Toys

Questions:

What is your favorite toy?

Read Alouds:

The Stuffed Animals Get Ready for Bed by Alison Inches

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Flannel Boards:

I Love You, Blue Kangaroo by Emma Chichester Clark

Action Songs:

“The Toy Museum” by Laurie Berkner

“Trucks” by Laurie Berkner

“My Little Red Wagon” by Songs for Wiggleworms

“The March of the Wooden Soldiers” by Georgiana Stewart

Fingerplays:

My Toys

I have a lot of favorite toys.
I cannot choose just one.
I need to keep them all around
For different kinds of fun.
As you can see I need them all
For work and play and rest.
When you go home and find your toys,
Which one do you like best?

                [name toys]

My Dear Dolly

I have a dear little dolly
Who has eyes of bright blue.

[point to eyes]

She can open and shut them

[blink]

And she smiles too!

[smile]

Jack-in-the-Box

Jack-in-the-box,

[crouch down]

Still as a mouse,
Deep down inside your house.
Jack-in-the-box,
Resting so still,
Won't you come out?

[jump up]

"Yes, I will!"

Craft:

I Spy Bottles

Careers

Questions:

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Read Alouds:

When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic

I Can Be Anything! by Jerry Spinelli

Career Day by Anne Rockwell

Flannel Boards:

Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms by Christine Kole MacLean

Which Hat is That? by Anna Grossnickle Hines

Whose Hat? by Margaret Miller

Who Am I?

Fire! Fire!

9-1-1!

I fight the blaze until it’s done.

Who am I?

(firefighter)

I get up early

Just to bake

Your cookies, rolls

And bread and cake.

Who am I?         

(baker)

Stitches and itches,

Slips and falls,

Colds and flu,

I fix them all.

Who am I?         

(doctor)

I’m there for you

Both night and day

So you are safe

At school and play.

Who am I?

(policeman)

Songs:

“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” by Greg & Steve

Action Songs:

“Dream Big” by Roger Day

“This Hat” by Laurie Berkner

“Everyone Can Be a Helper” by Hap Palmer

“My Mother is a Baker” by Dr. Jean

Fingerplays:

The Sleepy Firefighter

The sleepy firefighter climbs into bed,

                [yawn and stretch]

Down on the pillow he lays his head.

                [lay head on hands]

Off goes the alarm

                [clap]

And down the pole he slides.

                [crouch down]

He jumps into the truck

                [jump up]

And to the fire he rides.

                [pretend to drive]

I’m a Little Firefighter

I’m a little firefighter on the go.

[run in place]

Here is my helmet, here is my hose.

[point to head; hold out hands]

When I see a fire, hear me shout!

[cup hands around mouth]

Turn on the water and put the fire out –

 “Shhhhhhhh!”

[pretend to spray a fire with a hose]

I am a Policeman

I am a policeman with my star.

                [point to chest]

I help people near and far.

                [point near; then far]

If you have a problem, call on me.

                [point to self]

And I will be there in 1, 2, 3!

                [count]

The Postman

Early in the morning at 8 o’clock

You can hear the postman’s knock.

                [knock]

Up you jump to answer the door,

                [jump up]

1 letter, 2 letters, 3 letters, 4.

                [count]

Mail Myself

I’m going to wrap myself in paper,        

                [hug]                                      

I’m going to dab myself with glue,          

                [poke]                         

Stick some stamps on top of my head

                [pat head]

And I’m going to mail myself to you.          

                [point to self; then to kids]                             

I’m going to tie myself with red string,    

                [spin]                        

I’m going to tie myself with blue. 

                [spin]                                    

Stick some stamps on top of my head  

                [pat head]                       

And I’m going to mail myself to you.

                [point to self; then to kids]

Craft:

Fireman Helmet

Space

Questions:

Do you want to go to the moon?

Read Alouds:

Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I’m Off to the Moon! by Dan Yaccarino

Roaring Rockets by Tony Mitton

Higher, Higher by Leslie Patricelli

Flannel Boards:

“Aikendrum” by Raffi

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle

Songs:

“Blast into Books” by Monty Harper

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” by Songs for Wiggleworms

Action Songs:

“An Adventure in Space” by Greg & Steve

“Zoom, Zoom, Zoom” by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“Aikendrum” by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“Rockin’ Rockets” by Georgiana Stewart

“Rocketship Run” by Laurie Berkner

“Space Explorer” by Hap Palmer

Fingerplays:

Going to the Moon

Zoom, zoom, zoom,

I’m going to the moon!

Who would like to take a trip,

Upon my magic rocket ship?

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1…

                [crouch down]

Blast off!

