clothing – Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

I'm going to build a snowman and snow days book covers

Storytime: Winter Fun

Posted on January 23, 2026January 21, 2026 by msemilylibrary

I’ve found that sometimes when you’re collaborating on planning storytime, there are occasionally some things that get overlooked. For example, we chose “winter” as a theme this month, but as I was starting to plan I realized we had just had a storytime on “Winter Animals” in November. Whoops. But, it also illuminates how versatile some of these broad themes like “winter” are. In this program, I focused solely on the fun we can have in wintery (mostly snowy) weather, so included topics like building snowpeople, sledding, and so on. So even if you’ve done a theme in the past, there are ways to think about it in new ways, and present activities that are unique.

See other posts about winter and winter-related themes here!

book cover of I'm going to build a snowman with a boy with brown skin, black hair, a red hat and yellow coat is standing in the snow.

snow days book cover, with a picture of a child with pale skin and a red hat and striped scarf sticking their tongue out in the snow. The snowflakes are intricate and of varying sizes.

Early Literacy Tip: Seeing patterns and trying to recognize things that are alike and things that are different is a fun game for children. Such activities help them develop the mathematical concepts of patterns and relationships.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends*

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: This is the season for cold weather and snow! It can be chilly, but if we bundle up, we can still have a lot of fun outside. Does anyone like to play in the snow?

Let’s see, what do we need to put on to stay warm?
Can I admit something? I really don’t like HSKT. I avoid doing it when I can. But this worked so well for the theme (and yes, I know the kids like it) that I added it in. Because I already have a flannel set for Froggy Gets Dressed that includes all these clothes, I used it just as a visual of someone getting them all on. (Psst, you can download him at Kizclub.com and see more details on how I made it (plus my story cheat sheet) at this post.)
Action Song: Hat, Coat, Pants, & Boots
(tune of Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes)
Hat, coat, pants, and boots (Pants and boots)
Hat, coat, pants, and boots (Pants and boots)
A scarf and mittens we’ll wear when it is cold!
Hat, coat, pants, and boots (Pants and boots)
Source: adapted from Storytime in the Stacks

printed and laminated flannelboard prop for froggy gets dressed, with a frog wearing a hat, coat, scarf, mittens, pants, and boots.

hat coat pants and boots thumbnail, with a graphic of each of these items. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Now that we’re all bundled up, let’s go sledding!
Rhyme: Here’s a Hill
Here’s a hill (tilt one arm diagonally)
And here’s a hill (tilt other arm diagonally)
All covered with snow (wiggle fingers downward)
I’ll put on my coat, (mime putting a coat on)
And jump on my sled (jump)
And ZOOM, down the hill I go! (clap, slide hands)
Source: Storytime Katie

here's a hill thumbnail, with a graphic of a rabbit sledding down a gray incline. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

Such a cute book! I emphasized the word “perfect” in the first few pages, and then mentioned – “Wow, perfect is such a hard thing to do! I hardly ever make anything perfect. Do you?” I think Awan is an author/illustrator to keep an eye on for storytime gold – his Towed by Toad is also fantastic.
Read: I’m Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan

This is a gorgeous book – I love the cut-paper and mixed media illustrations, and the thoughtful way the author presents different experiences of snow.
Read: Snow Days by Deborah Kerbel & Miki Sato

Based on this post by Abby Johnson on the ALSC Blog (and in turn, inspired by Mel’s Desk!), we looked at some colorful shapes.
The idea is to lay out several shapes of one color, saying something like, “I see a white snowflake. And a white cloud. And a white rabbit. And a white pumpkin!” The kids will likely correct you that no, that is an ORANGE pumpkin, thank you very much. Then you start again with orange things, messing up at the end of each line. When all your items are out, you can say you see something that has all those colors, what could it be? A snowman!
My shapes were mostly die cuts, though I did search for a few shapes online like the cat, crow, cloud, rabbit, and leaf.
I see some colors through the snow.
Flannel Activity: Colors in the Snow

colors in the snow felt. Shapes in different colors are lined in a grid shape:
white: snowflake, cloud, rabbit
orange: pumpkin, butterfly, leaf
black: cat, bat, crow
red: ladybug, apple, fire truck
a snowman with a black hat, orange nose and red scarf sits to the side.

It’s starting to snow again!
I have several “Snowflake” songs in my repertoire, but I like this one because it includes a “freeze!”
Action Song: Snowflake, Twirl
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Snowflake, snowflake Twirl around
Snowflake, snowflake Touch the ground
Snowflake, snowflake Touch my nose
Snowflake, snowflake Touch my toes
Touch my ear and then my knees
Snowflake, I’m about to FREEZE! (pause)
Snowflake, snowflake Twirl around
Snowflake, snowflake Sit back down
Source: Storytime Jennifer

snowflake twirl thumbnail, with a graphic of blue snowflakes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

What do we use to make a snowman’s face? Maybe some sticks for the eyebrows, rocks or coal for the eyes and mouth, and what about the nose? It’s a carrot! Who likes carrots? You do? Me, too. What animal likes carrots? (bring out puppet)
This flannel was copied from one made by Storytime in the Stacks. Isn’t he cute?
Rhyme: A Chubby Little Snowman
A chubby little snowman, Had a carrot nose
Along came a bunny, And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny, Looking for some lunch
Ate that snowman’s nose, With a nibble, nibble, crunch!
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Chubby Little Snowman felt and puppet - the snowman's nose has been caught by the pink bunny puppet, who holds the carrot shape. The snowman felt is just the head, with eyes, a mouth and eyebrows.

chubby little snowman thumbnail, with a graphic of a snowman's head with eyebrows and a carrot nose, with a pink rabbit looking at it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get out the parachute! Let’s practice a little. Can you lift the parachute up? Now down. Can you shake it fast? Shake slow?

