Elmer Elephant's Trunk is STUCK!

Here's a simple skit I incorporated into a recent story time. It was a story timer's birthday (I knew in advance) so I threw this in and it was successful.

Puppet:
elephant

Props:
flower
pepper
**could use a feather
faux cupcake
party hat

I put a party hat on Elmer before I put him in my puppet bag; I also had his trunk pulled all the way in.
When I pulled him out of the bag, I asked the children if something looked different about Elmer. They told me he was wearing a hat--one child asked where his trunk was. I pretended Elmer was whispering in my ear. I pulled the cupcake out of my bag and told the children that today was Elmer's birthday, but he couldn't enjoy his cake because his trunk was stuck!

So we brainstormed ideas. I tried holding a flower under his nose, thinking maybe he was allergic, but that didn't work. I tried shaking pepper (pretending to shake) under his nose, but that didn't work. Then, I tickled him. THAT worked! His trunk popped out and he could enjoy his cake.

(You could use a feather to tickle him; I just used my fingers and it was fine.)

Super simple.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies

I'll admit it:  I am wild about Pinterest. I re-pin many craft ideas on a story time pinboard, and this was an idea I ran with, combining the craft with a rhyme I modified.

I made four yarn pom poms (Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob) from the book, Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas. I went through the rhyme and then handed out our bean bags and had children pretend the bean bags were dust bunnies. We recited the dust bunny rhyme together.

It was very simple and effective. We all got a chuckle out of it.

Props:
four yarn pom poms (instructions found readily online)

Book:
Rhyming Dust Bunnies--Jan Thomas


"Ed, Ned, Ted and Bob are Bouncing on My Head!"
or  "I Met a Little Dust Bunny"

I met a little dust bunny, he said his name was Ed;
and all he ever wanted to do was bounce upon my head!
Bounce upon my head! Bounce upon my head!
All he ever wanted to do was bounce upon my head.

(Bounce the pom pom on your head. Repeat with each one.)

For the tune, see this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOAQakCZbAQ&feature=share&list=PLeQ12HBJmWnBKdwNhgB4EVrvvgVYQRot0

You could also easily add more verses, if your audience was interested. For example, jump upon my bed, bounce beneath my bed, etc.

Over in the Meadow

I adapted the Raffi version from his "Baby Beluga" album. I shortened it to fit toddlers' attention spans, but it could easily be lengthened to the full version. I also used different animals based on the puppets we have at my branch library. I used the corresponding number of puppets as animals in the song; so, one sheep, two frogs, and three cardinals. You could also play the recorded version and pull puppets out as Raffi sings; then you wouldn't have to memorize lyrics!

Puppets:
sheep
two frogs
three cardinal finger puppets

Props:
None needed



Here are the lyrics I used:
(Pull puppets from bag as you sing the song.)

Over in the meadow in the grass in the sun
lived a happy mama sheep and her baby one.
"Baa," said the mama; "baa," said the one
and they baa-d happily in the grass in the sun.

Over in the meadow under skies so blue
lived a happy daddy frog and his babies two.
"Ribbit," said the daddy; "ribbit, ribbit," said the two
and they croaked happily under skies so blue.

Over in the meadow in a nest in a tree
lived a happy mama cardinal and her babies three.
"Tweet," said the mama; "tweet, tweet, tweet," said the three
and they sang happily in their nest in the tree.

Over in the meadow in the noonday sun
sat a new, happy mother and her baby one.
"Listen," said the mother . . .
"Tweet, tweet, tweet," said the three;
"ribbit, ribbit," said the two;
"baa," said the one;
and the little baby laughed just to hear such fun!

Move Over Rover by Karen Beaumont

This is a super-simple storytime that works well for preschool storytime or toddler storytime. I had the materials for Rover's doghouse on hand and modified the story to fit the puppets at my branch. I ended the story with a dragon, because we don't own a skunk puppet and it still turned out fine!

Puppets:
dog
cat
beaver
frog
bird
mouse
dragon

Props:
a dog house (though you could easily tell this without a doghouse and stack the animals in your lap)
I used my favorite theater supply--a cardboard tri-fold display to make Rover's doghouse.

Let children help you with the repeating, "move over, rover." I even have my children roll their hands as we say it.

This story basically tells itself, and the children love seeing the animals stack up in Rover's house.

Give it a try!

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.