Christmas Trees Storytime
Storytime Plan: Christmas Trees Theme
Created by: Laura Baas
Age Group: Preschool
Time: 30 minutes (additional materials included as time fillers if needed)
Introduction and Song (5 minutes)
Introduction: Welcome to storytime. Have you decorated your Christmas tree yet? Today we’ll hear some stories about some Christmas trees and how they get from the forest to your house.
Song: I’m a Little Tree (to the tune of: I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little pine tree tall and straight
Here are my branches for you to decorate.
First you put the star on the very top
Just be careful that the balls don’t drop!
Books (20 minutes, insert a song or activity in-between books):
1. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
In this classic story a Christmas tree that is discovered to be too tall for Mr. Willowby’s parlor is shared among many progressively smaller creatures, effectively spreading the joy of Christmas.
2. The Littlest Christmas Tree: a story of Growing and Becoming by Janie Jasin and Pam Kurtz
The littlest tree longs to be a Christmas tree but eventually comes to realize that life is full of many possibilities.
3. Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes and Kadir Nelson
Twenty-three Christmas poems in this sensory exploration of the sights, sounds, and feelings of Christmas as kids view it.
4. It’s Christmas by Jack Prelutsky and Marylin Hafner
Fun and funny Christmas poems perfect for storytime read-aloud or for emerging readers to read-alone (particularly appropriate for this storytime is the poem Our Christmas Tree).
5. O Christmas Tree (Sing-It!) by Debbie Trafton O’Neal and Ande Cook
Pretty much what the title says, a pictorial rendering of the classic song (also has a new optional final verse about sharing the good news of the season).
6. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
Friends help friends. This is the message of Monroe’s tale about a dejected, over-the-hill pine tree who has been passed by year-after-year at Christmas time. Woodland creatures unit to help their friend’s dreams come true. Note: This story is a little longer, so be flexible and skip this one if your audience seems to require more motion and interaction
Song: A Pretty Tree (to the tune of: This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes)
This is the way we look for a tree, Look for a tree, look for a tree.
This is the way we look for a tree, Early in December.
Add Additional Verses as desired: 2. This is the way we chop the tree, 3. This is the way we carry it home, 4. This is the way we stand it up, 5. This is the way we make it pretty
OR
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star (to the tune of: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star Way up high is where you are
Shining bright for all to see On the tip top of our tree
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas star Way up high is where you are
OR
The Lights on the Tree (to the tune of: The Wheels on the Bus):
The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink, Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink. The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink All Christmas Day.
Add Additional Verses as desired: 2. The presents at the house go rattle, rattle, rattle; 3. The mom at the house goes bake, bake, bake, etc.; 4. The dad at the house goes snore, snore, snore, etc.; 5. The grandma at the house goes hug, hug, hug, etc.; 6. The grandpa at the house goes kiss, kiss, kiss, etc.
Time Fillers/Substitutions:
Where Did They Hide My Presents?: Silly Dilly Christmas Songs by Alan Katz and David Catrow (PB)
OR
Craft: Search the web for tree-related activities such as the ones found miscellaneous Christmas-related crafts that have been submitted to Enchanted Learning (e.g., handprint tree, shooting star tree ornament, and paper Christmas tree).
OR
Technology: If computers are available, have kids sit with caregivers and visit the All Things Christmas site where they will be able to Trim the Tree virtually. You could also point out MSN’s Christmas FAQ’s which answers Why We Decorate Evergreen Trees and Other Christmas Questions.
OR
Storytelling: try telling a pourquoi tale that has been made up about evergreens such as Rick Walton’s Why the Evergreen Trees Keep Their Leaves in the Winter
Additional Christmas-Tree Related Books:
Apple Tree Christmas Edition 1. by Trinka Hakes Noble (pb)
Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford and Karen Dugan
Christmas Tree Farm by Ann Purmell and Jill Weber (pb)
The Christmas Tree House by Robert Humphrey (pb)
Christmas Trees by Robert Frost and Ted Rand (poetry)
The Finest Christmas Tree by Ann Hassett and John Hassett
The First Christmas Tree: A Legend from Long Ago by Helen Haidle, David Haidle, and Elizabeth Haidle (pb)
The Happiest Christmas Tree by David McMath (pb)
The Homeless Christmas Tree by Leslie M. Gordon and Court Bailey (pb)
I Spy Christmas: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick (pb)
The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne, Pat Matuszak, and Bill Dodge (pb)
The Little Crooked Christmas Tree by Michael Cutting and Ron Broda (pb)
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown and Jim Lamarche (pb)
Turtle and Snake and the Christmas Tree (Easy-to-Read, Puffin) by Kate Spohn (er)
Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston and Barbara Cooney (pb)
Note: For more Christmas-related books to display see my previous Christmas storytime post on Christmas stories for Series Characters or visit Laura Baas’ WorldCat.org list for Christmas–Juvenile Audience (since there is no shortage of Christmas books available out there, this list includes mainly recently published picture books, easy readers, and early chapter books).
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