Storytime: Wings

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, W is for Wings!


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.

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 some little toys in my box like a butterfly, rubber bat, and stuffed bird - things that have wings.


3) Tiny Little Fly - Michael Rosen

The kids were able to guess a few of the animals before I turned the page. It was cute to try and get them to wink too.


4) Paper airplanes
I made a few different styles of paper airplanes ahead of time, and showed the kids the wings. I asked for a show of hands which one they think would fly the farthest. Then I threw them. They all wanted to try, so I told them they could make their own paper airplanes at home with mom and dad and see how far those would go.


5) The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

I pointed at the cover and asked if the caterpillar had wings. "No?? Well, why did I choose this book then?? Let's see what happens to the caterpillar..."


6) Butterfly, Butterfly
I'm honestly not sure where I found this rhyme originally, when I googled it I found lots of different places that have used it. I handed out pairs of scarves to everyone and we practiced flapping our wings.

Butterfly, butterfly, dancing all around (wave scarves up and down like wings) 
Butterfly, butterfly, now you're on the ground. (touch scarves to the floor) 
Up in a tree, you're hard to see, (hold scarves way up high)
Now you've flown away. ("fly" scarves behind back) 
Butterfly, oh, butterfly, please come back some day. ("fly" scarves back to the front)

We did the rhyme another time or two, then did lots of up and down, and then did the rhyme one more time starting with Butterfly, butterfly, spinning all around...


7) Birds - Kevin Henkes

I ended up skipping a few pages in this one toward the end. It wasn't all that interesting to the kids


8) Two Little Blackbirds
Just the classic fingerplay:
Two little blackbirds, sitting on a hill
One named Jack and one named Jill
Fly away, Jack, fly away, Jill
Come back, Jack, come back, Jill


9) Five Little Blue Birds
I found a bag with five cardstock bluebirds attached to craft sticks, along with this rhyme. The kids held up five fingers to start, and put one finger down each verse, while I held the sticks.

Five little blue birds, hopping by my door
One went to build a nest, and then there were four.

Four little blue birds singing joyfully
One got out of tune, and then there were three.

Three little blue birds, and what should one do, 
But go in search of dinner, leaving only two.

Two little blue birds singing for fun
One flew away, and then there was one.

One little blue bird sitting in the sun
He took a little nap, and then there was none.


10) Flying - Kevin Luthardt

"Papa, why can't I fly?" starts a chain of questions from this little boy. I interacted with the kids a lot with this book -- "do you have wings?" "show me your arms!"


11) W is for Wings coloring page (18-36 months) or W is for Wings craft (3-5 years)
This craft idea came from No Time for Flashcards. I cut out the W with wings already attached, out of cardstock instead of construction paper this time hoping it would hold up with the glue better. The kids decorated their W with crayons (I left mine blank - I have a hard time "scribbling" like they do). Then they squeezed some white glue onto the wings and stuck feathers on. Easy peasy.

the back

Other wings ideas:
Waiting for Wings - Lois Ehlert
Old Black Fly - Jim Aylesworth
Monarch Butterfly - Gail Gibbons
Angela's Airplane - Robert Munsch
There's a fly on the teacher (flannel)