For a Snowman
Written by: CK Emanuel
To the tune of: London Bridge is Falling Down
Take the snow and pack it tight,
Pack it tight, pack it tight.
Take the snow and pack it tight
For a snowman.
Take the snow and stack it up,
Stack it up, stack it up.
Take the snow and stack it up
For a snowman.
Actions:
Snow: sign language for snow
Pack it: Squeeze hands together as if fashioning a snowball
Stack it: Put one hand on top of the other
Build a Snowman
Written by: CK Emanuel
Take three balls made of snow
Stack to make a merry man grow.
Add two buttons eyes with a long carrot nose,
And a smile that stays no matter how the wind blows!
Actions:
Three: Hold up three fingers
Snow: Flutter fingers downward (ASL sign for snow)
Stack…grow: Use both hands to trace the edges of an imaginary snowman starting at the bottom “ball” moving to middle, then head
Seven: Hold up seven fingers
Two: Hold up two fingers
Eyes: Make circles around eyes with hands
long…nose: Touch tip of nose with fingertips of one hand then pull hand away from face
Van Gogh’s Painted Stars
Written by: CK Emanuel
To the tune of: Baa, Baa, Black Seep
Painting starlight,
Vincent Van Gogh?
Just so! Just so!
See them glow!
Two for the dreamers,
and three for the just,
and six for the little kids,
who in wishes trust.
Actions:
Painting: Move arm as if wielding a paintbrush
Just so: Nod head
Glow: Cup hands together than slowly bring apart expanding a “ball” by curving fingers
Two: Hold up two fingers
Dreamers: Hands together, touching side of face
Three: Hold up three fingers
Just: Hand over heart
Six: Hold up six fingers
Wishes: Hands together as if pleading OR crossing the index and middle fingers on each hand
Community Helper Song
Original Source: Unknown. “The Community Helper Song.” Preschool Education Music & Songs: Community Helpers, 28 Sept. 1998, http://www.preschooleducation.com/shelper.shtml.
Expanded & Updated from Original Content by: by CK Emanuel
Set to the tune of: The Farmer in the Dell
Refrain:
In the town we live,
In the town we live,
Heigh-ho, who do you know,
In the town we live?
Verses:
Police keep the town safe.
Police keep the town safe.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Police keep the town safe.
Firefighters stop fires.
Firefighters stop fires.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Firefighters stop fires.
Doctors keep us healthy.
Doctors keep us healthy.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Doctors keep us healthy.
Bakers make bread to eat.
Bakers make bread to eat.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Bakers make bread to eat.
Librarians read books.
Librarians read books.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Librarians read books.
Teachers make kids smarter.
Teachers make kids smarter.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Teachers make kids smarter.
Construction workers build.
Construction workers build.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Construction workers build.
Vets keep pets healthy.
Vets keep pets healthy.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Vets keep pets healthy.
Postal workers bring mail.
Postal workers bring mail.
Heigh-ho, who do you know?
Postal workers bring mail.
Posted in Prop Ideas
Tagged Build/Make, City/Town, Community, Doctor, Firefighter, Flannel Board, Jobs, Library, Police, Song
Story: The Hat-seller and the Monkeys
Based on The Hatseller and the Monkeys retold by Baba Wague Diakite as well as Caps for Sale retold by Esphyr Slobodkina
Need:
-fabric in orange
-construction paper in various colors: shades of brown, white
-hot glue and glue sticks
-cupcake paper cups (hat)
-beads (top of hat)
-paper towel tube
-a felt board
Participation Age Range: 18 months to 8 years old
Method: Have monkeys lined up on a ledge or stacks of books. Have all the hats stacked onto the hat-seller. May wish to use hat-seller figure as a finger puppet. Have the kids mimic like the monkeys.
Optional: May wish to place tree on felt story.
Posted in Prop Ideas
Tagged Africa, Animals, Build/Make, Clothing, Emotions, Hats, Mammals, Monkeys
Elves and the Shoemaker
Text and Actions by CK Emanuel
A poor shoemaker with a single leather scrap,
HANDS OUT TO SIDES TO SHOW “EMPTY”
Too tired to work, took a long night’s nap.
YAWN AND STRETCH;
THEN PUT HANDS TOGETHER AND REST THEM ON THE SIDE OF ONE CHECK
Then in from the dark crept two little chaps,
MAKE AN UPSIDE-DOWN “V” WITH BOTH HANDS AND “WALK” THEM LIKE LEGS
Whose hammers worked with a tap, tap, tap!
USE A FIST TO HAMMER THE OTHER HAND
The elves filled the shoe shelves in a snap,
MOVE HANDS AS IF PLACING ITEMS ON SHELVES
Before sneaking out through the window gap.
MAKE A FLATTEN “C” WITH ONE HAND. USING THE OTHER HAND, MAKE LEGS LIKE BEFORE AND WALK IT THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE FLATTEN “C” HAND.
