msemilylibrary

Preschool Storytime: Silly Stories

Posted on August 20, 2020August 19, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This was one of my last storytimes that I did before we had access to the library building again, so I used books I had in my house as well as ones I had asked my director to pull for me. This storytime and the ones that came before it in lockdown were a bit of a mishmash of what I had on hand and a “theme” I could connect them with. These three books were just silly, so that became the theme! As with all the other storytimes done when the library was closed, we were not offering Take and Make packets or handouts.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Helping your children associate books and reading with something enjoyable and positive is supporting print motivation, a child’s interest in and enjoyment of books and reading. Researchers have noted that children who have enjoyable experiences around books are more likely to stick with learning to read even if it difficult.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Read: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

Action Rhyme: The Colors I See
Red, red is the color I see
If you’re wearing red then show it to me!
Stand up, take a bow, turn around
Then sit back down right on the ground!
Repeat with any colors – don’t forget black, white, and brown!
Credit: King County Library System

Flannel Game: Little Mouse
Little Mouse, Little Mouse,
Are you in the red house?

Flannel set with seven houses of varying colors and sizes and one small mouse

Read: Who Wet My Pants? by Bob Shea & Zachariah Ohora

Bouncing Song: Baby, Put Your Pants On
(tune of Shortnin’ Bread)
Baby put your pants on, pants on, pants on
Baby put your pants on, 1, 2, 3
Baby put your pants on, pants on, pants on
Baby put your pants on, 1, 2, 3

Leg to the left, leg to the right
Wiggle and jiggle and pull ’em up tight.
Leg to the left, leg to the right
Wiggle and jiggle and pull ’em up tight.

Other verses: shirt, socks, shoes, hat
Credit: Jbrary

Fingerplay: Two Little Friends
Two little friends are better than one (two fingers on one hand, one finger on the other)
And three are better than two
And four are much better still –
Just think! What four little friends can do!
List activities that four friends can do together.
Credit: King County Library System

Read: Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

Ukulele Song: Shake My Sillies Out
I gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away!

Additional verses:
I gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out…
I gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out…
I gotta stretch, stretch, stretch my stretchies out…
I gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out…
Credit: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

Activity Suggestion: Paper Plate Doughnuts. Make your own doughnuts like the ones in Who Wet My Pants? with paper plates. Decorate the outside with the icing and sprinkles you like, and ask a grownup to help cut out a hole in the middle. If you make multiples, you can use them for a ring toss game!

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 5/12/20.

Flannelboard: Little Mouse

Posted on August 20, 2020August 19, 2020 by msemilylibrary

One of the most ubiquitous flannel rhymes I’ve seen is Little Mouse, or a variation thereof. (Jbrary even has a blog post roundup with lots of inspirational variations!) I knew I had to make my own. I made my houses using gridded paper to keep them straight and even, and wanted my mouse to be special. I did a image search until I found one I really liked, then traced it from the screen (I have no printer at home and we were on lockdown at the time!) Then came the design of the layers, and painstaking, tweezer-using assembly! In the end, I had a mouse I loved, with a variety of houses to hide in.

Preschool Storytime: My Many Feelings

Posted on August 19, 2020May 10, 2024 by msemilylibrary

I’ve been wanting to do a storytime about feelings for a while now. With the kids going back to school and the world turned upside down, it seemed like the time had come. There are so many great picture book options – you could probably do a theme on each feeling individually! I tried to whittle down my favorites to include in the handout.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

See another version of this theme from 2024.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning to identify and name our feelings has been shown to release chemicals in the brain that help us feel calmer and able to control negative feelings. According to research, children who understand their own and others’ feelings and learn to manage their emotions have been shown do better in their lives in several ways. These skills are important for getting along with others, staying alert and engaged in activities, and for solving problems peacefully. Books showing emotions help kids develop these skills.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Discussion: What are some different feelings? Happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, bored, lonely, curious, confident, shy, worried, silly… How can we tell what other people are feeling? Tone of voice, the way their body is held, mostly in the face! Use Sunflower Storytime’s feeling faces and ask the kids to make their best faces for each emotion.

