Storytime Recap: Animals Everywhere

This was my first storytime back after attending the Kids First conference last week. I was happy to be able to share some of the early literacy information I had learned. In support of phonological awareness, hearing the sounds that make up words, we always start storytime with our welcome song "Clap Everybody and Say Hello." Then I asked if anyone could guess what storytime would be about today. With all of the animal books on the display, the kids were able to answer with no problem. I let parents know that focusing on the beginning sounds of words is another way to support phonological awareness in children. Our first story Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff had plenty of Bs to hear as well as colors to name.

Next I told everyone we would follow bear over the mountain to see what we could see. Because we had a wiggly group today I had everyone do full body movements instead of the finger motions that often accompany the song.

The bear went over the mountain, (marching) The bear went over the mountain, (marching) The bear went over the mountain, (marching) To see what he could see. (hand over eyes and look out)

And all that he could see, (hand over eyes and look out) And all that he could see, (hand over eyes and look out)

Was the other side of the mountain, (bring hands together above head in triangle) The other side of the mountain, (bring hands together above head in triangle) The other side of the mountain, (bring hands together above head in triangle) Was all that he could see. (hand over eyes and look out)

Then I told everyone we would go on a trip to the other side of the mountain and count animals by reading Over in the Jungle by Marianne Berkes. The rhyming words in this book are another great way to contribute to phonological awareness.

I had the parents and children sing "Hey Diddle Diddle" while I set up a felt game of matching animal halves.

Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon. The little dog laughed, To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon.

Then I asked for volunteers to put the animals back together. The kids liked coming up and correctly matching the animal halves, but the also thought it was funny when I tried to match up the heads to the wrong tails. Then we did one of my favorite action rhymes.

Jump like a frog. Stretch like a cat. Hop like a bunny. Flap like a bat. Wiggle like a worm. Slither like a snake. Now be a wet dog, and shake, shake, shake!

Finally we settled down for one final book. I chose an informational picture book, Born in the Wild by Lita Judge to share with the group. We skipped most of the text heavy pages but had some fun questions and answers about how the kids were like the pictured animals.

Then we finished up storytime with the Animal Crackers rhyme.

Oh, once I ate a lion, Then a tall giraffe, But when I ate the elephant He really made me laugh. Well you may think I'm silly But I'll tell you the truth, They were animals crackers And you can eat them too!

I told them all of these animals could be seen at the zoo, which was where our movie took place. We watched the animated storybook version of A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead. Everyone left with an elephant stamp on their hands.