family – Page 12 – Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Family Storytime: Fire Trucks

Posted on December 24, 2021November 24, 2021 by msemilylibrary

Another theme culled from the Chase’s Calendar of Events, October is Fire Safety Month in the US. I called our local fire station and asked if they would be able to be guests for my Tuesday and/or Saturday program for this week. They said they could for Tuesday, and they would *try* for Saturday, since they were short staffed and would be on call.

I’m a planner and like to have all the contingencies covered, so this was hard for me! Even for the Tuesday program, I didn’t get a lot of information about what to expect or what the firefighters themselves would be expecting when they arrived, despite my tentative ask. I figure the fire chief is pretty busy and probably doesn’t have a lot of attention for working out details for a volunteer appearance, so I didn’t make myself a nuisance and follow up. It was a good time for me to practice going with the flow.

photo of firefighters in front of their truck, explaining their gear, with storytimers looking on.

My solution was to plan a storytime as if the guests wouldn’t show at all, and just be prepared to drop some or all of it as needed. This worked well – I ended up using about half of my plan when the firefighters showed up 10 minutes late on Tuesday, and didn’t show up at all on Saturday. (And of course, I wouldn’t have them available for the virtual version at all.) I had what I needed, but was able to adjust. Their visit turned out great, too. I “made” one of them help me tell the book I was in the middle of when they arrived (making sound effects). The two others that didn’t get roped into this snickered in the background, but my “victim” was very good-natured about it all. And during the fire truck show and tell, the grownups were just as entranced (if not more) and asked lots of questions!

This storytime also had a TON of props – most of which I didn’t use in the outdoor session. It’s nice to have them on hand though, for when we’re back indoors.

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

Early Education Tip: We talk about possible emergencies not to scare anyone, but to be prepared! It’s important that children know what a fully dressed firefighter looks and sounds like, as well as what to do if they hear the fire alarm, and have practiced a fire escape plan. While we hope we’ll never need to use it, it’s better to have those skills in our brains ahead of time in case there is a fire emergency.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

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!
(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
(Try other motions such as jump, twirl, stretch)
Source: Jbrary

Intro: Firefighters are people who are trained to put out fires and help people who may be hurt or stuck. They use a big truck that has special equipment just for fighting fires. It’s important for us to talk about who they are, what they do, and what YOU can do if there’s an emergency.

I didn’t end up using this one outdoors, but it was a nice backup. The flannel printout is generously provided on the Literary Hoots blog!
Song: If You’re Going to Fight a Fire
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re going to fight a fire,wear your helmet
If you’re going to fight a fire, wear your helmet
Firefighters feeling steady
Very quickly let’s get ready!
If you’re going to fight a fire, wear your helmet
(repeat with gloves, boots, hat, etc)
Source: adapted from Literary Hoots

printed and laminated picture of a firefighter, with removable helmet, gloves, and boots.

In the virtual version, I used this rhyme and firefighter flannel template from Storytime in the Stacks in place of the above song. He’s really cute in his red boxer shorts!
Flannel Rhyme: Here Is a Firefighter
Here is a firefighter!
Here are his pants.
Here is his coat,
and here is his hat.
Here are his gloves,
Here are his boots.
Here is his mask,
And his fire hose too!
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

photo of flannel set with a bald firefighter in red boxer shorts, with pieces for a coat, pants, gloves, boots, hat, mask, and hose. Inset shows all the pieces together.

This one is told almost entirely in sound effects. I love the bold illustrations and diverse firefighters.
Read: Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin

I made a large version of this that I could stick on my bookcart for the outdoor version, and a smaller one for the flannelboard. That’s a definite advantage to printed out flannels – they’re scalable!
Counting Rhyme: One Brave Firefighter
One brave firefighter putting out the fire
Swoosh goes the water,
But the flames climb higher
The firefighter calls for a friend with a shout:
“HELP ME PUT THIS FIRE OUT!”

Count up, last verse:
Four brave firefighters putting out the fire.
Swoosh goes the water
And the flames start to expire!
The firefighters clap their hands and shout:
“HOORAY, we put the fire out!”
Source: Madelyn’s Library Programming Blog

printed and laminated flannel set with four different firefighters holding hoses.

I originally learned this song to the tune of “10 Little Indians,” which I no longer use. I was happy to discover that the Old Town School of Folk Music has a version that uses a different melody.
Action Song: Hurry, Hurry
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck (turn a steering wheel)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! (ring a bell)

Additional verses:
Turn the corner (lean far left and right)
Put the ladder up, (climb a ladder)
Spray the fire hose (hold a hose and move it back and forth)

Last verse, we drive the fire truck back to the station:
Slowly, slowly, drive the fire truck
Slowly, slowly, drive the fire truck
Slowly, slowly, drive the fire truck
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! (ring a bell)
Source: adapted from Old Town School of Folk Music from the Songs for Wiggleworms album

Breathing Break: Soup Breathing
Since the weather was getting cooler, I returned to the soup breathing for our breathwork visualization. I asked the kids to imagine they were holding a bowl of their very favorite soup, and asked what kind they liked. Then with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot soup. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl of soup if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Source: Lucky Little Learners

One more repeated activity. This has always been a favorite song!
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
(hands scrape past each other rhythmically)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
If you want to take a trip (fingers walk up arm)
Climb aboard my rocket ship!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLASTOFF! (crouch, then jump!)
Credit: Jbrary

This is a sillier story!
Read: Firefighter Duckies by Frank W. Dormer

The next two songs got cut for the in-person sessions.
Song: Fire Safety
(tune of What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor)
What do you call if there’s a fire (x3)
Call 9-1-1!

What do you do to plan for fire (x3)
Have a fire drill!

What do you do if your clothes are on fire(x3)
Stop, drop and roll!

