Shapes Preschool Story Time

I was inspired to do this story time by the fantastic new picture book, Windblown, by Edouard Manceau.  It was perfect for translating into a flannel board story (or in my case, magnet board), and when I did a search for other books that talked about shapes and putting shapes together in an interesting and abstract way, I came away with a TON of good options.  So here we go, here's our shapes story time for preschoolers from 9/26/2013!

Opening Song:  Open Them Shut Them (Click if the video below doesn't work)

Opening Activity: Spell "SHAPES" together on the white board!

Opening Nursery Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock (Click here if the video below doesn't work)

Last week we started with Humpty Dumpty, so this week I'll introduce this new session of kids to my other favorite movement nursery rhyme -- Hickory Dickory Dock!  It's great for learning rhyming, and also cross-lateral movement.



Book #1: Duck!  Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I have done this book a few times in preschool story time, and it always works magically.  You can always tell the magic moment when it clicks in the kids' brains that it could be EITHER ONE.  IT LOOKS LIKE BOTH!







Action Rhyme: Tall as a Tree

Tall as a tree (stretch up tall)
Wide as a house (stretch as wide as you can!)
Thin as a pin (hands to your sides)
Small as a mouse (shrink down as little as possible)
Squeak squeak squeak!

A great transitional rhyme for getting out wiggles, and it also works really well if you do it faster and faster and faster, and then end all curled up on the ground!

Magnet Board Activity with Book #2: Windblown by Edouard Manceau

This book was just BEGGING to be turned in a flannel board.  It will be really interesting to see the preschoolers use spatial relationship skills to understand how the shapes can fit together in different ways to create different animals.  This would be an amazing take home craft, too.







Action Rhyme: Make a Circle/Draw a Square (Thanks Storytime Katie!)

Sung to the tune of My Darling Clementine:

Make a circle,
Make a circle,
Draw it in the sky,
Use your finger,
Use your finger,
Make it round as a pie

Draw a square,
Draw a square,
Make the line so straight,
Make a square,
Make square
Draw a box in the air!

Book #3 (and #4): Not a Box and Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis

These books have really minimal text -- the magic is in the pictures!  It'll be great to have a conversation with the preschoolers and what the pig/rabbit is imagining the stick/box to be, and ask for ideas of other things it could be!


Action Rhyme: Peel Bananas!

I love this rhyme.  It is so ridiculous and silly, and I love that parents think it's just as hilarious (if not more) than the kids.  It's really good for getting wiggles out after a longer book, and I usually put it in a bunch (hahaha get it?) of story times even if it doesn't really fit our theme.  Preschoolers love repetition!

Bananas unite!
Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas
Chop bananas, chop, chop bananas
Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas
GO BANANAS, GO GO BANANAS!
Bananas Unite!




Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Clouds

Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
Tickle your nose!
Reach for the ground
Reach up high!
Story time is over,
Wave goodbye!

I got this rhyme from this awesome Jbrary video: Jbrary Goodbye Songs

--Sara