Action Rhyme: Feelings
Sometimes on my face you’ll see (point to face)
How I feel inside of me (Point to chest)
A smile means happy, a frown means sad (Smile, then frown)
And when I grit my teeth, I’m mad (Grit teeth and frown)
When I’m proud I beam and glow (Smile, thumbs up)
But when I’m shy, my head hangs low (Bow head)
Credit: Karen Folk. 1001 Rhymes and Fingerplays, via Sunflower Storytimes

Read: Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won

Flannel Song: Five in the Bed
There were five in a bed, and the little one said (5 fingers up)
“Roll over, roll over” (make rolling motion)
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were four in a bed… (continue down to one)

There was one in the bed and the little one said,
(tune of He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands)
“Ahhhhhhhh. I’ve got the whole bed to myself!
I’ve got the whole wide bed to myself!
I’ve got the whole bed to myself,
I’ve got the whole bed to myself! Goodnight!”
Credit: traditional

[My friend Rebecca at Oconee County Library cued me in to connecting the songs Five in the Bed and He’s Got the Whole World; I think it’s a brilliant mashup! I made my own copy of Five in the Bed flannel using inspiration from Adventures in Storytime for the faces and Making Learning Fun for the bed. The faces flip to show their sleeping and surprised faces (the little one starts out grumpy)]

Read: Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban & Henry Cole

Ukulele Song: Take a Breath (The Self-Reg Song)
When I’m not doing fine, I keep this in mind
I can take a breath or two
When I want to feel well, I can be still
I can take a breath or two

Breathing in, Breathing out, Breathing in, Breathing out
When I am still, I can be fine, Breathing in and out

Additional verses:
…I can sing a song or two…
…I can move my arms around…

Last verse:
To change how I feel, I keep this in mind
I can take a breath – I can hum a song – I can move my arms –
And feel all right.
Credit: Raffi, from the album Dog on the Floor
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

Thumbnail of ukulele songsheet for Take a Breath

Finger Rhyme: Five Little Frogs
(hold each finger in turn, starting with the thumb)
Five little frogs standing in a row
This little frog stubbed his toe
This little frog said, “Oh, Oh, Oh!”
This little frog laughed and was glad
This little frog cried and was sad
This little frog, so thoughtful and good,
Ran for the doctor as fast as he could
Credit: Mansfield/Richland County (OH) Public Library

Read: The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know it
If you’re happy and you know it shout hooray (hooray!)
If you’re happy and you know it shout hooray (hooray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it shout hooray

Additional verses:
If you’re grumpy and you know it, stomp your feet…
If you’re sad and you know it have a cry (boo hoo)…
If you’re silly and you know it wave your arms…
If you’re surprised and you know it shout “oh my!”…
If you’re scared and you know it, cover your eyes…
Credit: Traditional

Craft: Paper Plate Faces
from the Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award 2020 Program Guide
This activity is a great way to talk about feelings, as well as working on fine motor skills. Use paper plates to make faces by JUST drawing the EYES and NOSE (hair, ears, and eyeglasses optional!) Use the longer pipe cleaner pieces to make different mouth expressions on the paper plate, and the shorter pieces to make eyebrows if desired. Lead your child with questions like “Can you make a happy face with the pipe cleaner?” and “What would the face look like with an angry expression?” OR, let your child decide what emotion to create, then talk about what they made.

Picture of paper plate craft with examples of a happy, surprised, and angry face made with pipe cleaner mouths and eyebrows.

Suggested Activity: Play with blocks the way Taylor does in The Rabbit Listened. Blocks have many benefits to early learning, such as matching, counting, sorting, and even gravity, balance, and geometry.

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 8/11/20.

