SLP 2017: Butterflies Storytime: All About Me!

This Butterflies Storytime, for toddlers and preschoolers, was presented at Bellevue Public Library on May 30 & 31, and June 1, 2017.


Each Butterflies Storytime includes activities that support all or most of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing  – were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).



Stories:

Show Me Happy by Kathryn Madeline Allen, photos by Eric Futran 

Good Night, Me by Andrew Daddo, illustrated by Emma Quay

Action Rhymes:

Tony Chestnut

Tony Chestnut
(point to toe, knee, chest, and head)
Knows I love you
(point to nose and eye, then hug self)
Tony knows,
(point to toe, knee, and nose)
Tony knows!
(point to toe, knee, and nose)
Tony Chestnut
(point to toe, knee, chest, and head)
Knows I love you
(point to nose and eye, then hug self)
That's what Tony knows!
(point to toe, knee, and nose)



I Have Ten Little Fingers

I have ten little fingers 
(show fingers)
and they all belong to me.
(point fingers to self)
I can make them do things,
(make fingers dance in front of body)
would you like to see?
I can wave them up high,
(reach high to wave hands)
I can wave them down low,
(reach low to wave)
I can make them hide...
(quickly hide fingers in pockets, behind back, etc.)
And I can fold them, so.
(fold hands in lap)

The children in storytime love saying this rhyme several times, each time increasing the speed!


Songs:


Hello, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight Ladies")

Hello friends.
Hello friends.
Hello friends.
We're glad you came today!


Everybody Say Hello!
(tune: "London Bridge")

Everybody say hello, say hello, say hello,
Everybody say hello, hello Wesley!

(Wesley is my turtle puppet who pops out of my apron pocket whenever we sing this song.  Then he sits quietly on his rock and listens to the stories and sings along with us.  At the end of storytime he says goodbye to the children, gives them high fives, eats pretend food from their hands, blows kisses, and plays hide and seek!)

Goodbye, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight Ladies")

Goodbye friends.
Goodbye friends.
Goodbye friends.
We're glad you came today!

Home Activity:
I encourage our storytime families to spend time this week helping your children enhance their understanding of themselves. You might engage your child in talking about things that make him/her special or unique.  Ask questions and encourage answers (e.g. parent: "My birthday is in June.  When is YOUR birthday?" child: "My birthday is in April!")  Play games that include things that are special to your child (e.g. parent: "How old are you, David?"  child: "I am FOUR!"  parent: "OK! Let's take FOUR hops like a rabbit!")

Every Child Ready to Read^® @ your library^®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.