Let S Dance Storytime Kit

“Let’s Dance” Storytime Kit Cover Sheet – For the Presenter

The following storyhour program was designed for the 2009 “Be Creative” Summer Library Program. This program is intended primarily for preschoolers (3-4-year olds).

You don’t have to read the leader’s comments word-for-word, but try to include the information in your own words especially the asides to the parents. The information that is just for you is in italics – so don’t read that text.

The general outline of our storytime is:

I. Opening Song II. Welcome/Introductory Comments III. Song/Dance IV. Quieting rhyme V. Book VI. Story/Rhyme VII. Dance/Song VIII. Book IX. Closing Rhyme or Song

Feel free to substitute your own opening and closing rhymes. Repeating some of the songs and rhymes from previous storytimes is better than introducing all new ones. (For example, you may wish to select a set of opening, closing and quieting rhymes to use throughout your Summer Library Program.)

We have provided artwork in a separate document so that you can create your own flannel boards, etc.

You might prepare copies of the songs and rhymes in large print to help the adults join in.

Craft ideas and take-home materials are offered at the end.

-1- “Let’s Dance”

Opening Song (to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”)

Come on in it’s storytime Storytime Storytime Come on in it’s storytime We’re happy that you’re here.

Sit right down for storytime Storytime Storytime Sit right down for storytime We’ll have a lot of fun

Settle in for storytime Storytime Storytime Settle in for storytime We’re ready to begin.

(Repeat the first two verses several times if necessary as children are arriving. Then add the third verse)

Introduction

Welcome to storytime. I am glad you could all be here today. We are going to be sharing some books and some rhymes – and doing some dancing, too.

To the caregivers:

Adults, please join in with all of our rhymes and actions. A variety of “body awareness” activities have been shown to help children focus, increase attention spans and teach a sense of direction. For example, a sense of moving left to right is an important pre-reading skill and helps avoid letter and word reversal later on.

Song/Dance

Let’s warm up by giving our bones a good workout. Does anyone know what we call all of our bones put together? Yes, our skeleton. Everybody stand up and get ready to shake!

Be sure to point to the various body parts and shake or wiggle each as you spin slowly around. To get the tune, listen to “Dem Dry Bones” on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYb8Wm6-QfA.

Dancing Bones

We all have bones, bones, dancing bones! We have bones, bones, dancing bones! We have bones, bones, dancing bones! Now dance you silly bones, dance.

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone So dance you silly bones, dance.

The leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone The hip bone’s connected to the back bone So dance you silly bones, dance.

The back bone’s connected to the shoulder bone The shoulder bone’s connected to the neck bone The neck bone’s connected to the head bone So dance you silly bones, dance.

These bones, these bones, going to dance around! These bones, these bones, going to dance around! These bones, these bones, going to dance around! Now dance you silly bones, dance. Do you think that we shook all of our wiggles out? Let’s make sure by saying this rhyme before we sit down to enjoy a story:

Quieting Rhyme

I wiggle my fingers, I wiggle my toes. I wiggle my arms, I wiggle my nose. I think that the wiggles Are all out of me Now I can sit down And hear a story.

Read Tippy Toe Chick, Go! by George Shannon, Hilda Must Be Dancing by Margaret Wild, Cha-Cha Chimps by Julia Durango, Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae, or something similar from your collection.

Story/Rhyme – based on an old Scottish nursery rhyme. The “pipes” are bagpipes, so you might want to show a good picture of bagpipes before you begin the rhyme. Some clip art is provided in a separate document for creating flannelboard pieces (use as many – or as few -- as you wish).

To the caregivers:

Activities that involve rhythm -- like singing, clapping, and dancing also help build literacy skills because language has rhythm, too. Songs lyrics naturally break words into smaller parts (or syllables).

Tom, he was a piper's son, He learned to play when he was young, And the only tune that he could play, Was called, "Over the hills and far away";

Tom with his pipe made such a noise, That he was loved by the girls and boys, And they always stopped to hear him play, "Over the hills and far away."

