Specs
Age group: toddlers (24 - 36 months)
Group Size: about 12 kids and one parent/caregiver per toddler
Time: 10:30am to 11:15am
Parent/Caregiver Handout
One of my colleagues told me that one of the ways we can encourage parents
to participate is to give them printouts of the songs and rhymes we use.
This way, they can participate with the child beside them, or on their
lap, and the handout close by. Here are the ones we used for this
storytime:
Toddler Storytime Songs and Rhymes
Halloween Theme Songs and Rhymes
Stretching Rhyme: Up Down Turn Around
Song: Hands Are Clapping
Book: Plumply Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo
Action Rhyme: Pumpkin Pumpkin
Pumpkin pumpkin sitting on a wall (hold arms out like a big pumpkin)
Pumpkin pumpkin tip and fall (tip to the side)
Song: Pumpkins Are Growing
(Tune: Are You Sleeping?)
Pumpkins are growing
Pumpkins are growing
On the ground
On the ground
Look at all the pumpkins
Loos at all the pumpkins
Orange and round
Orange and round
Action Song: My Monster Frankenstein
(Tune: My Darling Clementine)
It is night time
It is night time
And the moon
Begins to shine
There's a doctor
Crazy doctor
And his monster
Frankenstein.
Oh my monster
Oh my monster
Oh my monster
Frankenstein
You are very
Very friendly
Let's be friends
O, Frankenstein
Action Rhyme: Monster Monster
Monster monster turn around
Monster monster touch the ground
Monster monster reach up high
Monster monster, touch the sky
Monster monster touch your nose
Monster monster grab your toes
Monster monster touch your knees
Monster monster sit down please.
Felt Story: 5 Little Dragons
Reaction: My awesome friend loaned me this felt story set. Each child was given a felt storytime piece, and when I called out the colour of a child's dragon, or a number, I asked the one holding the correct dragon or number to come up and place it on the board. The toddlers really enjoy having a piece of the felt storytime in their hands, and then actively participating in the storytelling.
Songs: Horns Fangs Knees and Claws
Book: I'm a Little Vampire by Sonali Fry
Reaction: Since the book is a boardbook, and small, the toddlers gathered close around me. The good rhymes and colourful pictures captured the toddlers' attention.
Activity: Boiling Pot
Boiling pot
Boiling pot
What will we put in the witch's pot?
We'll put some ________ in the witch's pot.
(Repeat)
Reaction: The props for this included a big black bucket and a ladle for stirring our 'soup'. I gave each toddler an ingredient to add to the 'pot'. We repeated the song until all the kids were able to put their ingredient into the soup. The older kids were able to listen and add their ingredient to the pot without help; the younger ones were aided by their parents. Some of the kids were getting antsy at this time so they were just walking around the room with their ingredient in hand.
Song: Monster Mash
Reaction: I thought it was high time for another song! I played the Monster Mash song and asked the kids to follow my movements (which I took from this video) as best they could. The older toddlers were able to follow some of the movements, but for the most part, the toddlers were just moving their bodies to and fro.I don't know if I'll use this song again for toddlers unless I teach them some of the movements first, or make the movements simpler, or have less movements in total. However, I think the parents really enjoyed this song because they started taking pictures of their kids.
Craft: Peek-a-Frankenstein's Monster
I was inspired by the Peek-a-Boo craft from AllKidsNetwork. I modified it so that Frankenstein's monster peeks out instead of a ghost.
Halloween Theme Songs and Rhymes
The Plan
Welcome Song*
Rhyme: Up Down Turn Around*
Song: Hands Are Clapping*
Book: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin
Rhyme: Pumpkin Pumpkin
Songs: Pumpkins Are Growing
Song: My Monster Frankenstein
Rhyme: Monster Monster
Felt Story: 5 Little Dragons
Songs: Horns Fangs Knees and Claws
Book: I'm a Little Vampire
Activity: Boiling Pot
Song: Monster Mash
Craft
Rhyme: Pumpkin Pumpkin
Songs: Pumpkins Are Growing
Song: My Monster Frankenstein
Rhyme: Monster Monster
Felt Story: 5 Little Dragons
Songs: Horns Fangs Knees and Claws
Book: I'm a Little Vampire
Activity: Boiling Pot
Song: Monster Mash
Craft
*these are the ones I use for every toddler storytime session
_______________
Welcome Song
(sing to tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”)
Hi hello and how are you
How are you? How are you?
Hi hello and how are you?
How are you today?
It’s a bright and sunny day
Sunny day, sunny day
It’s a bright and sunny day
For storytime and play!
Stretching Rhyme: Up Down Turn Around
Up, down
Turn around
Touch the sky
Touch the ground
Wiggle fingers
Wiggle toes
Wiggle shoulders
Say hello!
Song: Hands Are Clapping
(sing to tune of “Skip To My Lou”)
Hands are clapping
Clap clap clap
Hands are clapping
Clap clap clap
Hands are clapping
Clap clap clap
Clap your hands my darling!
Continue with …
-feet are stomping
-arms are flapping
End with …
Now let’s sit on the floor
Now let’s sit on the floor
Now let’s sit on the floor
Sit on the floor my darling!
Or continue more actions …
Toast in the toaster
Getting very hot
Tick tock tick tock
Up you pop!Book: Plumply Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo
Action Rhyme: Pumpkin Pumpkin
Pumpkin pumpkin sitting on a wall (hold arms out like a big pumpkin)
Pumpkin pumpkin tip and fall (tip to the side)
Pumpkin
pumpkin rolling down the street (roll
arms)
Pumpkin
pumpkin, you’re so sweet! (hug
your child)
Song: Pumpkins Are Growing
(Tune: Are You Sleeping?)
Pumpkins are growing
Pumpkins are growing
On the ground
On the ground
Look at all the pumpkins
Loos at all the pumpkins
Orange and round
Orange and round
Action Song: My Monster Frankenstein
(Tune: My Darling Clementine)
It is night time
It is night time
And the moon
Begins to shine
There's a doctor
Crazy doctor
And his monster
Frankenstein.
Oh my monster
Oh my monster
Oh my monster
Frankenstein
You are very
Very friendly
Let's be friends
O, Frankenstein
Action Rhyme: Monster Monster
Monster monster turn around
Monster monster touch the ground
Monster monster reach up high
Monster monster, touch the sky
Monster monster touch your nose
Monster monster grab your toes
Monster monster touch your knees
Monster monster sit down please.
Felt Story: 5 Little Dragons
Reaction: My awesome friend loaned me this felt story set. Each child was given a felt storytime piece, and when I called out the colour of a child's dragon, or a number, I asked the one holding the correct dragon or number to come up and place it on the board. The toddlers really enjoy having a piece of the felt storytime in their hands, and then actively participating in the storytelling.
Songs: Horns Fangs Knees and Claws
(Tune: “Head
Shoulders Knees and Toes”)
Horns fangs knees and claws
Knees and claws
Knees and claws
Horns fangs knees and claws
Eyes, ears, tail and claws!
Reaction: The toddlers liked this one
because they recognize the "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" song. They
also followed along with the movements well. We sang it slowly the first
time, and then tried to do the song and the actions more quickly the
next round.
Book: I'm a Little Vampire by Sonali Fry
Reaction: Since the book is a boardbook, and small, the toddlers gathered close around me. The good rhymes and colourful pictures captured the toddlers' attention.
Activity: Boiling Pot
Boiling pot
Boiling pot
What will we put in the witch's pot?
We'll put some ________ in the witch's pot.
(Repeat)
Reaction: The props for this included a big black bucket and a ladle for stirring our 'soup'. I gave each toddler an ingredient to add to the 'pot'. We repeated the song until all the kids were able to put their ingredient into the soup. The older kids were able to listen and add their ingredient to the pot without help; the younger ones were aided by their parents. Some of the kids were getting antsy at this time so they were just walking around the room with their ingredient in hand.
Song: Monster Mash
Reaction: I thought it was high time for another song! I played the Monster Mash song and asked the kids to follow my movements (which I took from this video) as best they could. The older toddlers were able to follow some of the movements, but for the most part, the toddlers were just moving their bodies to and fro.I don't know if I'll use this song again for toddlers unless I teach them some of the movements first, or make the movements simpler, or have less movements in total. However, I think the parents really enjoyed this song because they started taking pictures of their kids.
Craft: Peek-a-Frankenstein's Monster
I was inspired by the Peek-a-Boo craft from AllKidsNetwork. I modified it so that Frankenstein's monster peeks out instead of a ghost.
Materials:
styrofoam cups
green cardstock paper
tongue depressors/popsicle sticks
stickers for decorating
markers
crayons
pencil crayons
glue (for pre-prep)
exacto knife (for pre-prep)
scissors (for pre-prep)
Pre-preparation:
1. paint the styrofoam cups black and allow to dry; cut a thin straight line on the bottom of the cup with an exacto knife, then make sure the tongue depressor/popsicle stick can fit through it
2. cut Frankenstein's monster head shapes from the green cardstock paper; colour in the hair and ear knobs
3. glue the head to the tongue depressor/popsicle stick
Tada! Then the toddlers can make their own monster face and add stickers to decorate their cups.
Reaction: The toddlers really liked this craft because of its peek-a-boo nature! And stickers are always a hit with toddlers.
Bubbles and Handouts
I didn't have time for the parachute or bubbles today, but I gave out a Halloween colouring sheet.
_______________
Credits: I
took the songs and rhymes from a variety of sources, some from work,
and others from different parts of the internet. I will try to give
credit where it is due, so if something is yours and I haven't credited
you, please let me know and I will link back to you. Thank you!
