The original concept was a semi-structured dramatic play program with a storytime at the beginning. I was nervous about it because my programming style is usually minimalist, plus I've been finding it difficult to move a lot of things around since surgery, and there were about a million items involved in the original plan. Supplies included several kitchen- and baking-related play sets, a sensory bin of tiny pom poms that kids could use to "measure ingredients," chef hats and aprons to dress up in, and a cash register so they could pretend to work in a bakery. Luckily, I have some AMAZING teen volunteers who set up most of the toys the night before, and a couple who showed up on the day of the program to help me out.
Bakery Storytime
Hello: "Hello, Hello"
Warm up motor skills: "Open, Shut Them"
Story: Baby Cakes by Theo Harris
Movement Songs: "Do You Know the Muffin Man" and "Milkshake"
Since there aren't any traditional gestures that I know of for the Muffin Man song, we practiced singing and clapping on the beat. It worked out great as a baking-theme song!
Felt Story: Down Around the Corner
I like to do this story with a hand puppet because he's our friend who buys the donuts. The more you act it out with your puppet, the more involved the audience gets!
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
Were five donuts with sprinkles on top.
Along came a friend with a dollar to pay,
And he took one donut away!
(Have your puppet "eat" a donut and put it away. Ask the group to help you count the remaining donuts. Repeat the rhyme with four donuts, then three, two, and one.)
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| These aren't my felt donuts, but they look a lot like them! |
Final Song: "Follow the Leader" by Ella Jenkins
This song is mellow and chills out a storytime audience as if by magic. I wanted to use it to gently transition from storytime to playtime, and it worked pretty well!
Sugar Plum Bakery Playtime
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| Gingerbread people foam craft before patrons arrived |
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| Watching holiday music videos |
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| Measuring pom poms |
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| Making felt pie |
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| Awesome teen volunteers!! |
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| Showing off their gingerbread crafts |
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| Checking out at the bakery |
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| Tiny gingerbread people |
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| Looking great in a chef's apron and hat! |
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| Some finished gingerbread people |
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| They're such good sports |