Who comes in a truck if there’s a fire (x3)
It’s the firefighter!
Source: Johnson County Library (KS)

The flannel and song both came from the Making Learning Fun site – I adjusted the truck so it would fit on one piece of felt.
Song: The Wheels on the Truck
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The wheels on the truck go round and round
Round and round, round and round!
The wheels on the truck go round and round
When they fight the fire

Additional verses:
Door- open and shut; Siren- woo, woo, woo;
Ladder- up and down; Hose-woosh,woosh,woosh
Source: Making Learning Fun

Flannel set of a fire truck. Accessories include a door, wheels, headlight, siren light, ladder, hook, mask, hatchet, and hose.

Craft: Fire Truck
Adapted and simplified from Busy Bee Kids Crafts. The ladder became a rectangle of yellow, and I encouraged the kids to draw themselves in the truck windows.

Picture of fire truck craft, with a yellow ladder. siren light is drawn with pink highlighter, wheels are drawn in black marker, and two firefighters are drawn on the white windows.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Firefighters! Speeding! Spraying! Saving! by Patricia Hubbell & Viviana Garofoli
Fire! ¡Fuego! Brave Bomberos by Susan Middleton Elya & Dan Santat
Firefighter Ted by Andrea Beaty & Pascal Lemaitre
I’m Brave! by Kate & Jim McMullan

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!)
Credit: King County Library System

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 10/5/21 & 10/9/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Cows & Horses

Posted on December 17, 2021December 28, 2022 by msemilylibrary

This started out as a “cowboy/cowgirl” storytime, but I liked the idea of focusing more on the animals than the more narrow subject of cow wrangling. The whole thing was kicked off by the Jan Thomas book, Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy that my friend and colleague Christy suggested as being a great ukulele song to play while reading. I’m not sure who to credit for writing out the original song, but I did find the tune on Jan Thomas’ site, which was very helpful to get it into my head. I also tried hard not to gender the profession, so substituted “cowpoke” instead of cowboy/cowgirl in songs and rhymes. This was another theme I could go all out on for dressing up with stuff I had in my closet – jeans, flannel shirt, bandanna, and hat (that I’d saved from my post-prom event 20 years ago!)

screenshot of virtual storytime, showing cowpoke outfit.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Your child may not have much experience with cowpokes and ranches and horses, but talk to them about new ideas and experiences anyway. The more we talk to our children, the bigger their vocabularies grow. Sometimes we get bored talking about the same old daily routine with our kids. New topics can keep us motivated to keep talking!

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Fingerplay: Ten Galloping Horses
Ten little horses galloped into town,
Five were black and five were brown
They galloped up
They galloped down
Then they galloped out of town!
(repeat & whisper, then end silently doing motions)
Source: King County Library System (WA)

Read: Clip-Clop! by Nicola Smee

Bounce: Giddy-Up!
(tune of William Tell Overture)
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, up, up! (bounce)
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, up, up!
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, up, up!
Whoa, horsie! (lean back with child)
Source: Handley Regional Library (VA)

Action Song: The Horses Are Walking
The horses are walking,
They’re walking along, walking along, walking along
The horses are walking, they’re walking along.
Whoa, whoa, WHOA!
Additional verses: Trotting, galloping
Source: Jbrary

Breathing Break: Five Finger Breathing
Our breathwork visualization. We inhale while tracing up a finger, pause at the top, then exhale while tracing down, and pause at the bottom. Repeat for all five fingers. At the end, I let them know this is a great way to get calm, get centered or focused, and get ready for the next thing. I also remind them they can take a ten finger break if they need to, and it’s always available for them whenever they need it.

Fingerplay: This Little Cow
(count on fingers)
This little cow eats grass (pinkie)
This little cow eats hay
This little cow looks over the hedge
This little cow runs away
And this BIG cow does nothing at all (thumb)
But lie down in the fields all day! (lay thumb down)
Source: North Mankato Taylor Library (MN)

I felt the need to explain what chaps were before this song.
Action Song: I’m a Little Cowpoke
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little cowpoke (point to self)
Here is my hat (put on hat)
Here are my boots, (stomp feet)
And here are my chaps (slap sides of legs)
When I get up, I work all day (pretend to lasso)
Get on my horse, (swing leg up)
And ride away! (pretend to ride)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

I used a wire book holder to prop up the book while I sang and played the lullaby parts (and did some editing for the video version), but it would be much easier to have a colleague help you by holding and possibly reading the “cow” parts.
Read/Sing: Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
Get a copy of the sheet music here!
Listen to the song on the Jan Thomas website!

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy book cover.

Action Song: The Cowpoke Pokey
(tune of the Hokey Pokey)
You put your left spur in,
You take your left spur out,
You put your left spur in and you shake it all about
You do the cowpoke pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about – Yee-haw!

Additional verses:
Right spur, lasso (“throw” a rope in and out), hat (head), ride your horse in (whole self)
Source: Loudest Librarian

Craft: “Footprint” Horse
This craft was modeled after one from the Busy Bee Kids Crafts site. But since these are for take and makes, I didn’t actually do “footprints” – the parts and pieces were pre-cut, and although my head was still vaguely footprint shaped, I’m not sure anyone would recognize that. Yarn and googly eyes give them some texture and interest, making a cute and simple craft.

picture of craft, with horse neck, head, and ears as separate construction paper pieces, with googly eyes and yarn mane.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Noni the Pony by Alison Lester
Moo! by David LaRochelle & Mike Wohnoutka
A Wild Cowboy by Dana Kessimakis Smith & Laura Freeman
I Wanna Be a Cowgirl by Angela DiTerlizzi & Elizabet Vukovic

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 9/28/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Pirates

Posted on December 10, 2021December 30, 2021 by msemilylibrary

As I was planning my fall session, I looked a little more at Chase’s Calendar of Events than I had in the past, just looking for new inspiration. I was reminded that September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate day, so I coordinated my closest storytime session to be on pirates. Arrrrr!

