Marvelous Monsters

Welcome Song: Welcome, Everyone

(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Welcome, welcome everyone

Now you’re here

We’ll have some fun.

First we’ll clap our hands just so.

Then we’ll bend

And touch our toe.

Welcome, welcome, everyone.

Now you’re here,

We’ll have some fun

Early Literacy Skill: Our early literacy tip for today is on narrative skills,  the ability to describe things and events and tell stories. Help your child strengthen her narrative skills by asking her to tell you about the book, instead of just listening to you read the story.

Book: Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman

Rhyming text describes a mother guiding her young monster through bedtime preparations, such as howling at the moon, snacking on worm juice and beetle bread, and choosing a bedtime story.

Action Rhyme: Ten Fingers
I have ten fingers.

They all belong to me.

I can make them do things.

Would you like to see?

I can shut them up tight.

I can open them wide.

I can put them on my head.

I can put them at my side.

I can raise them up high.

I can put them down low.

I can set them in my lap,

And fold them just so.

Book: There Are Monsters Everywhere by Mercer Mayer

A boy who is certain that his house is filled with monsters takes a karate class in order to vanquish them.

OR

Book: Laura Numeroff's 10-Step Guide to Living with Your Monster by Laura Numeroff
A guide to choosing and caring for your own pet monster, which includes useful information such as "monsters love country western music" and "monsters love to buy gum."

Action Song: If You're Happy and You Know It

v. 1 Clap your hands

v. 2 Stomp your feet

v. 3 Turn around

v. 4 Jump up and down

v. 5 Shout hooray

Flannel Board: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

Then read the book version.

Book: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

Die-cut pages through which bits of a monster are revealed are designed to help a child control nighttime fears of monsters.

Action Rhyme: Clap Your Hands

Clap your hands, touch your toes.

Turn around and touch your nose.

Flap your arms,

Jump up high,

Wiggle your fingers

And let your hands fly.

Book: Jeepers Creepers: A Monstrous ABC by Laura Leuck

Twenty-six monsters go to school and learn their letters as each one's name starts with another letter of the alphabet.

Closing Song: Hands Go Up

Hands go up and hands go down.

I can turn round and round.

I can jump upon two shoes.

I can clap and so can you!

I can wave,

I’ll show you how.

Storytime is done for now.

Take Home Craft: Go Away Big Green Monster story patterns to color and use to retell the story.  Works on kids fine motor skills (coloring and cutting) as well as narrative skills (retelling the story).
http://kizclub.com/storypatterns/monster.pdf

Attendance: 14, 9 (ages 1-7 with caregivers)

Evaluation: This was an extremely fun program.  There are so many great stories about monsters that it was hard to pick just a few.  For the first program I read There Are Monsters Everywhere.  It was a little too scary for the younger ages, so in the second program I read Laura Numeroff's book instead.  During the first session I had only planned on doing the flannel board version of Go Away Big Green Monster.  However, when I finished and showed the kids the book, one of them said, "Again!"  So of course I read them the book, showing the cool die cuts.  It worked so well I did the same thing for the second program.  I liked using the same story in two formats and will try to do that again in future programs.  I would read aloud the book version first and then have the kids help tell the story the second time using a flannel board or some other method.  Great program for any time of the year.

Emotions

Welcome Song: Welcome, Everyone

(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Welcome, welcome everyone

Now you’re here

We’ll have some fun.

First we’ll clap our hands just so.

Then we’ll bend

And touch our toe.

Welcome, welcome, everyone.

Now you’re here,

We’ll have some fun

Early Literacy Skill: Our early literacy tip for today is on vocabulary, knowing the names of things, concepts, feelings and ideas. Children who have heard a lot of different words and have a large vocabulary find it easier to learn to read.

Book: Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail

When Katie Honors feels angry and out of control, her mother helps her to be herself again.

Action Rhyme: Ten Fingers
I have ten fingers.

They all belong to me.

I can make them do things.

Would you like to see?

I can shut them up tight.

I can open them wide.

I can put them on my head.

I can put them at my side.

I can raise them up high.

I can put them down low.

I can set them in my lap,

And fold them just so.

Book: Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

Feeling too grumpy to fly, Bird begins to walk and finds that his mood changes as other animals join him.

Action Song: "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Sing Along With BOB #1 by Bob McGrath
v.1 If you're happy and you know it clap your hands

v.2 If you're sad and you know it wipe your eyes

v.3 If you're mad and you know it stamp your feet

v.4 If you're sleepy and you know  it close your eyes
v.5 If you're happy and you know it clap your hands

Book: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

This rhyming story describes each day in terms of a particular color which in turn is associated with specific emotions.

Early Literacy Aside: When we talk about a story after reading it with a child, we are helping him or her remember what he or she heard, and to review it.  It helps to reinforce new vocabulary words because they have the opportunity to use the words again.

Action Rhyme: Clap Your Hands

Clap your hands, touch your toes.

Turn around and touch your nose.

Flap your arms,

Jump up high,

Wiggle your fingers

And let your hands fly.

Action Rhyme: Hands
My hands upon my head I’ll place
Upon my shoulders, on my face,
At my waist and by my side,
Then behind me they will hide.
Then I'll raise them way up high,
And let my fingers fly, fly, fly,
Then clap, clap, clap--
One - Two -Three!
Now see how quiet they can be.

DVD: Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt

Meet Scaredy Squirrel, a squirrel who never leaves his nut tree because he's afraid of the unknown "out there." But then, something unexpected happens that may just change his outlook.

Closing Song: Hands Go Up

Hands go up and hands go down.

I can turn round and round.

I can jump upon two shoes.

I can clap and so can you!

I can wave,

I’ll show you how.

Storytime is done for now.

Attendance: 10, 7 (ages 1-7 with caregivers)

Evaluation: There are a lot of great emotions/feelings books to choose from and two of my favorites weren't available for this program (Llama, Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney and When Sophie Gets Angry--Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang) but the ones I did choose were great.  The first session had a lot of ones and twos so I started by showing them the board book Baby Blue's Clues: Feelings by Jenny Miglis and talking about different emotions.  I then went on as planned.  The second session was older children so I did as planned.  The stories were all well received and the movie version of Scaredy Squirrel is superb!  I handed out Grumpy Bird door hangers (http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/jeremytankard/images/grumpybird_act_door.pdf) for the kids to take home and color.  I liked using the Bob McGrath feelings version of "If You're Happy and You Know It."  It was nice to use something different.  This is definitely a theme to do again.