Apologies for the long delay in posting. I’ve been sick with flu A and it was a doozy!
Kids love animals! They love to talk about their pets and the animals they’ve met in their day-to-day lives. There are lots of fun rhymes and songs about domesticated animals, too, so this is really an easy theme to take into lots of different directions. You could probably do a session just on dogs or cats! One on “unusual” pets would be more challenging, but I’m sure it would work. Here’s the route I went.
You can find another version of this theme from 2021 here.
Early Literacy Tip: Even before your child can read on their own, books are a great way to work on visual literacy skills. Let them “read” the pictures to you – they’ll learn to pick up details, tell a narrative, and appreciate how illustrations can tell a story as well as text. Books like Dog in Charge or even wordless picture books are great for this exercise.
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: Who has a pet at home? What kind? What do you love about them? If not, what kind of pet would you get if you could? Some of us can’t have furry pets because we’re allergic, or we don’t have the time to properly take care of a pet. Maybe you have a stuffed animal that gets your love, or maybe you get to visit a relative or neighbor’s pet.
Let’s see if we can pretend to be some common pets. Action Rhyme: Can You? Can you make yourself small like a hamster? Can you jump up high like a frog? Can you s-t-r-e-t-c-h like a cat? Can you wag your tail like a dog? Can you fly like a bird? Can you swim like a fish? Can you sit back down and be as still as this? Source: Harford County (MD) Public Library
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TB) (FT)
Super simple, with just a few words per page, this is a great title. There’s a lot to look at in the pictures, so I try to point out the main animals and encourage them to check it out later to look more closely. Read: Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi & Brendan Wenzel (TT) (FT)
I love the interactiveness of this title. However, some of the animals are a bit of a stretch as far as “pets” go – a butterfly? And two different dogs are featured – it feels like that was a missed opportunity to feature another animal. Read: Pet this Book by Jessica Young & Daniel Wiseman (TB)
I don’t think I used every single animal in the flannel set I’d made, but I went with the most common as well as some that have distinctive noises like the snake. We had to get creative with the rabbit! I did include the dog, cat, snake, bird, fish, and rabbit. Can you help me with all of my pets? I forgot what they say! Activity: Pet Voices (TT) (TB) (FT) Use pictures and let your child fill in the blanks for each animal This my pet____________. They make this sound __________. (for example) This is my Fish. They make this sound: “Glub Glub” Source: Jen in the Library
Let’s sing a song. I will need your help to do some of the animal voices that we just practiced. What does the doggie say again? Ukulele Song: How Much is that Doggie (TT) (TB) (FT) How much is that doggie in the window? (Woof woof!) The one with the waggily tail? How much is that doggie in the window? (Woof woof!) I do hope that doggie’s for sale
Kitty…meow…whiskers so long Birdie… tweet tweet…flappity wings Rabbit…hop hop…hoppity legs Fishy… glub glub… swimmity fins Source: adapted from traditionalby Jen in the Library
I found this song version with the fun bubble motions at the end at Jbrary. If you’re a child of the 90s like me, you’ll recognize the old hand clapping tune – when we sang it, it was about Miss Lucy and the person in the bathtub was her baby (although I think the Miss Suzy and her steamboat song also used the same tune). The adults sang loud so I wasn’t the only one who remembered it! We love our pets, but sometimes they can get into trouble! Song: Tiny Tim (TT) (TB) (FT) I have a little turtle his name is Tiny Tim I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim He drank up all the water (glug, glug, glug) He ate up all the soap (munch, munch, munch) And now he’s lying in his bed with bubbles in his throat! Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP! (roll arms then clap) Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP! Source: Jbrary
We sure do love our pets. And I love this song! I went through the different motions with everyone first. Action Song: My Dog Rags (TT) (TB) (FT) I have a dog and his name is Rags He eats so much that his tummy sags His ears flip flop and his tail wig wags and when he walks he goes zig zag! He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag I love Rags and he loves me! Source: Jbrary
Let’s get out our scarves! Make sure they’re working – shake them up high… down low… in a circle… behind your knees… looks good!
I learned this rhyme at an in-person children’s roundtable event and I don’t know who shared it! It’s a great one because it can be done with anything. I did all animals, starting with a snake (which is an easy one for a scarf to emulate) then did a fish (loosely fold scarf in half, with a bulbous fish body in front and all the edges sticking out the back of your hand as the tail), bird (hold scarf in the middle and let both sides be wings that flap), and rabbit (same as fish but the “tail” turned upward to form the ears). Did you know that these are magic scarves? Scarf Rhyme: Magic Scarf (TT) (TB) (FT) Abracadabra! Fiddle dee dee! If I wave my magic scarf, what will it be? Source: unknown
My friend Little Bo Peep has outdoor pets – sheep! Scarf Rhyme: Little Bo Peep Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep (hide scarf) And doesn’t know where to find them Leave them alone and they’ll come home (bring scarf out) Wagging their tails behind them! (wave scarf) Source: traditional, scarf movements from Jbrary
Let’s do a song about this pet – what is it? (pointing to rabbit flannelboard piece) And how do bunnies get around? First we’re going to pretend to be sleeping bunnies. Let’s make a pillow with our scarf. Action/Scarf Song: Sleeping Bunnies (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
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft:Pet Parade/Collage Craft(TB) (FT) My library has a great collection of Ellison and Accucut dies, so I just went through and picked out all the animals that could be construed as pets! I cut them all in colors that made sense for the animal and gave them a large 12 x 18″ piece of purple construction paper. I tried to emphasize that they could choose any of the animals, and didn’t need to do all the same ones I did, to make it their own.
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) Mister Kitty Is Lost! – Greg Pizzoli The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals – Deborah Underwood & LeUyen Pham The Welcome Home – Amy June Bates Mr. Watson’s Chickens – Jarrett Dapier & Andrea Tsurumi I Am Cat / I Am Dog – Peter Bently & Chris Chatterton My Dog Just Speaks Spanish – Andrea Cáceres Where Have You Been, Little Cat? – Richard Jones Coquí in the City – Nomar Perez Alfie – Thyra Heder Lola Gets a Cat – Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw Take Your Pet to School Day – Linda Ashman & Suzanne Kaufman Dog in Charge – K.L. Going & Dan Santat Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite – Stacy McAnulty & Edward Hemingway I Got a New Friend – Karl Newsom Edwards Is This Your Class Pet? – Troy Cummings The Pigeon Wants a Puppy – Mo Willems Hello, Jimmy! – Anna Walker I Wanna Iguana – Karen Kaufman Orloff & David Catrow
This storytime was presented in-person on 2/17, 2/18, & 2/19/25.
**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
Another wintery theme for the season! Hibernation touches on some STEM concepts as well as bedtime and weather. I’ve done this one before, but updated with some new rhymes and songs about particular hibernators, such as frogs and bats. I also worked out two songs to play on ukulele – which is always popular.
If you have them, puppets are a great addition to a hibernator storytime. I bought two new finger puppets – both Folkmanis – a chipmunk and a bat. I already had a frog, turtle, and bear, so we had a puppet-stravaganza!
You can find another version of this theme from 2021 here.
Early Literacy Tip: Don’t shy away from using regular adult language with young children. They pick up the words you say and the more words they hear, the greater their vocabulary will be. Children learn words best in context, so you can clarify or explain what you mean if it’s a new or difficult word. -adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
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: When it’s cold outside, we bundle up and like to spend more time indoors. But animals in the wild have to adapt to the winter temperatures and do so in different ways. Some migrate south to warmer temperatures, like geese. Some grow thick coats of fur like wolves. But some animals will sleep all winter long – it’s called hibernation! Let’s see, I have some animals that hibernate here! (Pull out puppets one by one) Turtle, frog, chipmunk, bat, and the star of the hibernation show – bear!
When I think of hibernation, I usually start by thinking of bears, who will often find a cave to sleep in over the winter. After one session, I felt this rhyme was a little too long, especially with not very many “movements” to pair with each line. I reprinted the rhyme sheet and skipped the couplet that dealt with summer, shown in brackets below. I’ve included both versions in the pdf, even though only one is shown here. Fingerplay: Here Is a Cave (TT) (TB) (FT) Here is a cave, Inside is a bear (make a circle with thumb and fingers, then tuck thumb in) Now she comes out To get some fresh air (pop thumb out) [She stays out all summer In sunshine and heat She hunts in the forest For berries to eat] When snow starts to fall She hurries inside (wiggle fingers down and tuck thumb in) Her warm little cave And there she will hide Snow covers the cave Like a fluffy white rug (cover hand with other hand) Inside the bear sleeps All cozy and snug (lay head on hands) Source: Storytime Katie
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TB) (FT)
I love that this title showcases a wide variety of hibernators, but it was a bit long for my squirrely 1-2 year olds. I switched to Old Bear for the next two sessions. Read: Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming (TT)
Short and sweet, with beautiful illustrations that are just odd enough to be dreamy, this title is always a winner. Read: Old Bear by Kevin Henkes (TB) (FT)
I had photographs of a bear, frog, snake, and bat being active, then hibernating on the back of cards. We talked about them before starting the song. This is a fun and fairly easy one to do on ukulele, too. Song: Hibernation (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of “Alouette”) Chorus: Hibernation, time for hibernation Hibernation, time to go to sleep Verse: In the winter, where’s the bear? Sleeping in his log or lair Where’s the bear? (Log or lair) OOOOOOH!