Tom with his pipe played with such skill That those who heard him could never keep still; As soon as he played they began to dance, Even pigs on their hind legs would prance.

As dolly was milking her cow one day, Tom took his pipe and began to play, So Doll and the cow danced all around Till the pail was broken and milk ran on the ground.

He met his friend Sue with a basket of eggs, He used his pipe and she used her legs; She danced about till the eggs were all broke, She began to fret, but he laughed at the joke.

Dance/Song

To the caregivers:

Active games also develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and visual acuity.

Let’s do the Hokey Pokey! For the lyrics, see the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences website at http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/hokey.htm.

Choose another favorite book with a dancing theme or read Olivia by Ian Falconer (as it fits with the overall summer library program theme including dance, music and art).

Closing Rhyme Use your favorite closing rhyme – or try this active one that requires a bit more time:

(This rhyme is patterned after “Ring Around the Rosie.” So, the children should form a circle and march around. The third line is said slowly (like “ashes, ashes” in the -5- traditional rhyme). Add some hand gestures that go along with the words, too – such as picking and smelling the buttercup. Feel free to shorten the rhyme by omitting verses or simply repeat the last verse 2 or 3 times. Put up large print copies so that the parents can join in.)

Swim in the blue sea With the little fish Wiggle, wiggle Splishy, splashy, splish

Hop through the green grass Just like a bunny Hip hop, hip hop Don’t we look funny?

Walk on the sidewalk All around the town Marching, marching ‘Til we all fall down

Sit in a meadow Pick a buttercup Sniff it, sniff it Now we all jump up

Fly ‘round the bird’s nest Hear the birdies peep No more chirping Now they’re fast asleep

Ring ‘round the beehive Singing as we roam Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz Now we all run home S. Gruber -6-

To the caregivers:

Feel free to stay a while and do a craft or check out some books to take home. (Point out any brochures or tip sheets that you have on display for parents, etc.)

Crafts:

We like the idea of providing a craft at the end of storyhour. Something simple is fine. This gives parents a chance to visit and it re-inforces what the children learned. This also provides an opportunity for parents to browse your collection of brochures and so on. If you have older siblings who regularly “tag along,” be sure to provide something for them as well.

You might make a dancing skeleton using heavy paper and brads. Find some examples of skeleton crafts at http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp? id=433; http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Halloween/1HALLOWEEN.html (printable); http://parenting.leehansen.com/downloads/crafts/masks/skeleton.htm (mask) and http://www.parenting.leehansen.com/downloads/coloring/halloween- coloring.htm (coloring page). -7- Let’s Dance Take-Home Sheet

A variety of physical movement activities give your child a sense of “body awareness” that is an important pre-reading skill. Body awareness has been shown to help children focus, increase attention spans and build a sense of direction. For example, a sense of moving left to right is an important pre-reading skill and helps avoid letter and word reversal later on. Active games also develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and visual acuity.

Practice doing the Hokey Pokey at home. For the lyrics, see the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences website at http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/hokey.htm.

Sing Dancing Bones Together: [After singing the song a few times, be sure to give your child a chance to lead and remember the order of the bones. Remembering things in order is a good early literacy skill to work on!]

We all have bones, bones, dancing bones! We have bones, bones, dancing bones! We have bones, bones, dancing bones! Now dance you silly bones, dance.

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone So dance you silly bones, dance.

The leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone The hip bone’s connected to the back bone So dance you silly bones, dance. The back bone’s connected to the shoulder bone The shoulder bone’s connected to the neck bone The neck bone’s connected to the head bone So dance you silly bones, dance.

These bones, these bones, going to dance around! These bones, these bones, going to dance around! These bones, these bones, going to dance around! Now dance you silly bones, dance.

Use the following clip are Have your child point out the differentto create bones your mentioned own flannel in the rhyme.boards Workingor other together, you might color each one a different color.

Older children may have fun learning the proper names of the bones: head = cranium; neck = vertebra; shoulder = clavicle; hip = ilium; thigh = femur; leg = tibia & fibula; ankle = tarsals; and toes = phalanges.

If your child seems interested, look for a book about bones at your library!