"S" is for Storytime!
Books to Share
Max’s ABC by Rosemary Wells
Now I Eat My ABC’s by Pam Abrams
Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth
Sleepy ABC by Margaret Wise Brown
Books to Show or Booktalk
Flora McDonnell’s ABC by Flora McDonnell
John Deere Farm ABC by Dorling Kindersley
Slide and Find ABC by Priddy Books
Winnie-the-Pooh’s ABC by Ernest H. Shepard and A. A. Milne
Bulletin Board
Now I Know My ABC’s
Post copies of book jackets of ABC books. Scatter brightly-colored letters across the board.
Nametag
A is for Anna
On a rectangle, write the first letter of the child’s given name very large to the left. Then write the rest of the child’s name across the tag.
Songs
A-B-C
(Traditional)
A-B-C-D, E-F-G,
H-I-J-K, L-M-N-O-P,
Q-R-S, T-U-V
W-X, Y and Z.
Now I’ve sung my ABC’s.
Next time won’t you sing with me?
Dance and Movement Songs
A Is for Alligator!
(By Patricia Peters)
A is for Alligator! song (mp3)
A is for Alligator. Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! (place arms together at elbows, palms facing; “chomp”)
B is for Boots. I can stomp, stomp, stomp! (stamp feet in place)
C is for Cake. Yum! Yum! Yum! (rub tummy)
If you want, I’ll give you some. (hold hands out, palms up)
Action Rhymes
Alphabet, Alphabet
(“Alphabet, Alphabet” from Storytime Magic: 400 Fingerplays, Flannelboards, and Other Activities by Kathy MacMillan and Christine Kirker. Chicago: American Library Association, 2009, p. 51. Used with permission from the American Library Association.)
Alphabet, alphabet, turn around.
Alphabet, alphabet, make a sound.
Alphabet goes from A to Z.
Won’t you say the alphabet with me?
Flannel Boards
A Is for Alligator Matching Game
From felt, cut upper and lower case letters ABC, an alligator, a pair of boots, and a cake. Use the Alphabet, Alphabet movement song from above. Place all of them on the board. Encourage the children to help you match by saying the letter name and asking which picture on the right begins with that letter sound. Then try it the other way around, identifying one of the shapes and asking the children which letter is the beginning sound.
Crafts
My ABC Book
Materials
- Letters A, B, and C cut out of various colors of construction paper
- “My ABC Book” for gluing
- Glue sticks
- Markers
Directions
Before storytime, prepare “My ABC Book” for each child by following these instructions. During storytime, give each child a book and a set of three letters. Assist the children in gluing A, B, and C onto successive pages. Write the child’s name in the blank on the cover.
- Copy “My ABC Book by______” onto the upper right quadrant of 8 ½” x 11” paper (any color) one sheet per child. (See example.)
- Cut each sheet in half width-wise.
- Fold both halves together lengthwise, so that “My ABC Book” shows on the “front cover.”
- Open and staple at fold.
Games and Activities
Now I Eat My ABCs
If feasible, give each child a copy of Now I Eat My ABCs by Pam Abrams. With a caregiver, encourage children to trace each letter of the alphabet as they read through the book together. If you do not have a set of books large enough for everyone, read from your own copy and encourage children (with caregivers’ help) to trace letters in the air with their fingers as you read. As you draw the letter in the air as an example, remember to mirror the movements to the children, so that they are moving the right direction. For example, your letter “L” will start in the upper right, then move down and across to the left. From the audience, that looks correct.
Professional Resources
Storytime Magic by Kathy MacMillan and Christine Kirker