Storytime: Giraffes

Age: 18-36 months (coloring page instead of craft), 3-5 years (with craft)

This school year in storytime I decided to use the alphabet to give me inspiration for themes. So this week, G is for Giraffe!


1) These Are My Glasses - Laurie Berkner
My current opening song that we sing acappella every week. I start by asking them to show me their glasses and their book so that they remember the signs. We sing it through twice, then I'll ask them to quietly put their "books" in their lap.

These are my glasses (make the letter o with each hand)
And this is my book (hands together)
I put on my glasses (put "glasses" over eyes)
And open up the book (open book hands)
Now I read read read (hold book up in front of face like reading)
And I look look look (put glasses over eyes and look around room)
I put down my glasses and… (lower glasses)
WHOOP! Close up the book. (clap as if closing a book quickly)


2) Mystery Box
This week I put in a little plastic giraffe.


3) Giraffes Can't Dance - Giles Andreae

I discovered this book a number of years ago when I was shopping for a gift for a friend's new baby. I think I've mentioned before how I'm a sucker for good rhyming books... this one has great rhymes, big bold pictures, and a wonderful message.


4) The Monkey Dance - Wiggles
The kids had fun with this one, I might have to incorporate it in other weeks.


5) Giraffes Up Close - Carmen Bredeson (non-fiction)

I paper clipped a page or two in this one, and mostly just described the pictures. It was cool for the kids to see real photos of giraffes.


6) Five Giraffes in the Bathtub
Found this at The Door 2 Door Librarian, a modified version of Five Elephants in the Bathtub. I found a simple giant bathtub that I printed on cardstock and attached to felt, then found a giraffe head clipart to print and attach to felt. I always paused before the next verse and asked "how many giraffes are in the tub now?"

One Giraffe in the bathtub going for a swim. 
Knock, Knock, (Clap twice with “Knock, Knock.”) 
Splash, Splash, (Slap knees twice with “Splash, Splash.”) 
Come on in! (Motion with both hands to come in.) 

Two Giraffes in the bathtub...  
Three Giraffes in the bathtub...
Four Giraffes in the bathtub...  

Five Giraffes in the bathtub going for a swim. 
Knock, Knock, Splash, Splash, 
It all fell in! (knock everything off flannelboard)


7) Carlo Likes Colors - Jessica Spanyol

I pulled out my shape monster felt pieces and handed out different colors to the kids. Then I only read the pages in this book that the kids had, and they brought up their shapes to the flannelboard when their color was called.


8) Zoo Animals song
Found this from the Madison Public Library, originally from the Whatcom County Library.

If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 
If you want to be a monkey If you want to be a monkey 
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high 

parrot… flap your wings 
elephant… swing your trunk 
lion… roar out loud 
giraffe… stand up tall


9) Saffy - Paola Opal (18-36 mo.), Abigail - Catherine Rayner (3-5 yrs.)

A couple of cute, simple books about the adventures of a giraffe. Saffy was a boardbook and just the right length for my younger group. Abigail was a bit longer. After storytime I took the Abigail book home to read with my own 3-year-old Abigail... :)

10) G is for Giraffe coloring page (18-36 mo.) or G is for Giraffe craft (3-5 yrs)

The base idea came from Get 'er Done Momma. I found a different giraffe head and left off the mane. I also just used a piece of yellow yarn for the tail, and googly eyes. The kids colored spots (or stripes or scribbles) on their giraffes in whatever crayon color they wanted.