SEABURY READS: Our Alumni Keiki Christmas Storytelling Event -- With Resources

Once a year, I venture into the little people realm.

The 2013 Seabury Hall Alumni Keiki Christmas Storytelling event in our library, part of the larger Alumni Keiki Holiday Event, was a BLAST!

Post by Linda J. Lindsay.

I thought I'd share the program, for parents looking for ideas to celebrate Christmas with their children, via books and reading.

1. The Special Gift - I found this gem of a book at northpole.com. Here's the PDF for download and printing. I highlight-colored the drawings and added a ribboned, stiffened felt cover. I can easily picture a parent and child coloring and assembling this book on Christmas eve. Check out the printable instructions for three simple bookbinding techniques from ReadWriteThink.

2. Rudolph Color Song - I knew I wanted to do something with flannel board. So I scoured YouTube and discovered Miss Tracey of Littlestorybug.

(Miss Tracey has a neat Pinterest collection of her pre-school videos.) The Rudolph template I chose came from Loons and Quines @ LibraryTime.

I asked for keiki volunteers to put the noses on when asked and we did a slightly disorganized, FUN variation of Miss Tracey's rhyme. Lyrics / lyrics on slides.
3. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - My teacher friend Annie told me about the clapping, stamping, and turning version of this song. (Gotta get the kids moving, Annie advised.) Everyone participated, including parents.

4. Santa is His Name-O - I came across this goody from Super Simple Songs: the Santa version of the children's song B-I-N-G-O.

The hardest verse for us to do was the 4 claps ~ Clap--Clap--Clap-Clap--A. I didn't show the video because I wanted the keiki to have memories that came out of the great energy in the room. Most of the parents knew the B-I-N-G-O tune, so we sang a capella, with gusto!

5. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. We ended the program with a group read-aloud. Parents, older siblings -- everyone in the room who knew how -- read to the toddlers. It was awesome.

I had made mini-books for each family to take home, from DLTK's Print and Assemble Books. The illustrations in this version are wonderful!

I created a Google slide presentation to put the templates together (NOT as easy as you think) for the mini-book. Instructions: print the slides double-sided, collated, then staple down the middle.
Per DLTK, the book is meant to be shared freely, but not sold.
I put together a large version for the reading, and ribbon bound it.