Storytime with Shay: Colors of the Rainbow

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together and sometimes have a prop/fun thing to use during music time. Then I read them a story. After the story we do an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board and then move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Storytime with Shay: Colors of the Rainbow

Song: "If You're Wearing Colors" by The Learning Station - I usually use the laptop and play the music through speakers and I did that this week but also included the video so the kids could see the things acted out. This was a new song so it was a bit unfamiliar but the kids seemed to enjoy acting out the different motions.

Book: Bear Sees Colors - Karma Wilson

Activity: We used the Splash of Color Magnetic Sorting Set (see below) on the magnet board to match different colored items to their correctly colored paint can.

Craft: I printed off this Rainbow Fruit Loops Printable and then we used cereal and cotton balls to make our rainbows and clouds. *As a side note if you do this craft, you'll need some thick glue to get the cereal to stick to the page. I did not realize that the first day of story time...we tried using glue sticks and that was not effective. So I got some little plates, poured glue on them, and then we used little craft sponge brushes to dab the glue on.

Play Time: I saw this Rainbow Sorting Sensory Bin idea on Pinterest and really liked it. So last week I painted some plastic cups in rainbow colors, then used my leftover cereal from our craft to fill up a plastic container that the kids could gather around to sort. I had a few pairs of kid sized plastic tweezers for them to try to use also. Lots of good motor skill practice!