Thanksgiving-Toddlers

12-19-19 I’ve been cleaning up my desk and assorted projects that I have started and realized that I never posted my Thanksgiving storytime plans at Thanksgiving. Better a month late than never.

Books

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale by Derek Anderson
Ten Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
We Give Thanks by Cynthia Rylant

Flannel Boards

Did You Ever See A Turkey

Five Little Turkeys

Turkey Feathers

Rhymes & Fingerplays

Mr. Turkey Takes A Walk
Start with hands behind back
Mr. Turkey went out one day one hand is turkey, and comes out to front
In bright sunshiny weather
He met Mr. Duck along the way other hand is duck, and comes out
They stopped to talk together
Gobble, gobble, gobble, quack, quack, quack
Gobble, gobble, gobble, quack, quack, quack
And then they both went back hands go back behind back
Quack!

The Turkey
The turkey is a funny bird. Hook thumbs together and spread fingers to create turkey tail.
Its head goes wobble, wobble. Wobble head back and forth.
And all it knows is just one word: Hold up one finger.
“Gobble, gobble, gobble.” Make mouth shape with hand, opening and closing it while sounding like a turkey.

Puppet

Albuquerque Turkey

Music

Turkey Hop by Carole Stephens
Do the turkey hop – hop, hop, hop
Do the turkey run – run, run, run
Do the turkey gobble – gobble, gobble, gobble
It is lots of fun – gobble, gobble, gobble
Now flap your wings – flap, flap, flap
Like the turkeys do – flap, flap, flap
Then hide from the farmer (hide eyes)
Before he catches you! (run!)
Turkey In the Straw by Phil Rosenthal

Albuquerque Turkey

Several years ago I found a Turkey song about a turkey named Albuquerque. It is sung to the the tune of Clementine. There are several variations floating around the internet. Around the same time I picked up a turkey puppet from Folkmanis that is absolutely adorable. I decided that they were meant to go together. Unfortunately it seems like Folkmanis no longer stocks it.

Albuquerque Turkey PDF

Tune: My Darling Clementine

Albuquerque he’s my turkey
Oh, he’s feathered and he’s fine.
He wobbles and he gobbles,
And I’m awfully glad he’s mine.

He’s the best pet you could ever get.
Better than a dog or cat.
Albuquerque he’s my turkey
And I’m awfully glad of that.

Albuquerque he’s my turkey
He’s so cozy in his bed.
Because for Thanksgiving dinner
We had scrambled eggs instead.

Owls-Toddlers

Books

Fiction
Cat and Mouse in the Night by Tomek Bogacki
Happy by Emma Dodd
Hooray for Today by Brian Won
Hoot Hoot! by Richard Powell
Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan
Little Owl’s Orange Scarf by Tatyana Feeny
Night Owl by Toni Yuly
Owlet’s First Flight by Mitra Modarressi
Wow! said the Owl by Tim Hopgood

Non-fiction
The Little Owl & The Big Tree: A Christmas Story

Flannel Boards

Five Wise Owls

Good Night Owl!

Owl In the Tree

Fingerplays

An Owl Sat Alone on the Branch of a Tree
from King County Library
An owl sat alone on the branch of a tree, Use arm as branch; holding owl puppet
And she was as quiet as quiet could be.
‘Twas night and her eyes were wide open like this; Circle eyes with fingers and look around
She looked all around, not a thing did she miss.
Some little birds perched on the branch of the tree, Fingers of other hand fly on tree
And sat there as quiet as quiet could be.
The solemn old owl said “whoo-whoo-whoo,”
And up jumped the birds and away they flew. Wave hand away, fluttering fingers behind back

Wide-Eyed Owl
There’s a wide-eyed owl circle your eyes with your hands
With a pointed nose make a beak with your fingers
Two pointed ears make ears with your fingers
And claws for toes wiggle your “claws”
He lives way up in the tree point way up
And when he looks at you point to children
He flaps his wings flap your wings
And says, “Whoo! Whoo!” say “whoo”

Puppets

Nocturnal Animals

Folkmanis Screech Owl-I use this puppet with the fingerplay “An Owl Sat Alone on the Branch of a Tree”

Music

Owl Hokey Pokey
You put your right wing in, you put your right wing out
You put your right wing in, and you flap it all about
You do the hokey pokey and you fly yourself around
That’s what it’s all about! Hoot, hoot!

Verses: Left wing…Right claw…Left claw…Beak…Whole, feathered self