Additional verses: …frog? Sleeping by a pond or log …snake? In the mud beside the lake …bat? In a cave is where she’s at Source: Charles County Public Library (MD)
Oh, no, the bear is so sleepy, it lost its footing and is ROLLING! I think we did four bears instead of five for this one. Counting/Flannel Rhyme: Sleepy Bear Roll (TT) (TB) Five sleepy bears moving really slow One yawns and stumbles and starts to… ROLL! (roll arms) He rolls to a stop and begins to snore… How many bears are left to explore? (count down) Source: Canton (MI) Public Library
I got out the frog puppet to jump with us on this rhyme. I’ve used this rhyme in the past and just changed one word to make it fit for hibernation – the last line I’ve used before was “Now go free.” “Sleep” slips in there perfectly! We said that bears hibernate, but what about this friend? Did you know that frogs bury themselves in the mud and freeze solid in the winter? Then in the spring, they thaw out and hop along! Action Rhyme: Funny, Funny Froggy (TT) (TB) (FT) Funny, funny froggy, Hop, hop, hop! Funny, funny froggy, Stop, stop, stop! Funny, funny froggy, Jump with me Funny, funny froggy, Now go sleep Source: adapted from Books and Bibliotheks
Another one that I changed the middle lines to make it a hibernation song. How about this friend? They sleep upside down in a cave Song: Flutter, Flutter, Little Bat (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Twinkle, Twinkle) Flutter, flutter, little bat How I wonder where you’re at When winter chill begins to creep To your cave you go to sleep Flutter, flutter little bat How I wonder where you’re at Source: adapted from traditional
Time for some movement! This version is from Jazzy Ash’s rendition of Teddy Bear. Action Rhyme: Black Bear, Turn Around (TT) (TB) (FT) Black bear, black bear turn around, Black bear, black bear touch the ground Black bear, black bear Wave up high Black bear, black bear Wink one eye Black bear, black bear Bend your knees, Black bear, black bear flap in the breeze Black bear, black bear climb up to bed, Black bear, black bear rest your head! Source: adapted from traditional
I started with turtle, then went chipmunk, and ended with bear to transition into the next song. Puppets/Fingerplay: Sleepy Turtle (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Thumbkin) Where is Turtle? Where is Turtle? Here I am! Here I am! How are you this winter? Very tired, thank you Go to sleep, Go to sleep (repeat with other hibernators) Source: Storytime Katie
A few of our grownups knew this song right away! I did go through the motions with everyone before we started, especially since I couldn’t lead them while playing. Let’s put our bears to sleep for the winter. Ukulele Action Song: Rockabye Your Bear (TT) (TB) (FT) Everybody clap (clap, clap, clap) Everybody sing, La, la-la, la, la! Bow to your partner Then you turn around Hands in the air Rockabye your bear Bear’s now asleep: (sh, sh, sh!) Bear’s now asleep: (sh, sh, sh!) Source: The Wiggles
Craft: Bear Cave Craft(TB) (FT) Inspired by the project at Glued To My Crafts blog, I pre-printed the bear image on cardstock and cut out triangles. Then I glued three craft sticks to the edges with liquid glue – the craft sticks tended to warp a bit with the glue, so they needed to be weighted down with some wax paper and a heavy book while they dried. That way, the kids just needed to decorate with these small leaf cutouts (we had them in the craft stash but they look like they came from paper punches) and add snow with pulled-apart cotton balls. There was some time investment on the prep for me, but it was a smooth craft for them. Bear image from Play Create Explore.
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) Bear Has a Story to Tell – Philip C Stead & Erin E Stead William’s Winter Nap – Linda Ashman & Chuck Groenink Bear’s Big Dreaming – Michael Rosen & Daniel Egneus Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers – Jessica Kulekjian & Salini Perera Knock Knock – Tammi Sauer & Guy Francis Over and Under the Snow – Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep – Dev Petty & Mike Boldt Bear Snores On – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman Bedtime for Bear – Brett Helquist Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! – Maureen Wright & Will Hillenbrand
This storytime was presented in-person on 2/3, 2/4, & 2/5/25.
**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
Penguins are just undeniably cute! I had done a penguin theme much earlier in my career, before starting this blog, so I’m glad to finally document this one. We had so much fun with this program, and it’s the first time in a long time that the plan seemed to go really, really, well for every single session. Each activity flowed well into the next and everyone seemed to keep focused and interested the whole way through. That’s rare – usually I do some tweaking from one session to the next, or realize that this song or that rhyme didn’t work well. This one was a pleasure start to finish for three days straight.
Early Literacy Tip: Factual books, or nonfiction books, are a great way to expand children’s knowledge about the world. You can read the whole book or choose certain pages your child might be interested in. One great way to share these books with young children is to look at the pictures or photographs and read the captions.
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 we’re talking about an animal that lives where it is cold outside – Penguins! Penguins mainly live in Antarctica, but there are some that also live in Africa and South America. Penguins are birds, but they can’t fly in the air. Instead, they “fly” in the water – they swim! They have short legs and waddle around on land. Let’s find out more. I had one kiddo insist when I said they live in Antarctica that no, they live in the South Pole. I was so impressed! We talked briefly about how that land may have different names, but that he was right.
Here I showed 3-4 pages from this very short nonfiction title and talked about the photographs. Book: Hello, Penguin! by Kathryn Williams
Can we get two penguins out on our fingers? Fingerplay: Two Little Penguins (TT) (TB) (FT) (style of Two Blackbirds) Two little penguins sitting on a hill One named Jack and one named Jill Waddle away Jack, waddle away Jill Come back Jack, come back Jill
Two little penguins sitting on the ice One bows once, the other bows twice Waddle little penguins, waddle away Come back, penguins – time to play! Source: Storytime Katie
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TB) (FT)
This book hit all the high marks – it had noises, a repeated phrase, humor, drama, and a happy ending! Read: Well Done, Mommy Penguin by Chris Haughton (TT) (TB) (FT)
Our penguins are playing with their friends in the water. Can they jump on the shore like Mommy Penguin? My flannelboard has a black background, which works well most of the time. But occasionally I need a different color! I made a dark blue background (basically just a felt piece the size of board) that can go on top of the black when needed. That was a great color for the “sea,” and I added an ice shelf. My five penguins started in the ocean, then hopped up to the ice on the “pop.” This goes a little beyond counting up or counting down, since there are a number of penguins still swimming and a number that have hopped up and we can talk about both numbers. Flannel/Counting Song: Five Penguins Swimming (TT) (TB) (FT) Five little penguins swimming in the water Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water Five little penguins Swimming in the water Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble …POP! (count down) Source: adapted from All the Fish from Caspar Babypants
I think it’s time for penguin puppets! Can you come up and pick a puppet? The kids love to have something to move around, and simple cardstock and craft stick puppets are an easy and cheap way to give them an extra somatic element.
Can you hold up your penguin? Oh, we just landed on Antarctica – I see penguins all over! Puppet Action Rhyme: Penguins Everywhere (TT) (TB) (FT) The penguins are here, the penguins are there the penguins, the penguins are everywhere! The penguins are up, the penguins are down The penguins, the penguins are all around! The penguins are in, the penguins are out the penguins, the penguins are all about! The penguins go low, the penguins go high The penguins, the penguins all wave goodbye! Source: One Little Librarian (link no longer working)
Reinforcing the facts learned in our nonfiction title as well as in our story: What do penguins eat? Fish! Let’s do the penguin cheer! At the “splash” our penguin puppets dove down to catch a fish. We did this three or four times! Puppet Chant: Penguin Cheer (TT) (TB) (FT) I like fishies, Yes, I do! When I want fishies, Here’s what I do: One, two three… SPLASH ! Source: King County (WA) Library System
I debated doing this one on ukulele or just singing and ended up just singing. That way I could model moving the puppet around. Let’s let our penguins play. Puppet Song: The Penguin Song (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of My Bonnie) The penguin slides over the ice bank The penguin jumps into the sea Look at her black and white feathers That penguin’s as cute as can be Swim fast, swim fast, Oh, swim fast my penguin to me, to me! Swim fast, swim fast Oh, swim fast my penguin to me! Source: Johnson County (KS) Library (link no longer working)
At this point I let everyone know that we were going to do a next-level exercise. We would be *trading in* our penguin puppet for a shaky egg. Everyone did a really good job of putting the puppet away in one bin and picking out an egg in the other. Remember penguins are birds. And how are baby birds born? From eggs! Shaker Rhyme: Eggs Up (TT) (TB) (FT) Egg shakers up Egg shakers down Egg shakers dancing all around the town Dance them on your shoulders Dance them on your head Dance them on your knees And tuck them into bed (tuck shaker under your arm) Source: adapted from the traditional Tommy Thumbs
This one was good because I was sure to end with shaker on your feet (I think I did knee, elbow, tummy, then feet). Then we talked about how daddy penguins take care of the eggs before they hatch and keep them on their feet so they stay warm. We tried walking around with shaker on feet like a daddy penguin, to varying degrees of success, but high hilarity! Shaker Song: Can You Shake? (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of London Bridge) Can you shake along with me, Along with me, along with me? Can you shake along with me? Put your shaker on your… knee! (repeat with different body parts) Source: Jbrary
Oh, did you hear that? Our penguin eggs are ready to hatch! Let’s listen carefully! After hatching our eggs a few times, we returned our shaky eggs back to the “nest” bowl and moved on to Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. Shaker Rhyme: Egg So Quiet (TT) (TB) (FT) Egg so quiet (keep shaker egg still) Egg so still Will it hatch? Yes, it will! (shake vigorously!) Source: Storytime in the Stacks
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Heart Penguins(TB) (FT) I found a sample of this penguin in my predecessor’s files, and it was an easy one to recreate. The two main parts were made by folding and cutting like you do a heart (though the black body was not heart shaped but more bullet-like. The white face and belly was the widest heart shape I could make on a half-sheet of white construction paper (so I would fold into fourths and then cut the shape and get two in one sheet). We have a paper die that’s for a heart border, which has four heart shapes strung together, with a smaller heart cut out of the middle. Cutting these into individual hearts made the feet, and the inner heart made the beak. My predecessor also was uncomfortable with googly eyes for kids under 2, so she printed out pairs of eyes on label paper. I have a lot left, so the eyes are just these stickers. They turned out very cute and were minimal work for me to prep.
