Sample Pre-K Story Time

Below are examples of a story time that I, Deanna Field, performed for the preschool aged children during the summers at East Flushing Library in Queens, NY. 

1.  I welcomed the children to the story time. 

2. I asked them how their summers are.  I asked them what they like to do in the summer and some of the answers were swimming and playing outside. 

3.  I showed them props of a swing, seesaw, baseball bat, mit and swimming pool diorama. 

4. I then read to them two picture books.  The first one was titled, "Please Play Safe - Penguin's Guide to Playground Safety" by Margery Cuyler and "If You're Happy and You Know It - Jungle Edition" by James Warhola. 

5. I sang finger plays to the children and made hand gestures along with the words and had the children mimic my hand gestures as I sang. 

The following finger plays performed are listed below. 

  Sports Outdoors Finger Plays  

                  

Let’s go Swimming! - (Sung to the tune of Frere Jacques – Are you Sleeping?)

Let’s go swimming, it’s refreshing.

It feels cool, in the pool!

I can swim the breast stroke!

Water wings help me float!

When it’s hot, the pool’s a cool spot!

Let’s Play Baseball! - (Sung to the tune of Frere Jacques – Are you Sleeping?)

Let’s play baseball, near the town hall

In the park, before it’s dark!

I’ll bring my own big bat.

I’ll find my baseball hat!

Let’s go team!  Play with steam!

I Play Golf! - (Sung to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

My name’s Randolph, I play golf!

I play on a big green course!

I have bright and round golf balls!

And my tees are very tall!

My name’s Randolph, I play golf!

I swing my club with such force!

The Playground - (Sung to the tune of Frere Jacques – Are you Sleeping?)

Summer is here; time for a cheer!

We are bound, for the playground!

Swings are fun in the sun!

Seesaws swing with motion!

The playground’s safe and sound!

The following finger plays above are by Deanna Field, Children’s Librarian - 2011

6.  The children made paper sunshines of outdoor activities. The children used paper plates, strips of paper and pictures of outdoor activities for the story time craft.  They placed strips of orange and yellow paper around the edge of the plate to make the rays of the sun.  In the center of the sun paper plate, the children pasted and colored pictures of outdoor activities, such as swimming, the playground, baseball, golf, etc.  Below is a sample of the craft:

A fun time was had by all!

Dig into Summer Reading/Dig into the ground!

1.  I welcome the children to the preschool story hour.  I start to talk to them about the theme of the story time such as animals digging for food.

2.  I show them props of animals that dig for food or that crawl in the ground, such as earthworms, rabbits, moles, chipmunks, slugs, ants, etc.

3. I read stories about animals digging and moving underground.  The picture books that were read were the following:  "Underground" by Denise Fleming and "Mole's Hill - A Woodland Tale" by Lois Ehlert.

4.  As I read the picture books to the children, I have the children interact during the stories by introducing them to the characters in the books and having them say "Hi" to them.

5.  Finger plays about animals digging in the ground were performed.  The children moved their fingers and hands around to the words of the finger plays.

6. The children decorated their own moles with their mole hills using crayons, glue and paper plates.

The following mole hills were designed by the children below!