January 15: Toddler Storytime: Snowmen

(Reminder note: When it is time to read a story, I read the titles of three books and then display them. The children pick which one we read. The ones listed below are the ones they picked.)

Opening song:                                                              (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell")

             We tap hola like this

             We tap ho la like this

                 Hi-ho cherry

             We tap hola like this

               Continue with other verses:

                  We drop hola like this...

                   We circle hola like this...

                 We spin hola like this...

                We toss hola like this..

                 We roll hola like this....

                     We stomp hola like this...

A few days ago, some of the children saw snow for the first time. We talked about some of the activities we can do in the snow such as sledding, making snow angels, and making a snowman.

Book: "Mouse's First Snow" by Lauren Thompson

I gave each parent a copy of the words to all the songs that went with the theme. 

Movement chant:

“The Snowman Song”

Here is a snowman big and white (Make large circle in air) 
Isn't he a lovely sight 
Let's make a snowball (Pretend to make a snowball) 
And throw it at his hat (Throwing motion) 
Off it goes, just like that.

Shaker song:  (Before singing, I put a picture of a snowman in the middle of the circle.)

“Ring Around the Snowman”
(Tune: "Ring around the Rosie")

Ring around the snowman, 
A pocket full of snow, 
Snowflakes snowflakes, 
We all fall down!



Movement song:  

“A Chubby Little Snowman”

A chubby little snowman,
Had a carrot nose.
Along came a bunny,
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny,
Looking for his lunch.
Ate that snowman's carrot nose,
Nibble, nibble, crunch!!

     

Book: "The Snow Rabbit" by Georgiana Deutsch

Movement song using clip art: (Before beginning the song, I gave each child a set of clip art containing two boots, two mittens, a hat, a scarf, a coat, and a snowsuit. Click here for the document.)

"Snowey Pokey”


You put your right mitten in,
You take your right mitten out, 
You put your right mitten in, and 
You shake it all about. 
You do the snowey pokey, and 
You turn yourself around. 
That's what it's all about.

You put your left mitten in,
You take your left mitten out, 
You put your left mitten in, and 
You shake it all about. 
You do the snowey pokey, and 
You turn yourself around. T
hat's what it's all about.

Continue with additional verses:
You put your scarf in 
You put your right boot in 
You put your left boot in 
You put your hat in
You put your snowsuit in 
You put your snowself in etc

Goodbye Song:

 (Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

We tap adios like this

 We tap adios like this

Hi-ho cherry

  We tap adios like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop adios like this...

   We circle adios like this...

  We spin adios like this...

   We toss adios like this...

  We roll adios like this...

           We stomp adios like this...

Craft Time: Egg Carton Snowman
Idea modified from https://www.iheartartsncrafts.com.

Materials:

1. Egg cartons cut into sets of three cartons
2. Pipe cleaners in variety of colors
3. White paint
4. Brushes
5. Paper plate or container for paint
6. Orange construction paper for nose
7. Black permanent marker
8. Felt in variety of colors for scarf
9. Pom poms in variety of colors
10. Glue gun

          

My example

*All photos are with parental permission.

You can find additional winter craft ideas for toddlers here.

I always let the children pick which three books I read from the ones I bring with me. These are some additional suggested books that the children didn't pick:

1. "Snowballs" by Lois Ehlert
2. "Frosty the Snowman" by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
3."The Smiley Snowman" by M. Christina Butler
4. "Pablo in the Snow" by Teri Sloat
5. "There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow!" by Lucille Colandro