L is for Leaf Hunt (Preschool and Two's)

Preschool Storytime

Music: I decided to change up our music and use something from the internet today.  To listen to what I played, click here. 

Opening: Big Books

Book: We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt

*I wanted to change up how I read this book, so I had my volunteer behind me with puppets.  When I find a leaf while I'm reading the book, I stop and ask where my leaf is?  Then the puppet appears behind me with the leaf in it's mouth.  The kids went crazy!

Flannel: Hunt for bird under tree.

Credit: Sunflower Storytime

File Folder Story: Fall Is Not Easy

*My boss made a fabulous file folder story of this book, and I love using it!  

Fingerplay: Scarecrow, Scarecrow

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around

Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground

Scarecrow, scarecrow, clap your hands and touch your knees.

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around and stomp your feet.   

Swing your arms so very slow.

Now real fast to scare the crows!

Tap your head, now jump up and down.

Turn around and sit back down.

Credit: Play-and-Learn!

Book: Where, Oh, Where is Baby Bear?

*This is a new book, and i"m in love with it!  I had my volunteer pop up the bear puppet after the kids found baby bear inside book.  They went crazy telling me the bear was behind me!

Fingerplay: “5 Little Acorns”

    3 little apples sitting in a tree

Teasing Mr. Horse, you can't reach me!

Along came Mr. Horse as hungry as could be

and SNATCHED that acorn right out of the tree!

* I changed the words to the original, which you can view.  I was really impressed with the kids, by the time we got to the end of the song they had caught on to the tune and was singing along with me.  I changed the words to a horse and 3 apples)

Credit: The Dilley Dally

Book: Tap the Magic Tree

*This is my all-time favorite book to use, and I love to make all the parts of this book.  When the apples would fall from the tree inside the book, I would have paper apples to "rain" down on the kids.  They went crazy over this happening!

Our craft today was an autumn tree. The leaves and trunk are all torn-paper.

*We had games this month and you can check them out here!

Time for Two’s Storytime

Opening: Big Books

Fingerplay: If You Want to Hear a Story

Book: We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt

*I wanted to change up how I read this book, so I had my volunteer behind me with puppets.  When I find a leaf while I'm reading the book, I stop and ask where my leaf is?  Then the puppet appears behind me with the leaf in it's mouth.  The kids went crazy!

Flannel: Hunt for bird under tree.

Credit: Sunflower Storytime

Fingerplay: Scarecrow, Scarecrow

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around

Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground

Scarecrow, scarecrow, clap your hands and touch your knees.

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around and stomp your feet.   

Swing your arms so very slow.

Now real fast to scare the crows!

Tap your head, now jump up and down.

Turn around and sit back down.

Credit: Play-and-Learn!

Book: Tap the Magic Tree

*This is my all-time favorite book to use, and I love to make all the parts of this book.  When the apples would fall from the tree inside the book, I would have paper apples to "rain" down on the kids.  They went crazy over this happening!

Our craft today was an autumn tree. The leaves and trunk are all torn-paper.  For the two's we had the brown trunk already glued down.



*We had games this month and you can check them out here!

November Games and Sensory Bins

This month our games were centered around autumn and Thanksgiving!

1.) Cornucopia Word Matching
I was worried the kids would have trouble doing this, but they were excellent at it!  Secondly, I was hesitant to use feathers to hide the words in, but no problems there either!  All the kids loved the texture of the feathers.  Only the preschoolers did this sensory game.
Credit: In My World

2.) Turkey Feather Matching
This was another fun matching game, and I hid the feathers in leaves.  The two's and preschoolers did a great job in matching the feathers!

Credit: In My World

3.) Scarecrow Knockdown
For this game, I just took empty boxes and covered them.  This scarecrow I bought years ago at a dollar store.  I took him apart and taped him to the boxes.  That's all it takes!  Your game is ready for the kids to stack and knock over again and again.

4.) Pumpkin Soup Dipping
I didn't take a picture of this, but it's simple to do.  I took two of our plastic cauldrons and filled them with water.  Then I dumped some foam gourds, pumpkins and acorns into them.  I laid out some slotted spoons and bowls.  I put a plastic tablecloth underneath all this to help with the cleanup.  The preschoolers loved this, but only a few of the two's came over to play with it this year.

Turkey Trot (Two's and Preschool)

Time for Two’s:

Opening: Big Books

Fingerplay: If You Want to Hear a Story

Board Book: Where is Baby’s Turkey?

*This is a brand new Thanksgiving book by Karen Katz, and the two's loved it!  I tend to forget how much they enjoy lift-the-flap books.

