Circus Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
(The group started off really reserved today, but by the end everyone was all gung-ho! This theme was a request from a summer group, and ended up being a lot of fun for me.)
Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi
Book: Where’s Pup? – Dayle Ann Dodds
(A fun way to start the program, the little clown meets all sorts of performers as he looks for his lost pup. It was fun to point out some uncommon circus performers, like the mouse and pig.)
Flannel Board / Activity: One little clown
(modified from 'One Little Elephant', and I made 7 clowns but only 5 fit on the flannel board. I showed the string and asked if they knew what it was. Then proclaimed it was a spiderweb!)
One little clown went out to play
upon a spiders web one day.
He had such enormous fun
that he called for another little clown to come.
(continue, adding clowns, until you run out of room!)
Book: Big and Little – John Stadler
(A fun book that kept everyone engaged and had a lovely surprise at the end.) =]
Activity: Elephants have wrinkles
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles,
Elephants have wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere.
On there toes, no one knows
Why-aye-aye-aye.
Elephants have wrinkles...(and continue with other body parts)
(end with...) ... on their teeth. On their teeth? Don't be ridiculous!
But!, on their nose, on their ears, on their hips, on their knees, on their toes, no one know
Why-aye-aye-aye-aye.
(What do elephants have? We talked about some different parts of an elephant, and don't forget the wrinkles!)
Book: C is for Clown – Stan and Jan Berenstain
(A nice simple story that I threw in last minute, and glad I did! It's also fun to read when all the words start with the same letter.)
Activity: Star of the Circus
(adapted from the book by Jose Aruego)
(I wasn't able to access this book, only pages from it, so I don't know what the real ending is supposed to be. I started with mouse on his tightrope. [introducing it first, the kids knew it was a spiderweb! I told them this time is was a tightrope.] Then the animals progressively cover each other until they all fall, and decide they can all be the star of the circus!)
Book: Wolf Won’t Bite – Emily Gravett
(But not everyone Wants to be in the circus. The wolf certainly doesn't seem to enjoy it. Fun ending for the storytime, and the pigs have so much character!)
Activity: Popcorn Parachute
(We used the parachute to pop popcorn [cotton balls]. It was so much fun! Of course they went everywhere, and the group defied any attempt at coordinated shaking, but no one minded. I think we parachuted for 10 minutes before I decided to call an end to it.)