Storytime: Fall (part 2)

Age: 2-5 years
Time: 25 minutes + play and craft

I split my fall-themed storytime over two weeks, because there are just way too many good books about fall! Last week had a heavy squirrel-theme, and this week is more leaves-themed.

1) I use the same opening and closing songs each week. Click here to see what I do.

2) Mouse's First Fall - Lauren Thompson

I love the "Mouse's First" books. They describe all sorts of holidays very simply for kids.

3) Five Little Leaves Flannel

From Mel's Desk. The kids helped me with the blowing wind. :)

5 little leaves in the tall tall tree, as bright and pretty as they can be
Along came the wind, blowing all around
And one bright leaf fell to the ground

Four little leaves…

4) The Leaves on the Trees

From Storytime Fun. I have a collection of colored construction paper maple leaves that I spread on the ground in front of the kids (we only had 4 attend that day). When I sang about each color they had to find one or two of them and wave them up in the air.

(Wheels on the Bus tune)
The leaves on the trees are green green green
Green green green, green green green
The leaves on the trees are green green green
All around the town

The leaves on the trees are red and orange...
The leaves on the trees are yellow and brown..
The leaves on the trees come tumbling down... (toss them all up in the air :)

5) Leaves - David Ezra Stein

One of many books out there that talks about bears in the fall and winter.

6) Parachute with leaves

This was the first time this season I pulled out the parachute, and some kids knew exactly what to do and others took a little convincing. We bounced some fake leaves around until they all flew out.

7) We're Going on a Leaf Hunt - Steve Metzger

In my envelope of decorative fall leaves, I came across a handful of large, heavy, bulletin board quality leaves. While looking through this book, I realized I had 3 of the 4 types of leaves mentioned! All I had to do was find a photo of a hickory leaf and print it out on cardstock. Then I put a velcro dot on the back of each leaf, and paperclipped them onto the pages in the book. When we came to them I stuck them on the flannel board. And of course we acted this one out as we read. Love love loved it.

8) I use the same opening and closing songs each week. Click here to see what I do.

9) Playtime/Craft

I brought out the blocks and instruments again, as well as the fake leaves to throw around. For the table activity we did leaf rubbing.

Other fall ideas:

Part 1 (last week)

Welcome Fall - Little Scholastic
It's Fall! - Linda Glaser
Old Bear - Kevin Henkes
Tap the Magic Tree - Christie Matheson
When the Leaf Blew In - Steve Metzger
Leaf Man - Lois Ehlert
Leaves - William Corderoy (I almost used this one instead of Stein's Leaves book this week, I literally waited until the morning of storytime to choose. It's a great little out-of-print book that my library has, that I used during my bear storytime.)