Here’s a fun activity that you can incorporate into your family storytime. It will introduce your kids to poetry and make reading poems fun. I got the idea from the public library storytime that Tyler attended last year during the time I was teaching him at home. The kids loved it and I hope your kids will too!
(1) First, make a copy of this poem by Shel Silverstein.
Bear in There
There’s a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire–
He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He’s nibbling the noodles,
He’s munching the rice,
He’s slurping the soda,
He’s licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he’s in there–
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.
(2) Tape two pieces of poster board together to make a “refrigerator”.
(3) Paste a picture of a polar bear on the inside of the refrigerator and a copy of the poem on the back.
(4) Hold up the refrigerator and read the poem aloud. When you get to the part that says, “if you open the door”, lift the flap and show your polar bear, roar, then slam the door shut and finish the poem in a sort of exasperated voice like you’ve had a scare.
You can extend the activity a bit by having your kids draw pictures based on the poem. Let them decide what they want to draw. If they are having problems coming up with an idea, however, you can suggest a polar bear with big hairy paws, or a picture of a bear slurping noodles. You can illustrate the entire poem if you like. It’s a fun poem with many possibilities. This is one of those poems that can also be acted out for even more fun.
See also:
Suggested Reading List For Kindergarteners
Finding Books For Family Storytime