Cover Sheet – For the Presenter
The following storyhour program is designed for toddlers and preschoolers
(primarily 2-3-year olds).
You don’t have to read the leader’s comments word-for-word, but try to
include the information in your own words especially the asides to the
parents. The information that is just for you is in italics – so don’t read that
text.
The general outline of our storytime is:
I.
Welcome/Introductory Comments
II.
Opening Song
III.
Rhyme
IV.
Quieting rhyme
V.
Book
VI.
Rhyme
VII.
Book
VIII. Flannelboard Activity
IX.
Book
X.
Closing Song
Feel free to substitute your own opening and closing rhymes as well as any
rhymes with a similar theme that the children have heard before.
Repetition of songs and action rhymes from previous storytimes is better
than introducing all new ones.
You can create flannel board pieces using clipart that comes with your word
processing program – simply enlarge the artwork to a suitable size.
You might also enlarge some of the rhymes and display those to help the
adults join in.
We like the idea of offering a simple craft or activity after your storytime
has officially ended to encourage caregivers to visit and look at your
library’s books and brochures.
Photocopy the take home materials so that the learning continues all week!
Wheels
Introduction
To the caregivers:
Welcome to storytime. I am glad you could all be here today. We
are going to be sharing some rhymes and books. Our theme is cars
and buses – and anything with wheels. Please join in with our
rhymes and actions. Feel free to take a break if your child becomes
unhappy.
Let’s start with a simple song, sung to the tune of “Happy
Birthday.”
Opening Song (to the tune of “Happy Birthday”)
Good morning to you
Good morning to you
Good morning, dear Tommy,
Good morning, to you.
(Repeat with all of the children’s names if possible – if your group is too
large, just substitute “children” and sing 3 or 4 times.)
Let’s start with an old favorite rhyme, Wheels On the Bus.
-1-
Wheels On the Bus
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town.
The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish.
The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish,
all through the town.
The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep.
The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep,
all through the town.
The money on the bus goes, Clink, clink, clink;
Clink, clink, clink;
Clink, clink, clink.
The money on the bus goes, Clink, clink, clink,
all through the town.
The Driver on the bus says "Move on back,
move on back, move on back;"
The Driver on the bus says "Move on back",
all through the town.
The baby on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah".
The baby on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah",
all through the town.
Substitute these also:
The doors on the bus go open and shut.
The bell on the bus goes ding-ding-ding.
"Child’s name" on the bus says Let Me Off!
Now it’s time to settle down for a story. Let’s get all of our wiggles out now:
Quieting Rhyme
I wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my arms,
I wiggle my nose.
I think that the wiggles
Are all out of me
Now I can sit down
And hear a story.
Book
To the Adults:
This book is just made for audience participation. Please
encourage your child to respond when called for – you’ll see what
I mean in a moment. Your child will get more out of the time you
spend reading together if you ask questions about what you’ve read
or have him or her “read” any repeated phrases and so on.
Read Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. [If you don’t have city buses where
you live, you might mention that in big cities some people ride a big bus to
work or to shop – just like children ride a big bus to school.]
Rhyme
A-Driving We Will Go
(Using the tune of “A-Hunting We Will Go”)
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We can go far
In our shiny car
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We need some gas
To go so fast
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We’ll make a stop
So we can shop
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we did go
A-driving we did go
Our trip is done
We had some fun
Now home again we will go
Book
Select a book about shapes from your collection.
Flannel Board Activity
Use flannel board pieces to discuss the names of shapes. Emphasize that
wheels are round. Look around the library for examples of each shape.
Book
Choose a book about cars and trucks, etc. such as Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy
Shaw.
Closing Rhyme
(Put up the flannelboard clock as a sign that storytime is over.)
Good-bye now, good-bye.
The clock tells us we're done.
I'll see you next storytime,
Good-bye now everyone.
To the caregivers:
Feel free to stay a while and do a craft or check out some books to
take home. (Point out any brochures or tip sheets that you have on
display for parents, etc.)
Crafts:
We like the idea of providing a craft at the end of storyhour. Something simple is fine.
This gives parents a chance to visit and it re-inforces what the children learned.
A simple coloring page is provided. Children can glue black circles on the bus for
wheels. [Provide crayons and glue sticks.]
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Wheels
Take-Home Sheet
Rhymes and songs help teach “phonological awareness” – awareness of the
sounds that make up words. You may have noticed that your child enjoys the
way a nursery rhyme sounds even if it doesn’t make much sense to him.
When you introduce a new rhyme or song, repeat it at least twice. Three
times is even better. And be sure to keep repeating the old, familiar
rhymes.
The Wheels On the Bus
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town.
The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish.
The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish,
all through the town.
The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep.
The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep,
all through the town.
The money on the bus goes, Clink, clink, clink;
Clink, clink, clink;
Clink, clink, clink.
The money on the bus goes, Clink, clink, clink,
all through the town.
The Driver on the bus says "Move on back,
move on back, move on back;"
The Driver on the bus says "Move on back",
all through the town.
The baby on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah".
The baby on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah",
all through the town.
Substitute these also:
The doors on the bus go open and shut.
The bell on the bus goes ding-ding-ding.
"Child’s name" on the bus says Let Me Off!
Bringing it home:
Be sure to point out different things with wheels as you go through your daily
routine this week. Remind your child of the books we’ve read at storyhour. (“Do
you remember the pigeon that wanted to drive the bus?” and so on).
This discussion will help your child see that books and pictures represent (are
symbols for) real things. This concept will help them see that printed words
represent real things, too.
A-Driving We Will Go
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We can go far
In our shiny car
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We’ll make a stop
So we can shop
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we will go
A-driving we will go
We need some gas
To go so fast
A-driving we will go
Oh, a-driving we did go
A-driving we did go
Our trip is done
We had some fun
Now home again we will go