Theme: Colors

PR: To encourage a love of reading and support literacy development, we'll share a few of our favorite activities, rhymes, songs and read-aloud books about colors. 

Books and stories

The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten by Kellogg, Steven
The Rainbow Book by Ohrt, Kate
The Crayon Box that Talked by DeRolf, Shane
Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse by Godwin, Jane
Mouse Paint by Walsh, Ellen
The Big Red Rock by Stockham, Jess
When Pencil Met the Markers by Kilpatrick, Karen
I Spy with My Little Eye by Gibbs, Edward
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Carle, Eric

There are SO MANY good color books! 
Our copy of Mouse Paint by Walsh, Ellen was out, but I did a similar activity to illustrate color blending.

Songs
Flannelboard - Bought Me a Cat by Pete Seeger

… I bought me a cat
The cat pleased me
I fed my cat under yonder tree
The cat went fiddle I fee
Fiddle I fee

… Well I bought me a horse
The horse pleased me
I fed my horse under yonder tree
The horse went naaaaaay
The cow went moo moo
The sheep went baah baah
The dog went Woof woof
The goose went honk honk
The duck went quack quack
The rooster went cock-a-doodle-doo
The cat went a fiddle I fee

Rhymes
Flannelboard - Butterfly Colors

The first to come to the garden bed
Is a lovely butterfly of brilliant RED.

Then in comes another and that makes two.
Fly right in, my friend of BLUE.

“The garden is fine, the best I’ve seen,”
says the butterfly of softest GREEN.

Our garden needs a sunny fellow,
Fly on in, butterfly with wings of YELLOW.

Little friend of PURPLE, fly in too.
The garden is waiting for a color like you.

ORANGE, orange, you’re waited so long.
Fly right in, where you belong.

Butterflies, butterflies, you’re such a sight!
Flying together – what a delight!

Credit: Miss Meg’s Storytime

Five Little Apples
Flannelboard

Five little apples lying on the floor
One rolled away and that left four.

Four little apples hanging on a tree
I picked one off and that left three.

Three little apples - I know what to do!
I put one in my pocket and that leaves two.

Two little apples sitting in the sun
I'll pick one up and that leaves one.

One little apple waiting in my lunch
I'll eat it up with a crunch, crunch, crunch.

New Words:

garden bed, blend, absorb

ART

Color magic
Need: Markers, black Sharpie, spray bottles, paper towels

Make picture in colors, trace with black Sharpie.

Spray lightly with water.

Activity

Mouse paint-like jar cutouts with colored cellophane labels to show color blending.

THEME: Football and Falling Leaves

Reason theme was chosen:
Sights and sounds of the season

Overview & Purpose:
PR: Fall is here and that means football and jumping into a big pile of leaves. We’ll read a little about both in this very active story time.

Books / stories
T is for touchdown : a football alphabet (2004) By Herzog, Brad.
Little granny quarterback (2001)
A ball for all ; (2006)
Casey at the Bat
On the ball (2015) By Pinkney, J. Brian
Pigs on the ball : (1998) By Axelrod, Amy
Ball (2015) By Hutton, John Where is baby's beach ball? : a lift-the-flap book (2009) By Katz, Karen.
Family huddle (2009) By Manning, Archie
Fall ball (2013) By McCarty, Peter
Sergio saves the game (2009) By Rodriguez, Edel.
If I were a major-league baseball player (2010) By Braun, Eric
That's not how you play soccer, Daddy (2007) By Shahan, Sherry.
Soccer hour (2011) By Nevius, Carol
Hit the ball Duck (2006) By Alborough, Jez.
Ball (2013) By Sullivan, Mary
Dino-football (2012) By Wheeler, Lisa
Charlie plays ball (2015) By Drummond, Ree
Hey, coach! (2016) By Ashman, Linda
Goodnight, Football by Michael Dahl
Ball by Mary Sullivan
The Berenstain Bears Play Football by Mike Berenstain
Kickoff by Tiki and Ronde Barber
Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Story of Football-Playing Artist Ernie Barnes by Don Tate
T is for Touchdown by Brad Herzog
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber, illustrated by Leslie Evans
Leaves by David Ezra Stein
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger, illustrated by Miki Sakamoto
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber, illustrated by Leslie Evans
Leaves by David Ezra Stein
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger, illustrated by Miki Sakamoto
What is the Super Bowl? by Dina Anastasio
Football Wit
h Dad by Frank Berrios
Don’t Throw It to Mo! by David A. Adler, illustrated by Sam Ricks
Bones and the Football Mystery by David A. Adler
MVP #3: The Football Fumble by David A. Kelly
The Football Fiasco by Mike Lupica
Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Football by Howard Bryant

