When I was told in my new job that I was going to eventually take over for toddler storytime, I made of list of themes I wanted to talk about.
Pirates! was the first thing on the list.
September 19 is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. And this usually happens at the start of our fall storytime schedule. The best thing about this storytime is 90% of the picture books about pirates I find enjoyable, hilarious and really entertaining. Can't say that about every theme (I'm looking at you "getting dressed" books)
Also as I was prepping for storytime and gearing up for a new season, I did something new. I actually timed how long it took me to read each book, to make sure I wasn't going too slow or too fast. I discovered that I book that I thought was short, was actually the longest read in my set and therefore should
not be used as the last story after the kids had been hyped up by shaking their sillies out.
I also took a tip from the world of the restaurant kitchen.
Make your last plate (book) as good as your first. (or in my case books) Service/Storytime can take a lot out of you, and you don't want to be close to the finish stuck with a book you really don't want to read. It will drag and you will drag. Even if you are exhausted you still have to
finish strong. The last book you read should have as much enthusiasm as the first book you read. That just my way of seeing it. ( My inspiration mainly comes from an awesome read about the industry
Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line by Michael Gibney which I highly recommend)
Welcome Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Ready to Read skill this week is Talking. We practiced out best pirate voices with "Yo, ho ho." and "Arrrr"
Book:
Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler - Lots of wonderful literacy opportunities in this unassuming book. As the reader you have to act as the voice of the narrator and the dog. You can break the fourth wall and engage with your group to talk back to the dog or answer questions. It has great words for vocabulary development (sextant, anchor and pekingese). Plus it's just really cute and about a dog who becomes a pirate. What else do you want? This is one of my favorite storytime books that I own in my personal library. We read it so much at home, my daughter has it practically memorized.
Song: My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean
Book:
Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors by Danna Smith
Song: Row Row Row Your Boat- the pirate edition!
Row, row, row your boat
Gently cross the sea
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily
A Pirate's life for me
Swap, swap swap the deck...
Walk, walk, walk the plank...
Hoist, hoist, hoist the flag....
Book:
Pi-Rat by Maxine Lee- This book is just fun and silly for little ones and grown-ups. Full of puns and lots of pirate phrases
Dancing Song: Shake Your Sillies Out
Book: I
love my Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck- A good "awwww" book to end storytime. Very sweet.
Closing Song: Wheels on the Bus
Our activity was a treasure hunt. I taped red "X"s under tables and on low book shelves and placed a handful of plastic pirate coins. The kids had to find the x, and bring me back one coin in order to get a sticker. I let them keep both the coin and the sticker. This was an exercise in following directions as for my first two groups, I had many paper x handed to me instead of coins.
Enjoy me hearties!!