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Pumpkins

Credit: Famlii

Fingerplay/Flannel: Turkey, Turkey

Turkey, turkey, come and play.

What color house are you in today?

Book: There’s a Giraffe in My Soup!

*Did someone order soup?  I never expected the two's to go crazy over this book, but they did!  I did more of a storytelling with this one.  I had my volunteer deliver me a soup pot, with each animal hidden inside it.  After I opened my soup and discovered the animal, I sent the soup pot back with her and showed the pictures inside the book to the kids.  Then she would bring back my soup pot and we'd continue on.  I was afraid the story would be lost on the two's, but it wasn't.  The best part?  When I showed them the dessert page, which was a moose with a cherry on top, but I was supposed to receive a mousse!  The parents got that joke in the book, which made it even more enjoyable!

Action: Turkey Feathers

*This is a flannel we already had prepared at my library.  All the kids received a feather with velcro on the back.  Then they all brought up their feathers to stick around my turkey on the flannelboard.

Our craft today was a turkey!  We used scrapbook paper for the feathers, and the two's glued everything themselves.  You can order a kit if you don't want to prepare the craft yourself, just click the link below.

Credit: Oriental Trading

Extra Books:

Preschool Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Book: Run, Turkey, Run! 

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Pumpkins

Credit: Famlii

Book: Chimpanzees for Tea!

*I was so excited to use this book, but I think it was a little over the kids heads.  My crowd was much younger than normal, but they enjoyed seeing the animals pop up behind me.

Fingerplay/Flannel: Turkey, Turkey

Turkey, turkey, come and play.

What color house are you in today?

Book: There’s a Giraffe in My Soup!

*Did someone order soup?  I did more of a storytelling with this one.  I had my volunteer deliver me a soup pot, with each animal hidden inside it.  After I opened my soup and discovered the animal, I sent the soup pot back with her and showed the pictures inside the book to the kids.  Then she would bring back my soup pot and we'd continue on.  I was afraid the story would be lost on the two's, but it wasn't.  The best part?  When I showed them the dessert page, which was a moose with a cherry on top, but I was supposed to receive a mousse!  

Action: Turkey Feathers

*This is a flannel we already had prepared at my library.  All the kids received a feather with velcro on the back.  Then they all brought up their feathers to stick around my turkey on the flannelboard.

Our craft today was a turkey!  We used scrapbook paper for the feathers, and the two's glued everything themselves.  You can order a kit if you don't want to prepare the craft yourself, just click the link below.

Credit: Oriental Trading

Extra Read-Alouds:

Bear Says Thanks

Dinnertime for Chickies

Lemons Are Not Red

Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake

Mouse Who Reached the Sky

Nanette’s Baguette

Peanut Butter and Jelly by Westcott

Please Say Please!

Run, Turkey, Run!

Thank You! By Ethan Long

10 Fat Turkeys

10 Turkeys in the Road

That’s Not Bunny!

Thanksgiving Graces

Thanksgiving Rules

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey!

Ugly Pumpkin

What’s For Lunch?

J and K are for Jungle Jam with Kangaroo! (Preschool and Two's)

Preschool Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

App: Guess Jungle Sounds

*This is a wonderful app I found on Google play.  The kids loved guessing the animal sounds.  The only thing I would do differently is have a wireless speaker, to help amplify the sound.  That's something I am investing in very soon.

Book: Pouch!

*This is a great book to get the kids up and moving!  Or jumping!

Fingerplay: Kangaroo’s Pouch Guessing Game

*The kids did really well with this guessing game.  Check it out here!

Book:  Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Cabrera (With Puppets)

*This is a favorite book of mine to use with a jungle or water theme.  The kids loved seeing the animals pop up behind me!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree

Book: Parrot Tico Tango

*This is the first time I've used this book in storytime, but I love it!  Unfortunately, the copy I used didn't have the sing along CD, but I wish it did!  Parrot Tico Tango keeps taking food from all the other animals, but the book does teach you at the end that this isn't nice to do.  I had my volunteer behind me, and all the puppets would pop up behind me, holding all the food inside their mouths.  I would take the food from my puppets.  My plan was to make small cutouts of all the food and at the end throw this out on the kids. This did not happen, but hopefully next time!

Fingerplay: Lion Hiding Behind Door Guessing Game

Action Song: “Here We Go Jumping”

*We didn't do this fun jumping fingerplay, but you can find it here.

Action: We’re Going on a Lion Hunt!

*The kids were getting a little restless at this point, so we didn't go hunting for our lion at this storytime.  But it's always a fun thing to do!

Our craft today was the letter "J" for jungle! The kids glued down everything.

