Family Storytime: Black History Month

Our idea behind a Black History Month was to focus on black authors and illustrators and there were themes within the theme based on books we pulled. I chose to focus on a movement and music theme.

I had a bigger turnout than usual and it was a good group. I started off storytime with our bean bag song and then I sang/read Happy! by Pharrell Williams. We all had a good time and I played the Kidz Bop version afterwards and we danced using our scarves. The kids really liked this and I was happy to have a bigger group so that everyone wouldn't be shy.

Our next book was I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison and most of the kids followed along to the movements throughout the book. Once we read this book, we sang If You're Happy and You Know It. I had the color square movement flannel ready, but I thought the kids would lose interest and would like to sing our usual song instead.

Our last book was Rap a Tap Tap by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon. I handed out egg shakers for them to shake when we got to the "tap tap" of the book. The kids got a little carried away with these and they became more of a distraction, so I think I will stick with the scarves in the future and save these for a less structured program or song.

For our craft, the group cut out clouds and glued on cotton balls. They colored their clouds however they liked and added what there dream was if a parent helped.

This was a harder theme to come up with activities, but with these I always try to use universal activities that would go with any theme. I liked how the theme ended up being musical based and based on the books pulled, another great theme would be a storytime on how we are all the same since many books had that message.

I played some Bob Marley lyllaby music during their craft time.

Other Books:

One Love by Bob Marley

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley

That is My Dream! Langston Hughes and Daniel Miyares

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands Kadir Nelson

Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins

Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed (longer side)

Mixed Me! by Taye Diggs