Tag: storytime

Hickory Dickory Dock: what children can learn from nursery rhymes?

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

Did you know that a simple nursery rhyme can offer significant learning opportunities and extensions? Take Hickory Dickory Dock as an example. Beyond just a catchy tune, this rhyme can support language development, enhance numeracy skills, and even improve fine motor abilities through associated activities.

Here is an example of using puppets to tell the story to children. They can retell the story later.

Nursery rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock offer children multiple learning benefits. They help children develop language and cognitive skills, as well as introduce them to basic mathematical and sequencing concepts.

For example,

  1. : Nursery rhymes use rhythm and repetition, which are excellent for helping children focus on different sounds in language. This helps develop their phonemic awareness, an essential skill for early reading. Activities like Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets can make this even more engaging.
  2. Repeating rhymes exposes children to new vocabulary. For example, Hickory Dickory Dock introduces words like “clock” and “dock,” expanding their lexicon in a fun context. Interactive activities with rhymes can strengthen word recognition as children associate words with images and actions. I use puppets to tell stories for a reason, especially when doing Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets.
  3. Many nursery rhymes involve numbers, allowing children to practice counting through play. Hickory Dickory Dock, in particular, uses the numbers on a clock, which can help children learn number order and basic time-telling skills. Incorporating puppets can add another layer of interaction.
  4. Activities associated with nursery rhymes, such as gluing pictures in sequence or creating simple crafts, help develop fine motor skills. Doing Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets can enhance this experience.
  5. The repetitive nature of nursery rhymes makes them easy to remember, which strengthens children’s ability to recall sequences and narratives. This can improve their memory skills as they practice reciting the rhyme and remembering the order of events.

In this video, I talk about a lot of extensions you can do with this story, including Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets.

Nursery rhymes are more than catchy tunes

For further insights, check out Storykate’s videos, which explore engaging ways to integrate nursery rhymes into early childhood learning. You might find activities specifically tailored to enhance the learning experience with rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock.

Hickory, dickory, dock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

Hickory, dickory, dock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two,
The mouse said ooohhh,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

Hickory, dickory, dock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck three
The mouse said weeee
Hickory, dickory, dock.

Consider translating nursery rhyme and learning it in one of your community languages for a child who just moved to English - speaking country. Here is a russian version. 

RUSSIAN 
Вышли мыши как-то раз
Посмотреть который час.
Раз-два-три-четыре,
Мыши дёрнули за гири.
Тут раздался страшный звон —
Разбежались мыши вон.

Here is my version of it in both languages👇🏻

https://storykate.com.au/nursery-rhymes-for-multilingual-learning/

Get this wonderful set from Zac Home

Storykate FIRST online Course is OUT!!!

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

I am super excited to let my community know that I have created my first ONLINE course. And guess what?! It is on puppetry. If it is a topic you find interesting, especially teaching with puppets, check this out. I promise you will learn a lot from this course, as this is the result of my 20 years of practice of telling stories and teaching young children, inspiring pre-service educators.

https://payhip.com/b/SfHLp

#puppets#puppetsofinstagram

#teachingwithpuppets

#puppetry#circletimefun#earlychildhoodeducation#puppetskate

DYI Felt Board

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

Today, we’re diving into the wonderful world of felt boards and exploring how they can transform storytelling for young children. Felt boards are engaging, versatile tools that can spark creativity, boost learning, and make storytelling come alive!

Making your felt board

Making a felt board is a breeze. You’ll need some felt or flannel fabric, a picture frame, and some staples or glue. Simply cut the felt to fit the frame size, secure it in place, and voila – your felt board is ready for storytelling. I buy felt in Spotlight, but you can also get some cheaper offcuts in the opportunity shops – as second-hand stores are called in Australia.

For an extra touch, use markers, stickers, or construction paper to create fun felt cutouts of various shapes and characters. You can also download cool stories on Etsy.

Tales with Felt

Now comes the magic part: using your felt board to weave captivating stories. Here’s how:

  • Introduce your felt characters and set the scene by placing them on the board.
  • As your story unfolds, move the felt cutouts around to illustrate the action. This visual element keeps young minds engaged and following along.
  • Felt boards are fantastic for incorporating songs and fingerplays into your storytelling sessions.

Storytime Example: Five Little Speckled Frogs

Let’s use the classic song “Five Little Speckled Frogs” to illustrate the storytelling magic of felt boards. Here are the felt cutouts you’ll need:

  • A tree
  • Leaves
  • Bushes
  • Rocks
  • Mushrooms
  • Five frogs (of course!)

Sing the first verse and place all five frogs on the felt board. As you sing about the frogs jumping in the pool, one by one, remove the corresponding frog cutouts. When all the frogs have made their splash, sing the final verse.

The Power of Felt Board Storytelling

Felt boards are important tools of early childhood education for a reason.

  • They grab children’s attention and keep them actively involved in the story.
  • Felt boards can be used to teach children about counting, colours, shapes, and letters in a fun and interactive way.
  • They foster storytelling and language development, allowing children to explore their creativity and express themselves.
  • Felt boards are portable and easy to make, perfect for teachers, parents, and caregivers to use at home, in classrooms, or anywhere! I always have a felt board when I teach the class.

