Toddler Programs Chapter
By Heather Coleson
Reading through the Rainforest
- Books to Share
- Books to Show or Booktalk
- Bulletin Board
- Nametag
- Rhymes and Poetry
- Audio Recordings
- Puppet Plays
- Stories to Tell
- Crafts
- Games and Activities
- Guest Speakers
- Program Materials
Books to Share
Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow.
Hug by Jez Alborough.
If You’re Happy and You Know It: Jungle Edition by James Warhola.
A Monkey Among Us by Dave Horowitz.
Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree by Jan Peck.
Books to Show or Booktalk
Animals in the Jungle by Elisabeth de Lambilly-Bresson.
Monkey See, Monkey Do by Marc Gave.
One Monkey Too Many by Jackie Koller.
“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” Said the Sloth by Eric Carle.
Bulletin Board
Reading Through the Rainforest
Decorate the bulletin board with rain forest animals and flora, using the photograph at Bulletin Board Pro, www.bulletinboardpro.com/BB63.html, as a model. Add letters to create the title “Reading Through the Rainforest.”
Nametag
Trees
Use the tree pattern provided in this program to create tree nametags.
Rhymes and Poetry
Five Little Monkeys Swinging From the Tree
(Traditional.)
Five little monkeys, (hold up five fingers)
Swinging from the tree. (wave hand back and forth)
Teasing Mr. Alligator, (shake finger at children)
“Can’t catch me. Can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Alligator,
Quietly as can be.
AND SNAP! (open hands like an alligator mouth and then slam hands shut)
Repeat with:
Four little monkeys…(hold up 4 fingers)
Three little monkeys…(hold up 3 fingers)
Two little monkeys…(hold up 2 fingers)
Continue until there are no more monkeys swinging from the tree.
Recite “Walking Through the Jungle” from the Harris County Public Library’s Storytime Database at www.hcpl.net/cgi-bin/ebranch/story_time/the me.pl?id=175
Recite “Monkey See, Monkey Do” on page 138 of Storytimes for Two-Year-Olds by Judy Nichols.
Audio Recordings
“The Monkey Dance” on Yummy Yummy by The Wiggles.
“Jungle Adventure” on Barney’s Favorites Featuring Songs from Imagination Island by Barney.
Puppet Plays
Perform “Elephant’s Sneeze” on pages 167-172 from One-Person Puppet Plays by Denise Wright.
Stories to Tell
Tell the fable “The Lion and the Mouse.” The story and patterns to create flannel board pieces can be found on pages 119-120 of Toddler Storytime Programs by Diane Briggs.
Crafts
Jungle Tree
Materials
- Brown construction paper
- Blue construction paper
- Green tissue paper
- White craft glue
Directions
In advance, cut tree trunks using the jungle tree pattern provided in this program. Give each toddler a tree trunk, a blue piece of construction paper, and a small sheet of green tissue paper. Glue the tree trunk to the blue piece of paper. Tear up pieces of green tissue paper to make leaves and glue the leaves onto the trunk to make a jungle tree.
Tiger Paper Bag Puppet
Make a “Tiger Paper Bag Puppet” using the patterns and instructions from Sunday School Fun Zone at www.sunday-school-fun-zone.com/free lessons/noahsark.html - freetigerpuppetpatterns.
Silly Monkey Face
Make a “Silly Monkey Face” mask using the pattern on page 231 in The Big Book of Stories, Songs, and Sing-Alongs by Beth Maddigan. Add a party blower that can be held up to the precut slit for the mouth to make silly noises.
Games and Activities
Use the “I’m a Lion Activity” on page 111 in 2’s Experience Fingerplays by Liz and Dick Wilmes to encourage children to guess the animal and its sound. The patterns for these stick puppets are on pages 136-137. Make the puppets and hold them up as the children make animal sounds or make an animal sound and ask the children to identify which animal just spoke.
Guest Speakers
Invite a local gymnastics group to show the toddlers how to tumble.
Program Materials
Reading Through the Rainforest – Tree Nametag Pattern
Printer Friendly PDF Version (21 KB)
Reading Through the Rainforest – Jungle Tree Pattern
Printer Friendly PDF Version (17 KB)
