Storytime Spotlight: Let’s Hop in a Box

Many thanks to my fabulous coworker and friend Tanya Prax for putting together such a fun storytime this week and letting me share it!  My only tweak was sneaking in a few extra flannels and swapping my usual weekly hat out for a box.  🙂

Here’s how it went with the toddlers…

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Theme Introduction:

• I wore a big box on my head for my hat.  First it was turned around the wrong way, so I couldn’t fit through the door (which made all the littles laugh).  Then when I finally made it through the door and asked them if they liked my hat, they told me it was NOT a hat, it was a box!  I said “That’s the wonderful thing about a box!  It can be a hat… or a boat…” and I took the box off my head and sat down in it and pretended to row… at which point my big butt broke the box.  Whoops.  🙂

Welcome/Opening Songs:

• If You’re Happy & You Know It
• Shake My Sillies Out

ABC Routine: Letter I

Fun Fact: Play

Playing helps children’s brains grow and develop in so many ways!  When we pretend and act out stories, we’re using problem-solving skills and it prepares us to write stories of our own someday.  That’s why I love our first book- it’s a super fun book to read first and then play together!

Transition: Dance Your Fingers

Book #1: Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

This book went over pretty well with the crowd.  They liked naming the different objects that the box became.

Scarf Song: Turn Around by Sue Schnitzer

They loved this song so much we had to do it two times in a row (and we could have gone for three, but I was pretty dizzy by then!)

Transition: Stretch to the Window

Flannel: Here is a Box

Here is a Box

Here is a box where something is hid
I wonder whatever is under the lid?
Let’s listen for a shout
And see who comes out!

(make animal noises and have kids guess who is in the box before opening)

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Credit: Anne’s Library Life

Pattern: Clip art courtesy of My Cute Graphics

Book #2: Sitting in My Box by Dee Lillegard

I had a fair amount of older kiddos mixed with my toddlers in the crowd, so I pulled one of the preschool books and I’m so glad I did- it was a huge hit!  The repetition, rhyming and knocking make this an awesome read.  I think it would make a pretty fun flannel, too.

Book #3: Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli

Not as fun as the first two, but it was still a pretty solid read.

Craft: Shape Art

I love the open-end aspect of this craft.  The kiddos got so creative and made houses, rockets, cars, trains and so on with the different shapes we had available.  Here’s my snake.  🙂

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This was such a fun theme!  I just love how well it lends itself to encouraging imagination and creativity.  I was a little worried that it might be too abstract for my toddlers, but they seemed to catch on quickly and really enjoy it.

Happy Friday everyone!  Hope you have a great weekend ahead!