“Letter P’ preschool storytime

Opening Song
I wiggle my fingers. I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my ears. I wiggle my nose.
I wiggle my shoulders. I wiggle my chin.
I stretch my arms wide and pull them back in.
I wiggle my elbows. I wiggle my knees.
I hop like a bunny. I smile and say, “Cheese!”
Now I have no more wiggles left in me
And I sit on the floor as still as can be.
Source: Storytime with Jason

Alphabet Monster (with puppet)
I’m the Alphabet Monster
And nothing tastes better
To the Alphabet Monster
Than eating a letter.
Today I will eat a “P” if I may
With the million more letters
I munch every day.
I’m hungry now. What shall I do?
I think I’ll eat a “y” an “o” and a “u” . . . . . . That means YOU!
Source: Storyblocks (adapted)

Everyone had a TON of wiggles today so we started out with a song:
Mr. Eric’s “Polka Dot Pants,” and I even had a break dancer!

Book: Too Pickley by Jean Reidy

Popping Hopping Popcorn
One little kernel (crouch down)
Sleeping in the pot.Turn on the heat
And watch it pop. (Jump into the air)
Popping, hopping popcorn; (hop around)
A munchy, crunchy treat.)
Pour on the butter
And let me eat!
Source: King County Library System

Song: Laurie Berkner’s “Pig on Her Head“

 Felt Board – Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Source: the book by Bill Martin, Jr. 

Book – Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Song – Jim Gill’s “Poison Ivy”

Two Mother Pigs
Two mother pigs lived in a pen
(show thumbs)
Each had four babies, and that made ten
(show fingers & thumbs)
These four babies were black as night
(thumb in palm, wiggle fingers)
These four babies were black and white (switch hands, repeat)
But all eight babies loved to play
And they rolled and rolled in the mud all day (roll hands)
At night, with their mother,
they curled up in a heap (clasp hands)
And squealed and squealed
Till they fell fast asleep.
Source: King County Library System

Book – Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

If You’re a Pirate and You Know It
If you’re a pirate and you know it,
Swab the deck (Swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate and you know it,
Swab the deck (Swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate and you know it,
then you’ll hear the sea winds blowin’.
If you’re a pirate and you know it,
Swab the deck (Swish, swish)
“Walk the plank” (Stomp, stomp)
Say ahoy: Ahoy!
Source: Adapted Traditional

Goodbye
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as high as we can
Good-bye! (in high, squeaky voice)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as low as we can
Good-bye! (in a deep voice)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as fast as we can
Good-bye! (very quick)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as slow as we can
Good-bye! (very slowly and drawn out)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as quiet as we can
Good-bye! (in a whisper)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as loud as we can
GOOD-BYE! (yelling)
Source: Jbrary

Early literacy tip:  P is for predictable books! Predictable books, like Pete the Cat or Bill Martin Jr.’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, make reading aloud an interactive experience for children, as they can join in as they become familiar with the sentence patterns. Have your child predict what may come next in the book.

• Teaching Early Literacy by Diane Barone et al

Other books
Not that Pet – Smriti Prasadam-Halls

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“Tip Toe Tapirs” yoga storytime

Opening – How I explain the rules of yoga storytime: stay on your mat and keep your hands to yourself.
(Skip to my Lou –  from Jim Gill)
Stomping feet, one and two
Stomping feet, one and two
But if my feet were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling.

Clapping hands, one and two
Clapping hands, one and two
But if my hands were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling
(hands in Anjali mudra, or prayer position)

Extend and Stretch
Frere Jacques
Extend and stretch (sit in sukasana – easy seated pose, or crisscross applesauce- and do seated side bends)
Extend and stretch
Twist and turn (seated twists)
Twist and turn
This is yoga, (hands overhead on “this,” then bring to prayer position on “yoga”)
This is yoga
Om sweet om, (hands in prayer, bow forward)
Om sweet om
Source: I got this from Kids Yoga Guide teacher training, but here is another from Be Grace Yoga 

Song: Kira Willey’s “Stop and Go”
We talked about being mindful, mindful meaning paying attention and listening. In order to pay attention and listen, we must be quiet. 

Open the Book
Arms, legs, both
Close the book. Open the book. Turn the page.
Start seated with arms stretched out in front of you, palms touching. To “open the book,” stretch the arms wide. To close it, bring them back together. To “turn the page,” open just the right arm and close it, then the left arm and close it. Repeat “turning pages” until the kids giggle. Repeat the whole sequence using legs instead of arms. Then try arms and legs together. 

