Toddler Storytime: Apples

Early Literacy Tip: You don't actually need to read books aloud to your children ALL THE TIME in order for them to benefit. Talking about the illustrations in books helps children develop background knowledge and an appreciation for the visual arts. Talk about the colors- not only the names of the colors, but whether they are bright or pastel, clear or blurry. Doing this can be especially fun for longer books and books you have read over and over again.


Books



Apple Harvest by Calvin Harris


Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins


Pepo and Lolo and the Red Apple by Ana Martin Larranaga


Ned's New Home by Kevin Tseng

Activities/Visuals


Hand out red, yellow and green apples to toddlers. Recite the rhyme I Like Apples. After each verse, the toddlers bring their red, yellow or green apple to the flannel board.

Songs & Rhymes


Way up high in an apple tree

(add actions to the song)

Way up high in an apple tree.

Two red apples smiled at me.

I shook the tree as hard as I could.

Down came the apples!

Mmmm they were good.

Applesauce

Peel an apple, cut it up, cook it in a pot.

When you taste it you will find it’s applesauce you’ve got.

I Like Apples
Red apples,

Big apples,

Good apples,

Yummy apples,

Any kind of apples,

I like apples.

Green apples,

Big apples,

Good apples,

Yummy apples,

Any kind of apples,

I like apples.

Yellow apples,

Big apples,

Good apples,

Yummy apples,

Any kind of apples,

I like apples.

Flannel Friday: I Like Apples

This week in toddler storytime the theme was "Apples". I will get the whole storytime posted soon. Here is the rhyme and the flannel board the kids did with the rhyme. I got the apples from Microsoft Clipart a couple years ago. I didn't save the file once I made the visual. All the toddlers got an apple and they brought it to the board after we recited the verse about the red, green or yellow apple.

I Like Apples

Red apples,

Big apples,

Good apples,

Yummy apples,

Any kind of apples,

I like apples.

Recite rhyme for green and yellow apples too.

Autumn Leaves Storytime

Early Literacy Tip: Imagination plays a critical role in problem solving and learning. You can nurture your child's imagination by playing games. Today we are going to sing a song while we throw cloth leaves in the air. At home you can reenact this game and song by waving colored scarves and pretending they are leaves swirling down from a tree.

Books


Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson



Autumn Orange by Christianne C. Jones



Kitten's Autumn by Eugenie Fernandes



Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall


Activities/Visuals 

1. Flannel Board Guessing Game Little Bird, Are You in the Green Tree?
   I  got this activity and visual from Mel's Desk. First I asked the toddlers what color the trees were and then I told them there was a blue bird hiding behind the tree and asked them if they wanted to help me find it. Each time we looked under the tree, I asked the toddlers to name the color first. They loved the game. I did it at the very beginning of storytime so I could hide the bird before anyone was in the room. It was a great way to introduce how the leaves are changing colors and the theme for storytime.
   
2. Throw fabric leaves in the air while you sing Autumn Leaves are Falling Down (see words below).
   I put a basket of fabric leaves in the middle of the room and invite the toddlers to help me throw them in the air while we sing the song. We sing the song three times while we throw the leaves around the room. Then I ask them to help me pick them up. The whole time we are cleaning up I talk about what great helpers they are and how they are such good listeners. This is also a big hit for this storytime. I got the leaves at a craft store for decorating the tables at my fall wedding several years ago. I saved them (like I do everything) for storytime.

Songs

This is the way we rake the leaves...
(act out motions)
This is the way we rake the leaves
Rake the leaves, rake the leaves.
This is the way we rake the leaves
In the middle of autumn.

This is the way we jump in the leaves
Jump in the leaves, jump in the leaves.
This is the way we jump in the leaves
In the middle of autumn.

Autumn Leaves
(Tune: London Bridge is Falling Down)
Autumn leaves are falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
Autumn leaves are falling down,
Yellow, red and brown.