Puppet:
clam
Props:
Sand bucket
(but you could just use your story time bag)
I told children I'd dug up a little sea friend for story time and asked them to guess what it could be. After some good guessing, I introduced Sandy the clam.
Keeping my fingers together so that her shell stayed closed, I explained to children that clams dig down into the sand and stay there. They are safest when the water is high. (I didn't get delve into high tide/low tide too much, since this was a preschool audience.)
I wondered aloud how to get her shell open, and tickled her where I thought her chin might be. Sure enough, her shell opened and she laughed. (It was a loud laugh.) Immediately, I clamped her shell shut with the fingers of my other hand.
I did this a few times: removing my fingers, then having Sandy open her shell and laugh--louder each time. Then I explained to children that Sandy had never been out of the water before, that she's never been indoors. So I asked them if they knew the difference between inside and outside voices. They sure did! So we practiced what our inside versus outside voices might sound like, so Sandy could hear and follow our example.
After a few tries, she laughed quieter and quieter, until she had the perfect inside voice.
I thanked the children for their example, and explained to them that Sandy couldn't help it; she's as happy as a clam!
Easy and fun.
