Toddler Storytime: Clouds
Updated: -1/12/20
Introduction: This Storytime is developed specially for children two and three years old and their caregivers. On this blog you will find various books, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, socialization, and crafts ideas. Each session of toddler storytime consists of a variety of activities that incorporate reading, writing, singing, talking, and playing.
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Age Range: 2 to 3 years old
Letter and/or Color: Letter C
Skills Supported: Vocabulary
Frequency: Weekly
Attendance: 20 children and their parent/caregiver
Staff or Volunteer Needed: 1 staff member, 1 volunteer
Format: Registration is required.
Books Shared: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld
Clouds by Anne Rockwell
Other Books to Display on Book Cart at Storytime:
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
My Father Knows the Name of Things by Jane Yolen
The Police Cloud by Christoph Niemann
My "C" Book by Jane Belk Moncure
This Beautiful Day by Richard Jackson
Storytime Preparation:
See Craft
1. Storytime Introduction: Welcome to Toddler Storytime. My name is Ms. Debbie. I am so glad to see you today. Our storytime is designed to be participated by everyone. We will share books, rhymes, and songs with your children. We encourage everyone to participate, but no worries if this doesn't happen. Sometimes when a child sees you participate, they might join in, but if your child is not in the mood, that is okay too. Our storytime can tend to be a little chaotic, but that is okay as well. If your child becomes disruptive, please take them outside the program room and then join us again when your child has settled down. This is normal, it is part of the process. So, let's start with our opening song.
2. Opening Song:
(Credit: No Time For Flash Cards. 2016, January 30).
Lyrics:
How Many Friends are Here Today?
How many friends are here today?
How many friends are here today?
Let's count it out!
Let's clap it out!
Let's dance it out!
There are ______ friends on their feet!
Now it's time to take your seat!
3. Early Literacy Aside: Explain:
Today's early literacy skill is focusing on vocabulary. Words and their meanings are the building blocks of literacy development. They're the key to children's comprehension of stones and information books. Just about any fun experience, from learning-center activities to a field trip to sharing picture books, offers many opportunities to build children's vocabulary.
Credit: Credit: Scholastic. (2020). Early Literacy: Building Vocabulary to Build Literacy. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/early-literacy-building-vocabulary-build-literacy/
4. Theme Talk:
Today our storytime is about types of clouds and the letter C.
5. Song:
Scattered and wispy clouds in the sky…
Cirrus clouds are drifting by.
Long and flat clouds in the sky…
Stratus clouds are moving by.
Large and puffy clouds in the sky…
Cumulus clouds are floating by.
High and dark clouds in the sky…
Cumulonimbus clouds are thundering by.
6. Information Book: Clouds by Anne Rockwell
7. Shakers Shaker Song
Sung to the tune of “London Bridge
“Shake your shakers, shake, shake, shake,
Shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
Shake your shakers, shake, shake, shake,
Shake your shakers!
Other Verses
Shake your shakers high, high, high,
Shake your shakers low, low, low,
Shake your shakers fast, fast, fast,
Shake your shakers slow, slow, slow"
(Mulvenna, L. (2013, January 17)
9. Movement Activity: s of books, formats, and subjects. Note and savor the interesting words that you encounter. Talk about what these words mean and help children pronounce them. And remember to talk, talk, talk during the school day. Conversations with children are a great way to organically introduce new words. This will be especially important as you see with clouds.
9. Movement Activity:
I’m a Little Cloud
(to the tune of: “I’m a Little Teapot”) I’m a little cloud, in the sky (have fingertips meet in circle above head) You can find me way up high (stretch arms up high and stand on tippy toes) Sometimes I’m puffy (put hands on hips to make you “puffy”) sometimes stretched out. (hands out at your sides) I just love to float about. (move side to side with hands still stretched out)
Credit: Rhyme by Jean Warren, taken from Preschool Express
10. Book: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld
11. Song:
The More We Read Together [Tune: "The More We Get Together" ]
Lyrics:
The more we read together, together, together.
The more we read together, the better it is!
'Cause reading and singing and talking together,
is how you learn the six skills for reading by six.
(Johnson County Library, 2011, February 8).
12. Felt board:
See below for felt board.