Storytime Handout:

Baby and Toddler Storytime: Opposites

Posted on August 13, 2020August 13, 2020 by msemilylibrary

I’m not sure what sparked this theme – I think I was pondering that so many of our rhymes and songs feature opposites, and I found and loved the book Up, Up, Up, Down. Then it just all came together. This is the last of my Baby and Toddler themes for spring. During the summer, it seemed like the fairytale theme worked better with longer books, so they were all preschool oriented. I did try to offer bounces and motion alternatives for younger kids during that time. I probably should start alternating again! When I planned this program in mid-May, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Helping children understand the concept of opposites helps give them more information about the world around them. They’re building background knowledge which means they’ll have better comprehension when they start learning to read independently.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Action Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll hands and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
Roly poly, roly, poly, up, up, up (arms up, voice higher)
Roly poly, roly, poly, down, down, down (arms down, voice low)
Roly poly, roly, poly, out, out, out (arms far from chest, voice expansive)
Roly poly, roly, poly, in, in, in (arms close to chest, voice and lips collapsed)
Roly poly, roly, poly, BIG, BIG, BIG (large movements, voice loud)
Roly poly, roly, poly, very, very small (roll only index fingers, voice quiet)
Roly poly, roly, poly, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast! (roll quickly, voice frenetic)
Rol…ly… po…ly… in… your… lap (roll very slowly, then lay hands down, speak in slow motion)
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

Action Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big (hold arms out to side)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (flat hand lowers)
This is tall, tall, tall (flat hand reaches up)
This is fast, fast, fast (circle fists quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Read: Up, Up, Up, Down by Kimberly Gee

Lifting Song: The Elevator Song
Oh, the city is great and the city is grand!
There’s a whole lot of people
On a little piece of land
And we live way up on the 57th floor
And this is what we do when we go out the door:

We take the elevator up and the elevator down,
Take the elevator up, take the elevator down
Take the elevator up and the elevator down
And we turn around.
Credit: Jbrary

Earlier in the spring, we talked about how caregivers could make a simple shaker at home using rice or beans in a closable container their child could grip (mine is a 4 oz plastic food container secured with tape). I always say that even if you don’t have a shaker, you can participate by getting out your “magic shaker” – an invisible shaker you can shake and make noise with a “cha-cha” sound.
Shaker Song: We Shake and We Shake and We Stop
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we shake and we shake
and we shake and we shake and we STOP
Additional verses:
We circle…
We tap…
We roll…
Credit: Jbrary

Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker
(tune of London Bridge)
Shake your shakers in the air
Shake it here, shake it there
Shake your shakers in the air
Shake your shakers

Shake it high and shake it low
Shake it yes, shake it no
Shake it high and shake it low
Shake your shakers

Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shaker on the ground
Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shakers

Shake it near and shake it far
Drive your shaker like a car
Shake it near and shake it far
Shake your shaker

Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake it stop, shake it go
Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake your shaker
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Don’t Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

Tickle song: Spots, Spots, Spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
A leopard has lots of spots
What a lot of spots he got
A tiger’s stripes are always nice
But a leopard has lots of spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
Credit: Jbrary

Activity Suggestion: Opposites Scavenger Hunt
Spend some time this week searching for and pointing out opposites with your child in your everyday life. Remember to look for things that can be felt (rough/smooth, soft/hard, wet/dry) as well as those that can be seen (tall/short, round/square, black/white). Explore movement opposites with our rhymes or a game of your own (fast/slow, loose/rigid, over/under, in front/behind.)

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 5/19/20.

Preschool Storytime: School

Posted on August 12, 2020 by msemilylibrary

Although it’s strange and controversial, the school system here started back this past Wednesday, so I decided to use school as a theme for my Tuesday storytime. Since we’re in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, I know that “Back to School” will not look the same as it has in the past, so I’ve tried to address that in a way that’s positive and not scary. That also translated into more “discussion” than rhymes and songs, which is unusual. Lots of kudos to Kate Reynolds, who wrote and shared the “Face Mask Song” which is catchy, fun, AND informative!