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) Waiting for Mama – Gianna Marino Flora and the Penguin – Molly Idle What’s in the Egg, Little Pip – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! – Melissa Guion If You Were a Penguin – Florence Minor & Wendell Minor A Penguin Story – Antoinette Portis The King Penguin – Vanessa Roeder Vampenguin – Lucy Ruth Cummins Harriet Gets Carried Away – Jessie Sima Grumpy Pants – Claire Messer
This storytime was presented in-person on 1/13, 1/14, & 1/15/25.
**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
Mice are so ubiquitous in children’s literature, I had no trouble finding lots of cute books for this theme. I also had an abundance of rhymes to choose from, making this a fairly easy theme to plan.
Early Literacy Tip: It takes longer for children who are just learning to talk to respond to our questions. This happens because four different parts of the brain have to work together to form a response. We need to be patient and wait anywhere from 5-12 seconds for children to respond. That feels like a long time because adults usually respond in about 2 seconds. The extra time we give children allows them the practice they need to respond more quickly over time. -The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
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: I have a little friend who lives in this basket! Can you guess who she is? She has little pink ears, soft brown fur, a long pink tail, whiskers, and a twitchy little nose. Who is she? Little Mousie Brown! She has her own rhyme. Would you like to do it with us, Mousie?
Fingerplay: Little Mousie Brown (TT) (TB) (FT) Up the tall white candlestick went little Mousie Brown But when she got up to the top she could not get back down She called for Mama, “Mama, Mama!” But Mama was in town So she called for Papa, “Papa, Papa!” But Papa wasn’t around So little Mousie curled right up and rolled right down! Source: Jbrary
Let’s do one more rhyme with Mousie Brown before she goes back to her house. I switched Mousie Brown from my index finger to my thumb for this one. Fingerplay: Quiet Mouse (TT) (TB) (FT) Here’s a quiet little mouse (show thumb) Living in a quiet little house (hide thumb in fist) When all was quiet as could be OUT popped she! (pop out thumb) Squeak! Source: King County (WA) Library System
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Very short, and I wish some of the rhymes weren’t split over page turns, but quite effective. Read: Mice by Rose Fyleman & Lois Ehlert (TT)
A storytime classic. Read: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the BigHungry Bear byDon & Audrey Wood (TB) (FT)
Little mice need to look out for bigger animals, like bears or… cats! I really liked how the librarian in this video did the scampering at the end, but like the tune and progression (especially the transitions between verses of this video better, so my version is a bit of an amalgamation of the two. Action Song: The Old Gray Cat (TT) (TB) (FT) The old gray cat is sleeping, Sleeping, sleeping (lay head in hands) The old gray cat is sleeping In the house (peak hands up to make a roof above head)
additional verses: The little mice are creeping… (creep fingers) The little mice are nibbling… (pretend to eat) The old gray cat is creeping… (creep/stalk fingers) The little mice go scampering… (quickly, and pat lap) Source: King County (WA) Library System, Version 1Version 2
I know a story about another mouse who has a special trick to keep the cat at bay. Little Clapping Mouse! Story Rhyme: Little Clapping Mouse (TT) (TB) (FT) (give two claps after each line * *) Behind the tree * * And under the house * * There lived a teeny * * Tiny mouse * * She loved to sing * * She loved to tap * * But most of all * * She loved to clap * * She clapped all night * * She clapped all day * * She clapped to frighten * * The cat away! * * * * * (lots of claps) Source: Jbrary
Do you hear that? (squeak) it’s a squeak, but it’s so soft! It must be some BABY mice I had one little one who really loved the counting and the “That’s all” at the end. She said it several times after we finished this rhyme – precious. Fingerplay Rhyme: Baby Mice (TT) (TB) (FT) Where are the baby mice? Squeak, squeak, squeak (cover eyes) I cannot see them. Peek, peek, peek (peek-a-boo) Here they come from a hole in the wall (make hole with fingers) 1-2-3-4-5… That’s all! (lift fingers as you count) Source: Mel’s Desk
We passed out scarves and wiggled them around like little mice. Tickle/Scarf Rhyme: Hurry Scurry Little Mouse (TT) (TB) (FT) Hurry scurry little mouse Starts down at your toes Hurry scurry little mouse Past your knees he goes Hurry scurry little mouse Past where your tummy is Hurry scurry little mouse Gives a mousy kiss! Source: Mel’s Desk
I needed another scarf song, so was looking at my generic ones. I use “Shake it to the East” often with both scarves and shaker eggs, and thought, why not scurry your mouse in scarf form? Scarf Song: Scurry to the East (TT) (TB) (FT) Scurry to the east, Scurry to the west Scurry all around and Then you take a rest Scurry mousies up Scurry mousies down Scurry, scurry, scurry, and Then you settle down! Source: adapted from Jbrary
Let’s be mice. Where would your ears be if you were a mouse? Your whiskers? Tail!? Feet? Action/Scarf Song: Ears and Whiskers, Tail and Feet (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) Ears and whiskers Tail and feet, tail and feet Ears and whiskers Tail and feet, tail and feet Pet my fur and Give a little squeak! Ears and whiskers Tail and feet, tail and feet Source: King County (WA) Library System
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Mouse Finger Puppet (TB) (FT) This craft turned out so cute! I was inspired by a photo at Storytime Katie, but the link she provided was no longer in service. I played around and figured out the shape I would need to get a little pocket for your finger. The rest is just circles for the ears, yarn for the tail, and a tiny pompom for the nose. Eyes are just drawn on.I made a template for the mouse bodies and ears, and printed on brown and pink 9×12″ construction paper.
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) Where Is Jumper? – Ellen Stoll Walsh Mina – Matthew Forsythe Hide-and-Squeak – Heather Vogel Frederick & C.F. Payne Mousie, I Will Read to You – Rachael Cole & Melissa Crowton Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse – Jane Godwin & Blanca Gómez The Completed Hickory Dickory Dock – Jim Aylesworth & Eileen Christelow It’s So Quiet – Sherri Duskey Rinker & Tony Fucile Mice Skating – Annie Silvestro & Teagan White By Mouse & Frog – Deborah Freedman Big Bear, Small Mouse – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman The Voice in the Hollow – Will Hillenbrand House mouse – Michael Hall
This storytime was presented in-person on 12/9, 12/10, & 12/11/24.
**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
Dinosaurs are a tried and true storytime theme, and I celebrate DINOvember every couple of years. This year, we did more shaker egg activities, and I found a fantastic new book that’s perfect for my age group. It is short and simple, has facts about dinosaurs, and a great surprise fold-out page at the very end. Plus – it’s written by an actual dinosaur scientist (who is also a woman of color) and I love pointing out actual jobs that people have in storytime.
You can find other versions of this theme from 2021 and 2022.
Early Literacy Tip: Everybody knows at least one child who can rattle off the names of dozens of dinosaurs. There’s a reason for that! Children’s brains are wired to learn as much vocabulary as possible. So, don’t underestimate them: give them all the words you can! Use the most specific terms possible and they will soak them up like a sponge. –Mel’s Desk
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 we’re talking all about dinosaurs! Even though they’re not around any longer, I love to imagine what these gigantic and amazing creatures might have been like. Some dinos were big, and some were little. Let’s do a rhyme.
