkner

Take Home Craft

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Children also received a fly swatter with this craft.

Closing Activities

The Alphabet Song
Counting to 5.

Closing Goodbye Song

The Goodbye Train is Leaving
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot.
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot.
Oh the goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving
Oh the goodbye train is leaving see you soon, toot, toot

Observations

The books were more meh for this storytime. The one book they really responded to was The Big Bug Book. If you decide to read this one, I would skip all the little sayings in the flaps. It made the book way too long.