A big movement storytime generally works pretty well, as long as there are some breaks in between. And as spring advances, my thoughts turn to some of the notable animals we haven’t seen all winter – rabbits and frogs – so this week was all about jumping and hopping. We talked a bit about the difference between a jump and a hop (a hop could be a little jump, or it could be a jump on one foot for an advanced move) and practiced both a LOT.
I’ll be taking a little break from blogging in the next couple of months. I’m so happy to say that I’ll be on maternity leave, getting to know our new little one. I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to catching up again in July or August!
Early Literacy Tip: Learning to “stop” is an important skill for children, both for safety as well as for impulse control. Practicing “stopping” in a fun way, like with freeze songs, helps work on this skill in a positive environment. You can also add the American Sign Language sign for “stop” to further reinforce this concept: one hand “chops” against the other as if blocking the way.
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Intro: Today I am very excited – I’m just feeling very bouncy, and hoppy, and jumpy! We’re going to do a lot of moving today, so get your bouncy feet ready.
Let’s practice our jumping and listening.
Action Rhyme: We Can Jump (TT) (TB) (FT)
We can jump, jump, jump, We can hop, hop, hop
We can clap, clap, clap, We can stop, stop, stop
We can nod our heads for yes
We can shake our heads for no
We can bend our knees a little bit
And sit down really slow
Source: Jen in the Library
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
A story you can sing! This one got a lot of chuckles from the adults in particular (especially the “slimy and scaly … nevermind” line.) It worked so well I used it for all of my sessions.
Read: If You’re Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre & Jackie Urbanovic (TT) (TB) (FT)
This was a backup title for me but I didn’t end up using it.
Read: Bounce by Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin
My group stayed seated during the book, so this gave them a chance to act it out afterward. After the end of this song, I assured the grownups that this was the last time we’d be using this tune this storytime (pretty much 3 times in a row!)
Are YOU hoppy?
Action Song: If You’re Hoppy (TT) (TB) (FT)
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump
If you’re hoppy and you know it
and you really want to show it
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump
additional verses:
If you’re jumpy… hop high
If you’re bouncy… baby hop
Source: adapted from Jen in the Library
There’s an animal that is really good at jumping – like this!
I did this one once with the puppet and a second time demonstrating the hand movements.
Fingerplay/Puppet: Mr. Bullfrog (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is Mr. Bullfrog (make fist)
Sitting on a rock (place fist on other palm)
He jumps into the water… (lift fist)
KERPLOP! (clap hands together)
Source: Storytime with Miss Tara and Friends
Counting Song: Five Green & Speckled Frogs (TT) (TB) (FT)
Five green and speckled frogs Sat on a hollow log
Eating the most delicious bugs (yum, yum)
One jumped into the pool Where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green speckled frogs
(count down)
Source: traditional
There’s another jumpy animal who lives far away in Australia
Fingerplay: Kangaroo (TT)
Jump, jump, jump (jump pointer finger)
Goes the kangaroo
I thought I saw one (hold up one finger)
But now I see two! (hold up two fingers)
Mommy and her baby
With his head popping out (wiggle thumb from fist)
He holds on tight (hug self)
As they jump all about! (bounce hand around)
Source: Storytime Katie
Time to get our shakers out! Okay, let’s see if we can FREEZE when you hear the word STOP
I learned this one from Jbrary, but going back to listen to them I realized that I morphed the tune and made it my own. You can hear how I do it here!
Action/Shaker Song: We Bounce and STOP (TT) (TB) (FT)
(ASL sign for “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We bounce and we bounce and we STOP
We bounce and we bounce and we STOP
We bounce and we bounce and we bounce and we bounce
And we bounce and we bounce and we STOP
(we hop… we shake… we hug…)
Source: Jbrary
There’s a traditional rhyme about jumping over a candlestick. Can we pretend that our shaker is a candlestick? Lay it on the ground, and we’ll try to jump over. Grown-ups, please help if needed.
Only the oldest of my kiddos were able to let go of their shakers to put them on the ground, but oh, well. This is another place where a good early literacy tip fits – that traditional nursery rhymes often use rich language that isn’t usually included in everyday conversation, and we talked briefly about what the word “nimble” means.
Nursery Rhyme: Jack Be Nimble (TT) (TB) (FT)
(at home, try using a cardboard tube or similar to jump over!)
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jump over the candlestick!
Source: traditional
I know you’re good at jumping – but let’s practice our counting
Recorded Song: Jumping and Counting (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Jim Gill (from the album Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense)
One last chance to jump around!
Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)
I also have this one as a ukulele songsheet. Download it here!
A couple other recorded songs about jumping that might work for you. I added them to my take home handout but didn’t play them in storytime.
Recorded Song: Leap Frog
Source: Jazzy Ash (from the album Bon Voyage)
Recorded Song: All the Ways of Jumping Up and Down
Source: Hap Palmer (from the album Walter the Waltzing Worm)
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Speckled Frogs (TB) (FT)
After last week’s very, very messy craft, I went easy this week. My library has a few frog die cuts, so I cut out enough so everyone could have five, as well as a brown construction paper rectangle log. All could be arranged and decorated with crayons however they liked on a background sheet of sky (or water) blue. I pointed out that two of my frogs had already jumped into the pool and were feeling nice and cool!
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)
Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
A Hippy-Hoppy Toad – Peggy Archer & Anne Wilsdorf
Jabari Jumps – Gaia Cornwall
Froggy Day – Heather Pindar & Barbara Bakos
Hop Jump – Ellen Stoll Walsh
Hop – Jorey Hurley
Jump! – Scott M. Fischer
The Ball Bounced – Nancy Tafuri
Jumpy Jack & Googily – Meg Rosoff & Sophie Blackall
Peep Leap – Elizabeth Verdick & John Bendall-Brunello
The Croaky Pokey – Ethan Long
This storytime was presented in-person on 3/31, 4/1, & 4/2/25.
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
† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 