Winter makes me want to feel cozy, so here’s a new-to-me storytime theme: Blankets! I expanded it a bit beyond blankets to bedtime in general because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find enough material for just blankets, so it was nice to have that flexibility. I actually had trouble finding a lot of books appropriate for toddlers about having a special blanket or lovey at my library. So expanding to bedtime helped with book selection, but I mostly focused on blankets and loveys like teddy bears in our rhymes and songs.
Unfortunately, I was sick the day of this storytime so I never got a chance to present it, though my wonderful coworkers stepped in for me. I’ll definitely have to try it again sometime.
Early Literacy Tip: Singing a lullaby while putting your baby to sleep will help them settle down. Singing lullabies to your older children will bring them back to that safe, calm, soft place and will also help to settle them down. So continue singing lullabies, even when your children are no longer babies. from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends*
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.
Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*
Intro: Today we are talking about bedtime! Who loves bedtime? (grownups?!) Okay, sometimes bedtime is hard, but it’s important that we get good sleep every night so that our bodies can rest and grow and be healthy. Maybe you have something that helps you at bedtime. Maybe it’s a special song your grownup sings, a certain book you read together, or a lovey or stuffy or special blanket that you sleep with.
Action Rhyme: Time for Bed
Time for bed, time for bed
Fluff up the pillow Lay down your head
Pull up the blanket Tuck it in tight
Close your eyes And sleep all night
Source: Storytime Katie
Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*
I think Sydney Hanson has got to win the award for most adorable animal illustrations. This is one of those “let’s reverse psychology you into going to sleep” but it’s so darn cute. And I love the wide variety of animals represented. There’s one page that talks about a little ape with their blanket, but that’s the only blanket connection.
Read: Close Your Eyes: A Book of Sleepiness by Lori Haskins Houran & Sydney Hanson
This and the companion Bird Bath are really fun, very simple titles that my little one loved. This one has a great rundown of the bedtime routine, and Cat has both a blanket and a teddy bear. Okay, technically it’s about naptime and not bedtime proper, but it works in every other aspect.
Read: Cat Nap by Steve Antony
Who has a special blanket? What color is it?
I had fun making this flannel, trying to do different patterns with different hues of each color.
Guessing Rhyme: Blanket Colors
I once had a blanket, It was fluffy and new.
I once had a blanket, And its color was… (blue)
I once had a blanket, The prettiest I’ve seen
I once had a blanket, And its color was… (green)
I once had a blanket, Soft as a pillow
I once had a blanket, And its color was… (yellow)
I once had a blanket, At the foot of my bed
I once had a blanket, And its color was… (red)
Source: Anne’s Library Life
OH! There is a teddy bear under this blanket who wants to play hide and seek!
I had the teddy under the blanket as I put it up with the previous flannel. This rhyme doesn’t mention the color as you say it, so you have to set it up each time – which blanket do you think bear is under? Okay, let’s check the red blanket!
Flannel Game: Where is Teddy Bear?
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Are you under there?
Source: Anne’s Library Life
I know a song that teddy bear likes to hear!
The Jazzy Ash version of this is superb, and fun that it speeds up with each repetition.
Action Song: Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wave up high
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wink one eye
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, bend your knees
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, flap in the breeze
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, climb up to bed
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, rest your head
Source: traditional, as recorded by Jazzy Ash
The last line is the only reason this rhyme fits with the theme, but it’s a good movement one.
Fingerplay: Dance Your Fingers
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
This was an optional add for me based on time, but I think my coworker did do it!
Ukulele Song: I Wish I Were a Fuzzy Wuzzy Blanket
(tune of the Oscar Meyer Jingle)
Oh, I wish I were a fuzzy wuzzy blanket
That is what I’d truly like to be
For if I were a fuzzy wuzzy blanket
Everyone would snuggle up with me!
Source: Book Besotted Librarian Blog
I hadn’t done this scarf song before, so it’s always nice to switch things up. I planned to sing “Blanket” instead of scarf
Scarf Song: Wave Your Blanket/Scarf/Stuffy
(tune of London Bridge)
Wave your blanket up and down
Up and down, up and down
Wave your blanket up and down
Wave your blanket
additional verses:
left and right – fast and slow – high and low – around and around
Source: Jbrary
If you bring your blanky everywhere, it may get dirty and need a wash.
My idea was to really play up the washing and laying out to dry motions. And the original text had PB at lunch and mustard at snack time, but it made more sense to switch those in my mind. Just a personal preference!
Scarf Rhyme: Wash My Blanket
At breakfast time, oh me, oh my
Milk spilled on my blanket – oh me, oh my
Have to wash my blanket And lay it out to dry
Repeat with:
Lunch time – mustard / Snack time – peanut butter / Dinner time – spaghetti
At bedtime, oh me, oh my
Cookie crumbs fell on my blanket – oh me, oh my
Have to shake my blanket out, No time to wash or dry
I need my blanket, It’s time for beddy bye
Source: Anne’s Library Life
It’s almost bedtime and I’ve still got some wiggles! Let’s dance with our blankies.
Recorded Song: Dancing Scarf Blues
from the album “Dancing Feet” by Miss Carole
*Yawn* I think it’s time for bed. Let’s sing a lullaby. Can you wave your scarf gently?
Scarf Lullaby: Twinkle, Twinkle
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Source: traditional
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*
Craft: Bear’s Blanket
This craft was inspired by the Fun With Friends at Storytime blog. Apparently the image was inspired by the book Stormy Night by Salina Yoon (which my library does not own). I actually borrowed the book from my home library just to read it, and I didn’t see this image anywhere! Maybe she drew it in the style of Yoon? Anyway, I used my own magic to create a copy for myself, put it on cardstock, folded in half, and cut away the top of the blanket to show bear’s head. We used tissue paper squares to create his quilt. Because it is clearly Yoon’s artwork I don’t feel comfortable sharing my template for this one publicly, sorry.
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*
Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Blanket: Journey to Extreme Coziness – Loryn Brantz
Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy – Kate Messner & Valentina Toro
I Love You, Baby Burrito – Angela Dominguez
The Twins’ Blanket – Hyewon Yum
Sleepy Snuggles – Diana Murray & Charles Santoso
I’m Not Sleepy! ¡No tengo sueño! – Angela Dominguez
Go Sleep in Your Own Bed – Candace Fleming & Lori Nichols
The Best Bed for Me – Gaia Cornwall
Farm Lullaby – Karen Jameson & Wednesday Kirwan
Dreamland – Noah Klocek
This storytime was presented in-person on 12/10/25.
Storytime Handout:
*Lyrics to these songs can be found on the Repeated Songs & Rhymes page.
**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5
† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 