Toddler Time 2-28-18: Dinosaurs

Today, I once again strayed from my regular hello routine, and sang "This is the Way We Wave Hello" a capella instead of "Hello Friends."

I use totally different lyrics, but this video will give you an idea of the tune:

Here are the lyrics we use:

This is the way we wave hello,
Wave hello, wave hello.
This is the way we wave hello,
Hello, hello, hello.

Repeat with clap, tap (stomping feet), and then close it out with another chorus of wave.

Our first story today was Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton. He has a bunch of great books appropriate for toddlers. While my favorite is Bones, Bone, Dinosaur Bones, I thought this one would be more appropriate since it shows the dinosaurs alive. Maybe we can read the other one if we have a fossils themed storytime.

After the story, our movement songs were "We Are the Dinosaurs" and "One, Two Hands," both by the amazing Laurie Berkner. 

Next, we did a flannel board story called "Five Dinosaurs." The kids and grownups all had fun calling each new dinosaur in and then slapping their thighs to make the sound of the dino running over.

Chant:

[One dinosaur is placed on the flannel board]

One dinosaur went out to play

In the Arizona desert one day.

He had such enormous fun

He called another dinosaur to come!

Ooooohhhhhh dinosaaauuuurrrrrr! 

[slap thighs like a drum roll to show dino is running over]

[Repeat with two, three, and four. When fifth dino is added...]

Five dinosaurs went out to play

in the Arizona desert one day.

They had such enormous fun

They laughed and played 'til the day was done!

At the end, it's a good opportunity to say goodbye to each dinosaur and count backward from five to zero as the dinos are put away.

Then we did another movement song. I found this really cute counting song called "One Friendly Dinosaur." During the song, we practiced counting on our fingers.

Finally, it was time to say goodbye. The kiddos were pretty riled up from roaring like dinosaurs (every chance they got, encouraged by me to the detriment of my classroom management #sacrifices), so bubbles were an extra crazy baby mosh pit today. It was chaotic, but so much fun. 

Here is the list of dinosaur books I displayed:

• If You Happen to Be A Dinosaur—Bailey 
• Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones—Barton 
• The Berenstain Bears’ Dinosaur Dig—Berenstain 
• Dad and the Dinosaur—Choldenko 
• Rory the Dinosaur (series)—Climo 
• Dinosaur Rescue—Dale 
• The Good Dinosaur: A Friend in the Wild—Disney 
• Tig and Tog’s Dinosaur Discovery—Garland 
• Duck, Duck, Dinosaur (series)—George 
• George and the Dinosaur—Hayes 
• Drumheller Dinosaur Dance—Heidbreder 
• T. Veg: The Story of a Carrot-Crunching Dinosaur—Prasadam-Halls 
• Dinosaur vs. (series)—Shea 
• Dinosaur Kisses—Stein