Summer
Storytime in the Schoolhouse
Story: Midsummer's Eve
In this folktale, there was a miller who wasn’t able to bake his bread because the rains weren’t falling and the stream wasn’t flowing and his mill wasn’t turning…so he wasn’t able to grind the grain. A young child named Aiden travels to the top of a mountain to ask the fairies to send more rain.
Monday
Join Ms. Becca and her doggy, Mable Rose, in the schoolhouse for Storytime. Ms. Becca’s pets often join her for Storytime.
Each Storytime includes a time for seasonal songs and poems and then a time for a story. Each month we have a new circle time. We learn the poems and songs slowly, building week by week. This week we add verses to the songs and poems we have been learning this month.
Over in the meadow, in the sand in the sun
Lives a dear mother froggy and her little froggy one
“Hop!” said the mother
“I’ll hop,” said the one.
So they hop and they hop in the sand and the sun.
We practice a breathing exercise each Monday at the end of our circle time. This month we are learning “Flower Breathing.” These exercises are intended to introduce children to mindfulness and deep breathing in an age-appropriate and easy-to-access manner.
During the second half of our storytime, we hear the story Midsummer’s Eve. This folktale shares the story of a helpful young child who travels to a mountaintop to help a miller who needs more rain to fuel his mill, so he can grind grain once again.
Tuesday
We are back in the schoolhouse this morning for another day of song and story. Today is the longest day of the year and it’s expected to be hot where Ms. Becca lives.
It’s hot! It’s hot!
Just like a boiling hot
The sun is shining oh so bright
Beaming heat with all its might
After circle time, we hear the story of Midsummer’s Eve again. We hear one story each week, repeating the story Monday through Friday. Repetition benefits young children and repeating stories is one way to help lay the foundation for later reading and writing. Because we repeat our stories for a full week, we choose them with care and attention. Your children will get to know the particular details of our story by the end of the week.
Wednesday
We begin Storytime outside on Ms. Becca’s porch. You can hear the birds singing and a light rain falling.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, goes the garden snail
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, all along the rail
Quickly, quickly, very quickly goes the little mouse
Quickly, quickly, very quickly all around the house.
Today and every Wednesday, we are outside for Storytime and go on a field trip. Our field trips take us to visit community members and places in nature. Today we visit a mill, just like the one in our story! Enjoy visiting a 100-year-old grain mill!
The last part of Storytime is back on the porch with Ms. Becca for our story of Midsummer’s Eve.
Thursday
Thursdays we are back in the schoolhouse for circle time and…a puppet show! Every Thursday and Friday we have a puppet show during our storytelling time.
Storytime has a predictable and consistent rhythm (flow) each day and week. We start and end each day the same way, and each day follows the same rhythm. Children thrive with a predictable and consistent rhythm. We hope Storytime can be the foundation of your mornings together.
Today and tomorrow, we will see a puppet show of our story. Our team makes 90% of our puppet show materials and aims to use only natural materials. Our simple puppet shows are intentional. Don’t be surprised if your child starts putting on puppet shows for you!
Friday
This is our last day to hear the story of Midsummer’s Eve. Each new week of Storytime brings a new story, field trip, and new verses to our songs and poems. We have one last day to practice these verses before adding additional ones next week.
Are you learning the words of the songs and poems? With repetition and practice, even the youngest children will begin copying the words and motions. It will be far from perfect, but that’s okay! Let your child join Ms. Becca when they are able. You can encourage them to model the motions. Sit and watch with your child–and sing and move with us!
Storytime also follows a monthly rhythm. During the first week of Storytime, we hear a Grandpa Ivy tale, the second week a pedagogical or teaching tale, and the third and fourth week a nature tale or folk tale. If you have enjoyed this week of Storytime, please check out the other seasons we have available.