I went very vague about what pirates did – something like sailing the seas, looking for treasure. The lore and traditions of “pirates” in the way they’ve been interpreted and exaggerated (and certainly skewed) in movies and pop culture is undeniably fun, and the reality is quite a bit more violent and depressing, so we kept it light. I went all out with the pirate getup. Wearing an eyepatch was really discombobulating during the virtual version, so I opted out in person, but still wore my stripey shirt, waist sash, headscarf, and parrot craft on my shoulder!

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

Early Literacy Tip: Books are very rich in vocabulary—they have words that we do not use in everyday conversation with young children. This is especially true with books on unusual subjects like pirates! So, children hear many more words when we read books to them, and research shows that gives kids an advantage well into their school years. Feel free to explain unfamiliar words, but don’t substitute them for easier ones.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Our new warm-up for the last few weeks of the summer session.
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
(Try other motions such as jump, twirl, stretch)
Source: Jbrary

Intro: September 19th is a holiday – did you know? It’s Talk Like A Pirate Day! So let’s enjoy some fun about pirates. BTW, Do you know what a pirate’s favorite letter is? … [Hope for a parent to supply “R”] … Ah, yeh’d think it’d be R, but it’s really the C they love!

Lifting Song: The Ocean Song
Oh the ocean is great
and the ocean is grand
There are lots of pirate ships
and 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:
We ride the waves going up,
We ride the waves going down (rep 3x)
And we turn around – Arr!
Source: Jbrary

I talked briefly about the fact that the word “sea/see” sounded the same but was spelled differently and meant two different things. The sea, like the ocean: we made a wavy hand motion in front of us. And to see, like to look: we shaded our eyes with our hands like we were looking far away. The next song we made the appropriate motions to go with the words, and I held up big pictures of sea creatures that we cumulatively sang at the end of each verse. (I used my “slippery fish” felt for the video.)
Song: A Pirate Went to Sea
A pirate went to sea, sea, sea (wavy motion with hand)
To see what she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
But all that she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea… (wavy)
OH aaaand a seahorse!

A pirate went to sea, sea, sea (wavy motion with hand)
To see what she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
But all that she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
Was a seahorse in the deep blue sea, sea, sea… (wavy)
OH aaaand a jellyfish!

A pirate went to sea, sea, sea (wavy motion with hand)
To see what she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
But all that she could see, see, see (shade eyes)
Was a seahorse and a jellyfish in the deep blue sea, sea, sea… (wavy)
OH aaaand an octopus!
(keep adding sea animals – fish, shark, whale)
Source: Johnson County Library (KS)

Download a copy of the printed sea animals.

I wanted to shorten this one, so I paper clipped the pages that dealt with fighting with the rival pirate ship. So they found the treasure, then they celebrated on their ship.
Read: Dinosaur Pirates! by Penny Dale

I’d never heard this one before and it was on several storytime blogs, so I found this adorable video of a girl scout group performing it – I got the tune and the motions from them!
Song: The Counting Pirate Song
When I was one, I banged my drum (mime)
The day I went to sea (wavy motion)
I climbed aboard a pirate ship (climb ladder)
And the captain said to me (salute)
We’re going this way, that way (hands on hips, lean left and right)
Forwards, backwards over the rolling sea (lean front and back, wavy motion)
A bottle of milk to warm my tum, (drink, then rub tummy)
And that’s the life for me! Yo-ho-ho-ho! (the “pirate” motion – bent arm rocks in front of you)

When I was 2, I buckled my shoe…
When I was 3, I banged my knee…
When I was 4, I knocked on a door…
When I was 5, I learned to dive…
Source: Johnson County Library (KS)
See motions here: https://youtu.be/PjHaqtUIa9E

I didn’t actually do this one in person since I could tell we were running a bit long, but it’s another fun option.
Song: Captain Billy
(tune of Old MacDonald)
Captain Billy had a ship, E-I-Yo-Ho-Ho!
And on his ship he had a crew, E-I-Yo-Ho-Ho!
With an Arrr, Arrr here and an Arrr, Arrr there,
Here an Arr, there an Arr, everywhere an Arr, Arr
Captain Billy had a ship, E-I-Yo-Ho-Ho!

Additional verses:
…on his ship his crew would swab… swish, sweep …
…found an isle …and on that isle buried treasure…dig…
…on his ship he had a treasure…gold doubloons here…
Source: Stratford Library (CT)

We did the PIRATE version of this one today!
Song: PIRATE Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons!
(hands sweep past each other, then shade eyes)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons!
If you want to take a trip (climb a ladder)
Climb aboard my pirate ship!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re hunting for doubloons!
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, AHOY! (crouch, jump & wave!)
Source: Jbrary

Read: Bubble Bath Pirates! by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

So I needed to get the bubble machine out after that book! In person, I played a new-to-me song that I really dig:
Recorded song: Pop, Pop, Pop by Nathalia

In the virtual version, I played and sang this one:
Ukulele Song: If You’re A Pirate & You Know It
(tune of If You’re Happy & You Know It)
If you’re a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish) (x2)
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 (swish, swish)

Additional verses:
Walk the plank (stomp, stomp)
Say ahoy (ahoy!)
Source: Canton Public Library (MI)

Craft: Eyepatch and Parrot
Inpsired by this great post at Sturdy for Common Things I made eyepatches from black foam and strung them with black yarn, then provided this really cool parrot craft to go with them. I adjusted the template so that I could print two parrots on a sheet of cardstock (I did white and let the kids color them), and I removed the B and C lines since I couldn’t really figure out why they were there, and just left the one folding line A. Parents could position the parrot on their kid’s shoulder, taping the tab to their back and letting the body of the bird drape over the front. (The pictures at the blog post make it clearer.) Since I altered the template and it’s not available at its original spot anymore, you can download my version here. I also added some plastic gold coins in the packet for funsies.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
The Grumpy Pirate by Corinne Demas, Artemis Roehrig & Ashlyn Anstee
Pirate Jack Gets Dressed by Nancy Raines Day & Allison Black
Go, Go, Pirate Boat by Katrina Charman & Nick Sharratt
We’re Going on a Treasure Hunt by Kelly DiPucchio & Jay Fleck

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 9/21/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: International Dot Day

Posted on December 3, 2021November 22, 2021 by msemilylibrary

Friends, I love the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, about Vashti, a young girl who doesn’t think she’s an artist. I also love how dots and spots and buttons and polka dots are so common for early literacy activities! I decided to do a Dot Day storytime to go along with the International Dot Day celebrated “on or around September 15-ish,” according to the official website.