Let’s build our snowman up. But then the sun comes out!
Parachute/Action Song: Once there Was a Snowman
Once was there was a snowman, a snowman, a snowman
Once there was a snowman – Tall, tall, tall!
In the sun he melted, he melted, he melted
In the sun he melted – Small, small, small!
Source: Jbrary

once there was a snowman thumbnail, with a graphic of a tall snowman with a smile on the left and the snowman's head only with a wavy smile on the right. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

At the end of this, I added a bunch of cotton balls to the parachute. Then we did it again!
Parachute Song: Dance Like Snowflakes
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Dance like snowflakes, Dance like snowflakes
In the air, in the air
Whirling twirling snowflakes, Whirling twirling snowflakes
Everywhere, everywhere
Source: Jbrary

dance like snowflakes thumbnail, with a graphic of blue snowflakes suspended by strings. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Parachute Activity: Snow on the Parachute!
A fun activity I borrowed from Adventures of a Bookworm! Once you have cotton balls all over the parachute, you can put the ‘chute down and invite kids to lay down on their backs and make snow angels. Then let them pick up the parachute and make it snow! Inevitably, they bounce off, so take a moment to collect snow to throw into the middle again. Then you can ask grownups to hold the parachute while kids go underneath (what they generally want to do the whole time) to watch the snow bounce above them.

This is a great way to put the parachute away. I ask for only grownups to hold on, and then let them know they are letting go at the end. Once the parachute was whisked away, I asked the kids to help me pick up all the cotton balls that were scattered about.
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

parachute fly thumbnail, with an aerial photo of children holding the edges of a multicolored parachute. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft/Activity: Salt Snowflakes
Inspired by the Loudest Librarian, we made snowflakes out of salt. I used black cardstock (construction paper felt too flimsy) and liquid glue, then bought a big 3 lb container of kosher salt. Looking at similar crafts online, I saw that some took it a step further, using liquid watercolors or food coloring to demonstrate the way salt wicks water. Since that seemed messy and would work better after the glue dried, I prepped a little half sheet of instructions for them to do at home if they wished. Info for that sheet was from the Little Bins for Little Hands blog.

shows a salt snowflake craft with a large snowflake on black paper surrounded by smaller snowflakes and the name Emily. All have a crystalline look from the salt.

Salt Snowflakes extension activity how-to sheet, with instructions on how to add color to snowflakes and the science behind it.

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*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Mouse’s First Snow – Lauren Thompson & Buket Erdogan
Best in Snow – April Pulley Sayre
Whose Footprints Are These? – Gerda Muller
Winter Is for Snow – Robert Neubecker
The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats
A Big Bed for Little Snow – Grace Lin
Ten Ways to Hear Snow – Cathy Camper & Kenard Pak
Making a Friend – Tammi Sauer & Alison Friend
One Snowy Day – Diana Murray & Diana Toledano
Snow Scene – Richard Jackson & Laura Vaccaro Seeger
The Snowman Shuffle – Christianne Jones & Emma Randall
In My Anaana’s Amautik – Nadia Sammurtok & Lenny Lishchenko

This storytime was presented in-person on 1/7/26.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

Storytime: Pockets

Posted on November 9, 2024November 9, 2024 by msemilylibrary

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

where's your pocket thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of overalls with pink arrows pointing to three visible pockets. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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 Book by 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

what's in my pocket thumbnail, with a graphic of a plain pocket with a question mark above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Five fingers in my pocket thumbnail, with a graphic of a the outline of a hand holding up four fingers with the thumb hidden. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

photograph of knitted worm finger puppet that is blue and beige stripes with large black eyes.

wiggly worm thumbnail, with a graphic of an orange and green striped worm. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

photograph of a burgandy apron with five extra pockets on the bib - purple, green, orange, and blue. a finger puppet is peeking out of each of these - frog, snake, tiger, and dog.

pocket zoo thumbnail, with a graphic of four white pockets with animals peeking out from them: frog, monkey, snake, and pig. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

brown kangaroo thumbnail, with a graphic of a kangaroo with a joey in her pouch. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

ring around the rosie thumbnail, with a graphic of a pocket full of pink and yellow flowers. The pocket has a heart patch sewn on. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for You Are My Sunshine here!

thumbnail of You Are My Sunshine ukulele songsheet.

You Are My Sunshine thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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.)

Click here to download the joey and pocket pattern!

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.

