Whether you’re using it as part of a sickness/illness theme or just on its own, Soup makes for a fun storytime! I have a few absolute favorites among this script, hopefully they’ll become some of your favorites, too!
Introduction: I started this storytime by asking the kids what their favorite type of soup is. I always get so many creative answers with questions like this. Their suggestions range from everything from vegetable soup, corn chowder, to chocolate chip soup! I also asked them what they’d put into a Vegetable Soup and wrote down a couple of the answers. I like to prompt them by saying a couple veggies, ones they probably know and ones they most likely don’t.
Opening Song: ECRR Song
Sign of the Day: Today we did two signs: “Soup” and “Eat” as shown below from Lifeprint.com
Book: Soup Day by Melissa Iwai
I’m so glad I began with this book. It’s such a good step-by-step process book, but it is a little bit dry compared to some of the other stories of the day. Many of the kids related to helping their grownups with meal preparation and I see that kind of relatability as very important with preschoolers. This book was also great preparation for the next activity as I could then ask the kids to sequence the activities involved in making soup. If I had thought about it, I would’ve made some felt pieces and asked them to help me put them in order. Next time, I guess!
Song: This is the Way We Make the Soup. Tune: Mulberry Bush
This is the way we wash our vegetables,
Wash our vegetables,wash our vegetables,
This is the way we wash our vegetables,
When we make our soup!
Repeat with (peel, chop, stir, & eat)
Felt: Stop That Stew by Margaret Mahy
A short and simple story turned into felt about a man who makes soup and wants to share it with his friend. Forgetting that he set it on top of the car, the smell draws the attention of some dogs, dog catchers, the dog’s owner, and the police! It’s a fantastic, repetitious story. This lovely felt story was created by an unknown coworker, so I can’t take the credit!
Fingerplay: Five Little Peas
One little pea jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot. (repeat with 2, 3, 4, and 5.)
Finally the soup got so very hot,
All the little peas jumped out of the pot. (quickly open hand and extend all fingers.)
Book: Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas
Jan Thomas is a fun and engaging author! Similar in style to Mo Willems, the characters are goofy, slightly literal, and just plain fun! This story features items that may not go into soup, but can be helpful in other ways. Jan Thomas books are always a hit!
Song: Pease Porridge Hot. I like to alternate between claps and knee taps on each beat for this one!
Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old;
Some like it hot, some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot, nine days old.
Oral Tale with Props: Stone Soup
I love telling this story (based off Heather Forest’s version. I pass out plastic toy veggies to the kids and as they are used in the story, we say a rhyme:
Chop, chop, choppity-chop!
Chop off the bottom and chop off the top.
What we have left goes into the pot.
Chop, chop, choppity-chop!
Then I have the child put their veggie into a big cauldron pot so that each kid is effectively helping me tell the story. It’s a great way for the kids to engage in a new way with stories.
Closing Song: Tickle the Clouds
More Titles to Check Out:
- Tiger In My Soup by Kashmira Sheth
- Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
- The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
- Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
- Community Soup by Alma Fullerton
- Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley
- Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
Librarian Ginny 