Tag: friends

Preschool Storytime: Friends of All Kinds

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I just realized that I published another “Friends” theme last week, but it was actually presented four months ago in April! This week I wanted to focus on friendship and appreciating our friends even when they are different than us. I know that my friends share their experiences with me, and I get to learn more about the world we all live in.
For this theme, I used the familiar Thumbkin fingerplay, but with a variation that I first came up with for a Thanksgiving theme in November. I had a brainstorm to work in some ASL and avoid that pesky middle finger by doing thumbkin, pointer, pinky, then all three for the sign “I love you.” When we did it in person in November it was really cute to see the kids figure out the sign and at the very end the hands “hug” each other.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: When you ask your children questions, give them extra time to think and to answer you. Talking back and forth uses four different parts of the brain, so it takes them some time to form their responses.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Fingerplay: Where Are Three Friends?
(variation of Where Is Thumbkin)
Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin?
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, Friend?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away, run away.

(repeat with pointer, pinky, then all three)
Where are three friends, Where are three friends?
Here we are! Here we are!
How are you today, Friends?
Very well, we thank you.
I love you, I love you. (Hands “hug” by clasping)
Credit: adapted from the traditional, last verse by me

Lyrics to Where are Three Friends with silhouettes of two hands with thumbs up and two hands showing the ASL "I Love You" sign.
The rhyme sheet I used when we were in person.

Read: Seagull & Sea Dragon by Sydni Gregg

Song: Put Your Puppet On Your Heart
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
Put your puppet on your heart, On your heart.
Put your puppet on your heart, On your heart.
Put your puppet on your heart, What a lovely way to start!
Put your puppet on your heart, On your heart.

Additional verses:
…on your knee… You’ll both be filled with glee…
…on your toes… Now move it to your nose…
…on your head… Put your puppet straight to bed…
Give your puppet a big hug…make them snug as a bug in a rug!
Credit: Jbrary

Action Song: Let’s Be Friends
(tune of London Bridge)
Let’s be friends with one another, one another, one another
Let’s be friends with one another
Let’s be friends today

You can sing with a friend…
(repeat with other actions such as jump, clap, dance, etc)
Credit: Step by Step Childcare

Read: My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo Willems

Friends like to play games together. Look – Elephant and Piggie are going to play Hide and Seek! I rewrote the rhyme to go with this set to one that just flowed more naturally for me.
Flannel Rhyme: Elephant and Piggie Hiding Game
Piggie is hiding; let’s take a look
Are you behind the red book?
Credit: Literary Hoots for concept and printable files, Ms. Emily for the rhyme

Photo of laminated pieces: six books (blue, yellow, brown, green, purple, and red), and Mo Willems' characters Elephant Gerald and Piggie.
“We are in a book!”

Fingerplay: Two Little Friends
Two little friends are better than one, (raise two fingers on one hand, one on the other)
And three are better than two (raise one additional finger on both hands)
And four are much better still (raise one last finger on the first hand to make four)
Just think! What four little friends can do! (wiggle four fingers)
Credit: King County Library System

Read: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev & Taeeun Yoo

One thing that friends do is have love and kindness for each other.
Fingerplay: Make a Heart
I put my hands together (hands palm-to-palm)
This is how I start
I curve my fingers right around (curl fingertips)
And I can make a heart!
Credit: Verona Story Time

Song: Skinnamarink
Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo
I love you!
Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo
I love you!

I love you in the morning
and in the afternoon.
I love you in the evening
underneath the moon.

Skinnamarinky-dinky-dink, Skinnamarinky-doo
I love you!
Credit: Traditional. Find hand motions at this video from Jbrary

Craft: Friendship Chains
Decorate multicolored people figures and connect them with paper hearts.
Credit: Storytime Mellie

Photo of three generic construction paper people figures of different skin tones, each colored with unique clothes and hair, connected at the arms with two hearts.

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 8/25/20.

