Virtual Programming: Early Learning Zoom Scavenger Hunt

To add an early literacy boost to a Zoom scavenger hunt, I made all of my "find it" prompts rhyme. To keep things as equitable as possible--many kids don't have much in their homes--I tried to use prompts where things could be found on one's body, if not elsewhere in one's home.

Once the kids and their grownups (even if they hover in the background, it's good to have them if assists are necessary) arrived in the Zoom room, we introduced ourselves (make sure the kids have their video and sound on). I explained how the scavenger hunt would work: they would find something related to my prompt, then come back and "show and tell" about it and why it fits the prompt. I also explained that this is something we would do for fun, not prizes, and we would wait until everyone arrived back with their item before we began sharing. I capped the program at around half an hour, as I would a storytime.

Here are some of the rhyming prompts I used (feel free to use them if you do one!):

 

Okay! All ready to find and share? / Go find something that rhymes with pear.

Ready for more? Let's do it, then! / Find something that starts with the letter M.

This next prompt might test your nerves. / Go find something that is curved.

Here comes another! If you please, / find something that feels good to squeeze.

How should our next challenge unfold? / I know! Go hunt for something old.

Okay! Time for my next command. / Find something smaller than your hand.                                           (show fist or fingers splayed for measuring examples)

This one is a little tricky-- / Can you find something wet or sticky?

Time for another. And we're off! / Go find something that is soft.

Can you handle another? Soon we'll see. / Find something that starts with the letter B.

Ah! This one might make you think. / Find something that is red or pink.

Time for another! Ready, friends? / Find something flexible or something that bends.

It's the last prompt! That's all she wrote. / Please find something that would float.

Thank you for playing! I had so much fun. / But now our scavenger hunt is... (let them supply "done")

N is for Numbers: 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

 Book: The Big Storm by Nancy Tafuri



Action Rhyme: ANY "Five Little" or "Two Little" rhyme or Here is the Beehive

Action Rhyme: "1-2 Hands" [standing]
[spoken, but by and sung on Laurie Berkner's album Superhero. Touching our body parts slowly the first time--second time, a little more quickly]
1-2 hands
1-2 eyes
1-2 ears and
1 nose my size

1-2 legs
1-2 feet
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
fingers meet.

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

Book: Lifetime: the Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives by Lola M. Schaefer 

Action Rhyme [if time]: any 5 Little rhyme

Action Rhyme [standing]: "Octopus Arms" [via storytime katie]

How many arms does an octopus have? That's right--8! "Oct"--the beginning of the octopus's name--actually MEANS "eight". There's even a shape called an OCTagon that has 8 sides. This is the shape used for stop signs [show stop sign graphic, count sides together]

Arm #1 goes swish, swish, swish (swing arms back and forth)
Arm #2 helps me catch fish (wiggle hand back and forth)
Arm #3 pats my head (pat hand on head)
Arm #4 makes sure I’m fed (put hand to mouth)
Arm #5 swims me to shore (move arms in swimming motion)
Arm #6 touches the ocean floor (touch hand to floor)
Arm #7 can grab and tug (open and close hands)

But all eight arms give me a hug! (cross arms and hug yourself)

Action Song [standing] "Octopus Arms"

Action Countdown: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-BLAST OFF!

Song: "Jumping and Counting" by Jim Gill

Book [if time]: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin



Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with "N". Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: necklace [Ooh, it's a beautiful necklace! Let's take it out and put it on]; nose [Ooh, it's a NOSE, a great big giant nose that's about to sneeze right on us! Ahhh-choo! Close the book! We don't want to spread any germs].


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Alternates to swap in:
Book: One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller by Kate Read
Book: Ten Pigs: an Epic Bath Adventure by Derek Anderson
Action Song [standing] "We're Blasting Off to Space" (var. on "We're Going to the Moon")

Zzzzipp up your spacesuit, we're blasting off to space.

Tug on your boots; pull your helmet over your face.

Climb aboard the spaceship and buckle up real tight (CLICK!) 

["Let's check it. Is it tight enough (pulling on seatbelt)? Good."]