Storytime Handout:

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

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

Storytime: Dress Up Party

Posted on October 26, 2024October 24, 2024 by msemilylibrary

Who doesn’t like to dress up – either in a specific role or in fun clothes that make you feel good? I love it – I’m always trying to subtly or unsubtly match my clothes to storytime themes or with the feeling of the day.

Of course, now is the season that celebrates dress-up and costuming, and lots of littles and their caregivers are excited for their costumes. As usual, I don’t directly celebrate holidays like Halloween or Christmas in my storytime themes, but try to choose something about the holiday that is tangential but universal. You don’t have to celebrate Halloween to enjoy a dress up party. (Some other “Halloween” themes from my past include Cats & Bats, Monsters, Owls, and Pumpkins.)

Early Literacy Tip: Dramatic play, or playing a role while pretending, has enormous benefits for young minds. It develops creative thinking and storytelling narrative skills, which support early literacy. It can also teach self-regulation, be an emotional outlet, and give practice in conflict resolution. Read more: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/why-dramatic-play-matters/

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

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

Intro: Wow, I love all of your costumes! A lot of people are dressing up around this time of year, but we can play dress up anytime! I love to play pretend.

Everyone’s dress-up is so colorful!
I went through the whole thing twice, substituting different colors the second time around – usually orange, pink, purple, and black.
Action Song: What Are You Wearing? (TT) (TB) (FT)
What are you wearing? What are you wearing?
What are you wearing today?
What are you wearing? What are you wearing?
What are you wearing today?

If you’re wearing RED, stand up.
If you’re wearing BLUE, spin around.
If you’re wearing GREEN, pat your head
If you’re wearing BROWN, touch the ground
Source: King County (WA) Library System

what are you wearing thumbnail, with a graphic of a line of five children holding hands and all dressed as fruits or vegetables - watermelon, pear, strawberry, lemon, and peapod. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

As last time, my rhymes were tied closely to the book I read, so I used the same title for each session. Amazing Me: Dressing Up was a good backup that I had requested from my personal library, but it isn’t in our collection, so I hesitate to use it for storytime. Do you limit yourself to books in your library’s collection to read? In what cases would you use a book that your patrons don’t have access to?
To keep this one interactive, we identified what animal each of Maisy’s friends was and made their noise.
Read: Maisy Dresses Up by Lucy Cousins (TT) (TB) (FT)

I saw lots of great costumes in that book! Let’s pretend to be pirates first.
Action Song: If You’re a Pirate (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish!) (mopping motion)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck
If you’re a pirate and you know it
and you really want to show it
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck

Additional verses:
…walk the plank (stomp feet)…
…say “ahoy!” (AHOY!)…
Source: One Little Librarian

if you're a pirate thumbnail, with a graphic of a cartoon pirate cat with a sword, bandanna, and spyglass. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I do this one more like the Old Town School of Folk Music recording and less like “One Little, Two Little,” which is a problematic tune.
I also remember someone in our story was dressed up like a firefighter.
Action Song: Hurry, Hurry (TT) (TB) (FT)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (mime steering wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Additional verses:
…turn the corner (lean dramatically to one side then the other)
…climb the ladder (climbing motion)
…spray the water (mime holding fire hose)
Slowly, slowly, to the station… (steer slowly)
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music

hurry hurry thumbnail, with a graphic of a red fire engine. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

What about royalty? Let’s pretend to be kings, queens, princes, and princesses
Action Rhyme: Castle Capers (TT) (TB) (FT)
I am the King of Running, I run and run and run
My subjects all run with me, and we have so much fun!

I am the Prince of Turning, I turn and turn and turn.
My subjects all turn with me, it’s an easy thing to learn!

I am the Princess of Dancing, I dance and dance and dance
My subjects all dance with me, and dance when they get the chance!

I am the Queen of Jumping, I jump and jump and jump
My subjects all jump with me, and sit down with a bump!
Source: Delta Township District Library Storytimes blog

castle capers thumbnail, with lyrics only. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We can pretend to be something else whether we are dressing up or not
Action Song: I’m a Little Teapot (TT) (TB)
I’m a little teapot, Short and stout
Here is my handle, Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up Then I shout:
“Tip me over and Pour me out!”
Source: traditional

I'm a little teapot thumbnail, with a graphic of a blue and green teapot with a smiling face and steam coming out of the spout. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

One thing I love to do when I dress up is have a tea party! This is a partner rhyme – so find a partner. One person makes fists, and the other person will move them around.
I demoed with a parent before we started.
Action Rhyme: Here’s a Cup (FT)
Here’s a cup and here’s a cup
and here’s a pot of tea.
Pour a cup, and pour a cup
and drink some tea with me
Source: Jbrary

here's a cup thumbnail, with a graphic of a teapot and two pink teacups that are matching patterns. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Then we passed out maracas and had a mini-dance party with three recorded songs.
Time for our party! Let’s shake along to this song
Recorded Song: Can’t Wait to Celebrate (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Jim Gill, from the album “Irrational Anthem & More Salutes to Nonsense”

can't wait to celebrate thumbnail, with a graphic of multicolored fireworks. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s have a little snack!
Shaker Song: Milkshake Song (TT) (TB) (FT)
You take a little milk – pour some milk!
And you take a little cream – pour some cream!
You stir it all up, You shake it and you’ll sing…
Milkshake, milkshake shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it all up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it all up!
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, from the album “Songs for Wiggleworms”

the milkshake song thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling pink milkshake with whipped cream, a cherry, and a straw in a tall glass. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

