February 7, 2024, By Library Staff in Early Literacy.
The Youth Services team at ImagineIF Libraries plans and implements early literacy programs for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in Kalispell, Bigfork, and Columbia Falls. Our goal in every Storytime is to connect with young children and their caregivers through books, songs, and interactive activities that foster early literacy and social emotional skills.
Explore the Storytime Schedule
BOXES. Always full of potential . . . You never know what you might find inside! Join us as we explore the wonder of these deceptively simple objects.
Books Read:
- Big Box, Little Box
- by Caryl Hart
ISBN: 9781681197869 - Thank You Bear
- by Greg Foley
ISBN: 9780670061655 - Pete the Cat’s Groovy Imagination
- by Kimberly and James Dean
ISBN: 9780062974105
Songs & Interactives:
- Listening Game: Who is Hiding in the Box?
- Hide puppets in a box with a lid, then have the kids guess the animal based on noises (make the noises yourself, or use real recorded animal sounds).
Here is a box where something is hid.
I wonder whatever is under the lid?
Let’s listen for a shout,
And see who comes out! - Action Rhyme: “Tall as a Tree / Jack in the Box”
Tall as a tree. (arms up)
Wide as a house. (arms out)
Thin as a pin. (arms in at sides)
Small as a mouse. (crouch down)
Jack in the box, (still crouched, hands over head like a lid)
So quiet and still.
Will you come out?
Of course I will! (jump up)- “Jack in His Box”
- (to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)
Jack in his box goes up and down, up and down, up and down.
Jack in his box goes up and down, all day long!
Jack in his box goes side to side, side to side, side to side.
Jack in his box goes side to side, all day long!
Jack in his box turns round and round, round and round, round and round.
Jack in his box turns round and round, and then he waves bye bye!
Activities:
- Building with Boxes
- Our final story, “Pete the Cat’s Groovy Imagination,” helped transition us perfectly into today’s activity. With plenty of boxes of all shapes and sizes (acquired, with our gratitude, from Costco) and our collection of Makedo tools, parents and kids worked together to create whatever they imagined: rocket ships, race cars, a train, a pizza oven, and more!
At cleanup, we brought out some duct tape so families could take their creations home if so desired, even though the Makedo tools had to stay at the library.