Storytime Handout:

Preschool Storytime: Friends

Posted on by msemilylibrary

This was a bit of a miscellany of a theme, but all three books did, indeed, feature friends. Rhymes and songs were loosely associated, but overall it flowed well. This was the last storytime I did on Facebook live before re-recording a permanent version for YouTube, so there is no video. Throughout these virtual storytimes, I encouraged parents to create their own props using household materials. Shakers can be made from rice or beans inside small plastic food containers, sippy cups with holes taped closed, leftover plastic Easter eggs, even cardboard tubes with the ends secured. I always mention before shaker songs that if you don’t have one handy, a “magic shaker” can be used by making the shaking motion and “ch-ch-cha”ing along. With everyone staying safer at home, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets at that time. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Action Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll hands and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
Roly poly, roly, poly, up, up, up (arms up, voice higher)
Roly poly, roly, poly, down, down, down (arms down, voice low)
Roly poly, roly, poly, out, out, out (arms far from chest, voice expansive)
Roly poly, roly, poly, in, in, in (arms close to chest, voice and lips collapsed)
Roly poly, roly, poly, BIG, BIG, BIG (large movements, voice loud)
Roly poly, roly, poly, very, very small (roll only index fingers, voice quiet)
Roly poly, roly, poly, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast! (roll quickly, voice frenetic)
Rol…ly… po…ly… in… your… lap (roll very slowly, then lay hands down, speak in slow motion)
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

Read: Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris & LeUyen Pham

A song for quarantine. This one was suggested on Storytime Underground for virtual storytimes. The original goes “I am here and you are here.” You can also add motions to extend the song.
Action Song: I Am Here and You Are There
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.

Repeat, clapping hands throughout verse 2
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.
I’m going to stamp my feet.

Repeat, clapping hands AND stomping feet throughout verse 3
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we’re going to have some fun.
I’m going to clap my hands.
I’m going to stamp my feet.
I’m going to nod my head.

Repeat, clapping hands AND stomping feet AND nodding head throughout verse 4
I am here and you are there but we are all together.
I am here and you are there and we have had some fun!
Credit: King County Library System

Fingerplay: Dance Your Fingers Up
Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down
Dance them to the side and dance them all around.
Dance them on our shoulders, dance them on your head.
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed!
Credit: King County Library System

Read: The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

Flannel Game: Little Mouse
Little Mouse, little Mouse,
Are you in the red house?

Picture of flannel pieces for the hide-and-seek game Little Mouse. Includes 7 houses of varying colors and sizes and one mouse small enough to hide behind any of them.

Shaker Song: We Shake and We Shake and We STOP
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we shake and we shake
And we shake and we shake and we STOP

Additional verses:
We circle and circle and STOP… (draw a circle with shaker)
We tap and we tap and we STOP… (tap on different body parts)
We roll and we roll and we STOP… (roll arms)
Credit: Jbrary

Shaker Rhyme: Pop, Pop, Pop
Pop, pop, pop
Put the corn in the pot
Pop, pop, pop
Shake it ’til it’s hot
Pop, pop, pop
Lift the lid and what have you got?
Popcorn!
Credit: Jbrary (see video for motions)

Read: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Fingerplay: 5 Little Hot Dogs
Five little hot dogs (wiggle 5 fingers on one hand)
frying in a pan, (other hand flat as a pan, 5 fingers wiggle above it)
The grease got hot (rub hands together)
and one went BAM! (1 finger up, then CLAP on “bam”)

(Count down, then last verse:)
No little hot dogs frying in a pan
The grease got hot and the pan went BAM!
Credit: Jbrary

Activity Suggestion: Draw a picture of YOUR favorite food. Or, draw a picture of your favorite meal that you eat this week, or make a food journal and draw a picture of each night’s dinner. Do as much or as little as you like. Here are my favorites, a strawberry and a blueberry!

Line drawing of a strawberry and a blueberry on lined notebook paper.

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 4/28/20.