Songs

Leaves Turn Yellow

Leaves turn yellow.
ECHO: Leaves turn yellow.

Leaves turn red.
ECHO: Leaves turn red.

All the leaves are falling.
ECHO: All the leaves are falling.

On my head.
ECHO: On my head.


This is the Way

This is the way we toss the ball, (toss up)
Toss the ball, toss the ball,
This is the way we toss the ball,
when we play football.

Run with the ball…

Kick the ball….

Hike the ball…

Throw the ball…

Catch the ball…then we score a touchdown!

Fingerplays / rhymes

Flannel board 

Five Little Footballs

5 little footballs trying hard to score

One makes a touchdown, hear the crowd roar!

4 little footballs

3 little footballs

2 little footballs

1 little footballs

*cheer*

Autumn

New words introduced

Spike (the ball)

Activity
Yoga dice – for football warm-ups
Parachute with leaves and football

Craft
Lacing footballs

Materials needed
Crayons
Pre-cut footballs with lacing holes
Yarn

More ideas

THEME: Fish

Reason theme was chosen:
Oceans / SLP theme 2022

__BOOKS/STORIES USED  _________________

Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On  by Ehlert, Lois
Mabel, A Mermaid Fable  by Watkins, Rowboat
Ocean: A Peek-through Picture Book  by Teckentrup, Britta

__  SONGS  __________________________

Slippery Fish

I’m a Little Fish
(Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)

I’m a little fish-o, (hold up one hand with thumb facing upwards to represent a fish)
Watch me swim. (move hand back and forward)
Here is my tail, (wriggle fingers on fish hand)
and here is my fin. (wriggle thumb)

When I want to have fun,
With my friends,
I swish my tail and dive right in. (swish fish hand around)

The Waves in the Sea
(tune: The Wheels on the Bus)

The waves in the sea go,
Up and down, (make a rolling wave by moving one hand up and down)
Up and down,
Up and down,
The waves in the sea go,
Up and down,
All day long.

The sharks in the sea go
snap, snap, snap… (hold hands together to form a mouth, snap open & shut)

The fish in the sea go
swish, swish, swish… (swim hands around as fish)

The crabs in the sea go
click, click, click… (click fingers)

__  FINGERPLAYS / RHYMES_______________

Little Fish

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Once I caught a Fish Alive

__  NEW WORDS INTRODUCED ____________

Parts of a fish – Tail, fin
Types of fish – Eel, manta, lionfish, etc.

__  ACTIVITY  _________________________

Foil fish “painting” made into a magnet or puppet

__  MATERIALS NEEDED  ________________

Scissors
Foil sheets
Permanent markers
Paper towels/wipes
Newspapers (or other table covers, if desired)
Pictures of various kinds of fish
Fish templates
Magnetic tape and/or craft sticks & tape

THEME: Building Things

 Reason theme was chosen:
Practice with fine / gross motor skills and imagination / free play

BOOKS/STORIES USED 

*Time to Build  Riggs, Kate
*I am a Backhoe   Hines, Anna
*Bulldozer’s Shapes   Rinker, Sherri Duskey

