Garden Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi
Book: And Then It’s Spring – Julie Fogliano
This time of year is called spring, and it's when all the plants grow. But it takes some time.
(An adorable book about a boy waiting and waiting for brown to turn to green. My favorite spread is when he worries about bears stomping in the garden 'because bears can't read signs that say things like 'please to not stomp here - there are seeds and they are trying.")
Activity: Rainstorm
from Laptimeandstorytime
Do you remember what the boy wished for right after he planted his seeds? [show the picture] He wished for Rain! It looks pretty sunny outside, but we can make a rainstorm if we all work together.
Everyone brush fingers together
Do I hear the pitter patter of some raindrops? Listen closely
Clap softly Oh, I do think it is going to rain
Clap loudly It IS raining!
Slap thighs
Wow, it's really getting wet out there
Stomp feet
My, oh my, I'm glad I'm not outside right now!
now reverse, add a commentary as you go: until...
Tapping fingertips together, and stop What a beautiful rainstorm that was!
Book: I Love Bugs – Emma Dodd
After the rain, some little animals like to come out in the garden. Bugs! Do you like bugs? The boy in this little book Loves bugs.
(And he loves the spider that shows up in the end, because it sends him squealing! Super cute illustrations and a very fun ending).
Activity: Planting Seeds/Mr. Sun -
from the CD Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi
After the rain falls, the flowers need something else to help them grow.
Planting Seeds
First you take the seed and you plant it in the ground
(pretend to plant seeds in hand)
Next a little rain cloud comes that waters all around
(Use hand to simulate rain)
And the sun sends beams, shining bright without a sound
(make circle over head with arms)
Then in a few days, a flower can be found!
(cup hands together, then open fingers with wrists touching.)
(We also did this fingerplay in the musical interlude during Raffi’s song.)
Mr. Sun
Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun,
(arms up, rock in time to the rhythm)
Please shine down on me.
(wiggle fingers down toward face )
Oh Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun,
(arms up again )
Hiding behind a tree
(ASL sign for ‘tree’ in front of face to ‘hide’)
These little children are asking you,
(gesture towards children)
To please come down so they can play with you,
(sign ASL sign for ‘Play’)
Oh, Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun,
(arms up again)
Please shine down on me.
(wiggle fingers down toward face)
Book: Up Down All Round – Katherine Ayres
After the rain falls and the sun shines, the plants grow! But they don't all grow in the same way.
(The kids were fun to shout out the 'up, down, all around!' and we pointed or circled our fingers for each one).
Activity: There’s Something in my Garden
From SurLaLune Storytime
Do you think it would be fun to eat food from the garden? Some animals think so too! Oh, I think I hear something!
There’s something in my garden,
That I can’t really see.
There’s something in my garden
Now what can it be?
Hear its funny sound…. RIBBIT – RIBBIT – RIBBIT.
A FROG is what I found! RIBBIT – RIBBIT – RIBBIT.
(continue with other animals. I pulled some from my critter bin: a frog, rabbit, chicken, bird, and mouse.)
Book: Little Green - Keith Baker
We got all of those animals out of the garden, but there are some animals that are nice to have in the garden. Like this one! A hummingbird called Little Green.
(nice vibrant illustrations and a simple story make this a fun read).
Activity: Streamers
The boy painted all the ways that the bird flew, and now you can make the shaped with streamers! Try circles and zig zag, and going way up and down.
(played Family Garden from the CD Family Garden by John McCutcheon while they played with streamers).