Storytime: The Seeds of Spring

Springtime in Indiana is capricious, but thankfully we had some warm days, some rain, and some early blooms to reflect on. Although an ostensibly “springtime” theme, I focused mostly on seeds and plants. I’ve done gardening themes before, and I’ve also done a couple of sessions on bugs (here and here) that might also fit into this theme, if you are looking for more ideas.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning directional words like up, down, above, and below is foundational to learning to write letters. When you use words like these with your child and you gesture to show what you mean, you’re setting them up to learn how to write later on.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (TT) (TB) (FT)**

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT)
This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. This week it was fingers and knees.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: This week is the first official day of spring. Every day, the days are getting a little bit longer, the weather changing like the season, but moving toward getting a little warmer, and the little seeds that have been in the ground all winter long are starting to wake up!

As simple as this is, it worked really well for all three groups.
Fingerplay: During the Spring (TT) (TB) (FT)
During the spring, it often showers (flutter fingers down)
Or the sun shines for many hours (form circle with arms)
Both are very good for the flowers! (cup hands, extend arms)
Source: Storytime Katie

Fingerplay: Dig a Little Hole
Dig a little hole, Plant a little seed
Pour a little water, Pull a little weed
Chase a little bug, Heigh-ho, there he goes!
Give a little sunshine, Grow a little rose
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime via Storytime Katie

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Read: A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis (TT) (FT)

What a beautiful book this is. I love its playfulness and gentleness.
Read: How to Say Hello to a Worm by Kari Percival (TB)

Fingerplay: Five Plump Peas
Five plump peas in a peapod pressed (make a fist and cover with the other hand)
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest (raise all fingers on first hand one by one)
they grew, & they grew, & they grew, & never stopped (hands get wider and wider)
They grew SO BIG that the peapod… POPPED! (hands spread as wide as possible, then clap!)
Source: Carole Stephens

Rhyme: Be A Seed
Be a seed, small and round
Sprout, sprout, sprout up from the ground.
Shake your leaves for all to see
Stretch your arms up, you’re a tree!
Source: Jbrary

Action Rhyme: A Big Green Leaf (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big green leaf, a big green leaf (hold hands apart)
Little ladybug (pinch fingers close)
On a big green leaf (x2)

A bumblebee- BZZ! (tickle) A bumblebee- BZZ! (tickle)
And a little ladybug On a big green leaf (x2)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Scarf Song: One Bright Scarf (TT) (TB) (FT)
One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow
Toss it up high, and wave it down low
Wiggle it fast, and wiggle it slow (hide the scarf)
Hey! Where did it go? (bring out) Here it is!
Source: Jbrary

Scarf Rhyme: Here is a Green Leaf (TT) (TB) (FT)
(start by crumpling scarf between both hands)
Here is a green leaf, and here is a green leaf (show thumbs)
and that, you see, makes two
Here is the bud that makes the flower (show a tiny bit of the scarf)
Now watch it bloom for you! (open hands to let scarf expand)
Source: Jbrary

Scarf Rhyme: Little Seed (TB) (FT)
(start by scrunching scarf in one hand)
Little seed in the ground
Sitting oh, so still
Little seed, will you sprout?
YES, I WILL! (pull scarf up out of hand)
Source: Lady Librarian Life

Ukulele Song: Mr. Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Source: Raffi (from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young)

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Mr. Sun” here!

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Dot Painted Flowers
Pretty simple. I used two die cuts to make flowers on white construction paper, and provided light blue backing paper, glue sticks, and dot markers.
I’d also read a great article on how radishes are a great veggie for children to grow, since they are very quick to both sprout and mature. I bought a package of radish seeds and gave them out with some simple instructions.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
And Then it’s Spring – Julie Fogliano & Erin E. Stead
If You Plant a Seed – Kadir Nelson
Flower Garden – Eve Bunting & Kathryn Hewitt
On a Snow-Melting Day – Buffy Silverman
A Seed is Sleepy – Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long
Emile and the Field – Kevin Young & Chioma Ebinama
My Garden/Mi Jardín – Rebecca Emberley
Lola Plants a Garden – Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw
How a Seed Grows – Helene J. Jordan & Loretta Krupinski
Planting a Rainbow – Lois Ehlert

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/20, 3/21, & 3/22/23.

Storytime Handout:

*Lyrics to these songs can be found on the Repeated Songs & Rhymes page.

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5