Now here comes the countdown; let's count with all our might:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 BLASTOFF!

R is for Reptile: 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

"All of our stories and rhymes today will be about reptiles. Reptiles are a class of animals that includes alligators and crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and snakes. Almost all reptiles have scales, and almost all are born from eggs."

[If "reptiles" is a word most aren't familiar with, do Bread and Butter Rhyme to break up the word's sounds and hear them clearly: "Let's say 'reptile' as SLOWLY as we can" etc.]

Guessing Chant with Magnet Board: 
Rattlesnake, Rattlesnake, playing hide and seek!
Are you behind the _______ door? Let's take a peek!

Talk: "Crocodiles have the strongest bite of any animal--much stronger than sharks and tigers! Alligators are in 2nd place. Crocodiles have around 60 teeth [sources differ]. Can you imagine having to brush that many teeth every morning and night?"

Book: Clarabella's Teeth by An Vrombaut 

Action Rhyme: "Two Little Rattlesnakes" ["Snakes are reptiles, and RATTLESNAKE begins with our letter of the day! Let's put our hands out and pretend they're two little rattlesnakes." Or do "gila monsters" instead because it's so fun to say "gila monsters," and have them crawl rather than slither away]

Two little rattlesnakes sitting in the grass--
one named SLOW, the other named FAST!
Slither away, Slow! Slither away, Fast!
Slither back, Slow! Slither back, Fast!

Two little rattlesnakes far from the crowd--
one named QUIET, the other named LOUD! etc.

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

Action Rhyme: "One Little Crocodile" 

One hungry crocodile swimming through the SWAMP, [swimming action]
looking around for something he can CHOMP ["looking around" action, clap on CHOMP]
He SNAPS at a frog,
but the frog gets away [hold hands out, palms up, shrug]
and the crocodile goes home hungry that day. [rub belly to indicate hunger]

He SNAPS at a turtle...he SNAPS at a fish...

One FAMISHED [or RAVENOUS] crocodile swimming through the SWAMP,
looking around to see what he can CHOMP,
he SNAPS and he SNAPS but he doesn't catch a thing,
so he has to get his dinner from Burger King.

Book: Snip! Snap! What's That? by Mara Bergman

Song with Shaker Eggs: "Snake in the Grass" by Mr. Jon & Friends
[also: remind kids that most reptiles are born from eggs]

Putting Shaker eggs away: 
Shake your egg up high!
Shake your egg down low!
Shake your egg realllly fast!
Shake your egg realllly slllooooww.
Shake your egg over your head.
Get ready to put your egg to bed.

Book [if time]: The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner


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: Robot! Raging Rhinoceros! Rocket [count down and blast off]!



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Other possible adds/swaps:

Book: I'd Really Like to Eat a Child by Sylviane Donnio

Syllable Clapping: "Alligator and crocodile are some pretty long words, and they're also fun to say. Parents and caregivers, clapping while sounding out long or unfamiliar words together is a great way to help children recognize that words are made up of smaller sounds, a skill that will help them when they start to learn to read." [Clap and say "AL-LI-GA-TOR" slowly to beat, then say it again and again clapping with group, speeding up. If it starts to sound like applause, bow and say 'Thank you.' Do same for "CROC-O-DI-LE."]

Action Rhyme: "Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree"

F is for Fall: 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

Magnet Board Guessing Game: "Ladybug, ladybug, playing hide and seek. Are you behind the _______ leaf? Let's take a peek" (birch leaf, oak leaf, elm leaf, maple leaf--"How they are the same? How they are different?')

Book: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

OR Book: Fall is not Easy by Marty Kelley




Action Rhyme: "Two Little Gray Squirrels" ("Blackbirds" variation. "Scamper away; scamper back" etc)

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

Book: Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre (at least a few pages--emphasis on rare action words)

Action Rhyme with Scarves: 

Once I was a seed and I was small, small, small [begin on haunches]
I've grown into a tree and I am tall, tall, tall [tippytoes]
My branches sway in the breeze so soft--[wave scarf back and forth]
and then comes fall and they all fall off! [toss scarf in the air]

Song with Scarves: "Rock and Roll Freeze Dance" from Hap Palmer's So Big

Scarf rhyme: If group is small enough, invite kids to bring scarves into the middle, being careful of each others' bodies. Make a pile together, "raking" with hands:
"I like to rake the leaves into a great big clump.
Then I move back a bit, bend my legs, and jump!"
Everyone gets a turn to jump into the pile.

Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with F."

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Alternatives to Swap or Add In 

Action Rhyme with or without Scarves: "If I Were a Leaf"

If I were a leaf,

I'd jump down from my tree [jump]

I'd dance in the wind [dance around]

I'd fly in the breeze [pretend to fly]

I'd turn bright colors [look at arms, down at self in wonder]

I'd spin in the air [spin around],

then I'd land on the ground [fall down gently]--

I just don't know where! [shrug]

Action Song [standing] : "The Roots of the Tree" (to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus")

The roots of the tree grow down, down, down,
down, down, down,
down, down, down;
the roots of the tree grow down, down, down
deep in the woods
(wiggle fingers, pointed downward, down your body from shoulders to toes)
The branches of the tree grow out-out-out
(arms up high)
The wind blows the branches back and forth
(wave arms back and forth over head)
The leaves on the tree come tumbling down
(wiggle fingers up high to down low)

Book: Leaves by David Ezra Stein

L is for Laundry: 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

Rhyme with Magnet Board: "Llama, Llama, playing hide and seek--are you behind the [red] door? Let's take a peek!"


Book: Sock Story by CK Smouha OR Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems






Before our first song, let's stand up and act out some things we can do that start with L: We can LIFT. Pretend you're LIFTING a LLAMA. They can weigh up to 450 pounds! We can LATHER. That LLAMA needs a bath. Let's LATHER it up with soap! We can LOVE. Let's give the LLAMA a big loving hug! We can LEARN. Yesterday I LEARNED that baby LLAMAs are called crias. Did you know that before? Then YOU LEARNED it today! And you LEARNED it by LISTENING!

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

Book: Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks



Song: "I Took a Bath in a Washing Machine" by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

[have kids clap to the beat on the guitar chord part--"I took a bath--clap clap clap clap--in a washing machine--clap clap clap clap--then twist side to side and finally spin faster and faster towards end]

Book--selections--if time: Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook


Song with Scarves: "The Walrus Washes His Winter Coat"

 
Song with Scarves (if time): "Freeze Dance" by Hap Palmer

Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with L." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: lion! lollipop! locomotive! (lemur, lemon, labradoodle)

W is for Wild West: 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

Book: Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas

OR


Book: Fandango Stew by David Davis 
[a "wild west" take on Stone Soup--includes some Spanish words--two main characters are Luis and his abuelo]



Action Song: "I'm a Little Cowhand" [tune of "Teapot"--show images of and discuss function of spurs and chaps beforehand]

I'm a little cowhand,
here's my hat [touch head]
Here are my spurs [touch heels]
and here are my chaps [touch thighs]
As soon as I get up [stretch arms as if just rising from bed]
I work all day,
get on my horse [mime getting on horse]
and ride away.


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

Book: Are You a Horse? by Andy Rash

OR 

BOOK: She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain by Jonathan Emmett




Action Rhyme: "Ten Little Horses" [first slowly, then a little more quickly, then wordless]


Ten little horses galloped into town
Five were black and five were brown
They galloped up; they galloped down,
and then they galloped out of town.

Action Song with Scarves: "Did you Ever See a Lasso?" [show image of lasso first]
[first verse, swish scarf from side to side--second, swish scarf up and down]

Did you ever see a lasso swing this way and that way?
Did you ever see a lasso swing this way and that?
Sit tall in your saddle
while roping the cattle.
Did you ever see a lasso swing this way and that?

Second verse: "Did you ever see a lasso swing this high and that low?
Did you ever see a lasso swing this high and low?"

Song with Scarves: "Freeze Dance" by Hap Palmer

Book if time: She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain 
by Jonathan Emmett and Deborah Allwright

Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with W." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: wet warthog! Wicked witch! Woodpecker! (weasel, whale)