Since The Dot is a fairly small book, I decided to retell it using props outdoors, and as a draw & tell story in my virtual storytime. It was fun to try to “recreate” the story with graphics in Canva, and then to try to draw it. It stretched my creative muscles! The drawing (and erasing) took way longer than anyone’s got attention for, so I used some editing to speed it up in the video version. Although the parents in my outdoor storytime seemed to enjoy the story, I completely lost the little ones, who skewed a bit younger at this particular session. Upon more reflection, this book really is best for kindergarten and older kids, who may have had the experience of being frustrated by their art. The younger ones probably don’t need this message yet!

In any event, I think that all of my other activities and books WERE age-appropriate, so this still turned out to be a fun storytime! Next time, it’ll just be themed to polka-dots and we’ll save The Dot for some school outreach.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Art engages children’s senses in open-ended play and develops cognitive, social, emotional, and sensory-motor skills. Allow your child to create sometimes without having an expectation that the result should look a certain way – focus on the process, not the product. Product-based crafts are good for learning to follow directions, but process-based crafts allow for self-expression and joy in the making. Both are beneficial to your child!

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Intro: What is a dot? A spot, a circle, a polka-dot! We’re going to read a book that some people liked so much and were so inspired by, that they made an International Dot Day holiday to celebrate it!

Retell: The Dot by Peter Reynolds

Download my visual aids here! (I started with a blank sheet and used a sharpie to make a dot and sign it “Vashti.” I also wrote out the text of the book and pasted it to the back of each sheet, not included in the download. For the gallery page, I made a color copy of that sheet from the book and enlarged it about 200% onto 11×17 paper, also not included in the download.)

I wrote this one, but it is very specific to the book. If you’re not reading it, it may not make sense.
Song: Making Artwork
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Painting, painting (painting, painting)
Dot, dot, dot (dot, dot, dot)
Now we sign our names there
(now we sign our names there)
Look at my art! (look at my art!)!
Credit: Ms. Emily

Because I was doing this outside, I made it as large as I could on cardstock, and added magnets to the back and the dots so I could stick it on my bookcart. I liked that we counted up to six instead of the usual five, too.
Flannel Song: Pretty Ladybug
(tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man)
Ladybug has 1 black spot
1 black spot, 1 black spot
Ladybug has 1 black spot
Pretty ladybug!
(count up)
Source: Jen in the Library

Download the Pretty Ladybug template!

Tickle Song: Spots, Spots, Spots
(tune of the baseball organ build up)
Spots, spots, spots, spots,
Spots, spots, spots, spots
A leopard has lots of spots
What a lot of spots he got!
A tiger’s stripes are always nice…
But a leopard has lots of
Spots, spots, spots, spots,
Spots, spots, spots, spots… (tickle!)
Source: Jbrary

Everyone liked this one!
Read: Don’t Push The Button by Bill Cotter

When I did this one as a kid, we said “I have a wife and three kids and I work at the button factory.” That seemed so outdated! The parents really got into this one, which was super-fun to see!
Action Chant: The Button Factory
Hi, my name is Jo(e)!
I have a dog and a cat
And I work at the button factory
One day, my boss came to me,
She said, “Jo(e), are you busy?”
I said “No”
She said,“Push this button
with your right hand”

Continue to push the button, repeat and add left hand, right foot, left foot, nose, hip, etc.
On last verse:
She said, “Jo(e), are you busy?” “YES!”
Source: traditional

Ukulele Song: Ladybugs’ Picnic
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,8 ,9, 10, 11, 12
Ladybugs came to the ladybugs’ picnic

They had twelve sacks so they ran sack races
And they fell on their backs and they fell on their faces
The ladybugs 12 At the ladybugs’ picnic

They played jump rope but the rope it broke
So they just sat around telling knock-knock jokes
The ladybugs 12 At the ladybugs’ picnic

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,8 ,9, 10, 11, 12
And they chatted away At the ladybugs’ picnic

They talked about the high price of furniture and rugs
And fire insurance for ladybugs
The ladybugs 12 At the ladybugs’ picnic. 12!
Credit: Sesame Street

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Ladybugs’ Picnic” here!

Craft: Pom Pom Painting
When giving my early lit tip, I emphasized the benefits of process art projects. For this one, I supplied a blank sheet of paper, two pom poms, two colors of paint, and two clothespins (to hold the pom poms), and encouraged them to paint whatever they wanted! I also printed some of the Dot Day coloring sheets for the take-home packets.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Art by Patrick McDonnell
The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
The Button Book by Sally Nicholls & Bethan Woollvin
Just Add Glitter by Angela DiTerlizzi & Samantha Cotterill

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 9/14/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Grandparents

Posted on November 26, 2021November 22, 2021 by msemilylibrary

I went back and forth on doing this theme for storytime. Our school system always makes Grandparents Day a big deal (in the US, the first Sunday of September after Labor Day), and I’d seen it as a theme idea on some library groups and blogs. But, of course, not everyone has living grandparents, or ones who are active in their life. AND not all grandparents fall into that strict binary of grandma/grandpa. In my introduction to the theme, I tried to expand it to all the older grownups who love us and take care of us, but when all of your songs, rhymes, and books are explicitly about “grandparents,” that kind of caveat falls a bit short. I think I would maybe mix up some of the wording in the future to include aunties or babysitters or friends.

