Storytime Spotlight: Trees & Leaves, Take One (Family Time)

Here’s one of my favorite fun storytimes from this fall! This day I had a younger crowd, so this storytime definitely skewed on the toddler side.

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*Welcome & Set Expectations

*Sing: This is the Way We Clap Our Hands…

Read: Night Owl by Toni Yuly

If you haven’t run into Yuly before now, add her to your Top Ten Toddler Authors. Her books are pure storytime gold! The kiddos are always so drawn into this story – I think they really relate to the fear of getting lost or being left behind.

This is a great calm down book, too. The kiddos have to be quiet to hear the sounds if they want to help Night Owl find his mommy!

Lit Tip: Listening to Sounds & Phonological Awareness

Grown-ups, I love all the different sounds in this story! Being able to hear the different sounds in words is an important reading skill. When you play listening games together and guess what those sounds might be, you help your child get ready to read. Try it outside when you leave the library today!

Flannel Story: Fall is Not Easy

Sing: Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree by the Wiggles (scarves)

This is like, the ONLY Wiggles song I can stand. We previewed the movements beforehand, but there’s still a little too much going on in this song for my taste.

Rhyme: Once I Was a Seed (scarves)

Once I was a seed and I was small, small, small.

I grew into a tree and now I’m tall, tall, tall!

My branches sway in the breeze so soft.

And when it’s autumn, all my leaves fall off!

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Credit: original

After we did this rhyme twice, we raked up all the leaves (aka scarves) from the ground and got ready for our next book!

*Sing: If You’re Ready for a Story…

Read: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

Another fantastic toddler title! Love all the repetition and animal noises.

Flannel: Little Nut, Little Nut

When I put up the final right colors during Fall is Not Easy, I hid an acorn behind one of the leaves. After reading The Busy Little Squirrel, we came back to the flannel. I brought out a hungry squirrel puppet and asked for help finding my winter stash!

Little nut, little nut, where could you be?

Are you buried under the RED leaf?

(repeat with other colors)

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Credit: original

*Learning Through Play

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*Please visit this page to learn more about my regular storytime songs and routines.

What are your favorite fall storytime books and flannels? Do you know of a great fall tree song? Would love to learn more below!