I changed the claws/jaws rhyme to claws/pause and roar – roaring seemed more fun that clacking our teeth together. It added that anticipatory element as well. Action Rhyme: Dinosaur, Dinosaur (TT) (TB) (FT) Dinosaur, dinosaur, turn around Dinosaur, dinosaur, stomp the ground Dinosaur, dinosaur, show your claws Dinosaur, dinosaur, now let’s pause… and ROAR! Dinosaur, dinosaur, big and tall (reach up high) Dinosaur, dinosaur, quick and small (crouch low) Dinosaur, dinosaur, shake the ground (stomp again) Dinosaur, dinosaur, sit back down! Source: adapted from Verona Storytime and Plainfield-Guilford Township (IN) Library
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
As mentioned in the intro above, this book has all the elements to make it work perfectly in a toddler storytime. Everyone loved it. During the “dig, dig, dig” refrain, we had our tools out and did the digging motion, which made it even more interactive. Read: Dig, Dig, Dinosaurby Anjali Goswami & Maggie Li (TT) (TB) (FT)
This was on my cart as a backup, but I didn’t end up using it. Read: We Love Dinosaursby Lucy Volpin
This dinosaur flannel comes from Mel’s Desk – inspiration for a lot of the program. I did it on paper, but I’ve seen a lot of cute felt versions, too. There are so many kinds of dinosaurs! Who is this again? Stegosaurus! Let’s see who comes to play with Stegosaurus when she calls for some friends. Song: One Dinosaur Went Out to Play (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Five Little Ducks) One dinosaur went out to play, By a giant fern one day She had such enormous fun That she called for another dinosaur to come: Oh, Diiiiiiiiiinosaur! (Slap hands on thighs to make “running” sounds and repeat, counting up to five dinosaurs)
Last verse: Five dinosaurs went out to play By a giant fern one day They had such enormous fun That they played until the day was done! Source: Mel’s Desk
We talked very briefly about each dino before doing their verse. This actually felt a little long, I maybe would shorten it or replace it next time. Now that the dinos are all together, what do they do? Song: All Through the Swamp (TT) (TB) (FT) The Tyrannosaurus Rex goes grr grr grr, Grr grr grr, Grr grr grr The Tyrannosaurus Rex goes grr grr grr All through the swamp
additional verses: The Triceratops’ horns go poke poke poke… The Stegosaurus’ tail goes swish, swish, swish… The Brachiosaurus’ mouth goes munch, munch, munch… The Pteranodon’s wings go flap flap flap… Source: Mel’s Desk
This storytime went a little long, so I dropped this rhyme and “Inside Her Eggshell” for my two sessions that did a craft as well. Let’s stretch our bodies. Action Rhyme: Dinosaur Stretch (TT) Spread your arms, way out wide Fly like Pteranodon, soar and glide Bend to the floor, head down low Move like Stegosaurus, long ago Reach up tall, try to be As tall as Brachiosaurus eating on a tree Using your claws, grumble and growl Just like Tyrannosaurus Rex on the prowl Source: Storytime Katie
Oh, my! I found a dinosaur nest! Did you know that dinosaurs hatch from eggs? Come on up and get yourself a dinosaur egg. Shaker Rhyme: Dino Eggs (TT) (TB) (FT) Dino eggs are up, Dino eggs are down Dino eggs are dancing, All around the town Dance them on your shoulders, Dance them on your head Dance them on your knees, And tuck them into bed Source: adapted from the traditional “Tommy Thumbs”
I wonder what kind of dinosaur is inside my egg? I guess I’ll just have to wait until it hatches. Shaker Rhyme: Inside Her Eggshell (TT) Inside her egg shell, white and round Baby dinosaur is safe and sound But she wants to come out into the light So she pushes and shoves with all her might Her shell soon cracks and creaks and pops One big jump and out she pops! Source: Yogibrarian
Shaker Rhyme: Egg So Quiet (TT) (TB) (FT) Egg so quiet , Egg so still (keep shaker still) Will it hatch? Yes, it will! (shake hard!) Source: Storytime in the Stacks
Shaker/Recorded Song: We Are the Dinosaurs (TT) (TB) (FT) Source: The Laurie Berkner Band, from the album: “Whaddya Think of That?”
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Dinosaur Parade Headband (TB) (FT) Our library has these four dinosaur dies for our die cutter, which makes this an easy craft for me. The bands are made by cutting a piece of 9 x 12″ construction paper in quarters, and each band is made from two strips stapled together. The kids glued dinos on and grownups stapled the bands together to fit. Whenever we do a headband, I remind grownups to keep the smooth side of the staples on the inside so hair doesn’t get caught.
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!
I made sure to put out my dinosaur manipulative: Clothespin Stegasauruses. I talk more about making these at this post from 2022.
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) Hello Dinosaurs! – Joan Holub & Chris Dickason Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones – Byron Barton Iamasaurus – Anne Ylvisaker & Mark Hoffmann Have You Seen My Invisible Dinosaur? – Helen Yoon We Are the Dinosaurs – Laurie Berkner & Ben Clanton What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night – Refe & Susan Tuma One-osaurus, Two-osaurus – Kim Norman & Pierre Collet-Derby Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur – Cirocco Dunlap & Greg Pizzoli Old MacDino Had a Farm – Becky Davies & Ben Whitehouse Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs – Mo Willems
This storytime was presented in-person on 11/11, 11/12, 11/13, & 11/14/24.
**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
I find pockets in clothing are kind of exciting. You can store treasures that you find on your adventures. And if you’ve walked around without any or adequate pockets (ahem, women’s clothing, I’m looking at you), you know how much you miss them when they’re gone.
I was actually surprised at how few books about children and their pockets there were to be found in my library – I wonder if the waning popularity of letting children roam and explore outdoors makes pockets a little less important to today’s children. Or perhaps it hasn’t been a publishing trend. In any event, I was inspired by the new book The Pocket Book by Hinrichs & Breckenreid, and bought a couple others for the collection to support this theme. In addition, we talked about kangaroos and their incredible biological pockets, as well as their adorable joeys.
I was extra crafty for this session, too. In addition to creating some pockets for the flannel board, I knit a little worm finger puppet and used my sewing machine to add some pockets to an apron. I enjoy crafting a lot so this was fun!
Early Literacy Tip: Crafts and activities like our lacing pocket develop fine motor skills, which means strengthening and developing accuracy in our finger muscles. These are the same muscles they will need for writing. And writing a P for Pocket or your child’s name help develop their letter knowledge. The activities you do with your children all work together to help build a strong foundation for reading later on. -adapted The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
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: Do your clothes have any pockets today? Mine do, and that’s always exciting! You can put all kinds of things in your pocket to save for later.
First, let’s find a pocket! Maybe your pocket is pretend, maybe it’s real. At the end of the song, we talked about what they would want to put in their pockets. I got some good answers, such as a rock, their pet, or a hand! Action Song: Where’s Your Pocket? (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) Where’s your pocket? Where’s your pocket? Find it now, find it now What will you put in it? What will you put in it? Tell me now! Tell me now! Source: Rachel Anne Mencke Blog
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
This book is a bit abstract, so we spent some time looking at the items on the page and what they could represent. Read: The Pocket Bookby Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs & Julia Breckenreid (TT) (FT)
I also tried this sweet book about a joey who’s afraid of everything. The kids enjoyed making the noises of the animals that joey encounters. In the session I read this book, I moved the kangaroo rhyme up to directly follow the book, then kept the order of the other activities the same. Read: Pouch! by David Ezra Stein (TB)
This rhyme works with anything – just think of a one-line hint to put in the middle to describe your object. I kept two of the hints from the Wielded Pen’s original post, but replaced the clock and the flashlight with small toys – a bouncing ball and a matchbox car. When creating the felt, I cut two pieces of felt for each pocket and hand-sewed them together with embroidery floss and glued die-cut numbers on the fronts. Because they needed to hold a bit of weight and stay up on the board, I added some extra Velcro to the backs to keep them stuck on. It worked, and they held the weight of the toy car without an issue. Of course, you could always print pictures of the items instead of using real items. Let’s try a guessing game. I have four pockets up on the board. Can you guess what’s inside each of them? I’ll give you a hint. Rhyming Game: What’s In My Pocket? (TT) (TB) (FT) I have a little pocket where something can hide [Hint!] Do you know what’s inside?
Hints from storytime: …It opens doors and starts the car (key) …It’s used to draw in a coloring book (crayon) …It’s fun to bounce and catch outdoors (ball) …When we play it rolls and I say “vroom!” (toy car) Source: The Wielded Pen
A fun song that was new to me. The recording is nice, with the instrumentation dropping out each time a finger is lost, but I wanted a bit more space in between the verses for us to count the remaining fingers, so I just sang the tune myself. Mar’s recording (linked below) is helpful as she gives some tips and tricks for adults. When I put my hand in my pocket, I can keep all my fingers warm. But have you ever lost something in your pocket? Action Song: Five Fingers in My Pocket (TT) (TB) (FT) I’ve got five fingers in my pocket (show hand & put in pocket) Five fingers hidden away Five fingers in my pocket Look! Aww, one went away! (show hand with 4 fingers) Count down to no fingers, then bring 5 out again Last line: Five fingers here to stay! Source: Music with Mar via Story Tree
I didn’t happen to have a finger puppet for a worm, so I looked to see if there were any free knitting patterns out there. Of course there were! This was a quick and relatively easy (if you know how to knit in the round on dpns) pattern from Chem Knits for a cute stripey worm made from a small amount of fingering weight yarn. Oh! I felt something in my pocket. Something that wiggles! Fingerplay: Wiggly Worm (TT) (TB) (FT) Wiggly is a wee worm who wiggles everywhere Can you keep your eyes on it as it wiggles here and there? Wiggly starts down at my toes And wiggles all the way up to my nose! It wiggles back down without a peep Creeps into my pocket and goes to sleep Source: King County (WA) Library System
I remembered that my predecessor had a couple of “storytime aprons,” and as I was planning this session I thought one had a bunch of pockets on it. But when I looked, one was a “flannel” apron with a fuzzy surface and standard pockets at the bottom, and the other was just a regular apron. So I cut out some pocket shapes from felt and sewed the extras on the regular apron for this pocket zoo. I have a special apron that has LOTS of pockets! Wow! What do you think is in these pockets? Would you believe that I have a zoo in my pockets? Puppet Song: Pocket Zoo (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Old MacDonald) In my pocket is a zoo, E I E I O! There’s a froggy in there, too E I E I O! With a ribbit-ribbit here and a ribbit-ribbit, there Here a ribbit, there a ribbit Everywhere a ribbit-ribbit! In my pocket is a zoo, E I E I O! Source: Rachel Anne Mencke Blog
There’s an animal at the zoo who is very special, and has a pocket that they use to carry their babies around. Do you know what animal that is? A kangaroo! What would you call a baby kangaroo? A joey Action Rhyme: Brown Kangaroo (TT) (TB) (FT) The brown kangaroo Is very funny She leaps and she runs and she hops like a bunny And on her tummy is a pocket so wide Her baby jumps in and goes for a ride Source: Rachel Anne Mencke Blog
I had this one in my back pocket (ha, ha) but didn’t need it as we had plenty to do in the time available. Have you ever picked flowers and put them in your pocket? Let’s play a game. Action Song: Ring Around the Rosie Ring around the rosie, A pocket full of posies Ashes, ashes, We all fall down!
