Activities:   
 

Tell The Story (memory & language development – all ages): This is a fun, interactive story with hand movements and plenty of dynamics. The story helps develop a child’s ability to discern cues to indicate certain activities, and also stimulates memory & language growth. Try it with & without the CD! 

Here’s the story again with activity directions in bold: 

There were four rabbits by the river sipping water. (Sipping sound.) When all of a sudden they heard a GREAT BIG PLOP! (Hold hands up in the air for “great big” and for “plop” lower your hands a bit and gradually raise them while saying “plop” slowly with increasing intensity. You can raise your hands by starting with small circles or shakes and increasing the size of the circles or shakes towards the end of “plop!”) And the rabbits said, “Yikes! Run for your life!” (Place your hands on your head, and lift them up for each word) and the rabbits ran like this.... 

Rabbits: pat your lap alternating between left and right hands rapidly 

It just so happens, they ran past three deer (hold up 3 fingers), and the deer said, “Why are you making so much noise?” (Wave your index finger and shake as if indicating shame on you) The rabbits explained, “We (point to self) heard (cup hand over ear) a (make a letter A with your arms – just the top slants without the bar across, so touch your fingers together at the top) GREAT BIG PLOP! (see previous) And the deer said, “Yikes! Run for your life!” (see previous) and the deer ran like this.... 

Deer: Wee-hoo, wee-hoo, wee-hoo... (put both hands together side by side (thumbs touching, pinkies apart) and pretend to jump them with each “wee-hoo,” as if your hands are quickly going up a hill and down the other side) 

Rabbits: pat your lap alternating between left and right hands rapidly 

Now it just so happens that they ran past two (hold up 2 fingers), laughing hyenas, and the laughing hyenas said, “Why are you making so much noise?” (see previous) And the rabbits explained, “We heard a GREAT BIG PLOP! (see previous) And the hyenas said, “Yikes! Run for your life!” (see previous) and the hyenas ran like this.... 

Hyenas: Laugh... (wave your arms hysterically while laughing) 

Deer: Wee-hoo, wee-hoo, wee-hoo... (see previous) 

Rabbits: pat your lap alternating between left and right hands rapidly 

Now it just so happens that they ran past one (hold up 1 finger) wise owl, and the owl said, “Why are you making so much noise?” (see previous) And the rabbits explained, “We heard a GREAT BIG PLOP! (see previous) And the owl said, “So what?” 

Good question, thought the rabbits. (put your finger on your chin and look up as if thinking) And they agreed to take the owl to the place of the plop. And the owl flew like this... 

Owl: Whoo- whah, whoo-whah... (flap your arms like wings) 

Hyenas: Laugh...(see previous) 

Deer: Wee-hoo, wee-hoo, wee-hoo...(see previous) 

Rabbits: pat your lap alternating between left and right hands rapidly 

And they came to the river. (wave your arm horizontally like a river) There on the banks was an oak tree. (make your other arm upright like a tree next to the river) On the oak tree was a branch. (take your “tree” arm and bend your hand over like a branch) On the branch was an acorn. (take the “branch” hand and make a circle with your index finger and thumb like an acorn) The wind blew (whoo) (blow on the “acorn”). The acorn fell into the water, and made a GREAT BIG PLOP! (see previous) 

The owl said, “See, you’ve been afraid of an acorn.” And they all had a good laugh about that, especially the hyenas.