And finally – are you ready to shake the sillies out?
I always use the live version of this song – there’s so much energy in the crowd!
Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Raffi, from the album “In Concert with the Rise and Shine Band”

shake my sillies out thumbnail, with a graphic of two children dancing. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

It’s time to pretend to be astronauts so we can zoom, zoom, zoom!
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Craft: Cat Masks (TB) (FT)
My predecessor had about 40 of these cat masks already cut out (we have it as a die cut) so this seemed like a good time to use them. We used dot markers, big adhesive jewels, and feathers, and tied our masks on with yarn (which I attached pre-program.)

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)
Dress-Up Day – Blanca Gómez
Julián Is a Mermaid – Jessica Love
Lily’s Cat Mask – Julie Fortenberry
Mary Had a Little Glam – Tammi Sauer & Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Vegetables in Halloween Costumes – Jared Chapman
Brownie & Pearl Get Dolled Up – Cynthia Rylant & Brian Biggs
Dollop and Mrs Fabulous – Jennifer Sattler
Harriet Gets Carried Away – Jessie Sima
Téo’s Tutu – Maryann Jacob Macias & Alea Marley
Tea Rex – Molly Idle
Frankie’s Favorite Food – Kelsey Garrity-Riley
Wolfie the Bunny – Ame Dyckman & Zachariah OHora
Amazing Me: Dressing Up! – Carol Thompson

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/21, 10/22, 10/23 & 10/24/24.

Storytime Handout:

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

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

Storytime: Hats

Posted on October 19, 2024October 19, 2024 by msemilylibrary

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)** †

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

tall hat small hat thumbnail, with a graphic of a tall black top hat, a tiny purple top hat attached to a headband, a red hat with a wide floppy brim, and a brown newsboy style cap. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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 Co for 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

where's walrus thumbnail, with a graphic of a walrus wearing a blue baseball cap that is obscuring his eyes and nose. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

i hop on my horse thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocking horse wearing a red western style hat and bandanna. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

grandma's glasses thumbnail, with a graphic of a sunhat with a flower and a newsboy style cap, plus a pair of blue-rimmed and black-rimmed glasses. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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!

a photo of my drawing for the Magician's hat - a fairly slapdash affair with crooked stars and a bunny with lopsided eyes and ears.

the magician's hat thumbnail, with a graphic of yellow and gold stars and exclamations. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

bunny in a hat puppet - white rabbit in a black hat. Also pictured is a magician's wand.

Little bunny in a hat thumbnail, with a graphic of a white rabbit peeking her head out of a black top hat, with yellow stars in the air around her. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

rain on the green grass thumbnail, with a graphic of an umbrella in the rain. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

hats are blowing thumbnail, with a graphic of a cloud blowing wind and a wide-brimmed hat flipped and blowing in the breeze. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet in the key of C here!
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet in the key of G here!

thumbnail for "my bonnie" ukulele songsheet

my bonnet thumbnail, with a graphic of an old fashioned bonnet and an ocean wave. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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.

an origami hat decorated with multicolored dots from dot markers, plus heart and star stickers and two round stickers of animals in space.

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.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

Storytime: Socks & Shoes

Posted on October 11, 2024October 10, 2024 by msemilylibrary

Here’s a storytime theme I’ve never done before, and let me tell you: it was a lot of fun! All the activities seemed to land well and there was a ton of enthusiasm for Pete the Cat (of course.) I was slightly worried because there were no prop activities (scarves/shakers/etc), but it really was okay. I got to see lots of cute kiddo shoes as everyone was proud to show theirs off. And I broke out my collection of fun socks to wear on storytime days.

Early Literacy Tip: Tiptoeing helps to develop good balancing skills. Show your child how to walk on tiptoes (and not the sides of their feet.) You can also try making it a game – challenge your child to tiptoe and be as quiet as a mouse as they do an activity. This can also be a more positive way to reduce the playtime noise level (for at least a little bit!) -adapted The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

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

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

Intro: Today we’re talking about something we wear. Something we wear on our feet. Hats? Shirts? No! Socks and shoes! Socks & shoes are super! They protect your feet, can come in fun patterns, and sometimes even light up!

Activity: Sock Matching (TT) (TB) (FT)
Hm, I did some laundry before work today, but I didn’t have time to sort it! Will you help me match these socks?
Inspired by Singin in the Stacks, as well as Miss Mary Liberry, who made this activity as a flannelboard with an awesome array of felt socks in a myriad of colors and patterns, plus a sweet “dryer” made from a cardboard box. I had big plans to make my own version, but alas, time was short. As it dawned on me I wouldn’t be able to make it in time, I had the eureka moment when I realized that regular socks would stick to the flannelboard. AND I could put my regular socks in any kind of bag or basket and it would work, even if it’s not quite as cute as an adorable miniature clothes dryer. So I chose a few pairs of my own fun socks that had some different characteristics, and we did the activity – hooray! (I ended up using only four pairs of socks, just to keep the activity short.

