Getting Better Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi
Book: The Flea’s Sneeze - Lynn Downey
(A playful exploration of being sick, lots of fun, though the illustrations are a bit busy for storytime in places.)
Puppets: Bark George by Jules Feiffer
(Did this story as a puppet show, with just George and the animals that get pulled out by the vet. I was the part of the mother and the vet. This story is great no matter how you tell it!)
Book: Sick Day for Amos Mcgee - Philip C. Stead
(I wasn't sure how well this would go over, it's a slower pace, but the kids were engaged throughout! Nice options for open dialogue with some wordless pages.)
Song: John Brown’s Baby
John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest
John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest
John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest
And they rubbed it with camphorated oil.
Verse 2: Omit word "baby" throughout and do motion
Verse 3: Omit "baby" and "cold" and do motions
Verse 4: Omit "baby", "cold" and "chest" and do motions
Verse 5: Omit "baby", "cold", "chest" and "rubbed" and do motions
Verse 6: Omit "baby", "cold", "chest", "rubbed" and "camphorated oil" and do motions
MOTIONS (not done on Verse 1): baby - rock baby in arms cold - cough chest - slap chest rubbed - rub chest camphorated oil - hold nose and make a face
(A song with a Bingo sort of feel, with words being replaced by actions with each consecutive round. I had a chart with the words and actions for the song. Over the illustration of the actions I taped a slip with the word, which I removed as we progressed through each round.)
Book: I Broke My Trunk - Mo Willems
(Can't go wrong with Mo Willems!)
Poem: Curing the Hiccups by Mary Jane Mitchell
(I used a lion puppet to recite the poem. Puppets make poems so much more engaging! He acted out what he talked about...and we let the kids try to scare the hiccups away before the line '...and 'hic' been scared again.')
I have the ...hic, hic ...hiccups,
And nothing that’s been done
Has helped at ...hic, hic ...curing them.
Hic, hic ...This isn’t fun.
I’ve breathed into their paper bags
And ...hic... counted to ten.
I’ve ...hic... been scared by everyone
And ...hic... been scared again.
I’ve ...hic... walked on a balance beam.
I’ve ...hic... stood on my head.
I home they cure them pretty coon
Before I’m ...hic, hic... dead!
Book: Boo Hoo Bird - Jeremy Tankard
(I love the vibrant colors, and the story is cute too!)
Activity: No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (with parachute)
(Did the classic 'No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed'. We would bounce the monkeys until one fell off then put down the 'blanket' and count the remaining monkeys before bouncing the next one off!)