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Even if your child is too young for school right now, introducing the topic and giving them an idea of what school is all about will help prepare them when the time comes. A child who has had exposure to the idea of school and has some positive connections to it through fun books and songs is more likely to enjoy school, look forward to it, and be ready to get the most out of it when they begin attending school.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Action Rhyme: A Is for Alligator
A is for alligator: Chomp, chomp, chomp
B is for ball: Bounce, bounce, bounce
C is for circle: Turn ’round and ’round
& D is for dizzy: Let’s all sit down!
Credit: King County Library System

Read: Wow! School! by Robert Neubecker

“If you’re going to school soon, it may be a little different. We all need to wear a mask when we are going outside of our house. It will cover our mouth and nose, and it’s not scary! Our mouth and nose (and everyone else’s) are still there, just covered up. The mask helps catch any germs that we might have and keeps them from getting on anyone else, and their mask keeps their germs away from you. It may feel different at first, but once you get used to it you may even forget it’s there. There are lots of designs – it’s like another piece of clothing you’ll wear.” I modeled a couple different designs I had, then left one on while singing the face mask song. Since it’s slightly harder to hear, I made lyrics cards that I held up while singing.

Lyric cards for the Face Mask Song (click to download) — Lyrics cards for the Face Mask Song

Song: My New Face Mask
(tune of Alouette)
Chorus:
My new face mask, how I love my face mask
My new face mask, it helps keep us safe

Do you put it on your face? Yes, but it must be in place.
On your mouth (On your mouth!)
And your nose (And your nose!)
Both of those (Both of those!)
AAAAAAH!

Chorus

But if you are under two, Masks, my friend, are not for you
Under two (under two!)
Not for you (not for you!)
AAAAAAAH!

Chorus

And because there’s germs in there, treat it like it’s underwear!
Wash each wear (Wash each wear!)
Never share! (Never share!)
Treat it like it’s underwear!
UnderWEAAARR!

Chorus
Credit: Kate Reynolds, Windsor Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Another thing that may be different at school is the need to stay a bit further away from people we don’t live with – 6 feet. That means we shouldn’t be giving hugs or high fives to people outside of our house. What are some other ways we can say hello, let our friends know that we’re excited to see them, or that we love someone from a little farther away?
Wave
Thumbs up (or two thumbs up – Aaaaay!)
Salute (bonus: ASL for Hello)
Peace sign
Vulcan Salute (takes some practice!)
Nod
Bow (hands at sides or hands at heart)
Hand over your heart and nod
Black Panther’s Wakanda forever!
Air high five
Air hug
Special “hello” dance (this is something you might work on with one or two special friends – make it your own!)

Read: The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Action Song: The Wheels on the Bus
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, Round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
On the way to school.

Additional verses:
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…
The doors on the bus go open and shut…
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep…
The driver on the bus says, “Move on back”…
The kids on the bus wave goodbye… when they get to school!
Credit: traditional

Song: The Handwashing Song
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms
In between, in between
Scrub them all together, scrub them all together
‘Til they’re clean, squeaky clean
(Sing two times while washing for the 20 sec recommended time)
Credit: Jbrary

Our last two books talked about what we might expect at school, but this is a silly book about a dinosaur’s first day of school!
Read: We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

Craft: Paper Bag Backpacks
from Danielle’s Place

Picture of paper bag backpack craft (linked to original site)

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 8/5/20.

Storytime Handout:

Flannelboard: Royal Crowns

Posted on August 7, 2020 by msemilylibrary

Looking for “royalty” songs and rhymes for the Royal Tea Party theme, I came across Miss Sarah’s Storytime Blog, where she used Elsa from Frozen to talk about colors and days of the week. I loved this concept, but I tend to shy away from licensed characters. I played around in Canva to create my own royal family. I love that you can customize SOME of the clipart by changing colors, but I seriously wish that was an option for more of their image library. Especially people – I want to be able to show diversity in my printed materials and it’s a sad fact that there are far more options for white people than BIPOC and much of the art cannot be customized. In any case, after a long time searching for similar art styles that could be customized to my liking, I had my own royal family and set of multi-colored crowns.

