Ballet Preschool Story Time

This is the second year in a row we've had the opportunity to bring a few ballerinas to story time.  Our local dance company (Ballet Northwest) does a production of the Nutcracker, and they do an evening performance of a few scenes at the library, and also bring a dancer or two to preschool story time!  It is really fun -- the preschoolers LOVE seeing dancers so up close and personal, and the parents love it too, I think :)  Here is my plan for November 14th ballet themed story time!  It is shortened, because the second half is taken up by dancing.

Opening Song:  Open Them Shut Them.  Today, we'll do a special ballet version of this song.  Here it is, from Intellidance!


Opening Nursery Rhyme: Hello Friends (with Sign Language!)

I taught the kids "Hello Friends" at our Halloween story time, and I think I'll try it again today before we spell out our theme.



Opening Discussion: BALLET

We'll spell out the word "Ballet" in felt letters, and talk about how since it is a word that is from another language, it is pronounced a little bit different than it looks.  Silent T!

Book (Only One, Today): Betsy B. Little

Betsy B. Little is ANYTHING but little.  Her neck is sooo long -- but she's going to be a ballerina, and no one can stop her!  Rhymey text, sweet story -- it's nice to find a book with an actual story that involves ballet that is not suuper long or dry for preschoolers.

Action Song: Jim Gill's List of Dances

This song is great -- it is basically exactly what it sounds like:  a list of dances.  Jim goes through all the dances in order, and then you do them again...but BACKWARDS.  I created a list of dances by printing out each dance in a fun color and font, laminating them, and then cutting them out and attaching them with string to each other.  At some point I'll post a picture of this so it makes more sense, but here are the lyrics in case you're curious :) 

You do the tall
You do the small
You do the hop
You do the stop
You do the slow
You do the tiptoe
..curl
...twirl
..hide
...slide
...sleep
...creep
...slump
...jump
...sway
...stay

And then again...but BACKWARDS!

And now...ballerinas!

I let Ballet Northwest take over for the rest of story time -- the kids were totally entranced by the real life ballerinas.

 Happy dancing!

--Sara