We're Going to the Zoo! - A Storytime Outline

"Wake up cousin! We're going to the zoo!". Whenever I think about the zoo I also think about the quote from Dudley in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Well, I didn't recite lines from Harry Potter during storytime. The children liked the program a lot. I noticed that some families haven't been to the zoo yet, which is either because of how far away it is from the community, or the family is new to the area, or the fact that the tickets to the zoo can be pricy. I hope they get to go soon though!

BOOKS
A Sick Day for Amos McGee written by Philip C. Stead and illus. by Erin E. Stead
This was a sweet book, and the children enjoyed it, which I was glad about. 

What's New At the Zoo? written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and illus. Travis Foster
Everyone thought this was a silly book. 

From Head to Toe written and illus. by Eric Carle
The children liked mimicking the animal movements.

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.

Bananas Unite! 
Bananas Unite! 
Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas
Chop bananas, chop, chop bananas
Mash bananas, mash, mash bananas
Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas
Go bananas, go, go bananas 
Source: JLibrary
*Please watch the video below for the actions! My storytime families LOVE this! We do this song three times, and mix up the speeds.

Head and Shoulders
follow actions
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and knows
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes.
*Note: We do this song three times and very the speed each time. 

Touch Your Nose
follow actions

Touch your nose

Touch your chin

That's the way this game begins

Touch your eyes

Touch your knees

Now pretend you're going to sneeze!

Aaachooooo!

Touch your hair

Touch one ear

Touch your two red lips right here

Touch your elbow where it bends

And that's the way this touch game ends.

ACTIVITIES
Animal Noise ID 
I downloaded the app "Zoo Sounds" onto my storytime iPod, and I had the children use their listening skills to guess which animal was making the noise. One child did a great job, but the other children needed to work on their animal identification skills.

CRAFT
Alligator Weaving 
 Everyone worked on their little finger motor skills by weaving different colored strips of paper through the body of an alligator to create his colorful scales along his back. Some of the younger children needed their guardian's assistance in completing the craft.

MORE BOOKS
A Night at the Zoo written and illus. by Kathy Caple
Penguins written and illus. by Liz Pichon
Two at the Zoo written by Danna Smith and illus. by Valeria Petrone

*Images of book covers found via www.goodreads.com: here, here, and here.