Preschool Storytime Ideas
Houses and Homes
The concept of home will be one preschoolers understand, and they enjoy stories about construction and home building. A simple craft project involves covering a small milk carton or a small individual cereal box to resemble a house. Kids can add a chimney, front door, even a garden using construction paper. Kids should also be encouraged to make the model look like their homes, which would include apartment buildings and shelters. THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. There are several versions of this Mother Goose cumulative story.
LeSieg, Theodore (Dr. Seuss). IN A PEOPLE HOUSE. A mouse gives a guided tour to a bird, of the various things in a “people house.”
Grifalconi, Ann. VILLAGE OF ROUND AND SQUARE HOUSES. In this tale from Cameroon, grandmother explains why men and women live in different shaped houses.
Barton, Byron. BUILDING A HOUSE. A brief description of what is involved in building a house, including plumbing and electricity.
Hoberman, Mary Ann. A HOUSE IS A HOUSE FOR ME. A rhyming story that describes different kinds of animal and object dwellings.
Barrett, Judith and Ron. OLD MAC DONALD HAD AN APARTMENT HOUSE. Old MacDonalds plants vegetables in his apartment, which grow into his neighbors rooms and creates chaos!
Enderle, Judith Ross. UPSTAIRS. Elbie looked forward to new neighbors in his apartment house, but the new tenants start a farm in their apartment!
Burton, Virginia Lee. THE LITTLE HOUSE. The classic story about a house in the country who is soon surrounded by new buildings that eventually become a town.
Emmett, Jonathan. NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Mole is looking for a new home, and gets help from Hedgehog, Squirrel, and Rabbit.
Rockwell, Anne and Harlow. NICE AND CLEAN. A simple explanation of how to clean the house, where all family members join in the task.
Desimini, Lisa. MY HOUSE. Imaginative photo collages illustrate this celebration of home.
Ackerman, Karen. I KNOW A PLACE. Kids will repeat the title phrase, since it occurs several times, in this celebration of home.
Penny Peck, San Leandro Public Library
October, 2006