“Bugs” 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: Karma Kids Yoga’s “Yoga Clock (Tick Tock)“

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 – Fly! by Karl Newsom Edwards
worm – shalabhasana/locust pose
grasshopper – malasana/yoga squat and jump around
roly poly – rock n roll pose Want a challenge? Try rocking and rolling into standing without using your hands!
ants – marching. See if you can lift one leg and hold it. Try the other leg.
spider – Stand with feet wide. Swing arms from side to side, rotating torso with arms. This loosens the spine and lower back.
caterpillar – cobra pose/bhujangasana
beetle? (dig) – prasarita padottonasana with arms extended like you’re digging
butterfly – baddha konasana/bound angle pose
fly – virabhadrasna III/ warrior III

Group Ant Pose
Stand in a line. Come into table pose, with each kid holding the ankles of the child in front of them. Try to crawl around in sync.


Song: “Be a Bumblebee” – Kira Willey

Hoberman Sphere breathing ball

Savasana This was a guided savasana. We thought about how small bugs are but how, even when they’re small, they are able to clean up dead leaves, take care of other bugs for us, and even turn into butterflies. Even the smallest bugs have the most important of jobs.

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

Bumblebee stress ball craft.
We filled one balloon with 1/2 cup flour. (You can also use corn starch or rice.) Then we cut the tip off of the other balloon and slid it over the flour-filled one. We drew stripes, wings, and antennae on our bee friends.

Namaste!

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Mini Early Literacy Fair

Once a year we hold an after hours event called the Early Literacy Fair , in which little ones ages 0-5 and their grown-ups can have fun with with games and activities that promote the pre-reading skills and practices of Every Child Ready to Read.

This year we also recreated this event in miniature at one of our outreach locations Severance Town Hall.

Writing
We drove cars down the letter roads. We built finger strength using Play-doh. We practiced writing with the magnetized alphabet board. Drawing is a way to practice pre-writing skills. Use sticks to draw in the sand, use crayons or marker, or finger paint! Say finger plays to develop the fine motor skills needed to write later.

Talking
We played with puppets. We used the mirrors and emotions cards to identify and recreate emotions. Talking to your kids builds their vocabularies. The more words they hear, the more they know. The more words they know, the easier it is for them to learn to read! Let them use their own words to respond to you.  Understanding emotions in themselves and others develops healthy  mental responses to situations and  encourages empathy.

Playing
We drove cars around and “read” the street signs.
Playing allows kids to use vocabulary and tell their own stories, developing imagination. They can solve pretend problems, increasing social emotional development and critical thinking skills.  “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from
serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” – Mr. Rogers

Singing
We danced with scarves, egg shakers, and other instruments. We made tambourines using bells, plates, ribbons, and twist ties. Singing breaks words into syllables, making the individual sounds easier to hear. Clap out syllables in words. Make up silly songs for any occasion. Dance to music to develop gross body movements and creativity. Make  and play musical instruments.

Reading
We played in the sensory bin filled with rice, letters, and numbers. We usedclothespins to complete the words. For younger children, adults could tell them the correct letter so they could search for it. The more kids are read to, the better readers they will be! Read everywhere, and read anything: newspapers, books, menus, signs, cereal boxes, etc. Point out letters and numbers.

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“Letter S” 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 “S” 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 – Go! Go! Go Stop! by Cherise Mericle Harper

Song – Kira Willey – “Stop and Go”

Sleeping Bunnies
See the little bunnies sleeping
‘Til it’s nearly noon?
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
Oh, so still. Are they ill?
Wake up little bunnies!
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Source: So many versions of this song! Here is one with a ukulele! (Random fact: Did you know Miss Mary and I both have tattoos of Pete the Cat?)
 

Slowly, Slowly
Slowly, slowly very slowly
Creeps the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
Up the wooden rail.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
Runs the little mouse.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
Round about the house
Source: Jbrary 

Book – Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Spider on the Floor
There’s a spider on the floor, on the floor,
There’s a spider on the floor, on the floor.
Who could ask for any more
Than a spider on the floor,
There’s a spider on the floor, on the floor!
Oh, no! It’s on my toe!…
I think I better go I have a spider on my toe,
Oh, no! It’s on my knee!
There’s a spider on my knee…I think I better flee
There’s a spider on my thigh…I think I’m going to cry
There’s a spider on my neck…I feel like such a wreck
There’s a spider on my head…I’m filled with such dread
BUT, it jumped off!
There’s a spider on the floor…
Source: King County Library System

Song – Jim Gill’s – “Spaghetti Legs”

Book – The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort

Sometimes I am Tall
Sometimes I am Tall
Sometimes I am small
Sometimes I am very, very tall
Sometimes I am very, very small
Sometimes tall, sometimes small
See how I am now
Source: King County Library System

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:  S is for spelling words! Point out the letters that make up words. Start with the first initial of your child’s name.

• Teaching Early Literacy by Diane Barone et al

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