Cows are in the meadow, eating buttercups Thunder, lightning, We all stand up! Source: traditional
My groups really enjoy when we do songs with my ukulele, so I kind of shoehorned this one in. But it made me think about that song that mentions “sunshine in my pocket,” and everyone likes this one. I have one more thing in my pocket – a song! Ukulele Song: You Are My Sunshine (TT) (TB) (FT) You are my sunshine, My only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You’ll never know, dear, How much I love you Please don’t take my sunshine away Source: traditional
Craft: Joey in a Pocket Lacing Craft (TB) (FT) This craft was originally inspired by this post by Saroj Ghoting on her blog (which has a lot of great resources for early literacy asides in storytime). I modified it a bit, adding a little paper joey to add in the pocket. Doing the lacing was a bit of a stretch for my littlest crafters, but with their grownups’ help they were all able to do it. Some of my crafts are extremely simple (just decorating with paint or stickers, for example), and some are a little more involved. I think it’s good to have a mix of easy and challenging in addition to offering many craft mediums. I didn’t find any scrapbook paper in my library’s craft stash, so I just printed pockets with some fun patterns using Canva. (I started with a plain one and colored it as my example, but decided to go with the patterns for the group.) To get the crafts ready, I printed and cut out the pockets from cardstock and paired them with a half sheet of plain cardstock. I then punched holes – the trick here is to make sure all your edges are close enough for the hole puncher to reach. I put a little bit of painter’s tape on to keep the pocket from shifting around, then removed it when all the holes were punched. You also need an even number of holes if you want your yarn to start and end from the back. I taped the end of the yarn to the back and threaded the first hole to get them started. I also wrapped the end of the yarn with tape to make a shoelace-like aglet to make it easier to do the lacing (the only step I forgot to photograph.)
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 Pocket Full of Kisses – Audrey Penn & Barbara Leonard Gibson What’s in Your Pocket? – Heather L. Montgomery & Maribel Lechuga A Dress with Pockets – Lily Murray & Jenny Løvlie Sharko and Hippo – Elliott Kalan & Andrea Tsurumi The Whole Hole Story – Vivian McInerny & Ken Lamug A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes – Elizabeth Garton Scanlon & Robin Preiss Glasser Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? – Eric Carle Marsupial Sue – John Lithgow & Jack E. Davis Wombat – Philip Bunting A Pocket for Corduroy – Don Freeman
This storytime was presented in-person on 11/4, 11/5, & 11/6/24.
**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
Another fun theme that’s relatable for my toddlers who wear their hats in sun and snow all the time. The hat hide-and-seek flannelboard game with Walrus was a big hit, and my Folkmanis Bunny in a Hat puppet is also a big attention draw. I was pleased to see several families (grownups as well as kids) wear their hats, even if they didn’t stay on long during the program!
Early Literacy Tip: Parents, when you share wordless books with your children, there’s no limit to the conversations you can have together! Taking part in lots of conversations helps your child learn new words, gives them a big vocabulary, and helps them become good readers. Talking with your child will help them get ready to read. –Mel’s Desk
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: Last week we talked about what we wear on our feet – shoes and socks. What do we wear on our heads? Hats! Just like shoes, there are so many kinds of hats – some are good for a specific activity or job, and some we wear just because we like how they look.
Hats come in all shapes and sizes! Action Rhyme: Tall Hat, Small Hat (TT) (TB) (FT) Tall hat, (tall hands above head) Small hat (small rounded hands on head) Big hat, (hands wide to either side of head) Cap (one hand flat on head) Let me take them off again (hands move down and to lap) And put them in my lap Source: Librionyian
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
I actually only “read” one book this week because my following activities were so tied to it, though I kept Hooray For Hats as a backup. I took a lot of inspiration from Jessica at Storytime in the Stacks on how to present Where’s Walrus as a wordless picture book, and how to present wordless books as an early literacy tool from Mel’s Desk. Walrus is going to be wearing a lot of hats in this book to hide from the zookeeper. Let’s see if you can find Walrus. Read: Where’s Walrus?by Stephen Savage (TT) (TB) (FT)
Walrus is hiding here at the library! Let’s see if we can find him. This flannel was again inspired by Storytime in the Stacks. You can find a template for the hats (plus more varieties) at her post. We both used a very affordable download from Etsy seller Creative Cat and Cofor the animal faces. To present, I just went hat by hat, talking a little about each one and what it was for, leaving the last one for Walrus. Flannel Rhyme: Where’s Walrus? (TT) (TB) (FT) Walrus, walrus, where could you be? Are you under the baseball cap? Let’s look and see! [That’s not Walrus? Who is it? Panda! Well, maybe Walrus is under the next hat – a chef’s hat!] Source: Storytime in the Stacks
I intended to do this guessing game after finding Walrus, but it just didn’t seem right for my first group, so I skipped it. And looking at the clock when we were done, it was a good thing – I ended right on time. With the craft for the next two sessions, I knew it wouldn’t fit, so it didn’t get used at all. But it’s a possible activity for you, so I’m including it here! The original I saw didn’t include a space helmet, so I wrote a verse for it. Flannel Game: Whose Hat Am I? I’m hard and yellow, sturdy as can be To protect your head – who wears me? [Construction worker – Hard Hat] One, two, three strikes you’re out I am worn in the field and in the dugout [Baseball player – Baseball cap] I’m tall and white, take a look Someone wears me when they cook [Chef – Chef’s hat or toque] Hocus pocus, look about A magician taps me and a rabbit jumps out! [Magician – Top hat] On your birthday, I’ll be there Sitting up atop your hair [Party goer – Party hat] I am special, you can see Worn by those of royalty [King or queen – Crown] Tall with stars and a pointy peak Look for my owner if magic you seek [Witch or Wizard – Magic hat] If there’s a fire, I’ll be there Protecting my brave owner’s hair [Firefighter – Fire helmet] I’m made of straw with a brim so wide Can you tell whose head will be inside? [Cowpoke – Western hat/Stetson] A knitted hat for young and old To keep a head warm in the cold [Anyone! – Winter hat] When my owner walks in outer space I keep them safe in that airless place [Astronaut – Space helmet] Source: Stratford (CT) Library
That cowpoke hat is quite something! Let’s do a bounce Bounce: I Hop on My Horse (TT) (TB) (FT) I hop on my horse and go to town (bounce) I ride up high (arms up, or lift child) and I don’t fall down (arms low, or lower child) I wear a hat so my hair won’t blow (hand on head) And when I want to stop I just say “Ho!” (tilt back) Source: Madison (WI) Public Library
This rhyme is about a grandma and a grandpa who wear a hat. Rhyme: Grandma’s Glasses (TT) (TB) (FT) These are grandma’s glasses This is grandma’s hat And this is the way she folds her hands And lays them on her lap
These are grandpa’s glasses This is grandpa’s hat And this is the way he folds his arms And takes a little nap (snore) Source: Adventures of a Bookworm
Did you know that sometimes when you go to see a magic show, the magician will have a very special hat? This is a draw and tell rhyme that I thought about using for a magic storytime but didn’t have time in that session. This time I made sure to fit it in, and they did enjoy it – by the time I got to the ears, I heard excited voices saying – “rabbit!”The numbers refer to the photos below, showing what to add at each line. Drawing Rhyme: The Magician’s Hat (TT) (TB) (FT) The magician has an empty hat (1) Turned upside down with a brim like that (2) Then suddenly a head appears (3) With two bright eyes… (4) …and two long ears (5) And a small round nose… (6) …and whiskers, too. (7) And magic stories just for you (I just added some stars here) Source: Chalk in Hand: The Draw and Tell Book by Phyllis Noe Pflomm (c)1986 via Once Upon a (Story) Time blog
And I’m pretty sloppy, so honestly you don’t need to draw perfectly to get this one!
Little bunny would like to say hello! But bunny is a little shy. Everyone loves the Bunny in a hat puppet – she gets lots of pets after storytime. After showing the rhyme with the puppet, I tell them, you can do this one with your fingers! And we do it together with just our hands, and then I did it a third time with the puppet and them following along. Fingerplay: Little Bunny in a Hat (TT) (TB) (FT) Make a bunny with your index and middle fingers, hide in other hand Little bunny in a hat, Sitting so still (begin with bunny hidden) Will she come out? Yes she will! (bunny pops out of hat) She looks to the left (turn left) She looks to the right (turn right) She looks straight ahead (turn to front) And pops out of sight (hides in hat/fist again) Source: Jbrary
If you wear a hat, you won’t get rain on your head! A bit of a stretch for a hat storytime, but I wanted another simple one for our scarves. Scarf Rhyme: Rain on the Green Grass (TT) (TB) (FT) Rain on the green grass (shake on floor) Rain on the trees (shake high) Rain on the roof (hold above head) But not on me! (drop scarf) repeat with: Sun, Snow, Leaves Source: Jbrary
Speaking of the weather, have you ever tried to wear a hat when it’s windy outside? Scarf Song: Hats Are Blowing (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) Hats are blowing, Hats are blowing In the air, Everywhere! Every time the wind blows, Someone’s hat, away it goes Hold on tight. You’ll be all right! Source: Storybook Stephanie
This is a silly song. Every time we sing a word that starts with the letter “B”, let’s lift up our “hat” (scarf), and when we sing another “B” word, put your hat on. Listen carefully! I’m always trying to add in a ukulele tune, so I was pleased to realize I could replace one word in this traditional tune and make it a hat tune. Jim Gill does this one with the hands up/down twist. I try to raise and lower the neck of my ukulele to lead the group. It’s hard! I kept trying to change position whenever I change chords, not just at B words. But it’s all fun. Note that I changed the key of this song after trying my original sheet – C just worked better for my voice. Feel free to use what works best for you! Ukulele/Scarf Song: My Bonnet (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of My Bonnie) (raise hands or scarf when you hear a word that starts with “B,” and lower them the next time you hear one!) My Bonnet lies over the ocean My Bonnet lies over the sea My Bonnet lies over the ocean
Oh, Bring Back my Bonnet to me Bring Back, Bring Back Oh, Bring Back my Bonnet to me, to me Bring Back, Bring Back Oh, Bring Back my Bonnet to me! Source: adapted from traditional, hear the Jim Gill version here
It’s time to put our astronaut helmets on so we can zoom, zoom, zoom! Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Origami Hat Decorating (TB) (FT) A traditional origami hat! When I was a kid we made these out of newspapers, but for a plain hat to decorate I used white butcher paper that we have as a library supply. I cut pages to approximately newspaper size, 15 x 22″,and made the hats myself. If I had a slightly older group, I may have let them fold. You can find instructions here, using the “pirate hat” instructions: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Newspaper-Hat. We decorated with dot markers and the library’s extensive supply of stickers.
