Sunshine! I do love the sun and always feel terrible when I’ve had three (or more) days of rain or during Winter when sun can be hard to come by. But this storytime theme isn’t just good to celebrate the sun and all it brings with it –Life, plants, beach visits, picnics, etc — but it’s a great STEAM subject! A lot of preschoolers don’t know what the sun really is or that it doesn’t go away or cease to exist when it’s nighttime. So, come on! Let’s go open their minds together!
Introduction: To introduce this storytime, we talked about what kinds of activities the kids like to do when it’s sunny outside. Then I asked what they thought the sun did during the nighttime. The answers to that are always hilarious! Then we begin with our Hello Song.
ASL Sign of the Day: “Sun” Take a flattened “O” handshape and draw a circle in the air, then spread your fingers as you move your hand downward 1-2 inches.
Book: The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Hoberman
I love reading this one, because kids don’t always realize that the sun is everywhere for everyone! It’s a good way to introduce the object permanence of nature around us as well as how, even though people, plants, and animals may look different, we are still sharing the same world.
Song: Bright Sun (Tune: Row Row Row Your Boat)
Bright sun shining down (Make circle with arms overhead)
Shining on the ground (Touch the ground)
What a lovely face you have (Place palms on your cheeks)
Yellow, big, and round (Flip palms out and spread fingers as though shining)
Book: What the Sun Sees by Nancy Tafuri
Short and sweet with large, colorful pictures– this is a great books to introduce our storytime. The kids love identifying the animals, and helping me make their sounds.
Song: Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, (Make circle with arms overhead)
Please shine down on me. (fingers twinkling down, then point to yourself)
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, (Make circle with arms overhead)
Hiding behind a tree (arms in front of face)
These little children are asking you (point to kids)
To please come out so we can play with you. (arms waving in like inviting to play)
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, (Make circle with arms overhead)
Please shine down on, (fingers twinkling down)
please shine down on, (fingers twinkling down)
Please shine down on me. (fingers twinkling down, then point to yourself)
Book: Grains of Sand by Sibylle Delacroix
I love the illustrations and use of color in this book! The yellow, of course, reminds me of the sun and I adore the idea of planting grains of sand to recreate a day at the beach!
Oral Tale: Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Elphinestone Dayrell. I base my telling of this story on Dayrell’s book (shown below). I put a little humor in it by acting out some of the fishes and ocean animals that swim into the house and play up the hesitance the sun must feel as his house is submerged and he is pushed into the sky.
Closing: We reviewed our ASL sign of the day, “Sun,” then sang Tickle the Clouds to say goodbye.
More Books to Check Out:
- The Gift of the Sun by Dianne Stewart
- How the Sun Got to Coco’s House by Bob Graham
- Summer by Cao Wenxuan
- Sun by Same Usher
- To Be Like the Sun by Susan Marie Swanson
- Sun Song by Jean Marzollo
- Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Elphinestone Dayrell
Librarian Ginny 