River Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
There is a lot of detail in these wordless pages. Some guiding questions sustain the narrative and make it a compelling share. Probably not good for big groups.
Umbrellas go up, umbrellas go down.
When rain clouds are dark, all over town.
1 raindrop, 2. 2 raindrops, 3.
My up down umbrella goes up over me!
4 raindrops, 5. 6 raindrops, 7.
So many raindrops! 8, 9, 10, 11!
Drip, drip, drip, drip, I’m dry as can be.
My up down umbrella goes up over me!
Paper plates act as our umbrellas, and parents are encouraged to use their fingertips as raindrops during the counting. It doesn’t work so well as choral recitation, so I added a sign I can flip to show UP and DOWN which guides the kids with their plate umbrellas.
Fun culmination book, the kids really like the bright illustrations.
5 little fishes, swimming in the river.
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “You don’t make me shiver, you don’t make me shiver!”
Along came Mr. Alligator quietly downriver…
and snapped 1 fish, all the rest did shiver!
Acting out the shiver was a big hit! I used some fish and a crocodile puppet to enhance the counting aspect.
Solomon plays a little too rough, for most of the animals on the river. Such fun pictures, and great opportunity for voices, from dragonfly to hippopotamus.
Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. If your see a crocodile, don’t forget to scream!
Row, row, row your boat, gently up the river. If you see a polar bear, don’t forget to shiver!
Row, row, row your boat, gently by the shore. If you see a lion, don’t forget to roar!
I animate a crocodile (scream), polar bear (shiver), and lion (roar), as extensions to this song.
A simple story of a cat who’s very attached to a fish. The repetition builds anticipation of what the outcome will be!
View in Slides at the top of the page for links!