Photo of 10 adult sized socks on a flannelboard, 5 pairs: navy with hot dogs, teal with purple dots, gray with cactuses, purple with an alpine pattern, and neon orange no-show socks.

Now that our socks are all sorted out, now I need to organize all the shoes in the house. Can we sort them from smallest to largest? Who has the smallest shoes, Baby or Daddy?
Action Rhyme: Shoes (TT) (TB) (FT)
(move hands further and further out)
Baby’s shoes
Child’s shoes
Mommy’s shoes
Daddy’s shoes
GIANT SHOES!
Source: Librarian Is on the Loose

Shoes thumbnail, with a graphic of a very small red sneaker and a very large brown boot. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Something new this week – instead of reading only one book, I retold two books using the flannelboard. When I do a retelling, I always show the book cover to reinforce that the story came from a book (and they can check it out!)
Flannel Retelling: One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler (TT) (TB) (FT)

One red sock flannel, with a purple hippo, pink chair, two red socks, and one each white, pink, blue, green, gray, and white with black polka dots.

See more info on this flannel, including a free template.

Have you ever noticed that you can move a little differently when you’re wearing a nice pair of socks? Let’s try it out!
I took my shoes off and slid around for this one.
Action Song: Let’s Put On Our Socks (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Hickory Dickory Dock)
Hickory, dickory, dock, Let’s put on our socks
We’ll walk around without a sound
When we put on our socks

…We’ll tiptoe around and won’t be found…
…We’ll slide around the slippery ground…
…We’ll dance around and jump and bound…
Source: Stratford Library

let's put on our socks thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of fun socks, blue with pink dots, with a yellow toe, heel, and ribbing. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Remember the nursery rhyme that starts by putting on our shoes?
This was a good transition for me to actually put my shoes back on.
Action Rhyme: Buckle My Shoe (TT) (TB) (FT)
1, 2, Buckle my shoe (touch toes)
3, 4, Shut the door (clap)
5, 6, Pick up sticks (wiggle fingers upright)
7, 8, Lay them straight (one hand in other, fingers straight)
9, 10, A big fat hen! (arms wide)
Source: traditional

one two buckle my shoe thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of buckled child's shoes and a brown hen. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

What kind of shoes are you wearing today? How might we describe my shoes? (color/pattern) Take a moment here with your grownup and talk about your shoes – what’s something we can say to describe them?
We started with my shoes, then had two or three volunteers tell us something about their shoes.
Action Rhyme: Old Shoes, New Shoes (TT) (TB) (FT)
Old shoes, new shoes,
[Name] is wearing [description] shoes
One, two, three, four
Now I stomp them on the floor!
Source: Storytime Katie

old shoes new shoes thumbnail, with a graphic of a dirty boot with the sole detached from the body, and a pair of brown child's boots with a clean sparkle graphic. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Pete is wearing some bright white shoes. But not for long!
Our second book retelling! I had several families reciting this one with me. Flannel was inspired by Flannelboard Fun.
Read/Retell Flannel: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean & Eric Litwin (TT) (TB) (FT)

pete the cat i love my white shoes book cover.

pete the cat flannel set, with a Pete that is sitting so only two front legs are showing, wearing white high top sneakers. also pictured is a pile of blueberries and blue sneakers, strawberries and red sneakers, a puddle of mud and brown sneakers, and a bucket of water.

Mm, Pete’s story made me hungry for some berries! Can we go pick some?
Any opportunity for kids to get a lift from their grownups is a good one.
Action Song: Pop Goes the Berry (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Pop Goes the Weasel) (walk or dance in circle)
All around the strawberry fields
We picked some juicy berries
We brought them home and washed them off,
Pop! Goes the berry! (jump or lift up)
Source: Jbrary

pop goes the berry thumbnail, with a graphic of cute cartoon fruit with faces: strawberry, blackberry, gooseberry, blueberry, and raspberry. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Talking about our shoes and socks makes me appreciate my toes.
To give shoes and socks equal time, I wrote one more verse about socks. I had grownups singing along to this jazzy tune on the second verse, so you know it’s catchy!
Body Song: Everybody Knows (TT) (TB) (FT)
Everybody knows I love my toes
Everybody knows I love my toes
I love my shoulders, my knees, my elbows, and my nose
But everybody knows I love my toes

Everybody knows that I love my shoes
Everybody knows that I love my shoes
I love my shirt, my pants, my hat and you
But everybody knows I love my shoes

Everybody knows that I love my socks
Everybody knows that I love my socks
In socks I’ll run, I’ll jump, tiptoe and walk
Everybody knows I love my socks
Source: Singin in the Stacks, last verse original

everybody knows thumbnail, with a graphic of two unmatched child's shoes - a high top and a mary jane, and two unmatched socks - purple and white and pink and blue. All have a heart design incorporated on them. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Craft: Sock and Shoe Design (TB) (FT)
After a couple of weeks of paint and messy crafts, I went simple. I found an outline of a sock and a shoe (high top!) and let the kids design and decorate them however they wanted. I gave them dot markers, stick-on jewels and foam stickers, ribbon, and pom poms. Easy and fun. Both craft sessions went longer than usual since they worked on these longer than usual and didn’t get to toys until later as well.

