Guest Post: Cowgirls Don’t Wear Diapers with Dawn Prochovnic

I’m so thrilled today to have Dawn Prochovnic on the blog today sharing something that’s sure to be of interest to my fellow children’s librarians, as well as early childhood educators and other caregivers – a storytime outline that’s all about getting ready for potty training! And to make things even better, Dawn is also passionate about sign language, and includes plenty of valuable information for facilitators in her very thorough post. Take it away, Dawn! 

Hello Raincity Librarian Readers!

Jane invited me to write a sign language story time guest post for her blog, and I decided to share a lesson plan called Cowgirls Don’t Wear Diapers. Of course, it can certainly be co-branded for cowboys!

I’ve written many books and many blog posts that incorporate sign language, but thus far, none of these posts have channelled my inner cowgirl.

This fall, I have two new books coming out, one of which is entitled, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? (it’s a companion to Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?) These new titles are more aptly categorized as potty-humor books vs. potty-training books, but I anticipate that folks looking to ditch diaper changing will be turning to these books for some comic relief!

What better time to share a diaper-ditching-cowgirl-themed sign language story time lesson plan than now? So saddle up! Let’s get this diaper-ditching show on the road.

Cowgirls (Cowboys) Don’t Wear Diapers, Sign Language Story Time:

Welcome Participants and Introduce Theme

Sing and Sign an Opening Song to Introduce Some Theme-Based Signs You Plan to Incorporate Into Your Program

*Lead participants in a song such as “This is the way we sign for diaper/change/potty/flush/wash/all done, etc” to a familiar tune such as “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush.” Introducing signs by singing vs. simply showing the signs and asking participants to sign along/practice with you is more fun and makes it easier for participants to learn and remember the signs. If you’re not keen on or familiar with The Mulberry Bush tune, any other familiar tune that allows for plenty of repetition will do.

*Don’t feel compelled to introduce every possible diaper-related word/sign you can think of. Start with a few general words that fit with the theme and that are relevant for your group. Here are some ideas to consider:

Applause/Hooray: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/APPLAUSE/7950/1 (Hands celebrate)

Change: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/CHANGE/3112/1 / https://www.lifeprint.com/

Clean: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/CLEAN/76/1

Cowboy (can be used in place of cowgirl): (Think of a gunslinger)

https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=502

Diaper: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/DIAPER/5559/1

Dirty: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/DIRTY/546/1

Done/Finished: https://www.signingtime.com/dictionary/finished/ (Palms in, palms away)

Dry: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/DRY/748/1

Flush: https://youtu.be/Ir9fbZGpexo / https://youtu.be/eIQb8kKBaXo (Flushing gesture)

Pee: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/PEE/2078/1

Please: https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=1658 (Rub your chest)

Poop: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/POOP/6100/1 (Poop drops down)

Potty/Toilet: https://www.signingsavvy.com/search/toilet (The “T” handshape wiggles)

Underwear: https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=3001 (Underwear area)

Wash: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/WASH/8247/1 (Washing gesture)

Wet: https://www.signingtime.com/dictionary/wet/

Where: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/WHERE/478/1 (Pointer finger looks/searches)

*Fun fact: The sign for potty/toilet (the noun) and the sign for to use the potty/toilet (the verb) are the same.

*Note: In some communities, the sign for “potty/toilet” resembles a vulgar gesture. If this is the case in your community, you may want to create a personalized sign for your learning community/family.

Read: Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781513262383

Invite all participants to sign where, potty, and cowgirl each time these words appear in the story, OR break the group into thirds, and assign one section of the room to sign where, potty, and cowgirl respectively, each time these words appear in the story.

Invite all participants to make the sounds that appear on every other page of the book.

NOTE: This book will be available October, 2019…Click here for other books to incorporate in the meantime: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2019/03/the-reading-part-of-writing-life-part-2.html

Sing and Sign “Please Change My Diaper” (Northlight Communications/Sign With Your Baby)

http://sign2me.com/shop/product70.html

Music Sample: http://sign2me.com/media/pick%20me%20up%20demo%20clips/Please%20Change%20My%20Diaper%20-%20pmu_03.mp3

This is the most hilarious diaper-related song I’ve ever heard. I’ve been listening to it and laughing along with it since my daughter (now in college) was a tiny tot. It’s a humorous, Frank Sinatra style song about needing a diaper change. I have great memories of that same daughter in elementary school hanging out in our basement with her friends singing this song at the top of their lungs. They thought it was hilarious. Back then, she also thought it was a hoot to sing this song in the grocery store, and see how fellow shoppers would react. Simply put, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of this song!

Read Another Potty-Themed Book

Time to Pee, by Mo Williams is a fun choice.

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780786818686

As noted above, if you need more ideas for potty-themed books, you can find a heap of ‘em here:

https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2019/03/the-reading-part-of-writing-life-part-2.html

Before reading a new story, it can be helpful to review the sign(s) that you plan to incorporate. For example, if you decide to read Time to Pee as suggested above, it would be good to review the sign for Pee: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/PEE/2078/1

Invite participants to sign the designated word(s) each time they repeat in the story, OR break the group into teams and assign different key words to each team to sign when they repeat in the story.

Sing and Sign “Diaper Dance” from Signing Time

You can find lyrics and purchase downloads here: https://www.signingtime.com/resources/music-lyrics/

I’m a huge fan of the entire Signing Time series, and this is one of MANY of Rachel Coleman’s great songs that fit with this theme. In fact, Signing Time has a full collection of songs and videos related to potty training aptly called, Potty Time. You can find out more about that here:

https://store.signingtime.com/potty-time

Here is a sample from the Potty Time series:

It’s Potty Time Theme Song (by Two Little Hands Productions, the makers of Signing Time)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wadtd38Qb8

Share a Favorite Potty Training Book/Resource with the Grown-Ups

My personal favorite is, Oh Crap! Potty Training, by Jamie Glowacki, the self-proclaimed “Pied Piper of Poop,” but you might have your own favorite.

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501122989

If you’ve put together a potty training bag-of-books or “kit” for your families, this would be a good time to share info about this. If you haven’t yet put something like this together, Storytime Katie shares info about her Potty Training Book Bundles/Parenting Packs here: https://storytimekatie.com/2016/09/12/parenting-packs-potty-training-for-girls/

Allow Parents/Caregivers an Opportunity to Share and Discuss Their Potty-Training Concerns

NOTE: You don’t personally have to be a potty-training expert to facilitate a meaningful discussion on this topic for your families. Just create an opportunity for participants to share their concerns and the resources they have personally found helpful with one another. They’ll learn a lot from each other, and you will, too!

Finish with a Flush:

Introduce/review sign for flush: https://youtu.be/Ir9fbZGpexo / https://youtu.be/eIQb8kKBaXo (Flushing gesture)

Option #1: Invite participants to use iPads, Computers, or cell phones to go online to make a Toilet Flushing Sound: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423197696232635506/

Option #2: Get your hands on the game called, Toilet Trouble. The flushing sound it makes is marvelous. For wee ones still in diapers, it might be a good motivator and/or an eco-friendly way to help a kiddo get comfortable with the sound of flushing: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423197696232584199/

Need More “Props?”

I have gone a little cowgirl crazy finding different props that could be used for cowgirl and/or potty-themed events. You can find all the fun on my Pinterest page (be especially sure to check out the swag and novelty sections of my Cowgirl and Potty Humor Boards): https://www.pinterest.com/dawnprochovnic/

Extension Activities:

Diaper Toss and/or Decorating Paper Underpants

You can find photos of kids doing the diaper toss and a template for underpants here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2019/04/potty-talk-potty-themed-storytime-and.html

Prep participants by introducing/reviewing signs that are particularly relevant for these activities:

Applause/Hooray: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/APPLAUSE/7950/1 (Hands celebrate)

Diaper: https://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/DIAPER/5559/1

Done/Finished: https://www.signingtime.com/dictionary/finished/ (Palms in, palms away)

Underwear: https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=3001 (Underwear area)

If you’re looking for more cowgirl-themed (and potty-themed) lesson plans and resources, you can find them here: [https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2019/04/start-to-finish-story-time-expanded.html]

Fun fact: Dawn loves to travel, so get in touch if you’d like her to personally present a story time program of this nature (pardon the pun) in your learning community.

Now giddy-up and have yourself a real good time!

…oh, one more thing…if you share photos of and/or blog about your story time / event, be sure to tag me so I can share in the fun. Even better if it’s something I can link to in my round-up of resources for my readers!

Instagram: @DawnProchovnic

Twitter: @DawnProchovnic

Facebook: @DawnProchovnic

Dawn Babb Prochovnic is an author, educator, speaker, and the founder of SmallTalk Learning, which provides American Sign Language education. She has led early literacy workshops and written several children’s books including Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? (forthcoming, 2019), and 16 picture books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes series. She is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Dawn loves to travel and has visited thousands of potties across the Pacific Northwest and around the world. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.