                [jump up]

Moon Ride

Do you want to go with me to the moon?

                [point to friend; then up at sky]

Let’s get in our rocket ship and blast off soon!

                [crouch down; jump up]

Faster and faster we reach to the sky.

                [reach up]

Isn’t it fun to be able to fly?

                [spread arms]

We’re on the moon, now all take a look

                [shade eyes with hands]

And gently sit down and I’ll show you a book.

                [sit]

Climb Aboard

Climb aboard the rocket ship, we’re going to the moon.
Hurry up and get ready, we’re going to blast off soon.
Put on your helmet and buckle up real tight.
Here comes the countdown, let’s count with all our might!

[count down]
10 . . . 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . blast off!

                [jump up]

Twinkle, Twinkle

Twinkle, twinkle, little stars,

                [wiggle fingers]

Stand up and twinkle where you are.

                [stand up]

Twinkle high and twinkle low,

                [wiggle fingers high; then low]

Twinkle fast and twinkle slow.

                [wiggle fingers fast; then slow]

Twinkle, twinkle, little stars,

                [wiggle fingers]

Now sit and twinkle where you are.

                [sit down]

Twinkling Stars

At night I see the twinkling stars

                [wiggle fingers]

And the great big shining moon.

                [circle arms overhead]

My mama tucks me into bed

                [make fists under chin]

And sings this good night tune.

                [sing “Twinkle, Twinkle”]

Craft:

Sticker Constellations

Nocturnal

Questions:

What kinds of animals are awake at night?

Read Alouds:

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies

Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan

Frederick by Leo Lionni

Raccoon Tune by Nancy Shaw

Flannel Boards:

Good-Night, Owl by Pat Hutchins

I’m not Scared! by Jonathan Allen

Whoo Goes There? by Jennifer A. Ericsson

While the World is Sleeping by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Night Creatures

I have eyes like the moon,

They sparkle at night.

I see my prey in black and white.

I turn my head from left to right. 

(owl)

By day I look like moss or bark.

I open my wings when it gets dark. 

(moth) 

My fur is black and white.
I walk in gardens late at night.
If you scare me, I will spray –
So stay away!
(skunk)

I hang out in a cave or tree.

In the dark, my eyes can see.
(bat)

On my face I wear a mask.

I wash my food before I eat.
I'll eat whatever I can find
With the long fingers on my feet.
(raccoon)

Action Songs:

“Sleeping Bag Chant” by Carole Peterson

“Black Bat Farm” by Carole Peterson

“Goodnight” by Laurie Berkner

“Mr. Owl” by Kimmy Schwimmy

“The Mice Go Marching” by Hap Palmer

“Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Wee Sing

“Playin’ ‘Possum” by Johnette Downing

Fingerplays:

The Bat

The bat in flight in the middle of the night
Can flap about with ease.

[flap arms]
For with his ears, he somehow steers

[cup hands behind ears]

A path between the trees.

                [sway from side to side]

Bats

Bats are as batty as can be.              

They sleep all day in a cave or a tree.                          

                [lay head on hands]

When the sun sets in the sky,                              

They rise from their rest to fly.

                [stand up and fly]

Barn Owl

I met a barn owl.

He turned his head,

He looked at me

                [point to self]

And this is what he said:

“I know I am a barn owl.

I flap my wings, that’s what I do.

But I have one question...

Whooooo are you?”

                [echo]

Wide Eyed Owl

There's a wide eyed owl

                [point to eyes]

With a pointed nose,

                [point to nose]

Two pointed ears

                [point to ears]

And claws for toes.

                [point to toes]

He sits in a tree

                [sit down]

And when he looks at you,

                [point at kids]

He flaps his wings

                [flap arms]

And says, “Whoo, Whoo?”

                [echo]

Tiny Mouse

There is such a tiny mouse

Living quietly inside my house.

Out at night he starts to creep,

                [creep fingers]

When everyone is fast asleep.

                [lay head on hands]

But always by the light of day,

                [yawn and stretch]

The tiny mouse creeps away.

                [creep fingers]

Mice are Nice

We think mice are nice. Oh, we think mice are nice!
Mice have noses that twitch and sniff.

                [sniff nose]

Mice have feet that hurry and scurry.

                [shuffle feet]

Mice have whiskers that wiggle and jiggle.

                [wiggle mouth]

We think mice are nice. Oh, we think mice are nice! 

Raccoons

Raccoons in the night
With your masks, you’re quite a sight.
                [circle eyes with hands]

Your keen noses smell food in our trash,
So you knock down our cans with a crash!

[clap]

Craft:

Nutshell Mice