Books to Build On! More stories about Construction and Tools
Raise the Roof! by Anastasia Suen
Minerva Louise and the Red Truck by Janet Morgan Stoeke
One Big Building: A Counting Book About Construction by Michael Dahl
I Love Tools! by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern
Old MacDonald Had a Woodshop  by Lisa Shulman, illustrated by Ahsley Wolff
Toolbox Twins by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Melissa Iwai
Digger and Tom by Sebastian Braun
Construction Kitties by Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern
The Toolbox by Anne & Harlow Rockwell
The Little Dump Truck by Margery Cuyler ; illustrated by Bob Kolar
Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia
Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha
Construction Countdown by K.C. Olson, illustrated by David Gordon  
The Construction Crew by Lynn Meltzer, illustrated Carrie Eko-Burgess
Get To Work Trucks! by Don Carter
Monkey with a Tool Belt by Chris Monroe
Dazzling Diggers by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker
I Drive a Dump Truck by Sarah Bridges ; illustrated by Derrick Alderman & Denise Shea
Those Building Men by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Barry Moser
Tools Rule! by Aaron Meshon
Trucks by Debbie Powell
Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal
Additional Books that I didn’t get in time, but would be great for this theme:
A Truck Goes Rattley-Bumpa by Jonathan London, illustrated by Denis Roche
Machines at Work by Byron Barton

SONGS 

FINGERPLAYS / RHYMES

NEW WORDS INTRODUCED 

Names of tools, crescent (shape)

ACTIVITY

Free play with various building materials

MATERIALS NEEDED

Building blocks of various types:
(Most are on the shred inventory board)
 
  Squigs
  Cardboard bricks
  “My Town” block Set
  Magna-Tiles
  Cups to stack

OTHER IDEAS

Theme: Berries

Reason theme was chosen 
Focus on seasons and colors

Overview & Purpose
Discuss seasonal fruits, colors, cooking, measuring, rhyming and counting

Books / stories used as songs

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear By Don Wood – BIG BOOK

More Blueberries By Susan Musgraves

Strawberries are Red by Petr Horacek

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes By James Dean

The Very Berry Counting Book By Jerry Pallotta

Strawberries are Red By Petr Horacek

Jamberry By Bruce Degen

Jam and Honey By Melita Morales

The Berry Book by Gail Gibbons

One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano

Blueberry Mouse By Alice Low 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Bear Sees Colors By Karma Wilson 

Blackberry Booties By Tricia Gardella

Blueberries for Sal By Robert McCloskey (pre-read this if you are reading  to a group. There are areas where you can shorten it for preschoolers)

Songs

Fruit Salad Song  By the Wiggles

Fruit Salad Salsa Song By Laurie Berkner

Fingerplays / rhymes

Picked a Berry

Pick Berries High

Flannelboard: Five Ripe Berries

New words introduced

Ripe

Activity

Free  “paint” with raspberries and blueberries

Materials needed
Cardstock, raspberries and blueberries

Rhyme: Pick Berries High

Pick berries high (reach up high)

Pick berries low (reach down low)

Pick berries on the bush, nine in a row (clap 9x)

Some like them red (palm up)

Some like them blue (other palm up)

Here’s one for me - yum! (eat)

And here’s one for you. (give)

Hand Rhyme: 5 Berries

Five ripe berries sitting in a bowl.

 (hold up five fingers)

The _____ fell out and started to roll. 
(Hold up finger, and roll hands)

It bumped the table and hit my toe 

(clap once, and touch toes)

How many berries in the bowl?

1-2-3-4   (Count berries) 

Flannel board: “Five Strawberries”

Five red strawberries, sweet to the core.
Bear came and ate one and then there were four.
Four red strawberries, growing near a tree.
Bear came and ate one and then there were three.
Three red strawberries, for you and you and you.
Bear came and ate one and then there were two.
Two red strawberries, sitting in the sun.
Bear came and ate one and then there was one.
One red strawberry, left all alone.
Bear came and ate it and then there were none.

Other ideas: 

Picked a Berry
(Tune: Clementine)

Picked a blueberry, picked a blueberry (picking motion)

That was growing in the sun (circle arms above head)

Then I washed it and I ate it (pretend to eat)

And I picked another one.

