Unusual Pets!

It's hard to believe that this is our last week of Summer Reading!  For our last "Paws to Read"-themed storytime, we talked about all sorts of unusual pets!

Theme for Wednesday, July 30, 2014: Unusual Pets

Opening: Open, Shut Them

Book: Dino Pets by Lynne Plourde

Movement: We stood up and did some simple stretches to get the wiggles out!

Transition Rhyme: Touch your ears and touch your nose

Touch your ears and touch your nose
Now bend down and touch your nose
Wiggle your fingers and turn around
Now bend down and touch the ground
Clap your hands, count 1, 2, 3
Now sit down so quietly.

Book: What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd

Flannel Board Rhyme: Five Little Kittens; From The Storytime Lady

Five little kittens tucked in so tight.
(wrap arms around self)
Sleeping so soundly all through the night
(pretend to be sleeping)
But, when Mama cat says, "Wake up right now..."
(shake finger)
Up jumps a kitten with a big "Meow!"
(put hands up in the air and say "Meow!")

I loved the Pete the Cat twist at the end, especially since Pete the Cat just visited our library on Saturday!

Flannel Rhyme/Guessing Game: I Went to the Pet Store; From Jenny the Librarian

I went to the pet store and made a special wish.
The pet that I wanted was a very special...(fish)!

I went to the pet store, I went there at a jog,
To get a pet with a wagging tail, it was a little...(dog)!

I went to the pet store, it had become a habit.
The pet I wanted now was a soft, white, fluffy...(rabbit)!

I went to the pet store, I'm sure this sounds absurd,
But the pet I wanted was a colorful flying...(bird)!

I went the the pet store, it was no mistake.
What I really wanted now was a hissing blue...(snake)!

I decided to use felt animals for this rhyme, since I already had most of them from other flannel boards!

Book: Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

Song: Crazy Dance Contest, from Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

Craft: Gators!

We made alligators for our unusual pets!  I cut out a letter "A" and then let the kids glue on the teeth and eyes.  Lastly, they decorated their gators with crayons!