so tomorrow

I am developing an All About Me storytime tub to rotate throughout our library system. While doing some online shopping for props, I spotted this Learning Emotions Magnetic Activity set* through Oriental Trading.  I wrote a song to go with it. 

Feelings Bear Magnetboard Tune: Frere Jacques Adapted by Anne Clark

How’s Bear feeling? How’s Bear feeling? __name of emotion__ today? __name of emotion___ today? Everyone has feelings. Everyone has feelings. Bear is __name of emotion____. Bear is __name of emotion____.

Feelings included: glad, sad, mad, and sick

*The song sticks to basic emotions for simplicity's sake but you could certainly include more than the 4 feelings I have chosen to include in our rotating tub for this set. Space is at a premium inside.

Also, please note that the set includes "happy" as a feeling which we re-named as "glad" to fit the rhythm of the song better. We typed up a new label and taped it over.  The font we picked (Berlin Sans FB in size 105) i…

Brown Dog, Brown Dog, What Do You See? Adapted from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin
Brown dog, brown dog, what do you see?
I see a _________ looking at me!
Chihuahua Bulldog Spotted dog/Dalmatian? Orange dog/corgi? Furry dog
Last one: I see a dog house, waiting for me!


The bulletin board decorating set is from Dollar Tree. 

Little Deer, Little Deer By Anne Clark
Little deer, little deer Playing hide and seek Are you behind the ________ tent? Let’s take a peek!


Bulletin board set from Staples. 

Going to the Campsite Flannelboard Written by Anne Clark Can be done as a call and response
Going to the campsite, Going to have a good time! I wonder what I’ll do? Maybe __________ pull item out of bag and add to flannelboard
Examples: go waterskiing, ride my bike, have a campfire, climb a tree, hike the mountains, etc.


This set of bulletin board cutouts is by Creative Teaching Press (the Woodland Fun set) from Staples. Fair warning: these pieces are huge! We are also planning on using them for an Outdoor Explorers program in summer 2020 so they will be decorations in that program and then we will reuse some of the pieces for a summer themed storytime tub in 2021.

I Went Hiking Have the audience ask you what you saw  after you say “I went hiking.”
I went hiking. Audience: What did you see? I saw a ____________ (show animal)
This is a really flexible activity that can be done with stuffed animals, puppets, or laminated bulletin board cutouts (as shown here). You can also have the kids make the sound or move like the animal to make it a more interactive activity.


These pieces are from a Teaching Tree door decor kit from Dollar Tree.

Here is the Cookie House Adapted from “Here is the Beehive” (traditional) Here is the cookie house. Where are our gingerbread friends? Hidden inside where nobody sees! Wait…Here they come…1, 2, 3!  

A similar gingerbread house is available from Amazon. The one pictured is by Fringe dog toys and I cannot find a current seller. 



P.S. I know the rhyme is not perfect, so please feel to suggest some revisions in the comments!

Gears in the ‘Bot Tune: Wheels on The Bus
Hide the gears throughout the room and have the children hunt for them. Then use this song to collect them back. Have the children put the gears back on the flannel board as their color is called. Change the words to match the colors.
Blue gears in the ‘bot, Go round and round, Round and round, Round and round, Blue gears in the ‘bot Go round and round, All through the day.

A long time ago, I bought this Build a Face chart from (I believe) Discount School Supply. I cannot find any notes that have the store or manufacturer or the item name, but if you happen to know a source for this, I will happily edit it into this post. 
Ever since I got it, I've been collecting ideas to use with it. Here are some in case someone else out there has this item or something similar. It would be simple enough to make something similar out of felt as well. 

I Look in the Mirror
I look in the mirror and what do I see?
I see a happy face smiling at me.
I look in the mirror and what do I see? I see a surprised face looking at me. Source
I Have a Happy Face Tune:  “I’m A Little Teapot”
I have a happy face, Just watch me grin. I have a great big smile From my forehead to my chin. When I’m upset And things are bad, Then my happy face Turns to sad. ---Jean Warren Source
What's On A Face? Here's a face, Now let's begin It has two ears, a nose and chin.

A mouth, two eyes, with a…

I spotted this very cute Learning Weather Magnetic Activity Set on sale and knew it would be cute for storytimes. In lieu of adding it to our storytime tubs, I've decided to add it to my stash of preschool visit activities so I can put together a visit more efficiently. I don't do many of these visits due to the nature of my current position being more administrative/project-management than a traditional children's librarian job so it's nice to have a few go-to activities handy.

The kitten backgrounds are not magnetic on their own, FYI, so I plan to laminate them and use magnets temporarily to keep them up on our storytime easel.

There are lots of ways to use this set. I love its versatility! I did write an activity to go with it that I'm calling "Kitty Gets Dressed"

Kitty Gets Dressed Tune: Frere Jacques WINTER It is snowing, it is snowing. What to wear? What to wear? Kitty needs a warm coat, Kitty needs a warm coat On today. Repeat with snowboots, mittens, a…