I run Storytime at the Penguin Bookshop and thought it would be fun to share my Storytime plans. While my Storytime is open to all ages, I do gear toward the younger crowd because a lot of 1 and 2 year olds attend. A few of these ideas are my own, but the majority I borrow from my favorite Storytime websites, which include Storytime Katie, Sunflower Storytime, Dog Earned Storytime, and Library Village.
Welcome Song:
(to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at Storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
(wave, stomp, march, wiggle, blink, waddle)
Alphabet Song: Use shakers while singing!
Introduce Letter:
Show kids a flashcard of the letter A.
Sing “The A says aaa, the A says aaa, every letter makes a sound, the A says aaa.”
Book 1: Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie
Activity: “The Ants Go Marching”
(I made ant puppets and we marched as we sang)
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom
(Two by two – the little one stops to tie his shoe; Three by three – the little one stops to climb a tree)
Book 2: At the Apple Orchard (Pat the Bunny)
Activity: “Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree”
Five little monkey swinging in a tree
Teasing Mr. Alligator, can’t catch me, you can’t catch me!
Along comes Mr. Alligator, as quiet as can be
And snaps that monkey right out of the tree!
(Four little monkeys…count down to one)
