Early Literacy Tip: Write simple action words on small pieces of paper (run, clap, jump, etc.), and put them in a bag (or attach them to a die that you throw, or a board game spinner that you spin). Have your child pick out one of the papers, and then do the action together (or have your child direct you to do it). This is a simple, fun way to build print awareness.
This week we celebrated the Letter Q! As usual, we started by writing an upper and lower case letter Q in the air together, and then brainstormed words that started with Q. The kids suggested queen and quack. I also pulled some other items from my paper bag: a quarter, and a picture of quail and a quokka.
I had written three q words on pieces of paper, and I told the kids that there were special motions we would do for each one. For the word quack, we would quack like a duck and make duck bills with our hands. For the word quiet, we would put one finger over our lips and say, “Shhhh!” And for the word quick, we would clap our hands really fast. I spent a couple of minutes, pulling out the pieces of paper and reading the words, and we did the actions together.
HOME EXTENSION: I’ve been trying to add a “secret word” component each week, to help build excitement around printed words, and give the kids something to share with their caregivers after storytime. This week, I let them pick one of the “q” words from the activity above, and told them they could tell their grown-ups they had to do the motion (quacking, shushing, or clapping).
Books:
Quick Little Monkey by Sarah L. Thomson; illustrated by Lita Judge
A beautifully illustrated book about a pygmy marmoset who accidentally slips to the forest floor, and has to flee a giant snake before reuniting with his father. This was an exciting story that held the kids’ attention.
A Quick Trip to the Store by Sam Wedelich
I really like this funny new picture book about a girl and her mother, who have to take a quick trip to the store to buy bananas. While her mother chats with a group of other Mom’s, the girl decides to go shopping by herself, and accidentally crashes her cart (and herself!) into the bin of bananas. Her Mom agrees to buy all of the bruised bananas, and together they make banana bread for the employees at the store. The main character’s opinions about shopping, and mothers, and banana bread are hilarious.
Queenie Quail Can’t Keep Up by Jane Whittingham; illustrated by Emma Pedersen
This is an adorable story that I’ve shared many times. I especially like to read it for Outdoor Musical Storytime, since there are a lot of California quail in the park. Queenie Quail just can’t keep up with her brothers and sisters, because she is too busy looking at bees and caterpillars and shiny stones. But when she spies a cat hiding in the grass, and alerts her family, her parents realize that her dawdling can be helpful. The kids enjoyed joining in on the repeated “bob bob bob,” “tap tap tap” and “hurry hurry hurry” motions throughout the book.
I Quit! by Kristen Tracy; illustrated by Federico Fabiani
Sweet story about a cat who gets adopted. At first, she is thrilled with her new home, but then she learns there are rules like no licking yourself on the table and no chasing the baby. “I quit!” she declares, and makes her escape. But the world outside is dark and scary, and she quickly decides she wants to go home.
Songs:
Monkey See and Monkey Do
We sang this after reading Quick Little Monkey. It’s a fun, versatile action song, and you can add in any motions that suit your storytime crowd. I always end with “sit back on the ground” to get the kids ready to listen to the next book.
When you clap, clap, clap your hands,
The monkey clap, clap, claps his hands,
Monkey see, and monkey do,
The monkey does the same as you!
When you jump up and down, etc.
Repeat with other motions: when you jump up and down; make a funny face; turn yourself around; and sit back on the ground.
Two Little Quail
We sang this with the play scarves (I gave each child two). A variation of the traditional Two Little Blackbirds song to go along with the book Queenie Quail Can’t Keep Up.
Two little quail sitting on a hill, (Hold up both scarves)
One named Jack, and the other named Jill.
Fly away, Jack! (Put one scarf behind your back)
Fly away, Jill! (Put the other scarf behind your back)
Come back, Jack! (Bring the first scarf out in front).
Come back, Jill! (Bring the second scarf out in the front).
Two littlequail sitting on a cloud,
One was quiet, and the other was loud (I make my voice as loud and obnoxious as possible each time I sing the word “Loud!”)
Fly away, Quiet!
Fly away, Loud!
Come back, Quiet!
Come back, Loud!
Two little quail sitting in the snow.
One flew fast!
And the other flew slow!…
Two little quail sitting on a gate.
One was early, and the other was…late!…
Quick, Quick, Quick
We sang this with the parachute at Outdoor Musical Storytime. I have a bunch of little ducks from a couple of Monkee Mitt sets, and I told the kids to quack each time I threw one on the parachute. Then we sang the song, shaking the parachute quickly and then slowly, and lowering and raising it up. I added a few more ducks each time we sang it.
Quick, quick, quick!
Slow, slow, slow!
Down, down, down!
And up we go!
Letter Q
I wrote this song for my last set of alphabet storytimes, since I couldn’t find a good instrument play-along for letter Q. I had explained to the kids about how the letter Q is almost always followed by U, which is the subject of this song. We sang it at the end with egg shakers.
If you ever need a storytime song for a particular topic, feel free to reach out. I love a challenge!
[C] Oh, Letter [F] Q,
[G7] What can it [C] do?
It just can’t [F] be
[G7] Away from [C] U!
[C] Without U, there is no [F] Question.
[G7] Without U, no qualit-[C]y.
No Quiet walks [F] along the shore,
No [G7] Quests of braver-[C]y.
No Quilts to keep you [F] warm at night,
No [G7] Quick trips to the [C] zoo.
There’s nothing quite as [F] lonesome
As [G7] Q is without [C] U.
[C] Oh, Letter [F] Q,
[G7] What can it [C] do?
It just can’t [F] be
[G7] Away from [C] U!
[C] Q is such a quirky [F] letter.
[G7] It is useless on its [C] own.
Without U it cannot [F] Qualify,
It [G7] cannot stand a-[C]lone.
Q would be in such a [F] Quandary,
Without [G7] you to make it [C] sound.
I Quake to think what [F] Q would be
[G7] Without U [C] around!
[C] Oh, Letter [F] Q,
[G7] What can it [C] do?
It just can’t [F] be
[G7] Away from [C] U!
Stay & Play: Origami Paper Quilts
We have a lot of origami paper left over from past programs, so before storytime this week, I asked our summer intern to cut some of the paper into smaller squares.
For the Stay & Play, I put out white computer paper, glue sticks, and the precut origami squares. The kids enjoyed arranging the different patterns on the page and gluing them down.
Do you have any favorite picture books or songs featuring the letter Q? Please share them in the comments below.
