For toddler storytime, I think it is very important to cover large concepts such as Colors, counting, and opposites. These help add important vocabulary into a child’s repertoir.
Books
We Love You Rosie! By Cynthia Rylant
Marta Big & Small by Jen Arena
Big Bear, Small Mouse by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
The Opposites Zoo by Il Sung Na
Snappy Little Opposites
Activities
“We Can Jump”
This song is great, not just for opposites, but as an energy buster for those especially wiggly storytimes.
“We Can Jump”
We can jump, jump, jump
We can hop, hop, hop
We can clap, clap, clap
We can stop, stop, stop
We can nod our heads for yes
We can shake our heads for no
We can bend our knees a little bit
And we can sit down really slow.
“Opposites Song”
A fingerplay of sorts, this song about opposites has motions to go along with it. I did 2-3 times for my toddlers during this storytime so they could try again and again.
“Opposites Song”
This is big, big, big. (Stretch hands far to side)
This is small, small, small. (Cup hands together over lap)
This is short, short, short. (Hold palms horizontally, close)
This is tall, tall, tall. (Hold palms horizontally, far apart)
This is fast, fast, fast. (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow. (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes. (nod)
This is no, no, no! (shake head)
“Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean”
Stealing this one from Farm Animals Storytime, this flannel works on the clean/dirty opposite!
“Five Pigs so Squeaky Clean”
Five pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you have ever seen
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a biggggg thud
Then there were only four clean squeaky pigs!
Three, two, one… none!
“The Itsy Bitsy Spider” /
“The Big Hairy Spider”
We always sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” at toddler storytime, but in honor of our theme, we sang “The Big Hairy Spider” right after. It’s exactly the same, but I sing it in a deeper voice and trade “itsy bitsy” for “big hairy.” I also use this amazing huge Folkmanis spider puppet.
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