I did not have a theme for this week and it really ended up being a flow storytime. A few of the preschool books had bugs and animals and then we did a flannel activity that practiced our patterns, so that is what I ended up titling this week.
Books We Read
A Good Place by Lucy Cousins (preschool)
Contrary Creatures: Unique Animal Opposites by James Weinberg (toddler and preschool)
Thank You Bees by Toni Yuly (toddler and preschool)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle (toddler)
Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter (toddler and preschool)
Songs We Sang
The ABCs
Twinkle Twinkle
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Baby Bumblebee
I’m bringing home my baby bumblebee
Won’t my mommy be so proud me?
I’m bringing home my baby bumblebee
Ouch! You stung me!
I’m gonna swat the baby bumblebee
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m gonna swat the baby bumblebee
Ouch! You got me!
I’m running from the baby bumblebee
I won’t get stung, just stay away from me.
I’m running from the baby bumblebee
Gotcha! You can’t get away from me!
Credit: Barney
Flannel Board
I first explained what patterns were for the younger kids who maybe haven’t learned. Then I used pink and yellow bees to create different patterns and then asked which one would come next. They did great and asked for even more patterns!
We also sang a song which I adapted from another Barney song! I put the yellow bees up and used them to sing the song. I told the kids to flap their wings and sing with me during each chorus since it repeats every time.
Five little bumblebees resting at the door
One flew away and then there were four
Bumblebee, bumblebee, happy all day
Bumblebee, bumblebee, fly, fly away
Four little bumblebees sitting in a tree
One flew away and then there were three
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly, fly away
Three little bumblebees looking at you
One flew away and then there were two
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly, fly away
Two little bumblebees sitting in the sun
One flew away and then there was one
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day
Bumblebee, bumblebees fly, fly away
One little bumblebee left all alone
One flew away and then there were none
Bumblebee, bumblebee happy all day
Bumblebee, bumblebee fly, fly away, bye bye
Early Literacy Tip
Eventually, children will find patterns in letters and words and use this information to read groups of words like sun, fun, and bun.
How it Went
Thank You Bees is a super cute book (not all about bees) and we signed Thank You every time the book said thank you and it was really fun watching the kids doing that. A Good Place is a wonderful storytime read. There are bugs trying to find a suitable home and every time they think they found a home I would ask the kids if they thought it would be good and they would yell yes or no! Don’t Push the Button is a HUGE HIT! Save this book for the end because all of the kids get so excited to come up and push the button or scratch his belly that the storytime gets really chaotic afterwards from all of their energy. Super fun, but maybe too much fun to start with. I highly recommend this book and am looking for more interactive books so if you have any, please share them.
This story time was really fun and I loved including a little early STEM in my flannel activity. I am working on doing more of that!