Seymour the Snake

This is a story that our local librarian (she's FANTASTIC) told during storytime a few weeks ago. The cute poster/picture thingy below is actually hers that she let me borrow when I asked to look at it after story time was over. Seymour was really falling apart, so she said I could borrow him if I did a little repair work. Sounds like a great deal to me:)

The story was really cute and repetitive enough that the kids were really getting into it - saying the mom's advise in a "motherly" voice while wagging their fingers, opening their mouth really wide and make the appropriate number of gulps. Oh and of course sneezing at the end. They loved it. And actually while my 10 yr old (who accompanied my 3 yr old to storytime) helped me to retell the story below, my 3 yr old was saying it right along with us...and asking "Where is Seymour?" I returned him to the library already, he kind of took up space, and I don't have good flat storage at home. But I plan to make one for my classroom soon.

Here's the story, retold by A, my 10 yr old. I'm sure that we changed it, and you can too. I tried to look it up on the internet to see if it was a "real" story, but I didn't find anything. So if this story seems familiar, please let me know where to find it.

Seymour the Snake

The time had come for Seymour the Snake to grow up and move out on his own. Before Seymour left, his parent gave him some advice. His mother told him, "Remember, make sure you get enough to eat!" And his father said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

(This is what Seymour looks like at the beginning of the story. For all of these pics he is lying flat on the floor, but when telling the story you would hold Seymour up in you lap and have all the flaps on the top folded back behind Seymour. His total length - he's folded in half for storage - is about the long side of a piece of poster board. I didn't measure him, sorry, I should have.)

So Seymour went on his way, slithering along to find himself a home. All of the sudden, Seymour saw a rabbit and he remembered his mother's advise, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So Seymour opened his mouth and swallowed the rabbit in one bit gulp! ("gulp")

Seymour starts to slither along again, when he sees a peacock. Seymour remembers his mother's advise, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So he opened up his mouth and swallowed the peacock in 2 big gulps. ("gulp, gulp")

Seymour continues on his way, when he sees a giraffe. He remembered his mother's advise, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So he opened mouth wide and swallowed the giraffe in 3 big gulps. ("gulp, gulp, gulp")

Seymour continues on his way, a little slower this time (because he's eaten so much), when he sees an elephant! He remembers his mother's advise, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So he opens his mouth really wide and swallows the elephant in 4 big gulps. ("gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp")

Seymour continues slowly on his way, until he sees a lion. He remembers his mother's advice, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So Seymour opens his mouth even wider and swallows the lion in 5 big gulps. (gulp, gulp, ...you get the picture)

Now Seymour's really moving slow, but he continues on his way, until he sees a kangaroo. He remembers his mother's advice, "Make sure you get enough to eat." Seymour opens his mouth super wide and swallows the kangaroo in 6 big gulps. (gulp, gulp....you know)

Seymour can barely move he so full, but he sees a camel and remembers his mother's advice, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So he opens his mouth as wide as he can and swallows that camel in 7 big gulps. (gulp, gulp....)

Now poor Seymour can't move at all and he has a terrible tummy ache, when he sees a pig. He remember's his mother's advice, "Make sure you get enough to eat." So Seymour tries to open his mouth to swallow the pig, but he just can't take another big. Then Seymour (finally) remembers his dad's advice, "Don't bit off more that you can chew." All of the sudden Seymour started to sneeze.

Achoo! And out comes the camel. (flip camel to back again)

Achoo! Out comes the kangaroo (flip)

Achoo! Out comes the lion (flip)

Achoo! Out comes the elephant (flip)

Achoo! Out comes the giraffe (flip)

Achoo! Out comes the peacock (flip)

Achoo! Out comes the rabbit (flip)

Now Seymour felt much better. And he remembered is mother's advise, "Make sure you get enough to eat." But he also remembered his father's advice, "Don't bite off more than you chew."

The End

Oh, and here's a pic of the other side of Seymour all put together so that you can see a little better how to make one of your very own!

I hope that you enjoyed this little story! I know that my kinders are going to love it, I hope that your's will too. And make sure that you share any pics of Seymour that you come up with!