Setting the Turkeys Free! A Whiteboard Story

I used this skit in preschool story time as part of a Thanksgiving theme. It's an adaptation of Setting the Turkeys Free by Lisa Nikola. I think the book translated well to telling with the whiteboard.

Puppet:
fox

Props:
hand print turkeys
fist-print boulder
foam stickers for decorating the hand print turkeys
craft sticks for fencing
whiteboard
dry-erase markers

The day before my story time, I dipped my hands in paint and made a few hand print turkeys on heavy card stock. I also painted my fist and stamped it onto a piece of card stock to use as the boulder. Once the turkeys and boulder were dry, I attached a magnet to the back of each and set them aside to use. I then took some craft sticks and put a magnet strip on the back of each to use as fencing.

I told the book as I drew a field on the whiteboard. Then, I added my first hand print turkey and decorated it with foam stickers. Next, I added additional turkeys and decorated them as well. I finished the scene off with the craft stick fence and drew rails on the fence with brown marker.

Using my fox puppet, I introduced fox and brainstormed ways to keep him from my turkeys. As in the book, I put up my fist-print boulder and then erased the fencing so the turkeys could run away.

But, in the end, the turkeys came back to my little green field!

We're Going to the Story Time Farm!

Super-simple puppet song for toddlers.

Puppets:
various animals

Props:
none

We're Going to the Story Time Farm
[tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush]

We're going to the story time farm,
story time farm, story time farm;
we're going to the story time farm,
listen carefully . . .
SHHHH

Then, I make an animal sound while holding the puppet inside my tote bag where the children can't see it. I have them guess the animals.

Continue until they're disinterested.

Good Bye!

I found the list online for all of those silly kid's goodbyes because I'm tired of the same old line: "See you later, alligator!" Using what I found as a template, I got out some puppets and taught some new goodbyes to my toddlers. This is easy, fun, and uses puppets you may have on hand.

See you later, alligator.
After while crocodile.
In an hour, little flower. (I have a plush and bendable flower.)
Or maybe two, kangaroo!
Adios, hippos!
Bye-bye, butterfly!

Simple.