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)
Duck Sock Hop – Jane Kohuth & Jane Porter
New Shoes – Chris Raschka
Lizette’s Green Sock – Catharina Valckx
Rock Your Mocs – Laurel Goodluck & Madelyn Goodnight
Emily’s Shoes – Joan Cottle
Which Shoes Would You Choose? – Betsy Rosenthal & Nancy Cote
The Sock Thief – Ana Crespo & Nana Gonzalez
Kicks – Van G Garrett & Reggie Brown
Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? – Eve Bunting & Sergio Ruzzier
One Shoe, Two Shoes – Caryl Hart & Edward Underwood
A Pig, a Fox, and Stinky Socks – Jonathan Fenske
One Two That’s My Shoe! – Alison Murray
It’s Shoe Time! – Bryan Collier

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/7, 10/8, & 10/9/24.

Storytime Handout:

thumbnail of handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

Storytime: Keeping Warm (Warm Clothing)

Posted on February 20, 2023February 20, 2023 by msemilylibrary

Although I did a “snow” theme a couple of weeks ago, I still had activities and ideas I couldn’t fit into that program and which followed more of a theme of warm winter clothing.

I think I overplanned a bit for this session, and we skipped several things I had on my list, but it’s better to have too much material than too little. My third session was the one I was planning to retell Froggy Gets Dressed in, but – ironically enough – we had some snow and ice and cancelled programming that day!

Early Literacy Tip: Songs that focus on body parts increase children’s awareness of how different parts of their body can start specific movements. By using their muscles to make the motions in the song, children develop both their gross motor skills and body self-awareness.

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

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB)
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.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (TT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big*

Intro: When it’s cold outside we need to dress warmly – did anyone wear their Coat today? Hat/boot/mitten/scarf/etc.

Bounce: Bumpin’ Up and Down in My Little Blue Sled (TT) (TB)
Bumping up and down in my little blue sled
Bumping up and down in my little blue sled
Bumping up and down in my little blue sled
Won’t you be my darling? (lift)

Hit a rock and we all fell over… (lean to sides)
Source: adapted from the traditional

Let’s come inside to drink something hot. Ready to put the kettle on?
Action Song: I’m a Little Teapot (TT) (TB)
I’m a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle (crook one hand to hip)
Here is my spout (hold other hand out to side)
When I get all steamed up then I shout:
“Tip me over and pour me out!” (tilt body to the side of the spout)
Source: traditional

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

I think this is more entertaining for the adults than for the kids, but it’s cute and quick and goes through several winter clothing choices.
Read: Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin & Fumi Kosaka (TT)

Book cover for Under My Hood I Have a Hat

A newer book about a bundled-up turkey who gives away his warm clothes to friends on the farm. Lots of funny puns and silly illustrations!
Read: Cold Turkey by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Kirsti Call, & Chad Otis (TB)

Fingerplay: Warm Mittens (TT) (TB)
I wiggle my left hand, I wiggle my right
Inside of my mittens so warm and so tight
I wiggle my pinkie, I wiggle my thumbs
So when I make snowballs My hands don’t get numb!
Source: Adventures of a Bookworm

This was one of the songs that I skipped for time purposes. Another reason is that I hadn’t really worked out what motions to pair with the song, which made it feel awkward to me. If I figure it out, I’ll gladly try again – I am a fan of the My Bonnie tune!
Song: My Sweater
(tune of My Bonnie)
My sweater is warm and cozy
My sweater is warm and dry
When I play in very cold weather
Oh bring me a sweater to wear
Oh bring me, bring me,
Oh bring me a sweater to wear, to wear
Bring me, bring me, oh bring me my sweater to wear
Source: Johnson County (KS) Library

This was a fun alternative to the usual tune of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, with a little built-in anticipation and silliness!
Action Song: Hat, Coat, Pants, and Boots (TT) (TB)
(tune of London Bridge)
Hat, coat, pants, and boots (touch head, shoulders, knees, and toes)
Pants and boots, Pants and boots
Hat, coat, pants, and boots
Mittens… (wiggle hands) Earmuffs! (hands over ears)
(repeat, changing the last item to other clothing or accessories, including silly ones – scarf, glasses, bow tie, umbrella, etc)
Source: adapted from Storytime Secrets

This probably should have been done earlier, maybe before the book – it didn’t flow very well in this spot.
Bounce: Baby’s in a Bundle (TT)
Baby’s in a bundle
Baby’s very warm
Baby’s very happy
In the snowstorm
Source: Handley Regional Library System (VA)

I was pretty excited to do this one, but we ended up not having time in the Teddy Bear session, and Family Time was cancelled for weather. I printed and laminated the Froggy and clothing pieces from Kizclub.com (they have lots of great resources!). I enlarged it to fit 11×17″ instead of 8.5×11″, and that seemed like a better size for a flannel for everyone to see. After laminating, I attached velcro dots to hold the clothing in place according to the story. To help them blend in, I colored the velcro with different Sharpie markers, and was pleased at how well they are hidden. This is definitely going to come out again in the future!
Retelling: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London & Frank Remkiewicz

Download my story cheat sheet here

Ukulele Song: Fuzzy Wuzzy Blanket (TT) (TB)
(tune of the Oscar Mayer jingle)
Oh I wish I were a fuzzy wuzzy blanket
That is what I’d truly like to be
‘Cause if I were a fuzzy wuzzy blanket
Everyone would snuggle up with me!