Happy crafting and storytelling,

7 easy to play circle time games

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment
Sleeping lions is just one of the games you can play with children during group time or free play on a rainy day.

Here are 7 more ideas 👉

Simon Says – this classic game involves one player being “Simon” and giving commands such as “Simon says touch your nose” while the other players follow the instructions. If Simon says something without starting with “Simon says,” then players shouldn’t follow the command. Another version of this game I like is Yogi Says, which invites children to come up with ONE yoga pose for other children to follow. For example, Yogi says, touch your toes; Yogi says – do a tree pose etc.

Red Light, Green Light – this game involves one player being the “traffic light” and facing away from the other players. When the traffic light says “green light,” the players move toward the traffic light. When the traffic light says “red light,” the players must freeze. The first player to reach the traffic light wins.

Duck, Duck, Goose – this game involves children sitting in a circle while one child walks around tapping each player’s head, saying “duck, duck, duck,” and then finally saying “goose.” The child who was tapped as the “goose” must stand up and chase the “tapper” around the circle.

Animal Walks – have the children imitate different animal walks, such as a bear, elephant, or crab. The children can walk around the room or follow a designated path. I use special “move like animal” cards for that.

Freeze Dance – play music and have the kids dance until the music stops, at which point they must freeze. Repeat until everyone has had a chance to dance.

“The Floor is Lava” is a popular game that can be played indoors or outdoors. The objective of the game is to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the “lava” (the floor).

Here’s how to play:

Choose a play area: This can be a room in your house, a section of your backyard, or any other designated space.

Declare the floor as lava: All players must agree that the floor is now “lava” and that they cannot touch it.

Create obstacles: Players must use furniture, cushions, or other objects to create a path or obstacle course that they can use to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor.

Start playing: Players must use the obstacles to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor. If a player touches the floor, they are out of the game. The last player remaining is the winner.

“Fruit Salad” is a fun and active game that can be played with children of all ages. Here’s how to play:

Choose your fruits: Before playing, decide on a list of fruits that you want to use. This can include real fruits or fruits made out of paper, foam, or fabric.

Create a basket: This can be a real basket or a designated area on the floor where the fruits will be placed.

Start the game: One player is chosen to be “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a fruit. All other players must then run to the basket and try to find the matching fruit.

Collect the fruit: The first player to find the matching fruit must pick it up and return to the starting point. They then place the fruit in a separate area, such as a basket or a designated spot on the floor.

Repeat: The player who collected the fruit becomes “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a different fruit. The game continues until all of the fruits have been collected.

What are your favourite games to play during circle time or outdoor play with children?

Bubbles meditation

~ storykate ~ Leave a comment

When I worked in the preschool room, I used to do bubble meditation, it was really popular among children and I would make my sustainable bubble mix, which they would be allowed to play with in the afternoon.

Guided Bubbles Meditation: “Floating Bubbles of Tranquility”

  • Find a comfortable and safe space indoors or outdoors where the children can lie down on the floor.

Step 1: Set the Scene:

  • Invite the children to lie down on their backs, with their eyes closed and arms resting by their sides.
  • Explain that you’re going to create a relaxing experience using bubbles.

Step 2: Take a Calming Breath:

  • Start by taking a few deep breaths together. Inhale slowly through your noses and exhale gently through your mouths.

Step 3: Introducing the Bubbles:

  • Let the children know that you’re going to blow bubbles for them to watch and enjoy.
  • Assure them that they can stay comfortable and relaxed as they observe the floating bubbles.

Step 4: Bubble Breath Awareness:

  • Begin blowing bubbles gently into the air.
  • Encourage the children to listen to the soft sounds of the bubbles and watch as they gracefully rise and float.

Step 5: Bubble Gazing:

  • Guide the children to follow the path of the bubbles with their eyes as they travel through the air.
  • Describe how the bubbles catch the light, creating a beautiful and peaceful sight.

Step 6: Feeling Light and Relaxed:

  • As the bubbles continue to float, suggest that the children imagine themselves being as light as the bubbles.
  • Describe how they’re letting go of any heavy thoughts or worries, just like the bubbles float effortlessly.

Step 7: Bubble Thoughts:

  • Invite the children to imagine that each bubble carries a positive thought or feeling.
  • As they watch the bubbles, they can imagine these thoughts filling them with happiness and calm.

Step 8: Gentle Pops:

  • After a while, let the children know that they can gently reach out and pop a bubble if they’d like.
  • Encourage them to notice the sensation of the bubble popping and how it feels on their skin.

Step 9: Coming Back:

  • Slowly guide the children to bring their attention back to their breath and the feeling of lying on the floor.
  • Let them know that you’ll be blowing a few more bubbles before you finish.

Step 10: Closing the Meditation:

  • As the meditation comes to an end, thank the children for being part of the calming bubble experience.
  • Invite them to gently open their eyes and share any thoughts or feelings they experienced during the meditation.