I don’t really do holiday programs, but I think it’s fine to do tangentially related programming around the time of holidays. Bunnies or rabbits are a great choice in the spring, and near Easter we see depictions of rabbits everywhere. Plus they’re cute. The hardest task is choosing a bunny book, since there are so many good options!
Early Literacy Tip: You don’t actually need to read books aloud to your children in order for them to benefit. Simply looking at and talking about the illustrations in books helps children develop appreciation for the visual arts, as well as new vocabulary. Talk about the colors you see – not only the names of the colors, but whether they are bright or pastel, sharp or soft.
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 hips and noses.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (FT)
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)
Intro: Who is this? It’s my friend bunny! He wants to say hello! I have two bunny puppets, a pink one and a white one in a hat. I used both!
I found a couple kids in the front and had the bunny puppet tickle their toes on the last line!
Action Rhyme: Rabbit’s Habit (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little rabbit has a habit That is very cute to see!
He wiggles his ears (wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!)
He wiggles his nose (wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!)
And he… Jumps on down to tickle your toes!
Source: Intellidance
And now for the rabbit in a hat puppet. This friend is shyer, if we’re very quiet, maybe she’ll come out.
Fingerplay: Little Bunny in a Hat (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little bunny in a hat, Sitting so still (index & middle fingers (bunny ears) hidden behind other hand)
Will she come out? Yes she will! (raise fingers)
She looks to the left (turn fingers left)
She looks to the right (turn fingers right)
She looks straight ahead (turn fingers to front)
And pops out of sight (hide behind other hand again)
Source: Jbrary
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
The rhyme scheme makes it easy for your audience to help tell the story, filling in the missing color for each page turn.
Read: What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park & Maggie Smith (TT) (FT)
If you have a very active group, this one is fun – there’s lots of actions to mimic. If you have a very quiet group (which I did this week), it feels a little awkward. :S
Read: Everybunny Dance! by Ellie Sandall (TB)
Fingerplay: Here is a Bunny (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is a bunny with ears so funny (bunny ear fingers, bent)
And here is his hole in the ground (make circle w/ other hand)
At the first sound he hears, he pricks up his ears (extend ears)
And hops in the hole in the ground (fingers jump into the hole)
Source: Storytime Katie
Fingerplay: Bunnies Up! (TT) (TB) (FT)
(index and middle finger make bunny ears)
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Hold your bunny & turn around
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Put your bunny on the ground
Source: One Little Librarian
This one makes a great transition to the Sleeping Bunnies song.
Counting Rhyme: Come, My Bunnies (TT) (TB) (FT)
“Come my bunnies, It’s time for bed!”
That’s what Mother Bunny said
“But first let’s count you, just to see
If all my bunnies came back to me
Bunny one, Bunny two, Bunny three . . . Oh dear!
Bunny four, Bunny five, Yes, you’re all here!
You’re the cutest little bunnies alive!
Bunny one, two, three, four, five!”
Source: King County (WA) Library System
Action Song: Sleeping Bunnies (TT) (TB) (FT)
(begin with “bunnies” asleep on the floor)
Look at all the bunnies sleeping
’Til it’s nearly noon (point to wrist)
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
(wave hands like a conductor)
Oh so still… Are they ill?
(dramatic pause, then sing fast and clap!)
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies!
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies!
(bunnies get up and hop around!)
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, Stop, stop, stop! (FREEZE!)
Source: King County (WA) Library System
I had two backup rhymes that I didn’t end up using.
Action Rhyme: Little Bunny Rabbit
(mime actions)
Little bunny rabbit goes hop hop hop
See how his ears go flop flop flop
See how his eyes go blink blink blink
See how his nose goes twink twink twink
Pet his white coat so soft and furry
Hop hop hop he’s off in a hurry!
Source: North Mankato Taylor Library
Song: I’m a Little Bunny
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little bunny with a cotton tail
See me hopping down the trail
When I see a carrot – my ears they shake
And then, of course, a bite I take! CRUNCH!
Source: Johnson County (KS) Library
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Bunny Ears Headband (TB) (FT)
This was a very easy craft. I freehanded two ears on pink cardstock, cut strips of brown paper, and used some pink cotton balls that we had in the craft supply closet to make bunny ear headbands. I put out crayons in case they wanted to do any decorating. They turned out pretty cute!
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)
Hat Tricks – Satoshi Kitamura
I Am a Bunny – Ole Risom & Richard Scarry
The Runaway Bunny – Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd
Creepy Carrots – Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown
Wolfie the Bunny – Ame Dyckman & Zachariah OHora
Bunny in the Middle – Anika A Denise & Christopher Denise
Big Bad Bunny – Franny Billingsley & G Brian Karas
A is for Another Rabbit – Hannah Batsel
One Brown Bunny – Marion Dane Bauer & Ivan Bates
Out of a Jar – Deborah Marcero
This storytime was presented in-person on 4/10, 4/11, & 4/12/23.
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
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 