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) Very Good Hats – Emma Straub & Blanca Gómez Hooray for Hat! – Brian Won Bedtime Bonnet – Nancy Redd & Nneka Myers A Hat for Minerva Louise – Janet Morgan Stoeke I Had Ten Hats – David McPhail Finders Keepers – Keiko Kasza I Want My Hat Back – Jon Klassen Do YOU Have a Hat? – Eileen Spinelli & Geraldo Valério Hat Tricks – Satoshi Kitamura Kindergarten Hat – Janet Lawler & Geraldine Rodriguez Hats Are NOT for Cats! – Jacqueline K Rayner A Hat for Mrs. Goldman – Michelle Edwards & G Brian Karas The Magic Hat – Mem Fox & Tricia Tusa
This storytime was presented in-person on 10/14, 10/15, & 10/16/24.
**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
Hello, again, readers! I hope you have had a wonderful summer, full of adventures and fun. We certainly did here at the library. I love summer, and everything it means at the library. Sometimes our negative feelings about summer reading as library staff can be in front of mind – it’s a lot of work, we’re out of our routines, we have a lot more people to manage with their needs and quirks and behaviors – it’s easy to get burnt out. But I love the summer reading season and I keep in mind that all that extra work, all that foot traffic and so on means that our library is an important part of our community. That means a lot in these uncertain days. And the smiles and appreciation of our patrons of all ages give me a lift every single day. So, fellow librarians, I hope you were able to take care of yourselves AND enjoy the vibrant chaos.
Our library generally uses the theme and graphics from the Collaborative Summer Library Program, or CSLP, a national initiative that helps libraries plan summer programming. This year’s theme was “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” Adventure is a broad theme! I used many of the weekly theme ideas from the CSLP manual and applied them to the framework I’ve been honing in the last couple of years: an outdoor storytime with sensory stations. It’s a big hit and I saw great numbers. All summer, I offered Family Time for ages 0-3.5 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with siblings welcome. As an organization we have also been working toward more weekend and evening programs, so there were a couple of those sprinkled in as well this year. I do have an indoor backup option when the weather is bad, so I still do registration and am limited by that, but it’s a bigger room than I usually use, so space isn’t generally an issue.
For each session, we had about 15-20 minutes of storytime rhymes, songs, and a book, including parachute play, then 20 minutes of free play at various sensory stations. We end with bubbles and a goodbye song. Stations are a really great way to promote socializing, practice skills like sharing and being gentle, and allow for unstructured play, which science tells us is so important to learning and development.
I only did one new station this year (in week 2, see below), the rest were all repeats from the last couple of years, which you can read about in depth at this blog post.
I don’t think I took any photos this year, so here’s one from last year – same set-up!
Repeating Weekly Plan Each week, the structure of the storytime was the same, with only three parts that changed depending on the theme: a themed song, a book, and one fresh parachute song. (Stations also changed weekly.) All the other songs and rhymes were the same:
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! (repeat as needed) (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 (We wiggled every week, but then added 2 more motions. Motions we did throughout the summer: jump, twirl, run, splash, hop, swim, stretch, stomp, wave, sway, march, lean, roll [arms,] hug) Source: Jbrary
Intro: Our theme this summer is Adventure Begins at Your Library. Are you ready to go on an adventure? Short intro to the weekly theme (see below)
Themed Song (see below)
Transition Song: If You’re Ready for a Story (tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It) If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap) If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap) If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story, If you’re ready for a story, clap your hands (clap, clap) Source: Miss Keithia (my predecessor)
Themed Book (see below)
Parachute! What sorts of adventures can we have with our parachute?
Let’s head out on our adventure. Our road is going to start out very smooth. Can we wave the parachute slowly and gently? Parachute: A Smooth Road A smooth road! (repeat x4) (slowly, and gently) [Uh, oh! Our road has turned a little bumpy! Can we wave the parachute medium-fast?] A bumpy road! (x4) (a little faster) [Oh, no! The road has gotten very rough!] A rough road! (x4) (frantic waving of the parachute ensues!) Oh, no! A hole! (lift the parachute up high and then down) Source: Jbrary
Rotating Parachute Song (see below)
Breathing Break Whew, I am out of breath! I’m ready for a breathing break. Let’s take a big breath in and lift the parachute up, then breathe out and lower it. We’ll repeat a few times.
At this point the kids are usually darting under the parachute, so I go with it! Okay, if grown-ups can grab the edges of the parachute, kids can go underneath if they want (if you prefer to just watch from the outside, that’s always fine!) This was originally intended to be a song where we walk around in a circle, but with the age of the kids, grown ups generally wanted to stay kind of close to where their kid was and not walk around. So we just waved up and down until the very end, where we pulled the parachute down (briefly) around the kids underneath. I also originally intended to do a second verse where we stood up, but I didn’t think it was a good idea for the kids to be trapped under the parachute for the length of a verse, so I never did it. It’s included here in case you were curious! Parachute Song: Merry Go Round (tune similar to Mulberry Bush, see link below for a recording) The merry go round goes round and round (walk in a circle with parachute or wave it up and down) The children laugh and laugh and laugh So many were on the merry go round The merry go round collapsed! (fall to the ground or bring parachute down)
(stand up verse) Fishies in the ocean (stay crouched/fallen) Fishies in the sea We all jump up with a 1 2 3! (stand up) Source: Read Sing Play
Okay, grown ups – for our last parachute song we’re going to let the parachute fly – so let go at the very end after we count down and I say “FLY.” Parachute Song: Parachute Fly (tune of Skip to my Lou) (kids go under the parachute and adults raise and lower) Up, up, up it goes, Down, down, down so low Raise our parachute to the sky Count to 3 and watch it fly Spoken: Up on one… Down on two… Up on three… and FLY! (adults let go and leader pulls ‘chute in to themselves) Source: Gymboree
Release to Stations I have eight stations each week, which involve a mixture of dry, wet, and art/creativity stations. We spend about 20 minutes before I ring the bell to call everyone back to the grassy area. See more detail here.
Everybody loves bubbles! The trick to doing bubbles outside is to figure out which way the wind is blowing and get upwind of your group! Recorded Bubble Song: Pop, Pop, Pop by Nathalia From the album “Dream a Little,” available on Spotify
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
Intro: This week we’re talking about travel adventures. Sometimes you think the adventure will happen when you reach your destination, but adventures can happen on the way, too!
I varied whether I did the themed song or the book first, just depending on what made the most sense to me.
Themed Read: Go, Go, Go! by Bob Barner There are lots of ways of going on an adventure! This is a very simple book – a beginning reader – but I had the group do a noise and motion for each kind of vehicle, which made it very interactive.
Let’s get our own adventures underway! Themed Song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat/Car/Plane/Bus Row, row, row your boat (row arms) Gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream!
Additional verses: Drive, drive, drive your car (steering wheel arms) Gently down the street…Life is but a treat
Fly, fly, fly your plane (airplane arms) Gently in the sky…Watch the clouds go by
Drive, drive, drive your bus (big wide steering wheel) Gently down the way Stop to let some people out To ride another day Source: Grandview Heights Public Library (this is the source I had in my notes, but I’m not finding a link now)
Parachute Song: The Wheels on the Bus I used the verses that worked well with the parachute: Wheels: we just flapped the parachute Horn: We held the parachute taut and “beeped” our hand on it Wipers: we swished the parachute from side to side People: again, flapped the parachute up and down Source: traditional
Week 1 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Pool Noodle Soup Fly Swatter Slap Kinetic Sand Sort Beanbags Sort Craft Sticks Color the Parachute Ice Painting
Week 2: Adventures Close to Home 6/10, 6/11, 6/12/24
Intro: This week we’re talking about adventures close to home. You can have an adventure in your backyard or close to home – camping, exploring, and more!
This is a fantastic book with a lot of opportunity for interaction. Whenever we said “Roll, roll, little pea” they joined and rolled their arms. They called out the animals on each page and we made their noise. Great storytime book. This story is about a little pea who finds adventure wherever it rolls Themed Read: Roll, Roll, Little Pea by Cécile Bergame & Magali Attiogbé
Let’s do a fingerplay about five plump peas. Themed Rhyme: 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, and they grew, and they grew, and never stopped (hands get wide) They grew SO BIG that the peapod… POPPED! (hands spread wide, then CLAP!) Source: Jbrary
Since eyes, ears, mouth, and nose are all in the same place, I changed that line. We did this three times, getting faster! Parachute Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (move parachute to correct height) Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes Wave the parachute up and down Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes (repeat, faster) Source: traditional
Week 2 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Lemon Sensory Bin Mystery Water Kinetic Sand Pool Noodle Sort Feed the Croc Color the Parachute Spray Silhouettes
New Station: Spray Silhouettes! I used liquid watercolors in spray bottles and provided a myriad of shapes to create negative image artwork. Some of the shapes were plastic food, big puzzle pieces, the shapes from a baby toy sorter, and duplos. Basically anything I could find that could lay mostly flat and be okay getting wet. It was important to set the spray bottles to “mist” instead of “stream,” and we still had kids who just saturated the paper, but it’s all about the process and not the product! Idea and photo on the sign from Picklebums.