Additional verses:
…fuzzy wuzzy beanie…
…fuzzy wuzzy scarf…
…pair of fuzzy mittens…
Source: Book Besotted Librarian Blog

Click here for a ukulele songsheet of this tune (words are for Pepperoni Pizza)

thumbnail of "I Wish I Were a Pepperoni Pizza" ukulele songsheet

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

Craft: Warm Hat Suncatcher (TB)
Inspired by this mitten project at Kinder Craze, I took a look at our library’s die cut designs and realized we had a winter hat die. This was better than mittens since I’d only have to cut out one per kid, and it would use less contact paper. I made an outline for the brim and the main body of the hat and asked volunteers to cut it out, then stuck the outline on a piece of contact paper, replacing the backing paper until we were ready to craft. I then provided tissue squares and another piece of contact paper to seal it all up. I relied on grownups to cut out the shape, punch a hole, and string some yarn through for a hanger. It was a bit more intensive craft, but everyone enjoyed piecing the tissue paper and making colorful designs for their hats. Again, our Family Time program was cancelled due to weather, so I packaged up the materials for that group and offered it in the next week as a Take and Make packet.

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)
Three Little Kittens – Barbara McClintock
Lost. Found. – Marsha Diane Arnold & Matthew Cordell
Extra Yarn – Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen
A Sled for Gabo – Emma Otheguy & Ana Ramírez González
Not Now, Cow – Tammi Sauer & Troy Cummings
A Hat for Minerva Louise – Janet Morgan Stoeke
Winter Babies – Kathryn O Galbraith & Adela Pons
Winter is the Warmest Season – Lauren Stringer
Sweater Weather – Matt Phelan

This storytime was presented in-person on 1/23 & 1/24/23.

Storytime Handout:

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

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

Flannelboard: Pirate Jack Gets Dressed

Posted on April 27, 2022April 27, 2022 by msemilylibrary

If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Pirate Jack Gets Dressed by Nancy Raines Day & Allison Black, check him out! This swashbuckler takes us through his morning dress routine, which consists of a long list of clothing items in a variety of colors, all in charming rhyme that begs to be read with a jaunty pirate-y accent. I love that there are some more unusual clothes, like a vest and sash, as well as colors often overlooked in books that focus on the rainbow, like gold and silver and brown. Hello, vocabulary!

A picture of the Pirate Jack Gets Dressed book cover.

Adding one clothing piece after another is a perfect fit for flannel adaptation. I first blogged about this set in a What We Wear/Clothing themed storytime and was inspired by a resource my state library put together on nominees for their Early Literacy Firefly Award (you can find their template in the 2020 program guide). I changed the set quite a bit, giving Jack his distinctive features from the book and lengthening his body so his sock and boot actually fit on his leg.

Photo of all the separate pieces of the Pirate Jack felt set, including gray long johns, a white shirt, yellow pants, a blue vest, a pink sock, a brown boot and brown peg leg, a red waist sash, an orange head sash, a silver (gray) hook, a purple coat, gold earrings, and a green parrot.

Thanks to reader Jennifer who asked about a template for this flannel set! I didn’t initially make a template, but scanned my finished pieces so you could recreate it if you wish. There are notes on the template that indicate where pieces might be layered, and a scan of a few of the back pieces to see how a couple of the trickier pieces are put together. One more note – my pieces are a little small. I think if I were doing this again, I would enlarge it a bit just to make it easier to see and work with. You should be able to use your printer dialog box to enlarge (probably anywhere from 20-50% might be good) and print on tablet (11×17) sized paper instead of the default letter (8.5×11).

Photo of Pirate Jack flannel with all the pieces put together so he is "dressed"

Pirate Jack is a great multi-use flannel. You could use this one for a Clothing theme, as I did, one for Pirates or the Ocean, or, of course, Colors. It’s a great fit for the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s Oceans of Possibilities theme for summer 2022. Enjoy!

Download the Pirate Jack template here!

thumbnail of 2 of 4 pages of the Pirate Jack template

Preschool Storytime: What We Wear

Posted on October 28, 2020October 26, 2020 by msemilylibrary

I’ve been wanting to do a clothing theme since making the One Red Sock flannel a few months ago, so finally got a chance to do it. This was a fun theme, with lots of great options for books as well as songs and rhymes. I was also able to use the last Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award nominee from 2020 I hadn’t yet used in storytime, Pirate Jack Gets Dressed. I loved the flannelboard idea found in the program guide, and ended up with two versions. The first was a quicker, easier print out that came straight from the guide. I used magnets and quickly learned that it’s really hard to have multiple layers with magnets! Plus, some things went under his beard, complicating the layering. I ended up making a felt version that worked much better. This was a good storytime to talk about the myth of “girl colors” and “boy colors” since Pirate Jack loves all the colors, and I also put in a little plug about glamorous clothes good for some people (boys and girls), but it’s okay to want to wear plain clothes, too. Dismantling gendered socialization one storytime at a time!

