Who's in the Old Tree?

Using a tri-fold presentation board, I made what sort of resembles an oak tree. I covered it in crumpled brown kraft paper, so it would look like bark and cut a hole in the center. I added kraft paper tree limbs and faux autumn oak leaves.

Since I was using this skit with my toddler group, I placed the tree up high on our lectern and I could easily manipulate the puppets behind the tree. The children were mesmerized, especially when the spider popped out.

I used a familiar song we sing and adapted it to this skit.

Puppets:
As many animals and insects as you want to live in your oak tree. I used:
a cardinal
a squirrel
a spider

Props:
A tree with a cut-out for the animals to peek out of.

"Who's in the Old Tree?"
Who's in the old tree,
the old tree, the old tree?
Who's in the old tree?
I don't know!
Let's find out!

This was easy and satisfyingly simple.

Bugs!

A really simple puppet song; good with toddlers.

Puppets:
bugs, whatever you may have on hand


Props:
none

This particular day I used:  a bee, a butterfly, and a grasshopper.

"The Bugs in the Field"
[tune:  The Wheels on the Bus"]

The bee in the field goes bzzz bzzz bzzz . . . all day long
(Repeat with as many bugs as hold children's interest.)

Luella Frizelle--Our New Biddy Buddy

How in the world did I meet Luella Frizelle? When I received this puppet in a new order batch, I thought her a funky, confused, and oh-so-sweet biddy. Her neck moves wonderfully, and she can high-five! How cool is that?

So, I decided to try Luella in storytime as a stretcher between books and before "Shake Our Sillies Out." It was a fun and easy activity.

Puppet:
Chicken

No props needed.


I introduced Luella Frizelle and explained that she and I had been practicing a song all week long to sing in storytime. I asked the children what sound a chicken makes, and they happily imitated their best chicken clucks. I explained that Luella knew that when I tapped her she was supposed to cluck. So we tried it: I tapped her and she clucked. Easy.

I began the song, "When Chickens Get Up in the Morning," and when I tapped her, she mooed! So I had to interrupt the song and remind Luella that chickens do not moo. The children laughed and I asked them again what kind of sound a chicken makes. "Cluck!" They all shouted. So we tried again . . . and again, Luella mooed!

I asked the children to help me sing the song, very loud, and cluck so that maybe Luella would remember what she was supposed to say. They did--it worked!

I'm going to try this stretcher for a while, using a different animal sound each week and see how it goes.

Wow, I like this chicken!