In storytime, I introduce this song by saying hello to the royal family and explaining who they were. I explained that the (adult) princess married a Duke and their children were the royal twins and a royal baby. Very twee, but I didn’t want to subject the King and Queen to adult children as well as an infant! We then said they don’t look very royal without their crowns, so proceeded with the song. For each verse we talked about the colors of the crowns and gemstones in them – some verses were more awkward (three-syllable amethyst was a mouthful) but I liked the extra vocabulary. Everything could easily be simplified (even to one royal who changes crowns each day).

Flannel Song: Royal Crowns
(tune of Mary Wore Her Red Dress)
The king wore his purple crown, purple crown, purple crown
The king wore his purple crown every Monday!

The queen wore her red crown, red crown, red crown
The queen wore her red crown every Tuesday!

The princess wore her emerald crown, emerald crown, emerald crown
The princess wore her emerald crown every Wednesday!

The duke wore his sapphire crown, sapphire crown, sapphire crown
The duke wore his sapphire crown every Thursday!

The prince wore his silver crown, silver crown, silver crown
The prince wore his silver crown every Friday!

The princess wore her amethyst crown, amethyst crown, amethyst crown
The princess wore her amethyst crown every Saturday!

The royal baby wore their diamond crown, diamond crown, diamond crown
The royal baby wore their diamond crown every Sunday!
Credit: adapted from Miss Sarah’s Storytime blog

I printed mine in color on cardstock, laminated, and put velcro on the back to work on my flannelboard. Download the template here.

Preschool Storytime: Food

Posted on August 7, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This was the last of my virtual programs before our summer reading program started up. At this time we weren’t providing Take and Make packets. Since we were in lockdown there were no handouts and I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child. It was so fun to work with titles that introduced foods with which some of my patrons may be unfamiliar. The books were a lovely introduction and I was happy that several of the songs and rhymes I found from Jbrary had multicultural verses or ones I could adapt to our books.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Cooking is great for math skills, spatial awareness, reading recipes, following directions, sequencing, and more. It’s sensory – kids can smell, taste, touch, hear, and see so much during the process, and they are much more likely to be willing to try unfamiliar foods that they had a hand in making.

Read: Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed & Anoosha Syed

Action Song: The Soup is Boiling Up
(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
The soup is boiling up, (both hands make spiraling motions upward)
The soup is boiling up,
Stir slow around we go, (pretend to stir)
The soup is boiling up.
Additional verses:
The daal is boiling up…
The chili is boiling up…
The beans are boiling up…
The spaghetti is boiling up…
Credit: Jbrary

Rhyme: At the Kitchen Door
1, 2, 3, 4 _______’s at the kitchen door. (insert child’s name)
5, 6, 7, 8 eating _________ off a plate. (insert child’s favorite food and make eating noises)
Credit: Jbrary

Read: 1 Big Salad by Juana Medina

This is a great one for vocabulary, and you can encourage kids and caregivers to make up their own actions!
Action Cheer: Fruits and Veggies Unite
Form banana, form, form banana (one arm lifts over head in an oblong shape)
Form banana, form, form, banana (second arm mirrors)
Peel banana, peel, peel banana (one arm “peels” off to the side)
Peel banana, peel, peel banana (second arm mirrors)
Go bananas, go, go, bananas! (wave arms wildly)
Go bananas, go, go, bananas!
Additional verses:
Form the orange … peel the orange … squeeze the orange
Form the apple … slice the apple … eat the apple
Form the corn … shuck the corn … pop the corn
Form potato … peel potato … mash potato
Credit: Jbrary

