November 22, 2023, 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
This special Storytime helped preschoolers celebrate and learn about some of our favorite community heroes: firefighters! Columbia Falls has a small fire department with four full time paid firefighters and a slightly bigger crew of volunteer firefighters. We so appreciate Chief Weeks and his team for taking the time to teach us about fire safety.
Books Read:
- Firefighters A to Z
- by Chris L. Demarest
ISBN: 9781680653403 - Firefighter Flo!
- by Andrea Zimmerman
ISBN: 9780823451579
Other Book Options:
- Fire Chief Fran
- by Linda Ashman
ISBN: 9781635924268 - Mighty Machines: Fire Trucks
- by Mary Lindeen
ISBN: 9780531175576 - Fire Truck
- by Peter Sís
ISBN: 9780688158781 - Hurry Hurry Drive the Firetruck
- This is a fun jump-around activity with the kiddos enacting all the steps—get those bells dinging!
Hurry, hurry, drive the firetruck,
Hurry, hurry, drive the firetruck,
Hurry, hurry, drive the firetruck,
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
Hurry, hurry, turn the corner,
Hurry, hurry, turn the corner,
Hurry, hurry, turn the corner,
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder,
Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder,
Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder,
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
Hurry, hurry, Spray the water,
Hurry, hurry, Spray the water,
Hurry, hurry, Spray the water,
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. - Flannelboard: Five Little Fire Trucks
- This is a classic count down flannel board. With five engines in a row, zoom one away with each verse, asking the children how many are left and counting the trucks each time.
Five little firetrucks parked in a row
1 2 3 4 5 let’s go!
Jump on the Engine with a Shout,
Quick as a wink, the fire is out.
Four little firetrucks parked in a row
1 2 3 4… let’s go!
Jump on the Engine with a Shout,
Quick as a wink, the fire is out.
etc., count down to 1
Songs & Interactives:
Activities:
For such a high interest theme, plenty of related picture books were on display for families to check out. Everyone also had the chance to sign a thank you card for our fire department; great practice for preschoolers to write their name, and for a worthy purpose.
We are lucky to have our fire house right next door, so after our stories we all headed over to meet the staff and check out the engines. Chief Weeks introduced us to a firefighter in full turnouts and another dressed as Sparky the firehouse pup. Families got some great fire awareness month reminders to check smoke alarms and make a family evacuation plan in case of a fire. Kiddos then got up close and personal with the fire engines and the firefighters.
Our goal each year is to make sure our kiddos head towards the rescuers in an emergency, and not hide in fear. Our firefighters lifted children up into the engine, spotted them while they climbed a ladder, and patiently answered all their questions—helping build crucial relationships, and maybe even sparking the next generation of local heroes.
