Storytime Theme: America’s 250th Anniversary
This was a tricky storytime theme to pull together and if I hadn’t had a librarian reach out and request some help, I might have given up! The 250th Birthday of America, while an exciting celebration, is very difficult to scale down to a toddler or preschool level. So rather than the typical nine titles I give for a storytime lesson plan, I thought I’d give you a few extra – 16 board books and picture books!
Now, some of these may be more difficult to find, so check your local library! I’d also say that this theme might be better for a little older audience maybe preschool and even early elementary school age kids. But, you can easily read a few pages rather the whole book when it comes to a longer text or in the case of alphabet stories, maybe pick a choose a few letters, rather than all 26! You can also look for alternative choices that have to do with the Fourth of July like Red, White, and Boom! or Apple Pie 4th of July or Wonders of the USA.
I think when you’re trying to take a really big idea for really little kids you need to find a few things to celebrate and share and focus on those! Plus, there’s some great patriotic songs for kids that will encourage dancing, marching, and clapping too. And you can’t forget a couple of flag-themed crafts to try as well.
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Storytime Theme: America’s 250th Anniversary
Books
- A Is for America by Greg Paprocki, illustrated by Suzanne Gibbs
- America from A to Z by Amelia Hepworth, illustrated by E. Rodriguez
- America: A Patriotic Primer by Lynne Cheney, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
- Baby’s First United States
- Blue Sky, White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- Can We Ring the Liberty Bell? by Martha E. H. Rustad, illustrated by Kyle Poling
- F is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, illustrated by Barbara Duke
- 50 States of Love by Anna Aronson
- Good Night America by Adam Gamble, illustrated by Suwin Chan
- I Am George Washington by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
- Liberty Bell by R.J. Bailey
- The Night Before the Fourth of July by Natasha Wing, illustrated by Amy Wummer
- Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag by John Herman, illustrated by Robin Roraback
- The Story of America’s Birthday by Patricia A. Pingry
- This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie, illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen
- This Little President by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode
Songs & Rhymes
- Yankee Doodle Dandy – The Countdown Kids
- You’re a Grand Old Flag – The Kiboomers
- This Land Is Your Land – The Jam Cats Music
Crafts & Activities
- Paper Plate American Flag – Honest Buck
- Fireworks Painting with Cardboard Tubes – Glitter On a Dime
- Patriotic Pinwheels – Oriental Trading Fun 365