Book – Tip Toe Tapirs by Hanmin Kim
The elephant went bam bam – prasarita padottonasana with arms extended like elephant trunk. Make an elephant trumpet noise.
Rhinocerous – horse stance with hands on head like a horn
ape – dance around like a monkey
tapirs – tiptoe around quietly
They were careful not to step on a flower – flower pose
They were careful not to step on an ant. – balasana/child’s pose
resting crocodiles – makarasana/ crocodile pose
tapirs lived in the most peaceful tree – tree pose/vrksasana
long walk past the waterfall – paschimottanasana/seated forward fold. Make sounds like water flowing.
leopard – mountain climbers For extra oomph,  twist to cross the midline of the body!
hunter’s shotgun – arkana dhanurasana/archer’s pose (both sides)
Tiptoe very softly for the rest of the book.

Song: “Listen and Move” – Greg and Steve (another great song for a lesson in mindfulness!)

Hoberman Sphere breathing ball

Savasana This was a guided savasana. We thought sometimes life was crazy and noisy, and if we ever needed a break, we could always tiptoe away and be quiet for awhile.

Peace begins with me
Hold both hands overhead. On the word “peace,” touch the thumbs and pinky fingers together. On the word “begins,” touch the thumbs and ring fingers. On the word “with,” touch the thumbs and middle fingers. On the word “me,” touch the thumbs and pointers. Repeat this four times, the first time loudly and hands overhead. The second time, bring the hands down a little and speak a little softer. The third time, bring hands lower and whisper. The last time, bring hands to knees and speak words silently to self.
Source: Kids Yoga Guide Teacher Training

Lavender rice heating calming sock One of my child care providers suggested using millet instead of rice because it lasts longer so I will try that next time!

Namaste!

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“Letter O” preschool storytime

Opening Song
I wiggle my fingers. I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my ears. I wiggle my nose.
I wiggle my shoulders. I wiggle my chin.
I stretch my arms wide and pull them back in.
I wiggle my elbows. I wiggle my knees.
I hop like a bunny. I smile and say, “Cheese!”
Now I have no more wiggles left in me
And I sit on the floor as still as can be.
Source: Storytime with Jason

Alphabet Monster (with puppet)
I’m the Alphabet Monster
And nothing tastes better
To the Alphabet Monster
Than eating a letter.
Today I will eat an “O” if I may
With the million more letters
I munch every day.
I’m hungry now. What shall I do?
I think I’ll eat a “y” an “o” and a “u” . . . . . . That means YOU!
Source: Storyblocks (adapted)

Book – Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

I See Three
I see three-one, two, three
(hold up three fingers, one at a time)
Three little bunnies
Reading the funnies
(hold hands open like pages)
I see three-one, two, three
Three kittens
Wearing mittens (hold up fists)
I see three-one, two, three
Three little frogs
Sitting on logs (squat)
I see three-one, two, three
Three bears
Climbing upstairs (pretend to climb)
Source: UMass Amherst

Song – Jim Gill’s “Silly Dance Contest”

Felt Board – Five Little Owls 

Book – Black? White? Day? Night? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Opposites – This is Big
This is big, big, big
This is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
This is tall, tall, tall
This is yes, yes, yes
This is no, no, no
This is fast, fast, fast
This is slow, slow, slow
Source: Storyblocks

Open, Shut Them
Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap.
Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap.
Creep them, crawl them
Creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin.
Open wide your little mouth
But do not put them in.
Source: King County Library System

Book – The Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Ocean Life
A jellyfish jiggles
An octopus wiggles
A green turtle glides
A slippery fish slides
But the great big whale goes, “SPLASH!”
Source: I thought this came from King County Library System, but I can’t seem to find it. 

Song – “Slippery Fish”
(I have no idea who sings the version of Slippery Fish that I have, but it’s a male vocalist with minimal accompaniment. I so much prefer this to any of the female versions I can find. If anyone knows who this is, please let me know!)

Goodbye
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as high as we can
Good-bye! (in high, squeaky voice)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as low as we can
Good-bye! (in a deep voice)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as fast as we can
Good-bye! (very quick)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as slow as we can
Good-bye! (very slowly and drawn out)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as quiet as we can
Good-bye! (in a whisper)
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s say good-bye as loud as we can
GOOD-BYE! (yelling)
Source: Jbrary

Early literacy tip: O is for oral reading! It is important for your child to hear you read aloud. If they are starting to read themselves, have them read aloud. Reading aloud helps kids decode words and read with expression.

• Teaching Early Literacy by Diane Barone et al

 

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