Action Song: Knife, Fork, Spoon, Spatula
(form a knife, fork, spoon, and spatula shape with arms for each word, then shake hands during the “Cha cha chas”)
I’m a Knife, Fork, Spoon, Spatula, cha cha cha
I’m a Knife, Fork, Spoon, Spatula, cha cha cha
I’m a Knife, Fork, Spoon, I’m a Knife, Fork, Spoon,
I’m a Knife, Fork, Spoon, Spatula, cha cha cha
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zheng & Charlene Chua

I borrowed the idea to add some multicultural foods to this classic rhyme from Jbrary’s adaptation which they call Sweet Potatoes in the Pot, and added a few verses that fit with our books today.
Bouncing Rhyme: Jelly on a Plate
Jelly on a plate, Jelly on a plate,
Wibble wobble, wibble wobble, Jelly on a Plate

Naan on the tawa, Naan on the tawa,
Turn it round, turn it round, Naan on the tawa.

Tamales in the steamer, tamales in the steamer,
Wrap them up, wrap them up, Tamales in the steamer

Daal in the pot, daal in the pot,
Simmer, simmer, simmer, simmer, Daal in the pot

Salad in the bowl, salad in the bowl
Toss it up, toss it up, Salad in the bowl

Bao in the steamer, bao in the steamer
Eat them up, eat them up, bao in the steamer
Credit: adapted from Jbrary

Activity suggestion: Spend some time together in the kitchen this week. Have fun! Make a salad using your favorite veggies, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, try a new recipe like daal or bao or something else that sounds good. Here’s a great article from The Kitchn that shows how to include your kids in the process of making meals. I love that it includes ideas for babies from 0-18 months up to children age 9, because it’s never to early to get kids involved in cooking and eating healthy foods!

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 5/26/20.

Summer Reading Storytime: Explore YOUR Story

Posted on August 6, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This summer our library used the CSLP theme Imagine Your Story, so each week had some kind of fairy tale/fantasy theme. However, the first week I wanted to switch the emphasis from Imagine Your Story to Imagine Your Story. So, our books and songs are about family and personal history.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Breaking words into syllables in songs, rhymes, and by clapping them out (like in our song Hickety-Pickety Bumble Bee) is a component of developing phonological awareness (awareness of the smaller sounds that words are made of) which leads to later success in reading and spelling.

Read: We Are Family by Patricia Hegarty & Ryan Wheatcroft
What is a family? What do families do for each other? Who’s in a family?

Fingerplay: Where is Family?
(tune of Where is Thumbkin)
Where is Mama? Where is Mama? (hide hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (bring out one hand at a time with index finger raised)
How are you today, dear? Very well, I thank you! (index fingers “talk” to each other)
See you soon! See you soon! (one hand at a time is hidden behind back)
[Repeat with Papa, brother, sister, grandma, cousin, etc.]
Credit: traditional

Action Rhyme: Here are Grandma’s Glasses
Here are grandma’s glasses (make circles around eyes)
And here is Grandma’s hat, (fold hands on top of head)
Here’s the way she folds her hands (fold hands)
And puts them on her lap. (place hands in lap)

Here are Grandpa’s glasses, (make circles around eyes)
Here is Grandpa’s hat, (make a triangle on top of head)
Here’s the way he folds his arms (fold arms)
And has a little nap. (pretend to sleep/snore)
Credit: Storytime Secrets

Read: All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino

Shaker Song: Alabama, Mississippi
Alabama, Mississippi. Alabama, New Orleans
Alabama, Mississippi. Shake it on down to New Orleans!
Shake, Shake, Shake – Shake it baby
Shake, Shake, Shake – Shake it baby
Shake, Shake, Shake – Shake it baby
Shake it on down to New Orleans!
Credit: Jim Gill (from the album Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes)

Shaker Song: Shake it to the East
Shake it to the east, Shake it to the west
Shake it all around, and then you take a rest
Shake your shakers up, Shake your shakers down
Shake it, shake it, shake it, and then you settle down.
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Alma and How She Got Her Name – Juana Martinez-Neal

