Friday 2 September 2011

Fire engine storytime (and fire trucks too)!


Were you ever holding storytime when the fire bell sounded?

It happened at our storytime last week, and although it was a scheduled fire evacuation practice, storytime should have just/almost have finished when the alarm was scheduled.  We did have some notice, not enough to re-schedule, but sufficient to change the theme to fire engines.  We started off very promptly and set off at a clip, after giving them fair warning of what was to happen.



Song: Hello, How are you? (now my favourite opening song)


Rhyme: 5 Little Fire Engines (adapted from So Tomorrow's 5 Little Fire Trucks)

1 fire engine [thumb up]

2 fire engines [index finger up]

3 fire engines [middle finger up]

4 [ring finger up]

5 fire engines all in a row [pinkie finger up]

Back to the fire station they all go! [Thumb into palm with fingers folded over the thumb].

Action Song: Hurry, Hurry Drive the Fire Truck (a Barney favourite from Kiddles suggested by Storytime Katie)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck, [pretend to steer]
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck,
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck,
Ding, ding, ding, ding!
 ... turn the corner [lean to the right & then to the left]
... Climb the ladder [pretend to climb ladder]
... spray the water [pretend to spray hose]
Slowly, slowly, back to the station [pretend to steer slowly].

Song: If you want to read a book, clap your hands (do this every time)

Action Rhyme: I Wiggle my fingers (do this one everytime too)


Story: Meeow and the big box, Sabastien Braun
Cute black cat makes his own fire engine from a cardboard box and household items. This went down well and was borrowed after, so yeah!

THE BELL RANG NOW!!!!
I cleared the library, saw them out of the building, apologised to the participants.  They all went home (so I thought) and Staff and diehard customers walked to the rallying point.  After the 'all clear' we returned to the library. All the storytime mums were waiting for us - they hadn't changed their books!  They were eager to do some more, so we continued ...


Song: The Wheels on the bus

 
Story: The journey home from Grandpa's, Jemima Lumley
A story/song about a variety of vehicles seen on the journey to Grandpa's house, including a fire engine. We didn't sing it, I was still in shock from seeing them all again so soon!  I wasn't happy with all the repititon (the more the merrier usually), so I skipped quite a few of the lines. It would have been much better to sing it (note to self).


 
Action Rhyme: Fireman, Fireman Turn Around (adaptation of Teddybear, teddybear)

Fireman, fireman, turn around

Fireman, fireman, touch the ground

Fireman, fireman, show your big work boot [no scanning here!]

Fireman, fireman, that will do

Fireman, fireman, climb the stair

Fireman, fireman,  jump in the air

Fireman, fireman, turn out the light

Fireman, fireman, say good night.

Closing Song: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (as per usual)


Extra song we didn't do (the age make-up of the group was too young, and we had to drop something).  Actually this would make a good flannel, but I didn't have enough red felt.

Five Little Firemen (From Early Years Experience)
Five little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 4 5 lets go.
Jump on the engine with a SHOUT,
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Four little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 4 shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Three little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Two little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 shhh shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

One little firemen standing in a row,
1 shhh shhh shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

I used some of the items for my Rising 3's group later in the week, and we read the books: Touch and feel fire engine, and The journey home from Grandpa's. They really enjoyed the Hurry, Hurry song, although none of them (nor the teachers) were familiar with it previously.



  

3 comments:

  1. I have never heard of a fire drill at a library before! Here, they are just in schools.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We don't do fire drills at my library, but I did have the fire alarm go off just after storytime ended once! It was (thankfully) a false alarm.

    I love how you incorporated the drill into a fire engine theme! It's like the ultimate activity to do during storytime. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks! Not knowing just when the bell would ring was a bit stressful though! Pass on my regards to Quacky http://fallingflannelboards.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/storytime-ducks/

    ReplyDelete

Animated Social Gadget - Blogger And Wordpress Tips