Toddler Programs Chapter
By Heather Coleson
The Wild World of Storytime
- Books to Share
- Books to Show or Booktalk
- Bulletin Board
- Displays
- Incentives
- Refreshments
- Sign Language
- Songs
- Rhymes and Poetry
- Audio Recordings
- Flannel Board Stories
- Stories to Tell
- Crafts
- Games and Activities
- Guest Speakers
- Video/DVDs/Films
- Web Sites
- Professional Resources
Books to Share
1,2,3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin.
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann.
How Loud is a Lion? by Clare Beaton.
Splash! by Flora McDonnell.
Books to Show or Booktalk
Rain by Manya Stojic.
Roar! A Noisy Counting Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards.
Starry Safari by Linda Ashman.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.
Bulletin Board
We’re Wild About Storytime!
Decorate your bulletin board with masks of animals that are common to zoos. Include photographs of children participating in storytime interspersed throughout the masks. An assortment of templates for wild animal masks can be found at The Colchester Zoo, http://www.colchesterzoo-kidz.co.uk/wallpapers-masks/masks.html
Displays
Create a display with easy non-fiction books such as the Pebble Plus Series from Capstone Press, www.capstonepress.com, about wild animals like lions, tigers, bears and gorillas. Gather small wild animal figures from staff or patrons, or purchase plastic animals from a toy store, to place around the books.
Incentives
Smilemakers, www.smilemakers.com, sells “Safari Animal Stickers” that can be given to toddlers who participate in the program.
Refreshments
Serve juice boxes and animal crackers. While eating your animal crackers, sing, “My Cracker Zoo.” Lyrics can be found at Kididdles, www.kididdles.com/ly rics/m075.html
Sign Language
Instructions for signing various zoo animals can be found at Lesson Tutor, www.lessontutor.com/eesASLgrassland.html. Teach the toddlers the sign for one or two of the animals, like the elephant, mentioned in “My Cracker Zoo” and encourage the kids to sign when the animal is named in the song.
Songs
Sing “We’re Going to the Zoo” to the tune of London Bridge. Lyrics can be found at Preschool Education,www.preschooleducation.com/szoo.shtml.
Sing, “Do You Know the Jungle Animals?” to the tune of “Do You Know the Muffin Man?” using the lyrics from Everything Preschool, www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/jungle/songs.htm.
Rhymes and Poetry
An Elephant Goes Like This and That
(Traditional.)
An elephant goes like this, (stomp one foot)
And that. (stomp the other foot)
He’s terribly huge, (hold arms overhead)
He’s terribly fat. (hold arms in front)
He has no fingers, (wiggle fingers)
He has no toes, (wiggle toes)
But goodness gracious,
What a nose! (hold arm in front of nose like a trunk)
Recite “Bears Everywhere” on pages 35-36 in Storytimes for Two-Year-Olds by Judy Nichols.
Audio Recordings
“Going to the Zoo” on Raffi the Singable Songs Collection by Raffi.
“Ants in My Pants” on Late Last Night by Joe Scruggs.
Flannel Board Stories
Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin. In advance, prepare flannel board pieces using the patterns from DLTK at www.dltk-teach.com/books/brownbear/index.htm. Before reading the book, distribute flannel board pieces to the children. Let the children bring up their flannel piece when they hear you say their animal. After reading go through and have the children name all of the animals on the flannel board and tell you what color they are. Either prepare multiple copies of the animals so that several children bring up the same animal or read the story several times to allow all the children to participate.
Stories to Tell
Tell “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.” Many variations are available in books or online and children enjoy participating in the story by mimicking the actions. Alternately, create a flannel board using patterns on pages 45-48 in 2’s Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz and Dick Wilmes.
Crafts
Paper Bag Zebra
Make a paper bag zebra. The materials list, pattern pieces, and directions are from DLTK at www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mbagzebra.htm. Pre-cut all of the pieces and put everything in a Ziploc baggy or paper bag. Alternately, simplify the project even more by having the toddlers color the individual stripes instead of cutting them out and coloring the stripe pieces. Leave the tail off and use giant wiggle eyes as demonstrated in the photo provided here.
Folded Paper Giraffe
Make a folded paper giraffe by following the directions and using the pattern available from Danielle’s Place at www.daniellesplace.com/html/african Animals.html.
Aboriginal Masks
Make aboriginal masks using the patterns and directions from Making Friends at www.makingfriends.com/world/mask_aboriginal.htm.
Games and Activities
Who Belongs in the Zoo?
Show the children pictures of domestic and exotic animals and have the children identify which animals they might see at the zoo and which animals they might see in their home or in the park. Zoo animals include lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, and giraffes. Domestic and local animals include dogs, cats, squirrels, goldfish, and hamsters. Printable pictures of animals, both wild and domestic, can be found at DLTK, www.dltk-teach.com/books/brownbear/index.htm and at www.dltk-teach.com/books/brownbear/sequel.htm. Print out the black and white templates and color them in typical colors.
Guest Speakers
Invite representative from the zoo to talk to the kids about the different animals the zoo has. If possible, have the zoo bring an animal to show.
Video/DVDs/Films
Barney Lets Go to the Zoo. (30 min.)
Good Night, Gorilla and More Bedtime Stories. (51 min.)
Web Sites
Animal Match
www.dallaszooed.com/interactive/matching/index.html
Play an animal matching game at the Dallas Zoo web site.
Professional Resources
Zoo Animals
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/zooanim.html
This site links educators to information on zoos, animals, puzzles, rhymes, and other activities.