Before this chant, we talk about syllables, the smaller parts of a word.
Rhythm Chant: Hickety-Pickety Bumble Bee
Hickety-Pickety Bumble Bee
Won’t you say your name for me? – Emily!
Let’s clap and say it!
Em-i-ly! (clap-clap-clap with syllables)
Let’s say it loud! – Em-i-ly! (shout)
Let’s say it quiet. – Em-i-ly! (whisper)
(repeat for everyone in the room)
Credit: Stories with Ms. Jenna

Song: John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,
His name is my name too!
Whenever we go out, the people always shout
There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Da da da da da da da!
Credit: traditional

Craft: Family Portrait
Make a picture of your family! Glue down the craft sticks in a house shape (liquid glue works best), then draw yourself and your family. You can include friends, pets, as well as extended family if you wish, or just keep it to those who live with you. You can decorate your house, add details like trees and flowers, outdoor animals, furniture, whatever you’d like!

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

I also thought about this rhyme to take the place of the Where is Family song, but didn’t end up using it.
Fingerplay: Come a Look a See
(separate and wiggle fingers for each family member starting with pinky for mama)
Come a look a see, Here’s my mama
Come a look a see, Here’s my papa
Come a look a see, my brother tall
Sister, baby, Muah! (kiss all fingertips together)
I love them all!
Credit: Jbrary

This storytime was presented virtually on 6/2/20.

Storytime Handout:

Summer Reading Storytime: Fairy Tale Baddies

Posted on August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This summer our library used the CSLP theme Imagine Your Story, so each week had some kind of fairy tale/fantasy theme (except for the first week, Family History). This week was all about the “Bad Guys” from fairy tales, which was a lot of fun! It was difficult to narrow down which stories I wanted to draw from, but finally settled on trolls (Billy Goats Gruff), dragons (Dragon Was Terrible), and wolves (Three Little Pigs).

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Expanding familiar stories with songs, rhymes, puppets, felt pieces, props, and crafts is a great way to help kids retell stories, which supports their narrative skills. They also help children internalize stories and can spark further conversations between parent and child. And we know the benefits of repetition – repeating stories, songs, and rhymes helps children remember them and helps them understand the stories on different levels.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Read: The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Stephen Carpenter

Action Song: The Billy Goats Gruff Song
(tune of The Wheels on the Bus)
The little goat on the bridge goes
Trip Trap Trip (tap knees and sing softly) x3
The little goat on the bridge goes Trip Trap Trip
Right above the troll

Repeat with: Middle goat (clap hands, sing normally), Big goat (stomp feet, sing loudly)

The troll under the bridge goes
Roar, roar, roar (put hands up as claws) x3
The troll under the bridge goes Roar, roar, roar
Right below the goats

[And what does the big goat do? Charge the troll! Splash!]

All the billy goats go
Munch, munch, munch (open and shut hands) x3
All the billy goats go Munch, munch, munch
Goodbye, Troll!
Credit: Herrick District Library (MI)

Read: Dragon Was Terrible – Kelly DiPucchio & Greg Pizzoli

Scarf Rhyme: We Are Dragons
We are dragons, We have wings (wave scarf like wings)
We can fly and do dragon things
We can breathe fire (hold scarf to your face and blow!)
Swish our long tails (wave scarf)
Travel for miles without leaving trails!
Roaring, soaring dragons fly (“fly” and dance)
And now it’s time for dragons to say goodbye. (wave)
Credit: Pasadena Public Library (CA)

Scarf Song: One Bright Scarf
(tune of Michael Finnegan)
One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow,
Wiggle it high and wiggle it low
Shake it fast and shake it slow
Hey! (hide scarf) Where did it go?
(or, cover face and sing “Where did you go?”)
Credit: Jbrary

Story Rhyme: The Three Little Pigs
There were three little piggies, Sitting in a house
When along came a wolf, Quiet as a mouse
He said, “little pigs, little pigs, let me come in”
“Not by the hair of our chinny, chin chins.”
So that old wolf huffed and that old wolf blew
And away that little piggy flew!

