| I developed this game for an Electricity and Light themed storytime for pre-k littles. The game asks them to draw on their background knowledge of the world (early literacy skill!) to figure out which object uses electricity to produce light. When they figure out it out we sing a song about it! I used photographs of the objects, rather than clip art to reinforce that these are real things we are learning about. This flashlight of mine I'm going to let it shine! This flashlight of mine I'm going to let it shine! This flashlight of mine I'm going to let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine! Clap on the syllables of each word during "This flashlight of mine", then use the ASL for Shine on "I'm going to let it shine". Replace flashlight with nightlight, firefly, lantern, or whatever object you choose for the next verses. |    |
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 Who doesn't love balloons? Here is an easy counting rhyme that is easily adaptable for mixed ages.
Five big balloons Hold up five fingers Floating in the sky Float your hand around One went POP! Point one then clap Now wave goodbye. Wave goodbye 4..3..2..1... For preschoolers, change up the word "floating" with other actions like dancing, bobbing, bouncing, wafting and have them act it out either with their hand or their whole body. Use this as a chance to build vocabulary and get out the wiggles! You can also change the rhyme to include colors. For example, say "The pink one went POP!" and help the preschoolers master some basic concepts as well. For babies, moms can help babies to clap or they can poke the babies in the tummy or on the nose. I used this rhyme in a Balloons and Bubbles themed story time. Use it for shapes (ovals), flying, colors, or whatever else you can think of. :) Molly Idle's Tea with Rex is a beautiful and very funny book that inspired this rhyme. I used the props I found at The Book Cub, but wrote my own words to go along.
Have kids pretend to drink tea with their pinkies in the air (individual props are always fun but not necessary). Use your most posh British accent while doing this rhyme. Sip your tea, sip your tea Ever soooooo daintily. STOMP! (Stomp feet) CRASH! (Clap hands) ROAR! (Big roar!) Oh my goodness, there's a dino at the door! Come in sir, come we'll see (wave the dino in) If this dino can sip its tea...(Get cups ready) SLUUUUUUURRRPP! Make a crazy slurping sound and repeat the rhyme again using another dinosaur. Change up your yucky slurping sounds for extra fun. Use this with manners, dinosaur, or tea party themed storytime.  This flannel/action rhyme is a lot of fun with yelling and bouncing. Make an extra long baby carriage for your felt board and fill it with babies.
Five little babies riding in a stroller (Softly jog the baby on your lap, or have pre-k kids pretend to bump up and down) "Let me out! Let me out!" the little one hollers. (Use hands to cup mouth) So they all start pushing and shoving about (Rock side to side) Bump! Whoops! A baby fell out! (Bounce the kid high) 4...3...2...1...0... One empty stroller rolling around (Bump up and down) Five little babies need to be found. (Act like you are searching) Here comes one, oh look another! (Point) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 all back together! (Count fingers while bouncing five times) Use this counting rhyme in a storytime for preschoolers or babies about babies, siblings, or families. I've recently discovered there are so many great albums of jazz music for kids. This rhyme is a fun way to make jazz-ish music together. This is an echo song (echoes in parantheses). Start with a slow rhythm either clapping, using rhythm sticks, or egg shakers. Progressively get faster, louder, or higher, however long it takes to get some sillies out.
Copy Cat Jazz is the name of the game. Whatever I scat, you do the same! Bop (Bop) Be bop (be bop) Be bop boo (Be bop boo) Be bop diddly dop (Be bop diddly dop) Be bop diddly dop doo! (Be bop diddly dop do!) I'm starting my Summer Reading assemblies today and needed something a song or chant or something that kids K-6 could enjoy and participate in. Not too many super hero chants out there! So here is what I came up with.
