Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton

Great new picture book. Perfect for boys and storytimes!  two little boys compete using toy shark and train.  Doesn't get better than this.  Fun, colorful pictures, and simple text.  Children and adults will laugh at this story.  I think this will work really well in preschool storytime.

What's Your Sound Hound the Hound? by Mo Willems

Looks like a great new book for either baby and toddler or preschool.  Animal sounds, minimal text, and big colorful pictures.

Weather

OPENING SONG: Clap your hands

BOOK: Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch
(Ok book.  Some of the kids didn't know what was going on and got distracted.  A few thought the wind was a ghost.)

FINGERPLAY: Can you be the wind
(This was a fun activity.  I had the kids stand up and pretend to be the wind.)
http://www.perrypubliclibrary.org/Kids/Programs/Storytimes/wind.pdf

Can You Be the Wind?
Pheeewwooooo (make a sound like blowing wind)
Can you be the wind?
Can you be the gentle breeze
That whispers, whispers, in the trees?
Can you be the whirly wind
That twirly-whirls the autumn leaves?
Can you be the singing wind
That ting-a-lings the garden chimes?
Can you be the wafting wind
That flaps the washing on the line?
Can you be the wild wind
That tries to steal my hat from me!

FINGERPLAY: Make rain
(The kids enjoyed this but they only wanted to do it once.)

Rain starts as a drizzle (have the kids rub their hands together palms and fingers flat, rub slowly then faster)
Rain begins to pour down (quickly pat lap with hands, faster and faster)
Rain is really pouring down (stomp feet along with patting legs)
Lightning (have kids CLAP hands)
Storm lessens (slow everything down)
Go back to a drizzle and then stop (the sun has come out)

BOOK: Rainy Day by Patricia Lakin
(Cute book.  They enjoyed seeing what the animals did in the rain.  Nice ending with the kids going to the library.)

SONG: Rain, rain, go away
(Sang this song then so the rain would stop)

SONG: Sally Go Round the Sunshine #6 from Dancing Feet CD by Carole Peterson
(have children hold hands in a circle w/ adults helping.  Walk around in circle and would stop and jump up and clap at different point in the song.)

BOOK: Duckie’s Rainbow by Frances Barry
(Great book.  Love the colors and that the book is shaped like a rainbow.)

ACTIVITY: Umbrella activity w/sheet
(Had the kids pretend to dance around in puddles and then I would stop the music and they had to run under the umbrellas--or sheets.  I had 2 sheets and the mom's helped me to hold them up over the kids heads)

TAKE HOME: kite coloring page