Jamberry Flannel Rhyme

Under the bridge and over the dam

Looking for berries, berries for jam

One berry, two berries, pick me a blueberry.

Under the bridge and over the dam

Looking for berries, berries for jam

Three berries, four berries, pick me a strawberry.

Under the bridge and over the dam

Looking for berries, berries for jam

Five berries, six berries, pick me a blackberry.

Under the bridge and over the dam

Looking for berries, berries for jam

Seven berries, eight berries, pick me a gooseberry.

Under the bridge and over the dam

Looking for berries, berries for jam

Nine berries, ten berries, pick me a raspberry.

THEME: Giraffes

__SUGGESTED BOOKS/STORIES _____________

*Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrede
*Neck & Neck by Elise Parsley
*Abigail by Catherine Rayner
Giraffe Problems by Jory John
The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory
The Short-sighted Giraffe by A. H. Benjamin
Giraffe is too Tal for This Book by DK Ryland
Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Jun Takabatake
There's a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Barach
Giraffes Up Close by Carmen Bredeson (non-fiction)
Carlo Likes Colors by Jessica Spanyol
Saffy and Saffy & Ollie by Paola Opal
Giraffes Ruin Everything by Heidi Schulz
Oh Dear, Geoffrey! by Gemma O’Neill
Starry Giraffe by Andy Bergman
One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck

__  SONGS  _____________________________

Mr. Giraffe
(Tune: Mary had a Little Lamb)

Mr. Giraffe is very tall.
His neck is long.
His legs are long.
Mr. Giraffe is very tall so he can reach the leaves. 

Mr. Giraffe has a special tongue.
A long tongue.
A purple tongue.
Mr. Giraffe has a special tongue so he can reach the leaves.

Zoo Animals song
(Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)

If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 
If you want to be a monkey if you want to be a monkey 
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 

parrot… flap your wings 
elephant… swing your trunk 
lion… roar out loud 
giraffe… stand up tall

__  FINGERPLAYS / RHYMES_______________

Flannel board:

One Giraffe in the bathtub going for a swim. 
Knock, Knock, (Clap twice with “Knock, Knock.”) 
Splash, Splash, (Slap knees twice with “Splash, Splash.”) 
Come on in! (Motion with both hands to come in.) 

Two Giraffes in the bathtub...  
Three Giraffes in the bathtub...
Four Giraffes in the bathtub...  

Five Giraffes in the bathtub going for a swim. 
Knock, Knock, Splash, Splash, 
It all fell in! (knock everything off flannel board)
_____

Flannel board:
(Idea taken from Making Learning Fun)

First, we figured out what color the spots were on one giraffe.
(The spots were: red, blue, green, orange, purple.)
Then we sang this song:

(Tune: “Mary Wore Her Red Dress”)
This giraffe has red spots,
red spots, red spots.
This giraffe has red spots.
Count them with me now.

Count the spots on the giraffe, then bring out another giraffe and repeat.

With the blank giraffe we sang:
This giraffe has no spots,
no spots, no spots.
This giraffe has no spots.
_____

I’m a Giraffe

Rhyme taken from: Mansfield/Richland County Public Library

 I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up overhead)
A big tall giraffe, I almost reach the sky (stand up on tip toes)
I eat the leaves from the tallest of trees (pretend to eat like giraffe, rub tummy)
And when I run I move with ease (run in place)
I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up overhead)
Way… up… high! (stand on tip toes)

__  NEW WORDS INTRODUCED  ____________

Bobbing, gleaming, goofus, types of dances, sneered

__  ACTIVITY  _________________________

#1 Running giraffe craft
#2 G is for giraffe

__  MATERIALS NEEDED  ________________
#1 Giraffe cut-outs (Ellison dye)
Simple safari background (cut path for giraffe)
Craft sticks (if desired for giraffe), glue, crayons

#2 Coloring page, crayons, glue
Yarn for tail, pre-cut giraffe head

__  OTHER IDEAS _______________________