Five Elephants in the Bathtub!

I usually start this one by asking, "Have you ever seen an elephant in the bathtub?"  This gets a resounding "NO!" and few rogue yeses. 

(text borrowed from Lisa’s Libraryland, elephant pattern drawn freehand from this example)

One elephant in the bathtub

Going for a swim.

Knock, knock, (Clap twice with "Knock, Knock.")

Splash, splash, (Splash knees twice with "Splash, Splash.")

Come on in!  (Motion with both hands to come in.)

Two elephants in the bathtub...etc.

(Until...)

Five elephants in the bathtub

Going for a swim.

Knock, knock,

Splash, splash,

Oh no!  They’ve ALL fallen in!

Five Little Aliens Jumping on the Bed

Five little aliens jumping on the bed!
One fell off and bumped his head!
Mama alien called the doctor and the doctor said:
"No more aliens jumping on the bed!"

[Repeat and count down!]

Three Little Kittens

Every week we read a nursery rhyme.  The rhymes we share have a strong sense of tradition and help the children develop phonological awareness skills they will need when they begin to learn how to read.  We like to visualize these rhymes with felt.  "Three Little Kittens" is my favorite for toddlers because it's simple and fun!    

Three little kittens,
They lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
“Oh, mother dear,
We sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost.”
“What! Lost your mittens?
You naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
You shall have no pie."

The three little kittens,
They found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
“Oh, mother dear,
See here, see here,
Our mittens we have found.”
“What! Found your mittens?
You darling kittens!
Then you shall have some pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
You shall have some pie.”

-Traditional

Are You My Mother?

One of my favorite stories to read for the "Mommy" storytime theme is P.D. Eastman's classic Are You My Mother? 

The length of the book makes it a challenge for toddlers to sit through.  However, it is very repetitive and has a very happy ending!  I don't see any reason why toddlers can't enjoy the story in semi-adapted form.  Felt to the rescue!

These felt pieces were very fun to make, especially the "SNORT!" 

Scroll down further my adapted script.  I tend to improvise!

Are You My Mother?

Flannel story adapted from the book by P.D. Eastman

A mother bird sat on her egg.

The egg jumped!

“Oh my!” said mother bird.  “My baby will be here!  He will want to eat!!  I must get him something!”

So away she went.

The egg jumped.  Out came the baby bird!

“Where is my mother?”  he said.  He looked for her.

He looked up / down – did not see her.

“I will go and look for her.”  So away he went.

He came to a kitten. 

“Are you my mother?” he said to the kitten.  The kitten just looked and looked.  He did not say a thing.  The kitten was not his mother, so he went on. 

He came to a dog. 

“Are you my mother?” he said to the dog.

“I am not your mother.  I am a dog,” said the dog.

The kitten was not his mother.  The dog was not his mother.  So the baby bird went on. 

He came to a cow. 

“Are you my mother?” he said to the cow. 

“How could I be your mother?” said the cow.  “I am a cow.”

The kitten was not his mother.  The dog was not his mother.  The cow was not his mother.  Did he have a mother?

“I do have a mother,” said the baby bird.  “I have to find her!”

The baby bird passed a red car.  Could that thing be his mother? 

Then he saw a boat sailing along.  “There she is!  Mother!”  He called out to the boat.  But the boat did not stop. 

He looked up and saw a plane.  “Here I am, Mother!”  But the plane did not stop. 

Then the baby bird saw a big blue thing could toward him.  This must be his mother!  He ran right up to it.  “Mother!  Mother!  Here I am, Mother!”  But the big thing just said “Snort!”

“You are not my mother.  You are a Snort.  I have to get out of here!”

But the baby bird could not get away.  The snort went up and started moving.  But where was the Snort going? 

“Where am I?” said the baby bird.  “I want to go home!  I want my mother!”

Just then the Snort dropped the baby bird back into the nest.  The baby bird was home!  Just then mother bird came back. 

“Do you know who I am?” she said to her baby.

“Yes, I know who you are.  You are not a kitten.  You are not a dog.  You are not a cow.  You are not a boat, a plane, or a snort.  You are a bird, and you are my mother!”