Featured Literacy Skill: Print Motivation

Storytime Plan

Monkeyshines

Ages: 2-3

Featured Literacy Skill: Print Motivation

Preparation: You may wish to enlarge some rhymes so that the caregivers present can join in. Nametags are a good way to enhance “Print Awareness” at all storytimes.

Program Plan

Opening Rhyme or Song (as children are settling in): Choose one from the “Opening Rhyme” sheet or substitute one of your own.

Welcoming Statement:

“Welcome to storytime! Today we are going to have some fun with books and rhymes about monkeys. [To the parents or caregivers] Having fun reading with your child develops ‘print motivation’ – an interest in books and reading.”

Rhyme:

“I’m a Little Monkey” found in Toddle On Over or 1001 Rhymes & Fingerplays.

Quieting Rhyme: Choose one from the “Quieting Rhyme” sheet or substitute one of your own.

Book: Choose from Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bedor Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping by Eileen Christelow; Monkey Soup by Louis Sachar; Caps for Sale by Esyphr Slobodkina; Two Little Monkeys by Laura Magni or Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins.

Game/Activity:

Play “Monkey See! Monkey Do!” by having children imitate simple movements that you make. You might use this song patterned after “Wheels on the Bus.” It’s easy to add your own verses!

The monkeys in the zoo turn round and round,
Round and round,
Round and round.
The monkeys in the zoo turn round and round,
Just like I do.
The monkeys in the zoo all touch their toes,
touch their toes,
touch their toes.
The monkeys in the zoo all touch their toes,
Just like I do.

The monkeys in the zoo all rub their tummies,
Rub their tummies,
Rub their tummies.
The monkeys in the zoo all rub their tummies,
Just like I do.

The monkeys in the zoo all pat their heads,
Pat their heads,
Pat their heads.
The monkeys in the zoo all pat their heads,
Just like I do.

The monkeys in the zoo jump up and down,
Up and down,
Up and down.
The monkeys in the zoo jump up and down,
Just like I do.
The monkeys in the zoo swing through the trees,
Through the trees,
Through the trees.

The monkeys in the zoo swing through the trees,

Just like I do????

Aside:

To the caregivers:

“You may have noticed that your child likes to hear the same story over and over. Children enjoy repetition but you might like to try enjoying favorite books in different ways: point to the pictures and talk about what is happening instead of reading the text; have your child tell the story to you; use funny voices and gestures; and so on.”

Book

Choose another book from the list above or pick one of your own favorites.Pick something that allows for funny voices and gestures (as mentioned above). If the book is an old favorite, try having the children help tell the story.

Rhyme:

Try this version of the traditional “Apples and Bananas” song. You might mention that this kind of silly rhyme helps the children hear the different sounds that make up words (phonological awareness) – even though we are not emphasizing that skill in this storytime. You may have to repeat the rhyme again as the group catches on.

Monkeys like to eat,

Monkeys like to eat

Apples and bananas

Monkeys like to ate,

Monkeys like to ate

Ay-ples and ba-nay-nays

Monkeys like to eat,

Ee-ples and bee-nee-nees

Monkeys like to ite,

I-ples and by-ny-nys

Monkeys like to ote,

Oh-ples and bo-no-nos

Monkeys like to oot,

Oo-ples and boo-noo-noos

Note: This is the way I learned the rhyme. Other sources use this format:

“I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas”

Use whatever you are familiar with, just change “I” to “Monkeys.”

Closing Rhyme:

Choose one from the “Closing Rhyme” sheet or substitute one of your own.

Suggestions for props, crafts, etc.

If you read the book Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, you might want to make a simple flannelboard set to retell the story and practice counting. All you need is 5 monkey pictures. A picture of a bed or a square of quilted fabric is optional.

The DLTK website offers coloring pages and finger puppets at

Take Home Sheet

Create a take-home sheet with some of the rhymes used (non-copyrighted ones only, of course – you may use the ones included here).

Include a brief explanation of “Print Motivation:”

Something like . . .

Print Motivation” is about making sure that your child enjoys books and is interested in the magic of reading. It is more important for the time you spend reading with your child to be a positive experience than a long one. When your child loses interest in a book, set it aside and try another. Look for books with repeated phrases that he or she can say along with you. Involvement is a key to keeping your child interested.

Allow your child to select books about things that he or she is interested in. If you child enjoys cars and trucks, let him find books about those at the library. The library staff will be happy to help you!

Be sure to include your library’s name, hours, and information about other library programs on your take-home sheet.