I was happy to continue to offer outdoor storytimes in the fall of 2021. I noted that we would cancel for rain or extreme temperatures: over 90F or under 40F. I had a two-week vacation planned at the end of October, so I planned all of September and the first two weeks of October to be outside. Thankfully, we didn’t have to cancel once, though toward the end we moved from the grass to our brick courtyard – even on sunny days, the sun wasn’t out long enough to dry off the grass by 10:30 AM!

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

Early Literacy Tip: Talk about writing when you make and send cards for people. Have your child help and remember to ask her to sign her name along with yours! Don’t worry if it is not legible. They are getting the idea that what
they write means something.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Intro: Today we celebrate grandparents and all the older grownups that take care of us and love us. Some of them you might be with right now! Some we might not see very often, but we know they love us and we love them.

Read: I Love My Glam-Ma by Samantha Berger & Sujean Rim

cover image of I Love My Glam-Ma by Samantha Berger & Sujean Rim

Song: My Grandparents Love
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
My grandma bounces me up and down
Up and down, up and down
My grandma bounces me up and down
Because she loves me so!

Additional Verses:
Grandpa swings me side to side…
Grandma loves to read to me…
Grandpa gives me great big hugs…
Source: Johnson County Library (KS)

Song: Let’s Clap!
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
For grandma, for grandma
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
Let’s clap them this way

Clap this way (high) and that way (low)
Clap this way and that way
Let’s clap our hands for grandma
Let’s clap them this way!

Let’s stomp our feet for grandpa… (left and right)
Source: Storytimes and More

Since we’re doing some stomping… Used this in person only.
Recorded Song: The Tempo Marches On by Jim Gill

Read: The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr

cover image of The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr

Rhyme: Grandma’s Glasses
These are grandma’s glasses
And this is grandma’s hat
And this is the way she folds her hands
And puts them in her lap

These are grandpa’s glasses
And this is grandpa’s hat
And this is the way he folds his arms
And takes a little nap (snore!)
Source: Tim Burkey – I do the nap instead of repeating the lap line

Read: Llama Llama Gram & Grandpa by Anna Dewdney

cover image of Llama Llama Gram & Grandpa by Anna Dewdney

I asked the audience what other names they might use for their grandparents, and offered some regional/cultural ones. Careful! I am so used to singing this original tune, several times I launched into “You’ll never know…” on the third line before correcting myself!
Ukulele Song: You Are My Grandma/Grandpa
(tune of You Are My Sunshine)
You are my Grandma You are my Grandpa
You make me happy when I’m with you
You give good hugs and
You give good kisses
I hope you know how much I love you
Source: Handley Regional Library System (VA)

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail of You Are My Grandma/Grandpa ukulele songsheet

Craft: Cards for Grandparents
These cards came straight from the Smudge Ink blog, and I printed two grandmas and two grandpas for each packet, though I said if anyone needed more or any other combination, to let me know! I don’t love how the cards say “The best thing you cook is…” for grandma and “The best thing you make is…” for grandpa, whereas the rest of the inside is the same, but I didn’t have time to make adjustments or create my own template. Next time!

picture of printed grandparents day card, showing one colored in, some markers and crayons, and one blank. — Image from Smudge Ink blog

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu & Christina Forshay
Go, Grandpa, Go! by Lynn Plourde & Sophie Beer
The Truth About Grandparents by Elina Ellis

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 9/7/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Tigers

Posted on November 19, 2021November 15, 2021 by msemilylibrary

This was the last of my Tails & Tales Summer Reading storytimes! The parks outreach that I was also doing this week had a theme of “Jungle,” which I distilled down to tigers. My second book was a real stretch (Novak does mention a hippopotamus at one point…), but I was more interested in the interactivity and humor for this last book. I was especially proud of my craft, that I created from scratch (inspired by a completely different fork painting lion craft I’d seen.) My library takes the month of August off from programming, so my next update will be from September (and I’ll be that much closer to catching up!)

A note: I did include and use a “Five Monkeys” rhyme. I know that monkey rhymes have gotten a lot of attention in that the “Jumping on the Bed” one is rooted in racism. The one I used is about monkeys in the wild, teasing a tiger (I’ve also seen crocodile in other versions.) My thought is that this centers on the animals in their wild milieu and not anthropomorphized animals in a human setting. I don’t know if that’s the right call or not; I’m open to listening and learning.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Part of reading books with young children is simply helping them become comfortable with how books work. Babies will bat at the pages, imitating your turning the page. Toddlers will know what a book is for and may babble a story while “reading.” Run your finger under the text for older children to show that you are reading the words, not the pictures. All these activities help support your children’s print awareness.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Chant: Walking Through the Jungle
Walking through the jungle (repeat each line)
What do I hear? (x2)
I think I heard a snake! (x2)
Hiss, hiss, hiss! (x2)

Repeat with other jungle animals and their sounds:
Elephant-trumpet, alligator-snap, monkey-screech, tiger-growl
Credit: King County Library System

Read: It’s a Tiger! by David LaRochelle & Jeremy Tankard

Ukulele Song: If You’re a Tiger
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you’re a tiger and you know it give a growl
If you’re a tiger and you know it give a growl
If you’re a tiger and you know it
and you really want to show it
If you’re a tiger and you know it give a growl

Additional verses:
Swish your tail … Show your claws
Credit: Verona Storytime

Tickle Song: Spots, Spots, Spots
(tune of the baseball organ build-up)
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
A leopard has lots of spots
What a lot of spots he got
A tiger’s stripes are always nice
But a leopard has lots of spots
Spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots
Credit: Jbrary

Read: The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak

I added the last verse to allow for the monkeys to explicitly “get away.”
Song: Cheeky Monkeys
Five cheeky monkeys swinging in a tree
Teasing Mr. Tiger: “You can’t catch me!”
Along came the tiger, slowly as can be
And… POUNCE!

