The Artist Librarian Storytime: Construction Theme

I remember being inspired to do a construction theme due to roadwork that was to start near our library at the time.  It would even affect our hours if I remember correctly so I thought it would be timely and something that the parents/guardians could talk with their kids about too.  Check out the full storytime plan for this "Throwback Thursday."


Theme: Construction
Date: August 10, 2016
Attendance: (Not recorded in notes)
Subject Headings:
  • Construction -- juvenile fiction
  • Construction equipment -- juvenile fiction*
  • Construction projects -- juvenile fiction
  • Construction workers -- juvenile fiction
  • Building -- juvenile fiction

*I had the best results with this heading.

PLAN:

1. Opening Song (it was probably a variation of "Hands Go Up")
 
2. Book: Dig In! - April Jones Prince (2013) 
--Only if babies/little ones present

3. Book: Stanley the Builder - William Bee (2014)

4. Felt Board: Red Crane, Red Crane
-- I got this idea from Storytime Katie who was inspired by the art from Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia.  I didn't have access to that picture book title, but I found the design simple enough for me to sketch out. However, you could always photocopy the illustrations from the book itself. I used crochet thread to attach the felt hook to the crane and added puff paint details to all of the pieces. 
Storytime Katie used the format of the classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. which I also followed when using this felt board.  I usually have the pieces in a bag and pull it out randomly and have the kids help me identify the color and type of construction vehicle depicted.  If there are six or less kids, you can even have them pull and add a piece to the board!
5. Book: Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail - James Horvath (2013)

6. Book: Go! Go! Go! Stop! - Charise Mericle Harper (2014)

7. Song: "Construction Worker Song"
--I found the song lyrics via Storytime Katie on this website. It is sung to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" and you can have everyone pretend to do the actions in each verse:

This is the way we pound our nails, pound our nails, pound our nails
This is the way we pound our nails, so early in the morning

Additional verses:

  • Saw the wood
  • Turn the screwdriver
  • Drill a hole
  • Stack the bricks
  • Stir the paint
  • Paint the walls

8. Book: Bulldozer's Big Day - Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann (2015)

9. Closing Song

10. Craft: Paper Shape Bulldozer
--I loved this craft idea from No Time For Flash Cards. I pre-cut the paper pieces, but the kids were still able to talk about the shapes and such with their grown ups.  Basically they glued the shapes together to make a bulldozer and then they could draw a construction scene with crayons. Here are some samples of what the little ones came up with below!

How It Went:
--I ended up altering my original plan by nixing the baby-aimed book and the kids must have been settled enough for me to read two books in a row before pulling out the felt board. As I mentioned in the introduction, I had initially been inspired about construction happening in our vicinity so I'm sure I must have opened with a short mention or discussion about that also: 
  1. Opening Song (it was probably a variation of "Hands Go Up")
  2. Book: Stanley the Builder - William Bee (2014) 
  3. Book: Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail - James Horvath (2013)
  4. Felt Board: Red Crane, Red Crane
  5. Book: Go! Go! Go! Stop! - Charise Mericle Harper (2014)
  6. Song: "Construction Worker Song" ("This is the Way We" Adaptation)
  7. Book: Bulldozer's Big Day - Canace Fleming & Eric Rohmann (2015)
  8. Closing Song
  9. Craft: Paper Shape Bulldozer
 I didn't find much notes from this storytime plan, but I did have a list of other construction themed books I had considered:
  • Build, Dogs, Build: A Tall Tail – James Horvath, 2014
  • Mighty Dads – Joan Holub, 2014
  • Bang! Boom! Roar! – Nate Evans & Stephanie Gwyn Brown, 2012
  • Demolition – Sally Sutton, 2012 
  • The Construction Crew – Lynn Meltzer, 2011
  • Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site – Sherri Duskey Rinker, 2011
  • Building with Dad – Carol Nevius, 2006
  • Hard Hat Area – Susan Roth, 2004
  • Monster Trucks! – Mark Todd, 2003
  • Get to Work Trucks! – Don Carter, 2002
  • Minerva Louise and the Red Truck – Janet Morgan Stoeke, 2002
  • The Lot at the End of My Block – Kevin Lewis, 2001
  • Machines at Work – Byron Barton, 1987
What are some of your favorite books, songs, or activities for a construction themed storytime?

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