Story Time: Big and Tall
Stories and activities about large animals.
Join us Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. or Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room.
Ages 2-5
Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play
Tip
Practicing fine motor skills, such as making small finger motions while singing a song, helps develop your child’s coordination. Four-year old children have greater control of their fingers and hands than younger children do. Songs such as “Open Them, Shut Them” are easier for three-, four-, and five-year olds than for younger children because children develop greater coordination and control of small movements as they age.
Activity
Encourage children to use their hands and fingers to follow the directions to the song, “Open Them, Shut Them.”
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them,
Give a little clap.
Open them, shut them, open them, shut them,
Put them in your lap.
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin.
Open up your little mouth… (pause)
But do not let them in! (shake finger)
Books Presented
Hiccupotamus by Steve Smallman
Who Eats Orange? by Dianne White
Animals eat a rainbow of different foods. Gorillas in the mountains eat green, octopi in the ocean eat red, and toucans in the canopy eat purple. Young animal enthusiasts will love digging into this lively journey around the world to explore the colorful diets of many animals, from the familiar to the exotic.
Giraffe Problems by Jory John
Edward the giraffe can’t understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He’s tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding it behind bushes–honestly, anything you can think of, he’s tried.
Just when he has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to throw in the towel, a turtle swoops in (well, ambles in, very slowly) and helps him understand that his neck has a purpose, and looks excellent in a bow tie.
Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? by Jory John
Persnickety Elephant has an itch–a big one–and he can’t reach it! While he isn’t above asking for a little help, no one is up to the task. Turtle is too lazy, Snail is too slimy, and Alligator… well, Elephant isn’t sure he wants his assistance. Does Elephant have to do everything himself?
Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays
Five Elephants in the Bathtub
One elephant in the bathtub
Going for a swim
Knock, knock (clap twice)
Splash, splash (slap knees twice)
Come on in! (motion with both hands to come in)
(count up from 1-5)
Five elephants in the bathtub
Going for a swim
Knock, knock (clap twice)
Splash, splash (slap knees twice)
It all fell in! (knock the felt pieces down)
The Jungle Song
Tiger, tiger, orange and black,
He’s got stripes upon his back.
When he growls, sharp teeth I see.
He’s as scary as can be!
Tiger, tiger, orange and black,
He’s got stripes upon his back.
Elephant, elephant, large and grey
Swings his trunk along the way.
His ears are big, his tusks are white,
Don’t be scared, he doesn’t bite!
Elephant, elephant, large and grey,
Swings his trunk along the way.
Crocodile, crocodile, long and green,
The sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen.
His legs are short, his mouth is wide,
Get too close and you’ll be inside!
Crocodile, crocodile, long and green,
The sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen.
Giraffe, giraffe, so very tall,
He spreads out his legs so he won’t fall.
He eats leaves from the tops of the trees,
His long neck helps him reach them with ease!
Giraffe, giraffe, so very tall,
He spreads out his legs so he won’t fall.
Hippopotamus, wallows and lies,
In the mud right up to his eyes.
Wallowing in the muddy pool,
Keeps his skin so very cool.
Hippopotamus, wallows and lies,
In the mud right up to his eyes.
Lion, lion mighty and strong.
With a very loud roar and a mane so long.
A lioness has no mane,
Acub is a baby lion’s name.
Lion, lion mighty and strong.
With a very loud roar and a mane so long.
If You’re an Elephant and You Know It!
To the tune “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re an elephant and you know it,
Stomp your feet!
If you’re an elephant and you know it,
Stomp your feet!
If you’re an elephant and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you’re an elephant and you know it,
Stomp your feet!
Other options:
Monkey – jump up and down
Crocodile – snap your jaws
Lion – give a roar!
I Know a Giraffe
To the tune “On Top of Old Smokey”
I know a giraffe.
With a neck that’s real high.
She stretches and stretches
Til it reaches the sky.
She lives on the plains
With the elephants too
You might also see her when you go to the zoo.
Crafts and Activities
Elephant Nose Craft
Have fun making this silly elephant trunk craft!
Additional Books
Abigail by Catherine Rayner
A Big Guy Took My Ball! by Mo Willems
Piggie is upset because a whale took the ball she found, but Gerald finds a solution that pleases all of them.
Boa's Bad Birthday by Jeanne Willis
It was going to be the best one ever.
Or so he hoped.
He invited his friends round.
They would all bring him wonderful presents.
Or would they?
The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory
Geri is the shortest giraffe in the herd, which causes all kinds of problems when Boba the baboon tries to take a photo. Can Geri stretch up tall enough to be in the picture? Or are the other giraffes looking at things from the wrong perspective? A very sweet story for preschoolers about difference and acceptance.
Jangles: A BIG Fish Story by Davin Shannon
Breathtaking oil paintings bursting with energy pull readers along into Big Lake, the home of Jangles, the biggest fish anyone has seen. Fishing alone at dusk, a boy feels a tug on his line and comes face-to-face with the gigantic trout–whose enormous jaw is covered with so many lures and fish hooks that he jingles and jangles when he swims. Terrified by the sight, the boy is shocked when Jangles befriends him and takes him on an adventure to the bottom of the lake. A surprise ending will leave readers laughing and shaking their heads. Here is Shannon at his very best-in a wild and witty story that begs repeated reading.
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