(Count down to no piggies)

There were no little piggies sitting in a house
When along came a wolf, Quiet as a mouse
He said, “little pig, little pig, let me come in”
But there was no one there to answer him
So that old wolf turned and walked away
He said, “I’ll be back another day.”
And those three little piggies back into their beds did creep
And they fell fast asleep. The end.
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Good Night, Baddies – Deborah Underwood & Juli Kangas

Ukulele Lullaby: Hush, Little Baby (or, Hush, Little Baddie)
Hush, little baby (or baddie), don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama’s gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama’s gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat won’t pull,
Mama’s gonna buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover
And if that dog named Rover won’t bark
Mama’s gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You’ll still be the sweetest little baby (or baddie) in town.
Credit: traditional

Download a Ukulele songsheet for Hush, Little Baby

Craft: Big Bad Wolf
from Glued To My Crafts

photo credit: Stacey from gluedtomycraftsblog.com

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 6/9/20.

Storytime Handout:

Summer Reading Storytime: Plant a Magic Bean

Posted on August 3, 2020 by msemilylibrary

This summer our library used the CSLP theme Imagine Your Story, so each week had some kind of fairy tale/fantasy theme (except for the first week, Family History). This week was centered on the “Jack and the Beanstalk” tale, giants, and other Jack stories. I chose three books that were kind of long, so I tried to abridge them, which worked marginally. I probably should have chosen two titles that were a little shorter so I could use Clever Jack in its entirety, since I love that one so much.

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.

Early Literacy Tip: Read, sing, or say Mother Goose rhymes. Not only are they fun to say, but they help teach important literacy skills, such as vocabulary. For instance, in Jack be Nimble, children encounter the unfamiliar word “nimble.” Nursery rhymes use lots of unfamiliar words. You can use these as opportunities to help your child build his or her vocabulary. Nursery rhymes also teach the rhythm of speech and intonation as well as the grammatical structure of language.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Read: Jack and the Beanstalk by Nina Crews

Action Song: I’m a Little Bean
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little bean, small and round
Bury me deep into the soft ground
Sprinkle me with water, sunshine, too
Watch me grow taller than you!
Credit: Osceola Library System

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!)
Credit: Carole Stephens

Read: There Was an Old Giant Who Swallowed a Clock by Becky Davies & Elina Ellis

Lifting Song: Tick Tock
Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock
tick tock tick tock, Now I’m striking one o’clock: cuckoo!

Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock
tick tock tick tock, Now I’m striking two o’clock: cuckoo! cuckoo!
(Repeat, counting up. Lift or jump with each “cuckoo!”)
Credit: Jbrary

Fingerplay: This is Big, Big, Big
This is big big big (hold hands out wide)
This is small small small (bring hands back together)
This is short short short (bring hand down)
This is tall tall tall (and up again)
This is fast fast fast (circle fists quickly)
This is slow slow slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes yes yes (nod)
This is no no no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Jack and Jill and Jack Be Nimble flannels – from a set my library had when I started

Flannel Nursery Rhyme: Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.

Flannel Nursery Rhyme: Jack Be Nimble
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jump over the candlestick!
Credit: Traditional

Read: Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming & G. Brian Karas

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
Credit: as recorded by Raffi from the album “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

Download a Ukulele songsheet for Mr. Sun

Craft: Beanstalk Scene
Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum! Make your own magical beanstalk by gluing down beans. Twist your tissue paper into a beanstalk, glue it down, and add cotton ball clouds. Color in any details that you like. You can add Jack (or yourself!), the magic hen, harp, even the ferocious giant! from My Adventures in Preschool

photo credit: Laurie from My Adventures in Preschool

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 6/16/20.

Storytime Handout: