Totally Tots- Bears

I'm a day behind with all my postings this week as things have been very hectic. We underwent some office construction last week and were able to move back into our new office space earlier this week- Yay.  I am also preparing for a poster session at ILA and two extra programs this month. Exciting times ahead. Check out  my new office space:

 
My Totally Tots group is turning to be an amazing group of eager, funny, vivacious children.  We are getting our routine down and each child is becoming more confident and comfortable. I actually had one moment during yesterday's storytime when everyone was seated listening and engaged with me and the story. It was magical.  Overall we are not going throughout all our rhymes and fingerplays and instead inserting some songs (Shake Your Sillies Out) and telling stories with flannel boars. Our books yesterday were

Bears On Chairs by Shirley Parenteau

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. * We used a flannel for this story.

My Bear and Me by Barbara Maitland

Maybe a Bear Ate It! by Robie H. Harris

Opening song:  “The More We Get Together”

Wiggle/action rhyme: “Let’s Start Story Time”

Action Rhyme: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the sky
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your knees
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please

Action Rhyme: “Bears Eat Honey”
A bear eats honey (pretend to eat)
He thinks it’s yummy
In his tummy (rub tummy)
But the bees don’t think it’s funny!
Buzzzzzzzzzzzz! (make buzzing noise) Credit: King County Library System

Song: “If You’re a Bear and You Know It”
If you’re a panda bear and you know it, clap your paws
If you’re a polar bear and you know it, show your teeth
If you’re a grizzly bear and you know it, growl real loud. Credit: Childhood

Five Little Bears* fingerplay or use flannels.

One little bear

Wondering what to do

Along came another, then there were two

Two little bears

Climbing up a tree

Along came another

Then there were three.

Three little bears

Ate an apple core

Along came another

Then there were four

Four little bears found honey in a hive

Along came another,

Then there were Five! Credit: The Big Book of Stories, Songs & Sing Alongs

Flannel: All Types of Bears I made this cute flannel and we used it with the rhyme above.

Grizzly bears are big and brown, big and brown, big and brown

Grizzly bears are big and brown, and live in the woods

Polar bears are soft and white, soft and white, soft and white

Polar bears are soft and white, and live where it’s cold

Panda bears are black and white, black and white, black and white

Panda bears are black and white, and live with bamboo

Koala bears have great big ears, great big ears, great big ears

Koala bears have great big ears, and live high in a tree

Teddy bears are just my size, just my size, just my size

Teddy bears are just my size, to cuddle with at night.

Credit: arty toddler storytimes

Flannel: 5 Little Bears (finger play)

5 little bears were dancing on the floor

one fell down and that left 4

4 little bears climbed up a tree,

one found a bee hive that left 3.

3 little bears were wondering what to do,

one chased a bunny rabbit that left 2.

 2 little bears were looking for some fun,

one took a swim that left 1.

1 little bear sitting all alone

he looked all around then ran home.

Closing Song: “We Wave Goodbye Like This”