How happy the cobbler, a truly thankful chap!
USE INDEX FINGERS TO DRAW A SMILE ON FACE
PUT BOTH HANDS OVER HEART
For the elves he left shoes, clothes, and each a cap!
TOUCH SHOES, SHIRT, THEN THE TOP OF HEAD
Posted in Fingerplay
Tagged Build/Make, Clothing, Folk/Fairy/Legend/Fable, Magic, Magical Creatures, Shoes, Tools
Silly Shape
Words and Actions by CK Emanuel
To the tune of the traditional folk song, ‘Billy Boy’
REFRAIN: REPEAT BETWEEN VERSES
What will you do with the scissors, silly boy?
HANDS OUT TO SIDES / MAKE A SCISSORS USING TWO FINGERS
Oh, what will you do with those scissors?
VERSES:
I intend to change my shape
TOUCH HANDS TO CHEST
from my lines I will escape;
BRING FISTS TOGETHER BEFORE SPREADING OUT ARMS
Cut in half, I’m not a rectangle but a square.
HOLD ARMS HORIZONTALLY WITH SPACE BETWEEN THEM TO FORM THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF A RECTANGLE
MOVE ARMS VERTICALLY TO FORM THE SIDES OF A SQUARE
I intend to change my shape
TOUCH HANDS TO CHEST
from my lines I will escape;
BRING FISTS TOGETHER BEFORE SPREADING OUT ARMS
Cut in half, I’m not a square but a triangle.
HOLD ARMS VERTICALLY TO FORM THE SIDES OF A SQUARE
BRING FINGERTIPS TOGETHER TO FORM THE TOP OF A TRIANGLE
Original Folk Song Source: “Billy Boy.” The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. Missouri State University, n.d. Web. 10 June 2017.
Posted in Fingerplay
Tagged Build/Make, Craft, Math Concepts, Shapes, Song, STEAM, STEM
Build Your House
Words by CK Emanuel
To the tune of: Row Row Row Your Boat
Build, build, build your house,
PUT ONE HAND ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AS IF LAYING BRICKS
TOUCH FINGERTIPS TOGETHER TO FASHION A TRIANGLE,
Make it very strong.
FLEX ARMS ON EITHER SIDE OF HEAD IN A “STRONG- MAN” POSE
Happily, happily, happily, happily,
SMILE AND CLAP ON EACH WORD
Home is where we belong.
TOUCH FINGERTIPS TOGETHER TO FASHION A TRIANGLE, POINT TO CHEST
Building a Beaver’s Lodge
Words by CK Emanuel
To the tune of: 1, 2, Buckle Your Shoe
One, Two, Find wood to chew.
HOLD UP CORRECT NUMBER OF FINGERS
SHADE EYES WITH PALM OF HAND AND LOOK AROUND
Three, Four, Gnaw some more.
HOLD UP CORRECT NUMBER OF FINGERS
MAKE FISTS ON EITHER SIDE OF MOUTH, AND MAKE BITING MOTION BETWEEN HANDS
Five, Six, Drag the sticks.
HOLD UP CORRECT NUMBER OF FINGERS
EXTEND ARMS IN FRONT OF YOU, PRETEND TO STICK TO CHEST
Seven, Eight, Walls create.
HOLD UP CORRECT NUMBER OF FINGERS
PUT ONE HAND ON TOP OF THE OTHER AS IF LAYING BRICKS OR STICKS
Nine, Ten, Mud the den.
HOLD UP CORRECT NUMBER OF FINGERS
HAND FLAT, PALM OUT AND PRETEND TO PAT DOWN “WALLS”
Craft Time
Text and Actions by C.K. Emanuel
To make something new
I think, think, think.
TAP FINGER TO TEMPLE
Then I gather the supplies,
MOVE ARMS AS IF BRING THINGS TOWARDS BODY
it’s time to begin!
TAP FINGER TO WRIST AS IF THERE IS A WATCH.
First, lay down the paper
HOLD UP 1 FINGER
so its flat, flat, flat.
HAND FLAT, PALM UP; USE OTHER HAND TO RUB ACROSS AS IF “FLATTENING”
Second, grab a crayon
HOLD UP 2 FINGERS
to draw, draw, draw.
PRETEND TO COLOR ON TOP OF FLAT HAND
Third, take the scissors
HOLD UP 3 FINGERS
and go snip, snip, snip.
MAKE A “V” WITH ONE HAND, PRETEND TO CUT FLAT HAND.
Fourth, smear the glue
HOLD UP 4 FINGERS
so it will stick, stick, stick.
PRESS BOTH HANDS TOGETHER
Fifth, give a smile;
HOLD UP 4 FINGERS
it’s done, done, done.
HOLD OUT BOTH HANDS IN FRONT TO SHOWCASE WHAT WAS MADE.
Storytime: For The Next Generation 