SENSEational Story Time: "Look Up!"

We have really been looking forward to spring time in Michigan (or at least being done with "swinter"), so this was a Saturday to look up at some of those things we see up above in warmer weather! 

Here's the plan:

1. Hello!


2. Welcome  Song: "The Story Time Ball"
tune: "Wheels on the Bus"
(Roll ball back and forth to each child)
The story time ball rolls back and forth,
back and forth, back and forth.
The story time ball rolls back and forth,
Let's see who it found. Hi ______!
Now roll it back to me.
(Keep rolling back and forth until each child has said their name.)


3. Yoga pose: "tree pose" (adaptation for kids unable to stand: taking a nice breath in and extending our arm "branches" out.)

4. Flannel rhyme: "Four Little Kites"

One little kite in the sky so blue,
Along came another, then there were two.
Two little kites flying high above me;
Along came another, then there were three.
Three little kites, just watch them soar;
Along came another, then there were four.
Four little kites dancing across the sky;
what a sight to see, way up so high!
(source: adapted from "Five Little Kites" storytime katie)


5. Story: Hooray for Birds! by Lucy Cousins
We had so much fun making bird sounds and trying to move and stand like birds along with some help from our puppet friends.

6. Bubbles song:
I blew bubbles from a large bubble wand (best for kids who may have sensory discomfort with bubble machines) and we sung our song as we "looked up" to catch bubbles.

tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
Bubbles floating all around.
Bubbles fat and bubbles round.
Bubbles on my toes and nose.
Blow a bubble...up it goes!
Bubbles floating all around.
Bub...bles fall...ing to...the...ground.
(source unknown)


7. Active Sensory Story: Shake the Tree! by Chiara Vignocchi
I love this interactive story (great for one-one sharing and group sharing)! The layout shifts from vertical to horizontal every time the tree is shaken and a furry surprise falls down. I handed out shakers to every child and they shook their shakers "to the left and to the right" when it was time to shake the tree and see who or what would fall out!


8. Parachute activity: "Up the Hill" (This can be great fun for kids who choose to be seated/laying under the parachute.)
Here goes turtle up a hill...creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy... (move around very slowly with parachute)
Here goes a rabbit up a hill...boing, boing, boing, boing...  (raise parachute up and down quickly)
Here goes an elephant up a hill...thud, thud, thud, thud...  (raise parachute really high and lower)
Here goes a snake up the hill... slither, slither, slither, slither...  (move side-side with parachute)
Here comes a rock down the hill...boom, boom, boom, boom... crash!
(raise parachute up and down slowly -- really high and then down at the end)
(adapted from Malaysian folk game)


9. Goodbye song and stretch: "Tickle the Clouds"

Tickle the clouds.
Tickle your toes.
Turn around and tickle your nose.
Reach down low.
Reach up high.
Story time's over.
Wave goodbye!


10: Play time: "Feed the Bird" discovery bin
I filled our sensory bin with bird seed, branches, moss, little bird finger puppets and pipe cleaner "worms." Kids found worms using their hands, scoops, or large tweezers (great fine motor practice!) and fed our hungry bird.