Week 3: Adventures in Imagination 6/17, 6/18, 6/19, 6/20/24
Intro: This week we’re talking about adventures in imagination. When we imagine, we can make adventures anywhere with anything.
To start, we all pretended we had a stick. Then we did some kind of action for each imagined use as we read. Themed Read: Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Let’s put our imagination hats on and get some practice. Themed Rhyme: Can You Pretend? Let’s hear you roar like a lion Let’s see you jump like a frog Let’s see you snap your jaws like a crocodile Let’s hear you howl like a hound dog Pretend you’re an elephant with a big, looooong, trunk Pretend you’re a monkey Let’s see you jump, jump, jump And now you’re a mouse Just let me see How very, very quiet you can be Source: YouthScope
Teddy Bear is going on an adventure – up and down a hill with LOTS of friends. Parachute Song: Funny Teddy Bear (tune of Grand Old Duke of York) Funny teddy bear Bear had a thousand friends Bear marched them up to the top of the hill and Marched them down again And when you’re up you’re up And when you’re down you’re down And when you’re only halfway up you’re neither up nor down Source: Storytime Katie via ALSC Blog
Week 3 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Sponge Play Scooping Blocks Kinetic Sand Colored Ball Sort Pompom Sort Color the Parachute Fly Swatter Painting
Intro: This week we’re talking about animal adventures. Can you imagine going to see amazing animals in the wild?
Themed Read: It’s a Tiger! by David Larochelle & Jeremy Tankard
Can you imagine being a tiger? A SLEEPING tiger?! Themed Song: Sleeping Tigers (tune of Sleeping Bunnies) See the fearsome tigers sleeping till it’s nearly noon Shall we wake them with a merry tune Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up, wake up, wake up sleeping tigers! Wake up, wake up, wake up sleeping tigers! Wake up tigers and roar, roar, roar (repeat, second time: pounce, pounce, pounce)! Source: adapted from the traditional
Even tiny animals might go on an adventure. Parachute: Itsy Bitsy Spider (move parachute up and down as indicated in lyrics) The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Down came the rain and washed the spider out Up came the sun and dried up all the rain So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again Source: traditional
Week 4 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Pool Noodle Soup Whisking Bubbles Kinetic Sand Beanbag Sort Craft Stick Sort Color the Parachute Shape Sorter Stamping
Intro: This week we’re going out to sea – get your lifejackets on!
I tried this book at the first session as a “sing aloud” but it just did not go over well, even with several pages clipped to shorten it. I ditched it for the other two sessions. Themed Read: Port Side Pirates by Oscar Seaworthy & Debbie Harter(Monday only)
This one worked much better – we did some kind of motion or noise for each page to make it interactive. I wish the book itself was bigger and the illustrations were more vibrant, though. Themed Read: Sheep on a Ship by Nancy Shaw & Margot Apple(Tuesday and Wednesday)
When the ocean gets rough, that’s an adventure! Themed Song: The Ocean Song (tune of The Elevator Song) Oh, the ocean is great and the ocean is grand! There are lots of big ships but very little land And we sleep down deep in a hammock near the floor And this is what we do when we go out to shore: (ready?) We… ride… the… waves going up, we ride the waves going down we ride the waves going up, we ride the waves going down we ride the waves going up, we ride the waves going down And we turn… a-… round! Source: Jbrary
I remind everyone to start rowing very gently, then after the first verse, say, “Oh, the wind is picking up, can we row more firmly?” and before the third verse, “Oh, no, there’s a storm! Row as strongly as you can!” Parachute: Row Your Boat (repeat 3 times) Row, row, row your boat Gently/Firmly/Strongly down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream (Wave the parachute gently, then firmly, then wildly!) Source: traditional
Week 5 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Ping Pong Fishing Ice Play Kinetic Sand Pool Noodle Sort Feed the Croc Color the Parachute Dot Painting
Intro: This week we’re celebrating books, and all the adventures we can have in them!
Here’s a song about someone who wears glasses getting ready to read. I’ve found that if I set this one up right, it’s very fun, and if I don’t, it’s a little awkward. We practice making glasses, putting them on and taking them off. Then we make a book and practice opening and closing it (several times!) THEN we sing. Themed Song: These Are My Glasses These are my glasses, this is my book I put on my glasses and open up the book Now I read, read, read And I look, look, look I put down my glasses and Whoop! Close up the book! Source: “Whaddaya Think of That?” by the Laurie Berkner Band
I’ve used this book for years in outreach and for library tours, so I was a little disappointed that it didn’t go over quite as well with the toddler set as the preschoolers. A good reminder that developmental age matters! Another good option for this week would have been Hooray for Books! by Brian Won, but I wasn’t able to get it last minute.The parents enjoyed the jokes, but the kids got antsy. Themed Read: Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss & Tiphanie Beeke
Teddy Bear is going on an adventure – up and down a hill with LOTS of friends. Parachute Song: Funny Teddy Bear (tune of Grand Old Duke of York) Funny teddy bear Bear had a thousand friends Bear marched them up to the top of the hill and Marched them down again And when you’re up you’re up And when you’re down you’re down And when you’re only halfway up you’re neither up nor down Source: Storytime Katie via ALSC Blog
Week 6 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Flower Sensory Bin Scooping Blocks Kinetic Sand Colored Ball Sort Pompom Sort Color the Parachute Finger Painting
Week 7: Adventures in the Dark 7/14, 7/15, 7/16, 7/17, 7/18/24
Intro: This week is about adventures you might have after dark. Have you ever taken a walk with your family after sunset in your neighborhood? Or maybe gone outside to chase fireflies after dark? I love fireflies. Did you know that the Indiana State Insect is the firefly?
Let’s do a rhyme about some fireflies. Can you make your hands “blink” like a firefly light? (Open and close fingers) Themed Song: Two Little Fireflies (like Two Little Blackbirds) Two little fireflies, Blinking in the sky (open and close hands) One blinked low, And one blinked high Fly away low, Fly away high Come back low, Come back high
Other options, choose 2 or 3 more: …Blinking in the grass…one blinked slow And one blinked fast… …blinking by the car. . .1 blinked near, one blinked far… …blinking by a gate… 1 flew wobbly and the other flew straight… …blinking by the lilies, 1 was serious, the other was silly… Source: adapted from the traditional
I love doing this one. It’s so silly. And thanks to a librarian friend, I can do the song with my ukulele, which always captures the group’s attention. Themed Read: Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
In honor of our brave cowboy, let’s sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider! Parachute: Itsy Bitsy Spider (move parachute up and down as indicated in lyrics) The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Down came the rain and washed the spider out Up came the sun and dried up all the rain So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again Source: traditional
Week 7 Stations:(details here) Pouring Station Sponge Play Fly Swatter Slap Kinetic Sand Beanbag Sort Craft Stick Sort Color the Parachute Chalk Art
This was my last set of regular storytimes before our Summer Reading Program begins, so I went with a fairly simple theme of Zoo and Zoo Animals. Many animals can be found at the zoo, and even if a song doesn’t directly show a certain animal in a zoo setting, I think it counts if you *might* find that animal at a zoo!
Early Literacy Tip: Being able to coordinate small muscles in hands and fingers enables children to hold things, cut with scissors, tie their shoes, and fasten buttons. Fingerplays like Kangaroo, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, or Where is Thumbkin develop fine motor skills which also help prepare children to later hold a pencil and manipulate it for writing. adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
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) (FT)
Intro: Today we are talking about the animals at the zoo! Has anyone been to the zoo before? What kinds of animals did you see?
I bought some finger puppets and looked for the “zooiest” animals, and came up with monkey, snake, and tiger, then got out the much-bigger alligator puppet as a surprise finish! Let’s say hello like the animals do. Puppet Song: The Zoo Wakes Up (TT) (TB) (FT) When monkeys get up in the morning, they always say hello When monkeys get up in the morning, they always say hello Oo-oo-ah-ah! That is what they say Oo-oo-ah-ah! That is what they say (repeat with other animals) Source: Storytime in the Stacks
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Let’s see if your favorite zoo animal shows up in this book! I skipped three animals, just because otherwise it was too long for my group. We didn’t do the zebra, hyenas, or the chameleon. Read: The Wheels on the Bus by Jane Cabrera (TT) (TB) (FT)
Those animals sure had fun on the bus! Here’s a bouncy rhyme about animals taking a ride on the bus! When I got to the sheep & cow verse, I mentioned we were heading to the petting zoo! Bounce: Hippopotamus on a City Bus (TT) (TB) (FT) (bounce or slap thighs rhythmically until the last line of each verse) A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus Got on, got on, got on a city bus And all, and all, and all the people said, “You’re squishing us!” (squish face or hug baby)
Additional verses: A cow, a cow, a cow got on a bus Yes, a cow, a cow, a cow got on the bus And all, and all, and all the people said,“Mooooove over!” (lean far to one side) A snake…“Sssssssssit down!” (fall thru knees or sit) A sheep…“Baaaack up!” (lean far back) Source: Jbrary
Oo, our hippo is hungry now! Can we make a giant hippo mouth with our arms? Cut for time in my second and third sessions. Action Song: Noisy Animals Eating (TT) (tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat) See the hippopotamus (extend arms together in front) Eating fruits and weeds (open arms up and down) Take a bite, chew it up Then spit out all the seeds (flick hands out, like spitting)
Additional verses: See the very tall giraffe, Eating fruits and trees… (extend one arm high, extend hand) See the wrinkly elephant, Eating fruits and weeds… (extend arm downward, like an elephant’s trunk) Source: King County (WA) Library System
Flannel Retelling: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell (TB) (FT) I used the template at kizclub.com for this one. I spent a lot of time a few years ago painstakingly cutting most of the inner bits with an Xacto knife, then laminated them. The effect is really nice – you can see through bars and such, but the pieces are still sturdy. I tried to leave a little bit of the animal sticking out the boxes that don’t already give a hint go help the kiddos guess what might be inside.
