Fun Robot+ Themed Storytime

I've been slacking on my posting. I just haven't had time to type things up like I used to. And if I don't type up my storytimes the same day, I forget how I really felt about things and how the kids reacted, etc. I sigh.
Well, here's a storytime I did at a local preschool. The kids really liked all three books and they love the songs I use with them, too. This was my last storytime with this group as my assignments will soon be changing, so it was a little sad. I didn't tell them until the end because I didn't know how the kids would react the that news.

Opening song: Hello Song by Ella Jenkins. We sing it twice then we just say a big "hello" and wave.
Literacy: Bot + Boy by Amy Dyckman. The kids and I really like this friendship story. They also really liked it when I talked like a robot.

Child: "How did you learn to talk robot, Ms. Camille?"
Me: " How do you know I'm not a robot?"

Literacy: Robot Zombie Frankenstein! by Annette Simon. This is a non-story about two robots and their costume antics. This book was fun. I mean really a fun book. From yelling out the text, to getting the kids to guess what's next this is a great book with simple block illustrations and bright colors. I can totally see having some kids acting this out.

Second story stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (Love this guy!)
I like to add and change lyrics with this song so here are the verses I sang today:
Put your finger in the air... Leave it there about a year...
Put your finger on your head... Tell me is it green or red...
Put your finger on your nose... Feel the cold wind blow...
Put your finger on your finger... Leave it there, let it linger...
Put your finger on your leg... Ask them if they'd like some eggs...
Put your finger on your shoe... Let them walk a mile or two...

Literacy: Don't Squish the Sasquatch! by Kent Redeker. One of the teachers had already read this book to the kids so they already knew it, but that made it more fun because then they knew where to yell "Don't squish the sasquatch!" and it worked out fine. I like this book because its interactive and gave me lots opportunities to ask the kids questions and to spur their imagination.

Literacy: In the Small Small Pond by Denise Fleming. Speaking of interactive books, this is one of my favorites. In front of them, I call it a stand-up book and I make them stand up. Then we act out all the things the creatures are doing in the book: Swooping like swallows, whirling like whirligigs, snapping like crawfish.

I always end with the Hokey Pokey because its fun and give kids an opportunity to shake it out after being good listeners through a few books.
Don't forget to teach them how to say "yes" in robot: Affirmative!

Pigs! Preschool Storytime

Opening Song: Hello Song (Ella Jenkins)
Literacy: If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Now that I've read a couple of these to a couple different groups, I don't see what the big appeal is. They're okay. I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for that, but the If You Give a... books are not for me. 
Literacy: Wolf Won't Bite by Emily Gravett
Song: Put Your Finger In the Air
Put your finger in the air, in the air.
Put your finger in the air, in the air.
Put your finger in the air, leave it there about a year!
Put your finger in the air, in the air.

Put your finger on your nose....and feel the cold wind blow!
Put your finger on your cheeks... and leave it there about a week!
Put your finger on your finger on your finger... leave it there let it linger!
Put your finger on your shoe, on your shoe... and leave it there a day or two!
Literacy: Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda 
A really awesome, fun and interactive take on the Three Little Pigs classic. I want to read it all the time and it works awesome with a restless crowd. 
Closing song: Hokey Pokey 


 

This was an outreach storytime I did at a school, so there was no  post-storytime activity.

Spring Themed Preschool Storytime

I may end up deleting this because its so similar to the other spring themed ST, but this one I did with in a classroom of preschoolers.
Opening song: Hello Song (Keep in mind that I sing it much slower than the lady in this video)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, how are you?
I'm fine!
I'm fine!
I hope that you're fine, too. (I repeat this three times, then have the kids say a big hello while waving at all the other kids they see.)
This is a song by Ella Jenkins on her Multicultural Children's Songs CD. 
Opening discussion: Spring
Literacy: Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand

Literacy: And Then It Is Spring by Julie Fogliano

Second Story Stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (This is pretty good, but I usually stop at Put your finger on your shoe. This song can be real long if you let it!) 
Literacy: Green by  Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Interactive Book: In the Tall Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

Closing Song: Hokey Pokey (I like this video because its set in the late 80s/early 90s, their hats are bedazzled, some of the kids get their right and left mixed up, and you know you want to get up with those kids and show them what its all about! HOKEY POKEY!)

Let's Vote for Caldecott Books! Preschool Storytime

Opening song: Hello Song (Keep in mind that I sing it much slower than the lady in this video)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, how are you?
I'm fine!
I'm fine!
I hope that you're fine, too. (I repeat this three times, then have the kids say a big hello while waving at all the other kids they see.)
This is a song by Ella Jenkins on her Multicultural Children's Songs CD. 
Opening discussion: What is the Caldecott Medal?
Literacy: This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen  

The kids and I are puzzled as to how this book won. We disagree!

Literacy: One Cool Friend by Tony Buzzeo 

I don't even know about this one. The kids were bored with it a couple of pages through. Not a bad book, but not Caldecott material. 

Second Story Stretch: Put Your Finger In the Air (This is pretty good, but I usually stop at Put your finger on your shoe. This song can be real long if you let it!) 
Literacy: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds 

In our humble opinions, Creepy Carrots was the real winner.

 This video is a really interesting behind-the-scenes with the illustrator. 

Closing Song: I tried a different song, at this storytime that just bombed terribly! What was I thinking?!!!
Library March (To the tune of Father Abraham)
The library
Has many books
Many books has the library
I like to read
And so do you
So let's just have some fun
Right arm!
Let's go!
Each round you add on another movement until you sit down at the end:
Left arm
Right foot
Left foot
Heads up
Turn around 
Sit down!