Back to school means the yellow buses will soon be
cruising your streets. Even if your toddler or preschooler doesn't ride a
school bus, they still might find them fascinating! Especially if they have a
big brother or sister who does ride. On the sly side, it’s a good chance to
talk about experiences; mainly other
people’s experiences. In my small city, not many of the toddlers and
caregivers are coming to story time on a bus or have ever ridden a bus, but in
place like Washington D.C. or NYC, it very common.
To be fair, most kids have and never will ride in a
rocket ship, but we still read and talk about them.
Reading about buses is a good transition to talk about
going back to school with the whole family, school age and preschool alike.
Plus if you are trying to check your local library now for the typical
"back to school" books, you will most likely find them all checked
out. (Don't blame me! Blame the teachers!)
Or if you are wanting a whole storytime/lesson plan about
the color yellow, here is what I did. We talked about buses and bananas
Opening Song: Wheels on the Bus (How fitting! )
Talk and Engage: Ask about what things are yellow? Or
have pictures, or flannel pieces with suggestions if your group needs help
Book: Yellow is my Color Star by Judy Horacek - A charming book about the color yellow that
I did not expect to find.
Song: Two Little Blackbirds
Song: Go Bananas
This can be done two ways. If you have a really energetic
group that loves to dance and can do it for a while, I recommend The LearningStation’s song Go Bananas
For my toddlers, I did a shorter song. We also talked before
we sang, what it meant by “going bananas”
Go Bananas
Ready? OK!
Bananas unite! (Put hands over head)
Bananas split! (hands at side)
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
(Turn in circles, dance and move your arms)
Bananas to the left!
Bananas to the right!
Peel your banana and, mmmmm, you take a bite!
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
Go!
This song was the perfect transition to our next book!
Book: Betty goes Bananas by Steve Antony – This book will
defiantly strike a chord with the parents of toddlers and preschoolers and make
you laugh. When Betty the gorilla wants to eat a bananas, the struggle leads to
a full blown tantrum. The maddening frustrations of doing a simple task with a
toddler, now in storybook form. Also, the Mr. Toucan character is quite sassy, I
like his style.
Dancing Song: Shake Your Sillies Out
Flannel Board: Little Mouse, Little Mouse- I do this at
every story about colors and the kids love it.
Closing Song: Wheels on the Bus
There are also plenty of other things that are yellow
that you could talk and read about.
Doing a storytime for spring? Read about the sun, bumblebees
and yellow flowers.
For fall, corn, squash, changing leaves and harvest theme
are easy to work in with the color yellow.
