Cat Storytime Ideas

Little kids love animals, mostly due to the variety of animal-themed nursery songs such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and "Pussycat, Pussycat Where Have You Been?" as well as the stuffed animals most children have on their beds and rooms. You can support that love of animals at a preschool or daycare center by incorporating animal themes into story time. Beginning with cats, you can build a repertoire of story time ideas.

  1. Therapy Cats

    • Orange tabby cats are sometimes called "ginger cats" or "marmalade cats."

      When people think about therapy animals, most think of dogs. But cats can make for an effective therapy animal as well. Before you begin your next story time, visit the Delta Society and search for a Pet Partner team in your area. Via a drop-down menu, you can find a therapy team, a volunteer and a gentle, friendly cat, to visit your story time. Organize your story time around the therapy cat's visit, and find a story about a cat that affected a person such as "Desser, the Best Cat Ever," by Maggie Smith or "The Tenth Good Thing About Barney" by Judith Voight.

    Humane Society

    • Persian cats have long hair and pushed-in faces.

      Contact your local humane society and ask it to bring a litter of kittens or young cat and give a talk about cats in your community. If the kittens are at least eight weeks old, they are old enough to be handled safely by children under strict supervision. Have the speaker discuss the different breeds of cats, what cats need for their day-to-day care, how children can care for their own cat and other age-specific, cat-related topics. Read a book such as "Cats,Cats, Cats" by Lesléa Newman or "Won Ton" by Lee Wardlaw, a book about cat adoption.

    Make Cupcakes

    • Siamese cats are gregarious, vocal and affectionate.

      Read the book "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake," by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. Perform an interactive reading by asking the children to describe the front cover: What kind of animal is on the cover? What is the cat doing with the cupcakes? As you read through the book ask: Why is the cat asking for sprinkles? Who likes sprinkles? Why is the cat wearing a bathing suit? After the reading, present the children with a "cupcake bar" with plain cupcakes, a variety of icings they spread on themselves and assorted sprinkles the kids can use to decorate the cupcakes.

    Toys for Kitties

    • Cats with big, bold, black stripes that are straight are called "tiger-striped." Cats with bold, black circular stripes are called "tabby" cats. Both come in brown, grey or orange.

      After reading a book such as "Ginger Finds a Home," by Charlotte Voake, or "The Cat Who Lost His Purr," by Michele Coxon, have the kids make toys for their cats at home. Those who do not can make toys for their grandparent's cat or simply donate them to the local cat rescue. Give them pipe cleaners they can twirl around their fingers to make spring-shaped cat toys; have them stuff infant socks with catnip and glue shut with fabric glue or tie string and feathers to long, thin cardboard dowels or lollipop sticks. Alternatively, you can give them muffin cups and an assortment of kitty treats and have the kids make up tiny care packages for shelter kitties.