Flannel Friday: Berries

I am challenging myself to post a Flannel Friday for every week that I serve as Flannel Friday Fairy Godmother this summer! Today I tweaked a flannelboard I made/adapted for my singing storytime on Monday.

I made the gooseberry and cherries a little larger, and added a cranberry. The total set clockwise from the top left is: Strawberry, blackberry, cranberry, cherries, raspberry, gooseberry, and blueberry.

On Monday I sang “Down Around the Corner.” (AGAIN. I *love* this song. And now all my grown-ups know it too and jump right in, no matter if we’re singing about berries or cookies or cowboy hats.)

Choose 5 of the berries and sing to “Five Little Ducks Went Out to Play.”

Down around the corner at the grocery store
Were five little berries and not one more
Along came someone with a nickel to pay
And they bought the blueberry and they took it away.

With babies, you can just choose the berries and sing straight through; with older children you can pause and ask, “What berry should we buy next?” or “Let’s choose a berry that is green. Which one is that?”

Another way to use these berries is to riff off of Jamberry. I saw one of my staff do this recently and it was a great chant for her baby storytime. She had five pictures of berries, and then without worrying about rhyming, just chanted,

One berry two berry
Pick me a … blueberry!

Three berry four berry
Pick me a…blackberry!

Five berry six berry
Pick me a…strawberry!

Seven berry eight berry
Pick me a…red cherry!

Nine berry ten berry
Pick me a…raspberry!

Or you could end with: “Nine berry, ten berry, let’s count again berry.” And then do the chant again!

What would you do with all these berries?

I’m hosting the round up today right here at Mel’s Desk! Check it out for more great ideas for storytime. Investigate the Flannel Friday Pinterest for hundreds of flannelboards, songs, games, and rhymes arranged by theme. Ask questions and brainstorm ideas in our Facebook group. Learn more about Flannel Friday and upcoming hosts at our website.

Have a great weekend!