Pets Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi
Book: Rrralph – Lois Elhert
Ask kids what a dog says, and you'll get a few responses, but Rrralph is a dog who can talk! It's great fun trying all the noises a dog makes in this story.
Song: The Pets I love –
from the CD Baby Signing Time Vol 1.
I used animals from this 'Hunting We Will Go' set, sadly no longer shared, as visuals for our flannel board. We learned sign language for all the animals, and then did them with the song!
Book: Me Want Pet – Tammi Sauer
The little cave boy wants a pet, but his parents find something wrong with all of them. Eventually they prove their worth. Originally Gilbert Goldfish Want a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio was in this spot (ironically, both illustrated by Bob Shea!) but it felt a little long, so when this new book came in I tag teamed them.
Activity: Pet School
Do you think it would be fun to be a pet? Let's give it a try in Pet school!
We practiced being a dog who sat up and rolled over, a horse who galloped and jumped, a fish that held it's breath, a bird that flapped it's wings and talked, and a cat that washed it's face and took a nap.
Book: Children Make Terrible Pets – Peter Brown
In this book you can find out just how much trouble a child would be as a pet. Eventually Lucy learns the best place for her 'pet' is with it's family...and she finds a replacement.
Activity: Dear Zoo
from the book by Rod Campbell
This book was turned into a puppet play. "I wrote to the zoo and asked them to send me a pet, and they sent me... " Pull out each 'pet' that they sent, and have the kids say why it wouldn't be a good pet (most of the responses were it would bite you, or it would eat you!) We had an elephant, a lion, a crocodile, a skunk, a spider, and a monkey.
Book: Aarrgghh! Spider! By Monks, Lydia
But maybe a spider would make a good pet after all! In this book a family eventually learns to appreciate the spider that is determined to be their pet. Very cute and popular.
Craft: Pet puffs
(one of the kids creations)
Then we made our own pets! I wasn't able to get rocks, so we used big puff balls, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes to create our very own pets.