13. Early Literacy Aside: Help your child build their vocabulary! Kids with a large vocabulary understand more of what they read and hear. So big vocabulary=big learning! Exploring new words on a regular basis is one of the best ways parents can support learning at home.
14. Good-bye Song
(L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, 2014, September 28).
Goodbye Bubbles:
(Librarian/staff associate will blow bubbles while the parents/caregiver and children sing the song.
Lyrics:
Goodbye Bubbles
Goodbye Bubbles
Time to Go
Time to Go
I will help you
I will help you
With a blow
With a blow
15. Storytime Activity Ideas:
See below.
16. Takeaway:
Parents/caregivers are given the Early Literacy Newsletter for Toddlers.
The newsletters are developed around the specific program so they usually have to be tweaked every time we run the program. In addition, parents will get a Letter C worksheet to complete at home with their child.
Notes: None
References:
Memorial Public Library. (2014, September 28). Goodbye bubbles. [Video]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/RXXQqVx0gT0
Johnson County Library. (2011, February 8).
Shake Shake Shake [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://lisaslibraryland.blogspot.com/2013/07/shake-shake-shake.html
No Time For Flash Cards. (2016, January 30). Circle Time Chant. [Video]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/ECHXNMFVumM
1. My Pet Cloud
This program has been designed specifically for Citizen Science Month. It is an introduction on clouds and the weather as well as the names of different clouds.
Flannel Board: Clouds
For an older crowd, Cloud Types Felt Board. Print out, cut out, laminate and glue sandpaper to back. At story rug, show children samples of various clouds and the weather they bring.
For younger crowd:
Print out, cut out, laminate and glue sandpaper to back.
Recommended Books:
Once Upon a Cloud written by Rob D. Walker Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld Little Cloud by Eric Carle Clouds by Anne Rockwell
Clouds by Andrea Rivera
What are Clouds by Ellen Lawrence
Song:
I’m a Little Cloud Rhyme by Jean Warren, taken from Preschool Express
(to the tune of: “I’m a Little Teapot”) I’m a little cloud, in the sky (have fingertips meet in circle above head) You can find me way up high (stretch arms up high and stand on tippy toes) Sometimes I’m puffy (put hands on hips to make you “puffy”) sometimes stretched out. (hands out at your sides) I just love to float about. (move side to side with hands still stretched out)
Craft:
My Pet Cloud
My Pet Cloud template printed on white stock and cut out.
Ziploc Bags
Cotton
Stapler
Googly eyes
Crayons
Clouds Felt pieces $20 (ordered on Etsy) or templates included on this blog.
Have children pull the cotton out so it take on a shape of a cloud.
Glue googly eyes
Put cloud in ziplock bag.
Put poem in back of cloud facing out
Attach, "My Pet Cloud to the front top of bag"
2. Exploring Earth: Investigating Clouds
Introduction:
Clouds influence Earth’s weather and climate.
Clouds form when individual water molecules combine into droplets.
NASA researchers study clouds in order to better understand and predict how Earth’s climate is changing.
In this hand-on STEM program, kids will create a cloud in a bottle and explore it with laser light.
Watch this video: Investigating Clouds - Activity Training Video (2017, 2020)
Directions:
Librarian, staff member or volunteer is to place 1 tsp of isoproply alcohol into each 2 liter clear plastic soda bottle.
Close using a FizzKeeper air pump.
Close the valve and squeeze the bulb 50 times to increase the pressure inside the bottle. Watch the thermometer on the side of the bottle. Does the temperature change as you pump?
Turn the bottle on its side and set it on the table. Flip the valve open to release the pressure in the bottle. What happens? Can you see a cloud form?
Shine the laser down into the bottle and quickly move it back and forth. How does the light from the laser change as it moves through the cloud?
Materials
2 2-liter clear plastic “soda” bottles
Isopropyl alcohol
Red laser pointer (We have from Crazy8 STEM program)
GLOBE postcards
Pencils •
Exploring Earth: Investigating Clouds Worksheet: On tool page.
Activity and facilitator guides
Extension:
Parents can download the GLOBE Observer app, to help NASA understand the clouds and how this is affecting our weather.
Storytime Kits:
Ages 4 - 5
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