Storytime: Dinosaurs, Big and Bad

Family storytime for ages 3-8 and their families with a craft.  There are so many good new dinosaur books, the kids loved these!

 Books

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime

by Bob Shea

 

The Super Hungry Dinosaur

by Martin Waddell

I'm Bad

by Kate and Jim McMullan

Additional Books

Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton

Gorgonzola: A Very Stinkysaurus by Margie Palatini

Prehistoric Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

T Is for Terrible  by Peter McCarty

Song

I'm a Mean Old Dinosaur

(Sung to: I'm a Little Teapot)

I'm a mean old dinosaur,

Big and tall.

Here is my tail.

Here is my claw.

When I get all hungry,

I just growl.

Look out kids...

I'm on the prowl!

Craft

Pasta Fossil Dinosaurs

Provide dry pasta for the children to paste onto black construction paper to create dinosaurs.  I found white chalk was useful for the parents to sketch dinosaurs for the littlest ones to fill in with pasta.

Storytime: Alligators & Crocodiles (Snip Snap Stories)

Family Storytime for Ages 3-8.  Alligators and crocodiles better get their snapping ready to go.  One of a my favorite storytimes because I can have the children "snap" through all these stories.

Books

Snip, Snap! What's That?

By Mara Bergman

Illustrated by Nick Maland

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree

By Eileen Christelow

Where's My Mommy?

By Jo Brown

Alternate or Additional Books

Alligator Alphabet By Stella Blackstone and Stephanie Bauer

Alligator Baby By Robert Munsch

There's An Alligator Under My Bed By Mercer Mayer

What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile? By Judy Sierra Illustrated by Doug Cushman

Songs and Fingerplays

Alligator Pie

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie.

(Hold arms out in front and snap down and together on the word "alligator")

If I don't get some,

I think I'm gonna cry.

(Mime crying)

You can take away the grass.

(Use an arm to make wavy motions)

You can take away the sky.

(Hold arms up and rounded over head)

But don't take away,

(Shake your finger)

My alligator pie!

(Snap your arms)

"Alligator Stomp"

by Anna Moo

from Classic Animal Songs

Craft

A Alligator

From No Time For Flashcards, see there for a step by step.

Storytime: Pizza

Family storytime for kids ages 3-8 and their families with songs, fingerplays, books and a craft.

Books:


Hi, Pizza Man!
by Virginia Walter and pictures by Ponder Goembel



Pete's a Pizza
by William Steig



Pizza at Sally's
by Monica Wellington


The Pizza That We Made
by Joan Holub and pictures by Lynne Cravath

Additional Books:

Dragon Pizzeria by Mary Morgan

Pizza Counting by Christina Dobson and pictures by Matthew Holmes

Songs:

If You Want to Eat Some Pizza
To the tune of: "If You're Happy and You Know It"

If you want to eat some pizza clap your hands. (Clap, clap)
If you want to eat some pizza clap your hands. (Clap, clap)
If you like bubbly cheese, then just say "Pizza, please!"
If you want to eat some pizza clap your hands. (Clap, clap)

If you want to eat some pizza stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)
If you want to eat some pizza stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)
If you like bubbly cheese, then just say "Pizza, please!"
If you want to eat some pizza stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)

If you want to eat some pizza shout hooray. (Hooray!)
If you want to eat some pizza shout hooray. (Hooray!)
If you like bubbly cheese, then just say "Pizza, please!"
If you want to eat some pizza shout hooray. (Hooray!)

If you want to eat some pizza do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, hooray!)
If you want to eat some pizza do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, hooray!)
If you like bubbly cheese, then just say "Pizza, please!"
If you want to eat some pizza do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, hooray!)


I Wish I Were a Pizza
to the tune of: the Oscar Meyer Weiner Song

Oh, I wish I were a pepperoni pizza.
That is what I'd truly like to be.
For if I were a pepperoni pizza,
Everyone would be in love with me!

(Have kids shout out their own favorite pizzas to sing about)

Songs from Preschool Education



Craft:

Modified "Paper Pizza"From Family Fun

Instead of using the paper bags and cardboard crust I cut paper plates into fourths for "slices". Using red bingo dotters I had the kids at their "sauce", and "cheese" were cut pieces of white and yellow tissue paper. On top of this they glued their toppings. I cut out pieces of green pepper, pineapples, and mushrooms. I rolled up balls of brown paper for sausage or beef. I also used plain library dot stickers, red for pepperoni and black with a hole punched in the middle for black olives. The parents seemed to enjoy this craft, too.

Storytime: Circus

Family storytime for parents and kids ages 3-8 with craft. 

Books:
  Circus Parade by Harriet Ziefert and pictures by Tanya Roitman



Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy and pictures by Edward Miller


 
Spot Goes to the Circus by Eric Hill



Where's Pup? by Dayle Ann Dodds and pictures by Pierre Pratt

Additional Books: 

Clifford at the Circus by Norman Bridwell 

Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer 

Peter Spier's Circus by Peter Spier 

Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman and Kevin Hawkes  

Songs:

Popcorn Song 
to the tune of "Frere Jacques" 

(Have kids squat and shake to the song)
Popcorn kernels, popcorn kernels,
In the pot, in the pot,
Shake them, shake them, shake them,
Shake them, shake them, shake them,
'Til they POP!
(On "POP" the kids pop up)


Five Little Hotdogs

Five little hotdogs in a pan.
(Hold up five fingers)
The grease got hot and one went "bam"!
(Clap on "bam")
Four little hotdogs in a pan.
(Hold up four fingers)
The grease got hot and one went "bam"!
(Clap on "bam")
(Count down until you get to...)
No little hotdogs in a pan.
(Hold up fist or hold out hands in an "all done" gesture)
The pan got hot and it went "bam"!
(Clap on "bam")


Both songs from Perpetual Preschool  


Craft:

Animal Cracker Circus Train I used our Ellison machine to cut out train shapes. I had the children make train tracks with white chalk on black paper. Then, they pasted on their train pieces and glued animal crackers on top as circus animals. They turned out adorable. See thebestkidsbooksite for a full description and templates.