Super Hero Dance! Clap, clap, clap Super Hero Dance! Clap, clap, clap Helmet, Arms up pointing to head/showing off muscles Cape, Arms down, fists on hips Undies on your pants! Swing your hips around in a circle Do the super hero shimmy Shimmy side to side Strike a super hero stance Strike any super hero action pose Now do it all again Pat knees, clap, pat knees Twice as fast! Pat knees, clap, pat knees Repeat the song as many times as you can before completely messing up. :) This rhyme could easily be adapted into a clapping game between two people. After hearing Laurie Berkner's "Victor Vito" I had to do a Spaghetti themed storytime. This particular poem from Jack Prelutsky had all the kids giggling, especially in my terrible Italian accent.
Spaghetti! Spaghetti! You’re wonderful stuff, I love you spaghetti, I can’t get enough, You’re covered with sauce And you’re sprinkled with cheese, Spaghetti! Spaghetti! Oh, give me some please. Spaghetti! Spaghetti! Piled high in a mound, You wiggle, you wriggle, You squiggle around. There’s slurpy spaghetti All over my plate. Spaghetti! Spaghetti! I think you are great. For a prop I used this craft from 1234 Storytime. Instead of leaving it on a flannel board I used multiple pieces of yarn and slowly pulled them out of the bowl, then throwing them over my shoulder pretending to eat it.  Summer time! Camping! The great outdoors! It's one of my favorite themes, but there are not enough songs about it...camping specifically. I wrote this counting rhyme to go with a flannel board. To use the flannel board, flip the flames over so the largest flame covers the others. As you remove logs and "the flames...get...lower" remove that piece to make the fire smaller. At the end of the rhyme you should have a small blue flame on one little log. Clear as mud? Great!
Camping in the starry night 5 little logs on the fire burn bright! The wind goes whoosh. An owl goes hoot. Then 1 little log turns into soot. And the flames…get…lower. 4…3…2…1… Camping in the starry night 1 little log on the fire burns bright! The wind goes woosh! An owl goes hoot! Then 1 little log turns into soot. All dark now! Good night! Use this in a counting, camping, summer, night time, hiking, or mountains themed storytime. This post was included in Flannel Friday! See the full roundup here. While putting together a "Things That Go" storytime, I was disappointed not to find any counting songs that had to do with trains. So I wrote one! This works as a fingerplay or as a flannel rhyme. Depending on my audience I use the actions below or I use a flannel pattern inspired by Donald Crews' Freight Train, simply pulling out five of the cars. And then, sometimes, I just go ahead and use both!
One little engine pulls one little car. With right hand hold up one finger (the engine), place one finger of left hand next to it (the car) Down the tracks they go traveling far! Tickle child from neck to the knees and up again They stop at a station. Knock hands together holding up fingers for engines and cars They get a new friend. Put up another finger on the left hand There they go down the line again! Tickle child from neck to the knees and up again Choo choo! Raise your arm and pretend to blow the train whistle 2 cars...3 cars...4 cars... One little engine pulls five little cars With right hand hold up one finger (the engine), place five fingers of left hand next to it (the car) Down the tracks they go traveling far! Tickle child from neck to the knees and up again They stop at a station. Knock hands together holding up fingers for engines and cars Their journey ends. Put down all fingers Tomorrow they’ll start over again! Palms out flat Choo chooooooo! Raise your arm and pretend to blow the train whistle Use with "Things that go", trains, counting, or even color themed storytimes. Another original chant to help children learn the ASL for "Clean" and "Dirty." Isn't it interesting that "nice" and "clean" are the same sign?
My hands are dirty! Oh yuck! Wiggle hands, ASL Dirty So I wash them, and wash them, and wash them, and wash them. Rub hands together And I shake them! And shake them! And shake them! And shake them! Shake hands out Phew. Inspect hands AAALLLLLL CLEAN! ASL Clean My feet are dirty! Oh yuck! So I wash them, wash them, wash them. And shake them! And shake them! And shake them! Phew. AAALLLLLL CLEAN! Repeat with tummy, knees, fingers, elbows, shoulders, head, etc. Use this chant in a messy/dirty, water, or bath time themed storytime. |
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