My Family / Mi Familia
If you can't view this video, find it on Youtube: http://youtu.be/KbgrNktHsW8
Books to Share
Baby Can by Eve Bunting
Daddies by Lila Prap
Eyes, Nose, Fingers and Toes: A First Book All About You by Judy Hindley
Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler
Mommy Hugs by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben
Silly Mommy, Silly Daddy by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Books to Show or Booktalk
Before You Were Here, Mi Amor by Samantha R. Vamos
Family and Friends / Familia y amigos by Kathleen Petelinsek and E. Russell Primm
Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Mommy Mine by Tim Warnes
We Belong Together by Todd Parr
Who Loves Me? by Patricia MacLachlan
Bulletin Board
Family is Love
Display large red hearts behind copies of book jackets about all types of families.
Nametag
I Love My Family
Make heart-shaped nametags for the children. Around the heart, write “I Love My Family.” Then write each child’s name in the center.
Fingerplays
This Family
(“This Family” in Storytimes for Two-year-olds by Judy Nichols. Chicago: American Library Association, 2007, p. 84. Used with permission of the American Library Association.)
Mommy is working. (hand open wide, point to thumb)
Daddy’s at the store. (point to index finger)
Little brother rides his bike. (point to middle finger)
Sister’s on the floor. (point to ring finger)
This little one is me, me, me. (hold and wiggle little finger)
I hug my family. (close hand)
And they tickle me. (open hand and tickle palm with finger of the other hand)
We are happy as can be! (wiggle all the fingers together)
Songs
Who Loves Me Every Day? (by Patricia Peters. Translation assistance from Sergio Moreno.)
Who Loves Me song (mp3)
Who loves me every day?
Mommy! Daddy!
Who loves me every day?
Grandma! Grandpa!
Who loves me every day?
Brother! Sister!
And I love them, too.
¿Quién me quiere todos los días?
¡Mamí! ¡Papí!
¿Quién me quiere todos los días?
¡Abuela! ¡Abuelo!
¿Quién me quiere todos los días?
¡Hermano! ¡Hermana!
Y yo también los quiero a ellos.
We’re a Family (By Patricia Peters. Sing to the tune of “Frere Jacques”.)
We’re a family.
We’re a family.
Yes, we are,
Yes, we are,
Loving, laughing, playing
Loving, laughing, playing
Every day.
Every day.
Rhymes and Poetry
Some Families
(“Some Families” in Storytime Magic: 400 Fingerplays, Flanneboards, and Other Activities by Kathy MacMillan and Christine Kirker. Chicago: American Library Association, 2009, p. 67. Used with permission from the American Library Association.)
Some families have a mommy,
Some families have a dad,
Some families have a grandmother,
Some have a granddad,
Some families have a sister,
Some families have a brother,
But one thing that all families have
Is lots of love for each other!
Audio Recordings
“Showoff Medley” on Diaper Gym by Priscilla A. Hegner
Puppet Plays
Little White Rabbit
Watch Devo Carpenter perform this puppet play on Youtube:
http://youtu.be/KbgrNktHsW8
Read the book, Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes and perform the action with stick puppets. This short, sweet little book is a perfect puppet play.
Puppets
- Little White Rabbit (needs to be double-sided, so he can run both directions)
- Little Green Rabbit
- Tall White Rabbit
- Rabbit-shaped Rock (gray)
- Butterfly (or butterflies)
- Cat
- Mother Rabbit
Props
- Grass
- Tall Fir Tree
- Rock
Crafts
I ❤ My Family
Materials
- Large sheets of construction or manila paper with “I (space) My Family” written across the top
- Heart cut-outs or adhesive-backed heart shapes
- Human body outlines in various sizes—large, medium and small
- Glue sticks
- Crayons or markers
Directions
Before storytime, cut out heart shapes and human body shapes. Assist children in gluing the heart onto the chest to show “I “Love” My Family.” Below the heart, children can glue shapes for each member of their family, including themselves. Caregivers or staff may assist by labeling each figure for the children. The children can use crayons or markers to fill in the picture. Write each child’s name on his or her paper.
As an alternative, this craft may be divided into two separate activities: “I Love My Family” with the heart cutout only, and “My Family / Mi Familia” using the body cutouts to represent each member of the child’s family.
Games and Activities
Counting My Family
Display multicolored people shapes in various sizes on a flannel board. Assist the children in counting the “family members.” Restructure the “family” by changing the number of large, medium and small shapes, and count again.
Who Lives Here?
Make either flannel board pieces or stick puppets using the patterns below. Show the homes and show the living creatures one at a time. Allow children to help you match them. As a variation, show all creatures and match the homes shown one at a time.
- House / Person
- Doghouse / Dog
- Pond / Fish
- Bird / Nest
Resources
Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan and Christine Kirker
Storytimes for Two-year-olds, Third Edition by Judy Nichols