Storytime Recap: Favorites of 2015

Today we started storytime off with our new hello song, "Oh Hey, Oh Hi Hello" by Jim Gill. Hopefully we will be real pros at singing this when Jim Gill gives his show at the Englert on January 23rd. We talked a bit about what everyone's year of 2015, mostly how good it was. Since this was our last storytime of 2015 I decided we would take a look back at some favorite stories from this year. Our first book, Wait by Antoinette Portis, uses just a couple of words, "hurry" and "wait" to tell the story of a busy morning and remembering to stop and enjoy the little things in life. I read the word hurry and asked the kids to say "wait," when I pointed to them, a little interaction goes a long way.

Then I asked everyone if they had enjoyed a snowball fight yet. It was a mixed bag, so of course we had to have an imaginary snowball fight, by doing a counting rhyme.

One little snowball, down it flew Along came another one -- that made 2! 1, 2! (throw fake snowballs as you count) Two little snowballs, falling on me, Along came another one -- that made 3! 1, 2, 3! (throw fake snowballs as you count) Three little snowballs, I see one more, Along came another one -- that made 4! 1, 2, 3, 4! (throw fake snowballs as you count) Four little snowballs, whirling so high, Along came another one -- that made 5! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5! (throw fake snowballs as you count) Five little snowballs, flying so high They're bouncing fast & soaring Up in the sky!

Our next story is one of my favorites from the year, Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman. A funny story about possibly justified sibling rivalry that soon transforms into sibling acceptance.

Then I had everyone join me in acting out my favorite funny nursery rhyme.

Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle, (hold arm out and make violin playing motion) The cow jumped over the moon. (jump hand over head) The little dog laughed, (put hands on belly and make laughing motion) To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. (use two fingers to run across other arm)

Our last story Please Mr. Panda by Steve Antony is another funny story, playing on expectations with a reminder at the end that politeness gets you doughnuts.

Next I asked everyone including parents to join me for another action rhyme.

Hickory, dickory, dock. (person one stands with hands over head) The mouse ran up the clock. (person two tickles fingers up person one) The clock struck one, (person one claps hands together over head) The mouse ran down, (person two tickles fingers down person one) Hickory, dickory, dock. (one person stands with hands overhead)

Then we finished up with our call and response rhyme.

Afterwards we watched an appropriate for the season animated book, Those Darn Squirrels Fly South by Adam Rubin.

See you next year! (In two days).