Sensory Story Time: Fruits and Veggies

The Library offers sensory story time (almost) every month, and last month's theme was fruits and veggies! Seven kids and three adults attended, with the kids ranging in age from 3 years old to 6 or 7 years old. 

 

The plan: 

1. Hello! I introduced the theme and the structure of this story time, including explaining how the visual schedule worked. We practiced signing “all done” so we knew how to do it at the end of each activity. 

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. Mindfulness Exercise: Tap and Wiggle from the Mindful Kids card set by Whitney Stewart and Mina Braun 

4. Active Rhyme: Bananas Unite (source: Jbrary) 

Bananas unite! 

Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas 

Chop bananas, chop chop bananas  

Mash bananas, mash mash bananas  

Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas   

Go Bananas! 

 

5. Story: Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey

In this book, a piranha named Brian tries to persuade other piranhas to try different fruits and vegetables. In response to each fruit Brian offers, the other piranhas say “no, we eat [body part].” I asked the kids to point to or move the body part on each page. 

6. Sensory Rhyme: Way Up High in the Apple Tree (with stretch bands) 

Way up high in the apple tree, (pull the stretch band up) 

two little apples smiling at me.  

I shook that tree as hard as I could, (quickly pull the stretch band in and out) 

and down came the apples. (clap hands) 

Mmmm... they were good! (rub your tummy) 

7.  Picture book with sensory experiences: Veg Patch Party by Clare Foges and Al Murphy 

In this book, vegetables on a farm have a party after the animals go to sleep. Certain vegetables are featured, so I brought in as many of those vegetables as I could. This included potatoes, parsnips, carrots, peas, and brussels sprouts. The kids were familiar with potatoes and carrots, but many had never seen a parsnip before.  

8. Parachute activity: "Fruit Salad Salsa" by Laurie Berkner. I played the song out loud and we walked and moved the parachute to match the lyrics. 

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! 

Arts and Crafts: Carrot with handprint stalk. I provided white construction paper with a carrot outline, orange and yellow dot markers, and green finger paint.  

Sensory Activity: Fruit matching game. I buried plastic fruit counters in lentils and provided tongs for the kids to use for pulling out the fruit and match them to the pictures on the trays.