Credit: Blessings Overflowing

Extra Books:

Time for Two’s Storytime:

Opening: Big Books

Fingerplay: If You Want to Hear a Story

Book: Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera

*This is a favorite book of mine to use with a jungle or water theme.  The kids loved seeing the animals pop up behind me!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Jungle Animal Action Cards

Fingerplay: Lion Hiding Behind Door Guessing Game

Book/Flannel: Pouch!

Fingerplay/Flannel: Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree

Fingerplay/Flannel: Jungle Animal Action Cards

Our craft today was the letter "J" for jungle! The kids glued down everything.

Credit: Blessings Overflowing

Extra Book:

November New Books

*This is such a cute book!  This isn't your traditional take on the song we all know and love, but I fell in love with this board book!  I can't wait to use this book in storytime and shake everything up!  Not only can the kids sing along as you read, but the words encourage them to get up and dance too!



*Oh my, pizza pie!  The "Cook in a Book" series are so cool!  There are more than just this one, and I would love to have them all at my library!  This book has so many cool features to it!  For instance, one know will turn the oven to a certain degree, another will make the sauce appear on your pizza.  This is truly a pizza inside the book!


*What is taking all the food from our garden? Why the pest, of course!  I'd love to turn this into a puppet show while I'm reading, and have all the yummy food disappear behind me.


*When I saw this book online, I had my hopes up that it would be cute.  But I had no idea how mind-boggling it would turn out to be!  Every time you turn the page another spinning gear pops up, until you get to the end with lots and lots of gears all spinning.


*I love rhyming books, and Bitty Bot hits the spot!  The illustrations are so bright and colorful, and this is perfect for a robot or bedtime storytime.


*Yes, I work in a library, but I love construction vehicles!  This book just stole my heart!  But don't you just want to squeeze that litlte construction cone that the bulldozer is cuddling?  Little boys and girls alike will want to be read this sweet little book at bedtime.



*Good ole Larry the lovable monster is back, but this time in a Christmas adventure!  What a great interactive book to use this time of year.


*Oh me, oh my!  The little penguin is back with his lollipop!  If you haven't read the first book, then put it on hold immediately!  I think this book would be hilarious to read at storytime, and I plan to use it at my winter themed storytime.


*I can't get enough of Peep and Egg!  Please tell me you've read these, if not then go now!  Little, sweet Egg will not take a bath, no matter what.  Until all the barnyard animals join him.  But where?  In the pond, of course!  I love the cover of this book, with the towel wrapped around Peep's head!


*Wow, there is so much goodness and life lessons packed into this book!  The timid little koala on the front cover learns that life isn't all about clinging to a tree, it's about letting go and living!  Yes, that sounds deep for a kids book, but trust me.  From my own experiences, let go of the tree and cling to God!  Back to the book, the illustrations are breathtaking.  Especially the page with all the animals marching along the water, and their reflections appear below them.  There aren't a lot of words to each page, but everything rhymes which makes the book flow wonderfully.  Can you tell how much I enjoyed this book?


*Normally, I don't like wordless books at all, but this book made me laugh so much!  Each page builds upon the previous letter, which just adds to the madness!  I would love to use this in storytime, but you really need to see each tiny, hilarious detail!  Check out the letter "E", it's my favorite!  In case you missed what each letter represents (which I did) the last page will give you a cheat sheet.


*This book took me by surprise, but in a good way.  Blue and yellow are having a fight over who is better?  But after they collide and make green, then they come to an agreement that they are both good!  But stop!  What about red?   If a book makes me chuckle at the end, then it's a winner!


*This is just a cute, silly book with wonderfully drawn animals!  Be sure to look for the mouse on each page, I think he's the bees knees!


*Baby bear is hiding from Mama bear all through this book, and I think the kids would love hunting for him!  I plan on using this in storytime, along with my big bear puppet.  I believe the kids would have fun not only hunting for baby bear inside the book but also seeing him pop up behind me!


*This book is so cute!  Yes, it's simple, but such a fun read-aloud.  I'd love to have a dinosaur pop up behind me while I'm reading this, to make it interactive and a bit sillier too!


*Oh my goodness, I knew by the cover this book would be a smash, but I had no idea!  With each turn of the page, you smash something else the opposite page.  My storytime kids love interactive books like this, and I know this one will entertain them!


*This is such an amazing guessing book, and I can't wait to use it with my storytime crowd!  The author gives great clues to the animal that's being guessed, and the illustrations are wonderful!




*You will need a box of tissues when you read this book.  I don't even know what to say, except after reading this, I have a new perspective on life.  To value everything God has given me, absolutely every single thing.  What this man went through, and he never gave up.  We can all learn something from this, and I hope that you do after reading it.