Clothing! - A Storytime Outline

Oh, clothes! What would we do without you??? For this storytime I went with some "go-to" books (hello, Pete the Cat and Froggy!) but also added in some that I have never read and wasn't quite sure on how they would be received by the families. Everything went swimmingly! I'm finally getting into the Family Storytime groove!

BOOKS
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes written by Eric Litwin and illus. by James Dean 
You can never go wrong with the this book! Most of the children were familiar with the story and song, but even then they all got into the groove and were bopping their head. 

Froggy Gets Dressed written by Jonathan London and illus. by Frank Remkiewicz 
A lot of the boys thought it was hilarious that Froggy had forgotten his underwear! 

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by written by Judi Barrett and illus. by Ron Barrett 
This was a simple, silly, older book that one little girl loved! 

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed written and illus. by Mo Willems 
It took a couple of times to convince the children to listen to this story instead of moving on to our craft, but they finally wanted to read this book. It was fun, but I kept on remember the audiobook version where there was music playing at the very end. I need music! 

SONGS & RHYMES 
Open, Shut Them
follow actions
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap
Creep them, creep them up to your chin
Open your mouth wide, but don't put your fingers in!
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a big clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap.

Boots and Parka, Scarf and Hat
tune: Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes
(touch the areas that you wear these items of clothing!)
Boots and parka, scarf and hat (feet, arms, neck, and head)
Scarf and hat
Boots and parka, scarf and hat
Scarf and hat
In wintertime we dress like that!
Boots and parka, scarf and hat
Scarf and hat!
Source: Mel's Desk 

If You're Wearing... 
Before starting the rhyme have the children survey what they are wearing. 
If a child is wearing the coloring, have them stand up and do the action. 
If you're wearing red, shake your head
If you're wearing blue, touch your shoe
If you're wearing green, bow like a king or queen
If you're wearing yellow, shake like Jell-O
If you're wearing black, pat your back
If you're wearing brown, touch the grown
If you're wearing purple, turn around in a circle
Ask the children to come up with other colors and actions 
Source: Modified from the song "If You're Wearing..." via SurLaLune Storytime  

ACTIVITIES 
Matching Flannel Sock Game
See below for details!  

FLANNEL BOARDS  
Matching Flannel Sock Game
I finally got to make a version of the Sorting Socks Game that I saw on Mary's blog Miss Mary Liberry) a while back. For a sock pattern I simply printed out a sock-shaped clip art from Word, then I got to work on making many, many pairs of socks. I also had time to make my own dryer, but it isn't as fancy has Mary's. The children LOVED pulling out a sock and matching the pairs. Of course, I made sure there was one sock that did not have a mate... so true to life.

Matching Flannel Sock Game, Family Storytime,
created by Dorothy WPCC, 2014.

CRAFT 
My Awesome Sweater Coloring Page 
A lot of the crafts out there on the Interweb did not strike my interest or did I think my school-age children love it. So! Inspired by a burst of cooler weather in good, ol' Texas I created my own coloring sheet where the children had to design and color their own sweater pattern. I found the sweater image from Printable Coloring Pictures website that I copied over to a Publisher file where I added a page title and a space below that read "Designed by_______" so that the children could claim their fashion designer talent!

My Awesome Sweater craft, Family Storytime,
created Dorothy WPCC, 2014.

MORE BOOKS

• Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons written by Eric Litwin and illus. by James Dean 
• Too Purpley written by Jean Reidy and illus. by Genevieve Leloup 
• Whose Shoes? A Shoe for Every Job written and photographs by Stephen R. Swinburne 
• Lizette's Green Sock written and illus. by Catharina Valckx 
• Lester's Dreadful Sweaters written and illus. by K.G. Campbell 
• Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do written by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook and illus. by Andy Robert Davies