R is for Rain: Storytime Plan

Opening Song: "If You're Happy and You Know It" [standing up] with whispered added verse "If it's storytime and you know it, say Shhhh..."

Letter of the Day

Uh-oh! It's starting to sprinkle even before our first story! [go straight into "Drippy Droppy, encouraging kids to join in as they pick up the words and actions]

Action Rhyme: Drippy Droppy Raindrops (to Icky Sticky Bubblegum)

Drippy droppy drippy droppy raindrops, raindrops

Drippy droppy drippy droppy raindrops

landing on my head. (Ooooh, wet! Better dry off our heads [pretend towel] etc)

...but what would you do if you were a dog --how do dogs get dry? Do they use a towel? No, they shake! 

Sing again, pretending you're a dog...

...making a big puddle

(What else could they do?)

Book: The Big Storm: a Very Soggy Counting Book by Nancy Tafuri

-- have kids do sound effects and countdown 10-9-8-7-6 etc towards the end

Action Rhyme [seated]: "Windshield Wiper" 

[3 times through. Slowly when it's only lightly raining, then moderately, then crazy-quickly because the storm is so big!]

I’m a windshield wiper

This is how I go--

Back and forth, back and forth (Or "swish swash swish swash")

In the rain and snow.

Song: “Dance, Freeze, Melt” by The Learning Groove from Rockin' Red

Book: Soggy Saturday or Thirsty Thursday by Phyllis Root

Action Song with Scarves : "Stomping In the Rain" 
(tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
[standing, with scarves over heads until "we must get wet," then dramatically remove and tilt face to sky...keep scarves entirely off heads during "twirling" verse, simply twirling with scarves]:

We’re stomping in the rain We’re stomping in the rain We can’t stop yet, 

we must get wet!

We're stomping in the rain.
We're jumping...
We're twirling in the rain [arms outstretched, face looking up as if rain is pouring on it]

The rain has slowly stopped
The rain has slowly stopped
Let's say goodbye
and go get dry [toweling off motion]

until it rains again.

Song with Scarves [if time]: "Umbrella" by Laurie Berkner

Book: The Thingamabob by Il Sung Na

Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with R." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: Rattlesnake! Raging Rhinoceros! Rocket [count down and blast off]!

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Alternative Book: Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont

Alternative Action Song: "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Leaky Umbrella" by Jim Gill

Alternative Action Song: "If It's Raining Outside" (sing to "If You're Happy and You Know It)

If it's raining outside, put on your boots.
If it's raining outside, put on your boots.
If it's raining outside, then your boots will keep you dry;
If it's raining outside, put on your boots.
...put on your coat

...put up your umbrella

Action Song with Scarves: "Come Under My Umbrella" (tune: "The More We Get Together") [standing]

Come under my umbrella
umbrella, umbrella,
Come under my umbrella,
it's starting to storm.
There's wind and there's rain and there's
thunder and lightning--

Come under my umbrella, it's starting to storm.

R is for Rhyme: Storytime Plan

Opening Song: "If You're Happy and You Know It" [standing up] with whispered added verse "If it's storytime and you know it, say Shhhh..."

Letter of the Day

[Quick note about what "rhyme" means, value of rhyming as early literacy skill-builder, and parent/caregiver tip: play rhyming versions of "I Spy"]

Book: Rhyming Dust Bunnies or Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny! by Jan Thomas

OR

Book: Rhyme Crime by John Burgerman

Action Rhyme, seated: "Two Little Blackbirds" or variation

Action Rhyme, standing: "I'm Very Very Tall"

I’m very very tall I’m very very small Tall – Small Now I’m a tiny ball I stretch my arms out wide and now my arms will hide Wide – Hide

and now they’re by my side

Song: “Dance, Freeze, Melt” by The Learning Groove from Rockin' Red

OR

Song: "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around" by The Wiggles

Activity/Guessing Game: "Where Oh Where is My Teddy Bear?"

Book: Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney [have kids say "red pajama" every time I say "llama llama"]

Action Rhyme with Scarves: "Things we can do with our Scarves":

We can wave them way up high

We can pretend they're capes and fly [like a superhero]

We can swish them side to side

We can use our scarves to hide [drape scarf entirely over head, like ghost]

We can make believe they're hair [drape scarf on head, looking silly]

We can throw them in the air!

Activity with Scarves: "Scarves Up!" (variation on "Thumbs Up!" from Preschools for All. Pass out scarves; have kids stand up).

"I'll say three words and if they rhyme, throw your scarf in the air! if they don't, keep your scarf very still. To parents and caregivers: this game is a great way to develop children's listening skills, and can be played standing in line or waiting at the doctor's office, etc. with a "thumbs up" instead of a scarf. 

Song with Scarves: "Silly When You Stop" by Jim Gill

Book [if time, or switch in above instead of Llama Llama], standing:
Jump! by Scott M. Fischer [Have kids jump on word "JUMP!"]

Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with R." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: Rattlesnake! Raging Rhinoceros! Rocket [count down and blast off]!

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Alternate: Follow Rhyming Dust Bunnies with Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny! Close with Llama Llama.

Action Rhyme, seated: "This is Big" via Mel's Desk ["Not only do the words in this rhyme, they are also opposites!", a few words about opposites]

This is big big big
[Hold arms out to side]
This is small small small
[Cup hands together]
This is short short short
[Hold hands one above other, palms facing each other]
This is tall tall tall
[Reach one hand above head]

This is fast fast fast
[Circle fists quickly]
This is slow slow slow
[Circle fists slowly]
This is yes yes yes
[Nod]
This is no no no
[Shake head]

Little Baby 'Gator

Little baby gator 
swimming through the swamp-- 
[hands together, swim gator-like]
eating lots of fish with a CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP! 
[chomp hands open and closed]
Along came a hunter with a great big net...
[pretend to raise net]
gator went SPLASH [loud clap]
and the hunter got wet! 
[shake hands and self]

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[Reptile facts: Reptiles lay eggs. Reptiles either have four legs or...no legs at all!

Reptiles have ear holes instead of ears.]

Roll Your Hands (or adapt to other actions)

Roll your hands so slowly,
slowly as can be;
roll your hands so slowly,
and fold your arms like me.

Roll your hands so quickly,
quickly as can be;
roll your hands so quickly,
and fold your arms like me.

Clap your hands so softly,
softly as can be;
clap your hands so softly,
and fold your arms like me.

Clap your hands so loudly,
loudly as can be;
clap your hands so loudly,
and fold your arms like me.

[Stomp your feet/and then stand still like me etc]