Helicopters are aircraft too!

I read a picture book called Airplanes last week, and included in its examples of all the many different airplanes out there was a helicopter.  Now, maybe I'm just taking this personally because my husband flies those, but guys...helicopters are not airplanes!

This book suddenly made it very important to me that kids know the difference between fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft.  So I decided to plan a helicopter-themed storytime.

...as it turns out, it seems that storytime rhymes have overlooked helicopters just as much as books about aircraft.  I couldn't find any cute flannel rhymes about them, so I had to take matters into my own hands and (yes, I'm ashamed to admit) modify an airplane rhyme so it fit helicopters instead.  I give you...Five Little Helicopters, adapted from the Five Little Airplanes rhyme found here.

Five little helicopters flying in the sky

Come in for a landing from way up high!

The first little helicopter, shining in the sun 

is the first to land on helipad one.

The second little helicopter, carrying its crew

lands very slowly on helipad two.

The third little helicopter, such a sight to see

lands very quietly on helipad three.

The fourth little helicopter can't wait anymore

and lands very quickly on helipad four.

The fifth little helicopter, last to arrive,

finally lands on helipad five.

To supplement our helicopter flannel board rhyme, my coworker wrote a helicopter chant for us to do, too!  The babies loved it.

Helicopter, Helicopter

to the tune of Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Written by Jenny Young, my library partner in crime!

Helicopter, helicopter, round and round (roll your hands)

Helicopter, helicopter, up and down (lift baby up/down)

Helicopter, helicopter, way up high (lift arms up)

Helicopter, helicopter, touch the sky (stretch and reach for the sky)

Helicopter, helicopter, back on the ground (touch the ground)

Helicopter, helicopter, safe and sound! (thumbs up)

We also read Yellow Copter, a story about a yellow rescue helicopter that saves a teacher from a broken down ferris wheel. As an added bonus, my aforementioned pilot husband, who coincidentally happens to fly a yellow rescue helicopter, visited storytime to read the book for us.  The kids loved having him there!

Not pictured: One of our babies who kept trying to come to the front and help read the book with him!  So adorable.

Now maybe I need to get to work on a picture book about all the different kinds of helicopters out there...