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

Early Literacy Tip: Playing rhyming games in the car, while waiting for an appointment, or anywhere can be a fun way to help your child hear the smaller sounds in words. Remember, children can recognize a rhyme before they can make the rhyme. So if it’s too hard to make rhymes, let them start with hearing rhymes and recognizing them. For example, the question “Does cat rhyme with bat?” is easier for young children to answer than the question, “What rhymes with cat?” Children enjoy playing with words and their sounds.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Ukulele Song: If Your Clothes Have Any Red
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If your clothes have any red, any red,
If your clothes have any red, any red,
If your clothes have any red,
Put your fingers on your head,
If your clothes have any red, any red.

Additional verses:
Blue … count your fingers up to two
Green … curl your fingers and look mean
Pink … open your eyes wide then blink
Black … do a quick jumping jack
Brown … make a face like a clown
Yellow … Sit back down and look real mellow
Credit: Firefly Early Literacy Award Program Guide 2020 (Pink, black, and brown verses by Ms. Emily)

Download a ukulele songsheet for If You’re Happy and You Know It)

Read: Pirate Jack Gets Dressed by Nancy Raines Day & Allison Black
I did the flannel while reading the book. A little more difficult, but it was worth it. I started by creating a printed cardstock version, laminated, and attached with magnets. As someone who has to complicate everything, I replaced the generic face with an actual scan of Pirate Jack’s illustration. I cut out his beard and cut slits in the shirt, vest, and coat to get them all to fit underneath. However, the paper version was VERY precarious on a vertical magnet board and awfully difficult to keep so many layers in the right place. When it was clear that wasn’t working well, I went ahead and did a felt version. I lengthened his body to fit the pants and boots (in the paper version his boots are just stuck on the ends of his legs with nothing underneath.) I like the felt version a lot, even though it was a lot of work! The parrot might be my favorite piece!

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

Repeat with other articles of clothing (socks or tights, shoes, etc.)

Now that you’re all dressed, all dressed, all dressed
Now that you’re all dressed, Let’s go out to play!
Credit: Storytime Hooligans

Our next book is about a missing sock! It reminded me of a poem I heard that made me laugh:
Poem: I’m Glad I’m Not a Centipede
I’m glad I’m not a centipede
And I will tell you why:
I would have 100 feet
And 100 shoes to tie!
Credit: thelibraryann

Read: One Red Sock by Jennifer Sattler
Two flannels in one storytime! Crazy.

Flannel for one red sock. Purple hippo, pink chair, variety of socks next to the book.

Action Rhyme: Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory, dickory, dock. Let’s put on our socks.
We’ll walk around, Without a sound,
When we put on our socks

Additional verses:
…We’ll slide around…
…We’ll tiptoe around…
Credit: Miss Mariah’s Library

Shaker Song: We Shake and We Shake and We Stop
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we STOP
We shake and we shake and we shake and we shake
and we shake and we shake and we STOP
Repeat with other actions such as circle, roll, twirl, tap, wave)
Credit: Jbrary

Shaker Song: Wishy Washy Washerwoman
Waaaay down in the valley where nobody goes
There’s a wishy washy washerwoman washing her clothes
She goes wishy washy up, she goes wishy washy down
She goes wishy washy up, she goes wishy washy down
That’s how the wishy washy washerwoman washes her clothes!

Additional verses:
…drying her clothes, she goes whoo-eee! (shake in a circle)
…folding her clothes, she goes side, side (clap shaker to one side, then the other)
Credit: traditional, as sung by Carole Peterson on her page Macaroni Soup

Our next story is about a little girl who likes to wear glamorous clothes!
Read: Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer & Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Action Song: Hat, Sweater, Pants, and Shoes
(tune of Head Shoulders Knees and Toes)
Hat, sweater, pants, and shoes (Pants and shoes)
Hat, sweater, pants, and shoes (Pants and shoes)
Belt, and scarf, and underwear!
Hat, sweater, pants, and shoes (Pants and shoes)
Credit: Literary Hoots

Craft: Clothesline Scene
Color a field or the ground for your clothesline to sit on. Glue down the ends of the yarn but leave the middle free, then the sticks to make the clothesline. Color and cut clothes out, then “hang” them using tabs. (If this is too fiddly, feel free to glue down the string and the clothes.) Add details like sun, clouds, trees, etc.
I couldn’t find clothes with tabs the way I wanted, so I created my own page of clothesline clothes using Canva. Download the PDF here.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks & Nadine Bernard Westcott

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 9/29/20.

Storytime Handout:

Preschool Storytime: Silly Stories

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

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

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

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

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Read: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read: Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

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

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

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

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