27 Lapsit Program Themes: From Apples to Zoos

For a number of years I presented a lapsit program, Whales, Tales, and Sails at the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park. Each week I planned a different theme based on the calendar and upcoming holidays. I used flannel boards, songs, finger plays, books, stories and the children always made a craft to complement the theme.

For a while I have been sharing each theme separately on my blog but I thought it would be helpful to have them all in one place. The majority of the information connected to each theme was found on various sites on the Internet and do not belong to me. However, there are some original activities I created, which are indicated in the individual blogs.

I hope you will find something useful to use in your teaching or storytelling repertoire. As always, I would love to hear from you in the comment section of the blog at the end of this post.

All Aboard for Preschool Fun: Trains!
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2018/12/all-aboard-for-preschool-fun-trains.html

A Roaring Good Time at the Zoo
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2018/12/preschool-fun-roaring-good-time-at-zoo.html

Bears and Hibernation: Fun for the Little Ones
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2015/11/bears-and-hibernation-fun-for-little.html

Birds, Bees and Butterflies!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/04/birds-bees-and-butterflies.html

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Wee Ones: Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/03/celebrate-st-patricks-day-with-wee-ones.html

Celebrate the New Year in Style with the Small Ones
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/12/celebrate-new-year-in-style-with-small.html

Celebrating Snow with the Small Ones
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/11/celebrating-snow-with-small-ones.html

Dancing with the Dinosaurs
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/10/dancing-with-dinosaurs.html

Elephants: Gentle Giants Among Us II
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2016/02/elephants-gentle-giants-among-us-ii.html

Elves, Bells and Reindeer
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/12/elves-bells-and-reindeers.html

Family Fun
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2016/02/family-fun-fingerplays-songs-crafts-and.html

Five Speckled Frogs and So Much More!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/04/five-speckled-frogs-and-so-much-more.html

The Gingerbread Man: Stories, Songs and Fingerplays
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-gingerbread-man-stories-songs-and.html

Gorgeous, Glorious Giraffes
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/03/gorgeous-glorious-giraffes.html

Here’s to Fairy Tales and Happily Ever After
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2015/01/heres-to-fairytales-and-happily-ever.html

It’s Harvest Time: Apple and Pumpkin Fun for the Wee Ones
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/10/its-harvest-time-apple-and-pumpkin-fun.html

Let's Swim With the Fishes!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/05/lets-swim-with-fishes.html

Owls: Flying High with Fingerplays, Songs and More
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/12/owls-flying-high-with-fingerplays-songs.html

Penguin Awareness Day
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/01/penguin-awareness-day.html

Race Your Mouse Day: Fun for the Wee Ones
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/08/race-your-mouse-day-fun-for-wee-ones.html

Scarecrows and Halloween: Fingerplays and Songs
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/10/scarecrows-and-halloween-fingerplays.html

Seeking His Shadow: It’s Groundhog Day!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/01/seeking-his-shadow-its-groundhog-day.html

Spring Is Here: Make Way for Ducklings
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/04/spring-is-here-make-way-for-ducklings.html

Swimming Towards the End of Summer: Oceans and Whales
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/08/swimming-towards-end-of-summer-oceans.html

Thanksgiving Fun: Fingerplays, Songs, Stories and More!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-fun-fingerplays-songs.html

Valentine Fun for the Children In Your Life
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/01/valentines-day-fun-for-children-in-your.html

Whales, Tales and Sails!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/09/whales-tales-and-sails.html

SOMETHING EXTRA

Early Child Development Kit: A Treasure Box of Activities
https://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/files/Activity_Guide.pdf

IFLS Library System: Sample Lapsit: No Theme

https://iflsweb.org/knowledge-base/sample-lapsits/ 

IFLS Library System: Storytime Templates and Samples    

https://iflsweb.org/knowledge-base/storytime-templates-samples/

Perry Library: Games, Rhymes and Song
http://www.isd21.mb.ca/Preschool/pdfs/Rhymes.pdf

Preschool Activities and Movement Songs
https://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergartenearlychildhood/activity-movement-songs/

State Library of Iowa: Tips to Help Plan Your Lapsit SeriesThe original link is no longer available but you can still access the information via the Wayback Machine here: http://web.archive.org/web/20151109201026/https://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/t-z/youthservices/forlibrarians/lapsit/tips

When their attention begins to wane bring them back with these fun, short activities.

Tootsie Roll

Tootsie Roll (roll hands around each other)

Lollipop (pretend you are licking lollipop)

We've been talking now (hands open shut as if talking)

Now let's stop (hand cutting other palm as if stopping)

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus (wave wand)

Everybody focus (hands up to eyes like glasses)

Counting Down

Five four three two one, zero (count with fingers)

I'm looking for my student hero (binoculars

Hello Bubble (To the tune of Where is Thumbkin)

Hello Bubble, (echo)
Come and land (echo)
Right in the middle (echo )
Of my hand (echo)
Sing it through several times until every child has had bubbles blown towards them.

Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi

I've gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!

I've gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!

I've gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
And wiggle my waggles away!

I've gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Raffi Shake My Sillies Out lyrics found on http://www.lyricsoncall.com/lyrics/raffi/shake-my-sillies-out-lyrics.html 

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I am not responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2018 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission, please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.