Can anyone think of an animal who gets around by jumping, lives in Australia, and carries its babies in a pouch? A kangaroo! Our local zoo just opened a kangaroo exhibit in the last couple of years, so many of them had seen that. I changed this from an action rhyme (the original instructions had full-body jumps) into a fingerplay. Fingerplay: Kangaroo (TB) (FT) 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
Who at the zoo has spots? Cut for time in the second and third sessions. Tickle: Spots, Spots, Spots (TT) (tune of the baseball organ wind up) Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots (gently poke baby all over) A leopard has lots of spots What a lot of spots he’s got A tiger’s stripes are always nice (slow, tracing fingers up arm) But a leopard has lots of spots Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots (tickle, tickle, tickle!) Source: Jbrary
Can we move like zoo animals? Action Game: Zoo Animals Die (TB) (FT) I have found that I can’t really roll a big storytime die on the ground. It’s too much of a temptation for everyone to grab it, there’s not a lot of space for it to roll, and it’s more of a distraction than a tool. However, I had the (brilliant, IMHO) idea to throw the die up in the air and catch it instead (more like a coin toss). This has the added benefit that I can kind of cheat on what face to show, letting us do all six moves with fewer repeats. It worked!My library has a die with a foam center and clear plastic cover that I use – you can switch out the faces easily. At a previous library, I made the die from an empty square tissue box. Source: Storytime Sprout
What does the zookeeper do when the elephants get messy? They give them a bath, of course! The template for this flannel is from the ever-helpful but now defunct Sunflower Storytime. You can download a copy of it here. I used to tuck each elephant into the bath in a row, but saw another librarian on YouTube stacking them up tall. That’s a lot easier, and it looks a lot funnier to me, too. Counting Rhyme: Elephants in the Bathtub (TT) (TB) (FT) One elephant in the bathtub (hold up one finger) Going for a swim (swimming motion) Knock, knock (clap, clap) Splash, splash (pat lap) Come on in (motion with hand to come in)
(count up) Five elephants in the bathtub Going for a swim Knock, knock CRASH, CRASH! They all fell in! (wiggle arms downward; knock flannel pieces to the floor!) Source: Sunflower Storytime, see moves on Jbrary
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Animal Dot Painting (TB) (FT) Okay, so this is a bit of a cop-out craft, but sometimes we need a simple week! I’m doing lots of planning and organizing for my summer programs, so I printed out some animal dot painting coloring pages and called it a day. These were from Two Pink Peonies, and I am borrowing the photo from her, as well.
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) My Heart Is Like a Zoo – Michael Hall Xander’s Panda Party – Linda Sue Park & Matt Phelan Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? – Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle Color Zoo – Lois Ehlert From Head to Toe – Eric Carle Fraidyzoo – Thyra Heder A Sick Day for Amos McGee – Philip C Stead & Erin E Stead Wild About Us! – Karen Beaumont & Janet Stevens ZigZag ZooBorns – Andrew Bleiman & Chris Eastland Where’s Walrus? – Stephen Savage
This storytime was presented in-person on 5/6, 5/7, & 5/8/24.
**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
Dancing is such a broad topic, you could really do a series on dance! This theme really seemed to work especially well for each of my sessions. I think having a lot of gross motor opportunities plus music appealed to them. Plus, we got out our wrist ribbons for the first time. Everyone loved waving theirs around.
Early Literacy Tip: By integrating movement and literacy, children use more of their senses to retain information. Movement stimulates the brain and memory.
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) (FT)
Intro: I love to dance! How about you? It’s so fun to listen to music and move your body. Before we do some moving and grooving, let’s loosen up with some stretching.
Stretch: We stretched down and touched our toes, stretched high up, out to the sides, made a big star shape with our arms and legs out, then lastly crossed the midline by touching opposite hands to opposite feet. (Next level stretching!) I added another quick development tip here about how crossing the midline develops some key brain functions!
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* I just mentioned in the last blog post that I rarely do this rhyme anymore, but I actually made it a part of this week’s plan. It was a good next step after stretching.
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Read: Everybunny Dance! by Ellie Sandall (TT) (TB) (FT) This was extremely interactive and fun. The kids followed along as I did the motions and sound effects. We talked about how fox was feeling and how it’s always nice to clap at the end of a performance.
Read: Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig & Marc Brown I do love this title and its companion book, Farmyard Beat, but Everybunny Dance was so good I used it for all three sessions.
Can we count some ballet dancers on our fingers? I didn’t end up using this one, purposely for the first session, and then realizing that adding it to the agenda for the other sessions would make everything run too long. The graphics for this flannel I got many many years ago, and am not sure of the source. Counting Rhyme: Five Ballet Dancers Five ballet dancers, prancing on their toes They twirl and spin and jump then off the stage one goes (count down) No ballet dancers are left – what do we do now? We applaud! Source: Jen in the Library
Our fingers can do their own dancing! Fingerplay: Dance Your Fingers (TT) (TB) (FT) Dance your fingers up, Dance your fingers down Dance your fingers side to side, Dance them all around Dance them on your shoulders, Dance them on you head Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed (tuck under arms) Source: Storytime Katie
Now we need to warm up our feet. Action Rhyme: Walking, Walking (TT) (TB) (FT) (tune of Frère Jacques) (each line 2x) Walking, walking Hop, hop, hop Running, running, running Now we stop! (ASL sign for stop)
Tiptoe, tiptoe Hop, hop, hop Dancing, dancing, dancing Now we stop! Source: adapted from Jbrary
Pass out wrist ribbons. I believe we got these from Lakeshore Learning – they are nice and silky and just the right length for kiddos.
Here are my ribbons drying after the program. PS – I wash my scarves, ribbons, and any other fabric with Soak. I’ll put them in the sink, fill with cold water, add a small squeeze of Soak Unscented, and let them sit for about 15 minutes. No need to rinse, I just squeeze out the water and let them air dry. It’s wonderful, baby safe and really works. I don’t think these ribbons had ever been washed before, and the first sinkful of cloudy water showed it. By the third day, the water was clear and the ribbons were looking brighter.
Who is this? A sheep! A sheep who likes to dance… Puppet Song: Dancing Sheep (TT) (TB) (FT) Shh! It’s time to go to sleep But into my bedroom one sheep creeps “Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said “I would rather dance instead!”
Soon he was…
Dancing on the ceiling! Dancing on the floor! Dancing on the window! Dancing on the door!
He kept on… (repeat the chorus, speeding up)
“Stop that dancing, silly sheep It is time to go to sleep!” Soon the sheep lay on the floor Soon the sheep began to snore Then I started… (repeat chorus until tired) Source: Jen in the Library, video at Deschutes Public Library
Well, that was silly! I think the thing for us to do now is… a silly dance contest! I rely pretty heavily on my flip chart of song lyrics to remind me what to do next, so even though there are too many words to print for this song, I still made a sheet for it. Recorded Song: Silly Dance Contest (TT) (TB) (FT) Source: Jim Gill, from the album Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes
Breathing Break: 5 Finger Breathing (TT) (TB) (FT) Whew! I need a breathing break. Will you breathe with me? We’ll take a big breath in while we trace up our finger, and let it out as we trace down.
How about a nice slow song? A waltz! A waltz is a dance of threes. It goes, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 (demo a box step). A waltz is also a partner dance! If you have someone you’d like to dance with, now’s the time! Many of our grownups picked up their little ones to dance, which was exactly what I hoped would happen! Ukulele Song: Baby Bear Waltz (TT) (TB) (FT) 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing with bears 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Dance ‘round the chairs 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 That’s what we’ll do 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing with you 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltz round the room 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Dance ‘round the moon 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Glide past the stars 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 Waltzing to Mars Source: Kathy Reid Naiman, from the album Say Hello to the Morning
It’s time to shake the sillies out! Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out (TT) (TB) (FT) Source: Raffi, from the album In Concert with the Rise and Shine Band
I let them keep their wrist ribbons for this one, and collected them after. Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)
Craft: Ribbon Sticks (TB) (FT) Now they get to make their own ribbons for dancing! I cut lengths of crepe paper streamers to about 2.5 feet, then cut them down the length to get them a bit thinner and get more material out of what I had. (You can stack 6-8 streamers and cut them together easily.) I used jumbo craft sticks and had grownups staple the streamers to the sticks. (Did you know staplers go through craft sticks?!) They were very excited to make their own ribbons and everyone wanted to show them to me as soon as they were done! (My example one was a little sad – I took the reject streamers that were too short or a little crumpled.)
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) Firebird – Misty Copeland & Christopher Myers Hilda Must Be Dancing – Karma Wilson & Suzanne Watts John’s Turn – Mac Barnett & Kate Berube I Got the Rhythm – Connie Schofield-Morrison & Frank Morrison Boys Dance – John Robert Allman & Luciano Lozano Amy Wu & the Ribbon Dance – Kat Zhang & Charlene Chua Duck Sock Hop – Jane Kohuth & Jane Porter How Do You Dance? – Thyra Heder Téo’s Tutu – Maryann Jacob Macias & Alea Marley Bea at Ballet – Rachel Isadora
This storytime was presented in-person on 4/15, 4/16, & 4/17/24.
**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 