(count down, then last verse)
Five cheeky monkeys swinging from a vine
Teasing Mr. Tiger and feeling so fine
“We’re too quick for tiger, he’s way down below”
Tiger gave a JUMP!
… but he was too slow!
Credit: adapted from Never Shushed

Action Chant: Bananas Unite!
Bananas……unite!
Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas (x2)
Chop bananas, chop chop bananas (x2)
Mash bananas, mash mash bananas (x2)
Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas (x2)
Goooooooooo BANANAS!
Credit: Jbrary

Breathing Break: Five Finger Breathing
Our breathwork visualization for the last few weeks of the summer session. We inhale while tracing up a finger, pause at the top, then exhale while tracing down, and pause at the bottom. Repeat for all five fingers. At the end, I let them know this is a great way to get calm, get centered or focused, and get ready for the next thing. I also remind them they can take a ten finger break if they need to, and it’s always available for them whenever they need it.

Recorded Song: Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill

Instead of a recorded song in the virtual program, I played this on ukulele:
Ukulele Song: Apples and Bananas
(begin with the correct pronunciation, then change the vowel sounds for each verse to a, e, i, o, and u)
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

I like to ate, ate, ate ayples and ba-nay-nays
I like to ate, ate, ate ayples and ba-nay-nays

I like to eet, eet, eet eeples and ba-nee-nees
I like to eet, eet, eet eeples and ba-nee-nees

I like to ite, ite, ite iples and ba-ni-nis
I like to ite, ite, ite iples and ba-ni-nis

I like to ote, ote, ote oples and ba-no-nos
I like to ote, ote, ote oples and ba-no-nos

I like to ute, ute, ute uples and ba-nu-nus
I like to ute, ute, ute uples and ba-nu-nus
Credit: Raffi, from the album One Light, One Sun

Download a ukulele songsheet for Apples and Bananas

thumbnail of apples and bananas ukulele songsheet

Craft: Tiger in the Jungle
I’d remembered a craft idea about using forks to paint a lion’s mane, and I really liked the idea of a more unusual painting utensil. I found a picture of a tiger with no stripes, printed it on orange construction paper, then provided a green background sheet, plastic fork, some black paint, and some big broad leaves, and let the kids create their own scene.

Click here to download the tiger and leaves template (sized to print on 9×12″ construction paper)

Craft showing an orange tiger with painted on black stripes, on a green construction paper background with four green leaves pasted on and a vine drawn in marker.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
I Am a Tiger by Karl Newson & Ross Collins

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 7/27/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Animal Movement

Posted on November 12, 2021 by msemilylibrary

I knew I wanted to highlight animal movement during my outdoor storytime this summer, and Head to Toe was one of the first books on my list that I thought would translate well with a big, spread-out crowd. Not a lot of visuals for this blog post, but we were moving around a LOT! Families seemed to enjoy this one, especially our bubble song at the end.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Crafts are great ways to allow your child to practice their creativity, work with different materials, strengthen their finger grip, and improve hand/eye coordination. All of these will help prepare them for school and learning to write later on!

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Read: We’ve All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin & Randy Cecil

I’d always done this one as “bubble bubble POP” with increasing numbers of fish, but the splash made more sense when ducks, frogs, and children! (I also think Caspar Babypants does it like this!)
Action Song: All the Fish Are Swimming
All the fish are swimming in the water
Swimming in the water
Swimming in the water
All the fish are swimming in the water
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble…SPLASH

Additional verses:
All the ducks are quacking…
All the frogs are jumping…
All the children are splashing…
Credit: King County Library System

Fingerplay: Up the Hill
Here goes a turtle up a hill, creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy (crawl up arm)
Here goes a rabbit up the hill, boing, boing, boing, boing (bounce up arm)
Here goes an elephant up the hill, thud, thud, thud, thud (clap up arm)
Here goes a snake up the hill, slither, slither, slither, slither (slither up arm)
Here comes a rock down the hill, boom, boom, boom, boom, CRASH!
(bounce down, clap hands for crash)
Credit: Storytime Katie

Read: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

This is such a silly and fun song!
Action Song: Noisy Animals Eating
(tune of Row Your Boat)
See the hippopotamus, eating fruits and weeds
Take a bite … chew it up …
Then spit out all the seeds!

Additional verses:
See the very tall giraffe…
See the wrinkly elephant…
Credit: King County Library System

Fingerplay: Little Turtle
There was a little turtle, he lived in a box
He swam in a puddle, he climbed on rocks
He snapped at a mosquito (hand “bites”)
He snapped at a flea
He snapped at a minnow,
And he snapped at me!
He caught the mosquito (clap)
He caught the flea (clap)
He caught the minnow (clap)
But he didn’t catch me! (shake finger “no”)
Credit: Jbrary

Everyone loves bubbles! The wind was a little stronger than I’d anticipated, so I had to move quite a bit to the side to get the bubbles anywhere near the kids. They went chasing after them, so I’m glad we had a large lawn area!
Bubble Song: There Are Bubbles in the Air
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
There are bubbles in the air, in the air (x2)
There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles everywhere!
There are bubbles in the air, in the air

Additional verses:
There are bubbles way up high… in the sky
There are bubbles way down low… that tickle your toes
Credit: Jbrary

I had this song in my back pocket, but the bubble time was so chaotic I didn’t do any more than the Bubbles in the Air song. I’m choosing to just play recorded music in the future anytime I do bubbles!
Bubble Song: My Bubbles
(tune of My Bonnie)
My bubbles flew over the ocean,
My bubbles flew over the sea,
My bubbles flew over the rainbow,
Oh come back, my bubbles, to me.
Come back, come back, oh come back my bubbles to me!
Credit: Storytime Katie

Craft: Tissue Paper Turtle
The most difficult thing about this craft was sorting through our box full of tissue paper squares to find the “turtle” colored ones. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to reach in and grab a variety of colors, but other times you really need just greens! This craft was inspired by The Adventures Start Here blog.

A paper plate craft with different colored green tissue squares glued on, with green construction paper legs, tail and head with googly eyes, making a turtle.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Wiggle by Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin
Everyone is Yawning by Anita Bijsterbosch
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett & Kevin Cornell

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 7/20/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Arctic Animals

Posted on October 15, 2021October 14, 2021 by msemilylibrary

To do an arctic animal storytime in July, we needed to put on our pretend hats! I don’t think I would have come up with this theme myself, but the parks camp I did outreach to had this as their theme, so I adapted it for my outdoor storytime.

To be honest, I felt like this storytime was a little “off.” Maybe I wasn’t super comfortable with some of the materials. Maybe the audience was just a little more wiggly than usual. Maybe the imminent threat of rain made me feel rushed. More than likely, it was a combination of things. I don’t dwell. Some days you just have an off day, and that’s okay.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Counting up or down in songs like Five Little Polar Bears helps kids strengthen their number recognition. And don’t be afraid to change up the number – eight little polar bears or ten little polar bears will let kids hear lesser-used numbers.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

This book might have been the start of my “offness” – although I like that it shows a wide variety of arctic animals AND it shows the arctic in the summertime AND it’s a book you can sing, it just wasn’t right for my group. It was too long, and because it was a regular sized book, the pictures were too small. I skipped a few pages, but I could still see the attention wandering.
Read: Way Up in the Arctic by Jennifer Ward & Kenneth J. Spengler

For the virtual, I stuck velcro on the back of these laminated pieces, but for the in-person session, I taped craft sticks on the bears to make them easier to hold.
Counting Song: Five Little Polar Bears
Five little polar bears riding on a sled
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more polar bears riding on a sled!”
(count down)
Credit: Literary Hoots

Laminated clipart of five polar bears on a sled

Another regular-sized book. The illustrations of cut and torn paper are AMAZING, but again, probably too small for my audience to really see.
Read: A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris

Movement: Arctic Animal Movement
Can you…
…Walk on four feet like a polar bear?
…Turn your head like a snowy owl?
…Swim like an orca/beluga whale?
…Flap your wing like an arctic tern?
…Stomp your feet like a caribou?
…Hop like an arctic hare?
Credit: Guilderland Public Library

One more new repeated activity. This has always been a favorite song!
Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
(hands scrape past each other rhythmically)
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
If you want to take a trip (fingers walk up arm)
Climb aboard my rocket ship!
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon!
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLASTOFF! (crouch, then jump!)
Credit: Jbrary

I always try to do several songs that use a particular prop so that the kids have some time with them. Today was scarves! To collect them at the end of the in-person session, I sang “If You Have a Red Scarf” to the tune of The Muffin Man and directed kids to listen for their color.

Scarf 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
Credit: Jbrary

Scarf Song: We Wave Our Scarves Together
(tune of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow)
We wave our scarves together (3x)
because it’s fun to do!
Wave them up high
Wave them down low
Wave them in the middle
Because it’s fun to do!
Credit: Jbrary

I added the “drying” verse because this song is too fun to just do two verses! For the “tumble” action, we threw our scarves up and caught them, like they were tumbling around in a dryer. This song was probably the most successful activity of the storytime!
Scarf Song: The Walrus Washes His Winter Coat
Oh, the walrus washes his winter coat
Down by the wavy ocean
He adds some water and he adds some soap
and he waits…and he waits…and he waits.

Then the laundry shakes, shakes, shakes
The laundry shakes and shakes and shakes
The laundry shakes, shakes, shakes
until it’s clean. (repeat)

Additional verses:
The laundry spins … until it’s clean
The laundry tumbles … until it’s dry
Credit: Brytani Fraser via Jbrary

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

Craft: Polar Bear Scene
This was inspired by Tompkins County Public Library, and I loved how they suggested different mediums and let the kids decide what to do with them. So I printed an outline of a polar bear on a dark blue sheet of construction paper, provided cotton balls and chalk, and gave both example photos below. Kids could use the cotton for snow or for the bear, and chalk for the opposite, or do whatever they liked!

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk & Alexandria Neonakis
The Bear Report by Thyra Heder
Sea Bear by Lindsay Moore

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 7/13/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Wiggly Bugs

Posted on September 24, 2021 by msemilylibrary

I knew I’d done a bug storytime recently, but I couldn’t resist repeating the theme for our summer outdoor storytime. For one, I had two big books that featured bugs, and for another, there’s just so many good songs and rhymes and movement activities for bugs. It worked out really well, and the families seemed enthusiastic. All summer, I didn’t use many props or flannelboards, so these blog posts have seemed kind of boring with fewer pictures. I’ll have more to show for fall programs!

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

Early Literacy Tip: When we do fingerplay activities like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” we use various finger motions, and change and exaggerate them for verses like “the great big spider.” These motions help your child’s finger strength and dexterity which is important later when they are learning to write, tie shoes, or hold utensils like a fork or toothbrush.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Read: In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and
washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the spout again
(repeat with Great Big Spider, teeny weeny spider)
Credit: traditional

For this session, I used fruit instead of Herman’s relatives and went grape, apple, banana, pineapple, and watermelon!)
Silly Story: Herman the Worm
I was sittin’ on my fencepost,
chewing my bubblegum (munch, munch)
Playin’ with my yo-yo, (wee-oo! wee-oo!)
When along came Herman the worm
And he was this big (measure a small worm)
And I said: “Herman? What happened?”
“I ate a grape.”
(Herman gets bigger and bigger, eating more fruit, then goes back to being tiny)
…And I said: “Herman? What happened?”
“I burped!”
Credit: traditional, see motions at Jbrary

So, this book is all about different vegetables that grow up, down, or around, but there are SO MANY wiggly bugs in the illustrations! So, in addition to asking the kiddos to reach up, reach down, and turn around when the text says, we also pointed out and identified one bug on each page.
Read: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres & Nadine Bernard Westcott

Breathing Break: Five Finger Breathing
Our new breathwork visualization for the last few weeks of the summer session. We inhale while tracing up a finger, pause at the top, then exhale while tracing down, and pause at the bottom. Repeat for all five fingers. At the end, I let them know this is a great way to get calm, get centered or focused, and get ready for the next thing. I also remind them they can take a ten finger break if they need to, and it’s always available for them whenever they need it.

I handed out scarves for the last three songs – yay for being able to do props again!
Song: We Wave Our Scarves Together
(tune of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow)
We wave our scarves together (3x)
because it’s fun to do!
Wave them up high
Wave them down low
Wave them in the middle
Because it’s fun to do!
Credit: Jbrary

Scarf Song: I’m a Caterpillar
(tune of Skip to My Lou)
I’m a caterpillar, wiggle with me (rep. 3x, wiggle scarf)
What’ll I be my darling?

Additional verses:
I’m a chrysalis, now sleep with me… (whisper)
I’m a butterfly, come fly with me… (hold scarf in middle and “fly”)
Credit: Adventures of a Bookworm

For the virtual program, we did:
Popcorn Kernels
(tune of Frère Jacques: sing each line twice)
Popcorn kernels (wave scarves overhead)
In the pot (bunching scarves up in fist)
Shake them shake them shake them (shake fists)
’til they POP! (toss scarves)
Credit: Jbrary

For the outdoor program, I collected scarves with this song.
Song: If You Have a Scarf
(tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man)
If you have a red scarf,
Red scarf, red scarf
If you have a red scarf
Please bring it up here!
Credit: have used this a long time, not sure the original source!

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

Craft: Butterfly Mask
Just a nice printable template from Simple Mom Project. I purchased the elastics since this library didn’t have any in the supply room, and asked a volunteer to pre-cut the masks. I added some sequins to the supply bags to give them some sparkle!

picture of butterfly mask colored blues, greens, and purples, with green and gold sequins.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt & Tony DiTerlizzi
The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out! Big Time! by Troy Cummings
Daddy Is a Doodlebug by Bruce Degen

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 7/6/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Going on a Bear (and Berry) Hunt

Posted on September 17, 2021September 13, 2021 by msemilylibrary

I’d been wanting to use the Going on a Bear Hunt chant/rhyme for outdoor storytime, and just happened to have a big book copy of The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear, so that translated quite well into a theme. We had a lot of fun going THROUGH various obstacles, roaring like mad, and identifying berries. Since this was our fifth week of outdoor stories, I changed up our recurring rhymes and activities, too.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Pretend play helps your child act out and understand stories and events they have seen, heard, or experienced. Simple props or costumes like the bear ears we’ll make in today’s craft help enhance the fun and promote more immersive play.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Read: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, & the Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood

Outside, I held up large pictures of the various berries at the end of each verse for the kids to shout out. The kids got all of them except the gooseberry! In the video, I had a laminated version for the flannelboard, made from Canva.
Counting Rhyme: Jamberry Hunt
Under the bridge and over the dam,
looking for berries, berries for jam
1 berry, 2 berries, pick me a strawberry
(repeat, counting up to 10 and asking for different berries each time: blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, gooseberry.)

Last line:
Under the bridge and over the dam,
Back home to cook my berries, berries for jam
Credit: Jbrary

laminated flannelboard set of a canoe, simplified water, and 5 berries: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and gooseberry.

Action Rhyme: Bears Eat Honey
Bears eat honey (pretend to eat)
They think it’s yummy
In their tummy (rub tummy)
But the bees don’t think it’s funny!
Buzzzzzzzzzzzz! (tickle)
Credit: King County Library System via Storytime Katie

I pretty much did as Michael Rosen does in this video, but encouraged the group to repeat the first four lines as call and response. You can download my reminder sheet here.
Retelling/Chant: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury

screenshot from virtual storytime, showing five finger breathing.

Movement: Bear Brain Break
Based on this worksheet from the OT Toolbox, we moved like a bear and did the Bear Crawl, Bear Scratch, Bear Bend, Bear Stretch, and Bear Hug!

thumbnail of Bear Brain Breaks worksheet.

Sometimes this song features bears, so that’s where my thoughts were in choosing it. You could sing “and the little bear said…” to further reinforce it. And I saw my colleague Rebecca B. do the Whole Bed schtick, which I thought was a hilarious and perfect end! I use a flannel (template from Making Learning Fun) for this on the video, but we just did hand motions in person.
Counting Song: Five in the Bed
There were five in a bed,
and the little one said (5 fingers up)
“Roll over, roll over” (make rolling motion)
And they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were four in a bed… (continue to 1)

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

Flannel for Five in the Bed - bed with a blue cover and two white pillows, as well as one small brown bear and four larger bears in purple, yellow, light blue, and red.

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

For the virtual session, I did this instead of the recorded Teddy Bear song.
Song: Bear Went Over the Mountain
Oh, the bear went over the mountain, (rep. 3x)
To see what he could see!

But all that he could see,
Yes, all that he could see
Was the other side of the mountain, (rep 3x)
Was all that he could see!
(repeat with “around,” “under,” and “jumped over”)
Credit: traditional, movement ideas from Intellidance

Craft: Bear Ears Headband
Simple, simple craft that allows for lots of dramatic play.

picture of bear ears headband - brown construction paper band with brown bear ears (and pink inner ear) glued on.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
Where is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley
There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 6/29/21.

Storytime Handout: