I went back and forth on doing this theme for storytime. Our school system always makes Grandparents Day a big deal (in the US, the first Sunday of September after Labor Day), and I’d seen it as a theme idea on some library groups and blogs. But, of course, not everyone has living grandparents, or ones who are active in their life. AND not all grandparents fall into that strict binary of grandma/grandpa. In my introduction to the theme, I tried to expand it to all the older grownups who love us and take care of us, but when all of your songs, rhymes, and books are explicitly about “grandparents,” that kind of caveat falls a bit short. I think I would maybe mix up some of the wording in the future to include aunties or babysitters or friends.
I was happy to continue to offer outdoor storytimes in the fall of 2021. I noted that we would cancel for rain or extreme temperatures: over 90F or under 40F. I had a two-week vacation planned at the end of October, so I planned all of September and the first two weeks of October to be outside. Thankfully, we didn’t have to cancel once, though toward the end we moved from the grass to our brick courtyard – even on sunny days, the sun wasn’t out long enough to dry off the grass by 10:30 AM!
You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.
Early Literacy Tip: Talk about writing when you make and send cards for people. Have your child help and remember to ask her to sign her name along with yours! Don’t worry if it is not legible. They are getting the idea that what
they write means something.
Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends
(tune of Goodnight, Ladies)
Hello, friends! Hello, friends!
Hello, friends, it’s time to say hello!
Hello, [name 1], hello, [name 2]!
Hello, [name 3], it’s time to say hello!
(ASL motions: salute for “hello,” then take the index fingers on each hand and you link them together as though they are hugging each other back and forth for “friends”)
Source: Glenside Public Library District
Warm-Up Rhyme: We Wiggle and Stop
(Use the ASL sign for the word “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle
And we wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
(Try other motions such as jump, twirl, stretch)
Source: Jbrary
Intro: Today we celebrate grandparents and all the older grownups that take care of us and love us. Some of them you might be with right now! Some we might not see very often, but we know they love us and we love them.
Read: I Love My Glam-Ma by Samantha Berger & Sujean Rim
Song: My Grandparents Love
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
My grandma bounces me up and down
Up and down, up and down
My grandma bounces me up and down
Because she loves me so!
Additional Verses:
Grandpa swings me side to side…
Grandma loves to read to me…
Grandpa gives me great big hugs…
Source: Johnson County Library (KS)
Song: Let’s Clap!
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
For grandma, for grandma
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
Let’s clap them this way
Clap this way (high) and that way (low)
Clap this way and that way
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
Let’s clap them this way!
Let’s stomp our feet for grandpa… (left and right)
Source: Storytimes and More
Since we’re doing some stomping… Used this in person only.
Recorded Song: The Tempo Marches On by Jim Gill
Read: The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr
Rhyme: Grandma’s Glasses
These are grandma’s glasses
And this is grandma’s hat
And this is the way she folds her hands
And puts them in her lap
These are grandpa’s glasses
And this is grandpa’s hat
And this is the way he folds his arms
And takes a little nap (snore!)
Source: Tim Burkey – I do the nap instead of repeating the lap line
Breathing Break: Five Finger Breathing
Our breathwork visualization. We inhale while tracing up a finger, pause at the top, then exhale while tracing down, and pause at the bottom. Repeat for all five fingers. At the end, I let them know this is a great way to get calm, get centered or focused, and get ready for the next thing. I also remind them they can take a ten finger break if they need to, and it’s always available for them whenever they need it.
One more repeated activity. This has always been a favorite song!
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
(hands scrape past each other rhythmically)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
If you want to take a trip (fingers walk up arm)
Climb aboard my rocket ship!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLASTOFF! (crouch, then jump!)
Source: Jbrary
Read: Llama Llama Gram & Grandpa by Anna Dewdney
I asked the audience what other names they might use for their grandparents, and offered some regional/cultural ones. Careful! I am so used to singing this original tune, several times I launched into “You’ll never know…” on the third line before correcting myself!
Ukulele Song: You Are My Grandma/Grandpa
(tune of You Are My Sunshine)
You are my Grandma You are my Grandpa
You make me happy when I’m with you
You give good hugs and
You give good kisses
I hope you know how much I love you
Source: Handley Regional Library System (VA)
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!
Craft: Cards for Grandparents
These cards came straight from the Smudge Ink blog, and I printed two grandmas and two grandpas for each packet, though I said if anyone needed more or any other combination, to let me know! I don’t love how the cards say “The best thing you cook is…” for grandma and “The best thing you make is…” for grandpa, whereas the rest of the inside is the same, but I didn’t have time to make adjustments or create my own template. Next time!
I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu & Christina Forshay
Go, Grandpa, Go! by Lynn Plourde & Sophie Beer
The Truth About Grandparents by Elina Ellis
Goodbye Song: See You Later, Alligator
(tune of Clementine)
See you later, alligator (wave with one hand, then the other)
In a while, crocodile (open and shut arms like a croc’s mouth)
Give a hug, ladybug (hug yourself or a loved one)
Blow a kiss, jellyfish! MWAH! (move hand like a jellyfish then blow a kiss!)
Source: King County Library System
Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars
This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 9/7/21.
Storytime Handout:
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 