Superworm Storytime Ideas

Welcome to part six of our summer storytime ideas series.  Each week we gather in our local park to read great books for kids together with our neighbors. This week we featured Superworm by Julia Donaldson and we have some super fun book activities to go along with the book.

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Storytime Ideas: Superworm

The Book

Superworm is the story of an extraordinary worm that always lends a hand and adapts to different kinds of situations.  When he is captured by a wicked Wizard Lizard, the other wiggly creatures devise a plan to rescue him.  Spiders use their special spinning web skills.  The bees help to create a sticky situation and all the flying bugs help to deliver the wicked master right to the rubbage pile.  When Superworm is freed he returns to being the great worm all the animals know and love.

The Group Activities

Worm Action Rhymes and Songs

We sang two interactive songs.

The first one was called, “I’m a Little Wiggle Worm” to the tune of  “I’m a Little Teapot”.

I’m a little wiggle worm, watch me go!
I can wiggle fast, or very slow.
I wiggle all around, then back I go.
Down into the ground, I’m home!

Next, each child was given a 5 inch piece of brown yarn to use as their worm.  I read the action rhyme called Wiggle Worms by Jean Warren as the kids listened and followed the directions in the rhyme.

Skill building:  fluency, listening and following directions

Feed the Worm

Making the Superworm (done prior to storytime)

I made a superworm using a knee-high black nylon which I stuffed with fabric scraps.  I tied the open end with yarn.  Then I added black masking tape to create rings around the worm and added two googly eyes.  He’s pretty cute if I do say so myself!

I also added a small gift bag with a letter “s” glued to the front and hung that around the worm.

Using stickers (this is my favorite sticker book) and clip art, I made picture cards.  Half of the cards included pictures of things that began with the /s/. Spoon, soap, slide, sun, sock, strawberries, stars, stop and sink were some of our pictures.  The other half of the cards were pictures of things that began with different sounds.

Playing Feed the Worm

Each child was given two picture cards.  One that began with /s/ and one that did not.  With their family, they had to determine which picture began with /s/.

They were told that superworm only liked to collect and eat pictures that began with /s/.  Each child took a turn giving/feeding the superworm the correct sound picture.

Skill building: phonemic awareness (beginning sounds)

Follow-Up Activities

Science Fun

Create your own wormery with this idea from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots.  You will also learn 8 amazing fun facts about worms!

Build a Worm Name

Practice letter recognition of your child’s name with this build a worm name activity from My Creative Days.

Kitchen Worm Fun

Then there is the classic worms in dirt treat.  You know the one with chocolate pudding, crushed cookies, and gummy worms.  Get the wormy dessert recipe from Meet the Dubiens.

Creative Worm Art

Try this creative worm art.  It’s a guest post I wrote for Rainy Day Mum blog.

Books about Worms

Check out these books about worms!

More Wormy Ideas

Still don’t have enough Superworm ideas?  Check out this Superworm post.

For more storytime ideas to go along with the book, Superworm and other great books, follow our Storytime Ideas Pinterest board.

Follow Jodie Rodriguez @ Growing Book by Book’s board Storytime Ideas on Pinterest.

Join us again next week when we feature the book, Hop, Hop, Jump! by Lauren Thompson.