Return to Regularly Scheduled Storytimes - Winter is Here!

BOOKS:

When I planned this storytime, we were SUPPOSED to have snow!  But, alas, it has pretty much all melted and disappeared.  We had to use our imaginations I suppose.

The two books we read today were:



and



I had never read Footprints in the Snow before.   I really like it.  It's a cute story about a misunderstood wolf, and has a good ending for predicting.  My older kids in storytime, the ones who attend preschool, etc., "got" the end of the book better than the younger kids.  Something to keep in mind with toddlers, etc.

SONGS/FINGERPLAYS:

Five Little Snowmen Riding on a Sled

Five little snowmen riding on a sled
(hold up five fingers – lay them on your palm “sled”)
One fell off and bumped his head
(one finger falls off – rub hand)
I called Frosty and Frosty said
(talk on pretend telephone)
“No more snowmen riding on a sled!”
(shake finger “no”)

Four little snowmen…

Three little snowmen…

Two little snowmen…

One little snowmen…

End with --
Tell those snowmen it’s time to freeze (or melt) instead!
(Pretend to freeze/melt)

Five Little Snowmen

Five little snowmen (hold up 5 fingers)
Standing in a row
Each with a hat (touch head)
And a big red bow! (tie bow under chin)
Out came the sun
And it stayed all day
And one little snowman (hold up one finger)
Melted away. (finger bends down)

Four little snowmen…

Three little snowmen…

Two little snowmen…

One little snowman…

Sledding
(tune: Row, row, row your Boat)

Crunch, crunch,
Crunch, crunch, crunch
Up the hill so slow (walk fingers up arm)
Sliding, sliding, sliding, sliding (slide hand down arm)
Down the hill we go!

Snowflakes
(tune: Twinkle Twinkle)

Snowflakes snowflakes dance around
(twirl around)
Snowflakes snowflakes touch the ground
(touch the ground)
Snowflakes snowflakes in the air
(arms up)
Snowflakes snowflakes everywhere
(wave arms around)
Snowflakes snowflakes dance around
(twirl around)
Snowflakes snowflakes touch the ground
(touch the ground)

Building a Snowman

First the body, then the head
(pretend to make snowman)
A big black hat and a scarf of red
(point to head and wrap scarf)
Coal pieces for eyes, a carrot nose
(point to eyes, then nose)
And a mouth of pebbles in a smiling row!
(smile and point to mouth)

CRAFT/ACTIVITY:


http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2013/12/egg-carton-snowman-craft.html

*I didn't put anything for the buttons because I figured they were just too little of pieces for my kiddos.  We used wiggly eyes instead.

I try to have some sort of handout for the kiddos to take home with them, some type of activity.  Today was a simple snowman dot to dot, with a coloring picture on the other side.


http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Printable-activities+45/Winter-dot-to-dot-Medium-1+12884.htm

Snow Songs & Fingerplays

It's Snowing
(tune: A Tisket, a Tasket)

It's snowing! It's snowing!
The winter wind is blowing
Snowflakes swirling round and round
And covering the ground.
The ground, the ground.
Snowflakes all around,
Snow is falling from the sky
And covering the ground.

Snow is Falling
(tune: London Bridge)

Softly snow is falling down,
 (lower wiggling fingers)
Falling down, falling down,
  (lower wiggling fingers)
Softly snow is falling down
  (lower wiggling fingers)
Down to the ground.
  (crouch on the floor)

Catching snowflakes on my tongue
  (point to mouth)
On my tongue, on my tongue
  (point to mouth)
Catching snowflakes on my tongue
  (point to mouth)
Is so much fun.
  (turn around in a circle)

"How High Can You Go?" (Building a Snowman) - January 17, 2013

Opening Song:If You're Ready
(Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It)

If You're ready for a story, take a seat.
If You're ready for a story, take a seat.
Clap your hands and stomp your feet,
Make your hands all nice and neat,
If you're ready for a story, take a seat.

Books:
Perfect Snow, by Barbara Reid



Making a Friend, by Allison McGhee



Songs/Fingerplays:Five Little Snowmen
Five little snowmen standing in a row,
Each had a hat and a big red bow.
Out came the sun and it shone all day,
One little snowman melted away.

Four little snowmen standing in a row....
Three little snowmen standing in a row...
Two little snowmen standing in a row...
One little snowman standing in a row...
(Author Unknown)

**I cut out five groups of three different sizes of white circles out of felt for the feltboard.  I then cut out five black top hats and five red bows.  First I had the kids stack the circles on the feltboard in the way it would make most sense to make a snowman, i.e., large on the bottom, medium in the middle, and smallest on top, and we talked about why. Then put on hat and red bows, and said the rhyme together, and took away snowmen as they "melted".

Dance Like Snowflakes
(Tune: Are You Sleeping)
S is for snowman
Round and fat.
Sitting outside,
Wearing a hat.

I brought him inside,
And sat him on the mat.
And before very long,
The snowman was flat.
(Author Unknown)

Craft/Activity:

Snowman S'more Craft from Oriental Trading -- This is a darling craft, and everyone loved it, BUT it definitely goes against my normal mantra of having crafts that the KIDS can do, NOT the parents.  This was fine for my older school age kids, but it was definitely too difficult (especially with the time we had available to us) for the younger kids to accomplish.


Ending Song:
Storytime is at an End
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Storytime has reached its end
Say good-bye to all your friends.
We've read some books and had some fun.
Feels like we have just begun!
Storytime is over, friends.
We have really reached the end!

Other books:
Snowmen at Christmas, Buehner
Gus Makes a Friend, Remkiewicz
Snow Friends, Butler
Henry & Mudge, the Snow Plan, Rylant (Easy Reader)
Stranger in the Woods, Sams
Frosty the Snowman, Watson
The Snowman, by Briggs
Yesterday's Snowman, by Mack (JI)
Yeti - J001.944