Tag: flannel

book covers for merdaddy, mermaids fast asleep, and can I give you a squish

Storytime: Merfolk

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Another magical storytime! This time, we headed to the sea to swim with the merfolk. Now, remember, not all merfolk are mermaids! We talked about mermen, merdaddies and mermommies, merboys and mergirls, merkids, merchildren, even merbabies. I love how the books available also reflect an array of merfolk. Merfolk come in all skin tones, hair and tail colors, even body types (though it’s a little harder to find those.)

You can find another magical creatures theme (which included merfolk) from 2020, and a merfolk only theme from 2022.

Merdaddy book cover, showing a bearded merman holding a small merchild with fish in the background
Mermaids fast asleep book cover, showing a mermaid hugging a merchild with fish all around
Can I give you a squish book cover, with an enthusiastic merboy with arms raised looking at friends dolphin, crab, octopus, and fish.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning how to deal with big feelings is one crucial way we can help our child’s development. The act of taking slow, deep breaths triggers a cascade of mind-body systems that can result in increased comfort, relaxation, vigor, and alertness, and reduced symptoms of confusion, anxiety, stress, sadness, and anger – and it works fast. Taking a breathing break regularly gives kids the practice for using this tool when they really need it.

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: Today we’re celebrating magical, imaginary beings that live in the ocean – merfolk! Maybe you’ve heard of mermaids, mermen, merkids? Merfolk are legendary creatures that are half human and half fish. It’s fun to imagine what they might be like!

I wonder what it would be like to live in the ocean like the merfolk?
My hand motions for this one were a little random. In fact, a lot of our hand motions for this theme were similar, though that didn’t seem to bother anyone. I waved my hand vaguely behind me for the tail, jumped my hand up and down like a dolphin, and opened hands wide for big whales. The ocean was a smaller up and down like waves and the last line was a swishing motion with hands together.
Action Song: I’m a Little Merkid
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little merkid, see my tail
My friends are the dolphins and also the whales
I live in the ocean big & blue
I love to swim with the little fish, too!
Source: adapted from Bayviews.org

I'm a little merkid thumbnail, with a graphic of a merkid wearing a t-shirt with fish, a dolphin, and a whale's head visible. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

A merchild looks up to Merdaddy and they have fun together under the sea, until… it’s time to get out of the bath! I loved that Merdaddy has a bigger body type and that we saw a lot of sea life that we could imitate as we read.
Read: Merdaddy by Wednesday Kirwan

Merdaddy book cover, showing a bearded merman holding a small merchild with fish in the background

My backups. Can I Give You a Squish is a great one about consent, too!
Backup titles: Mermaids Fast Asleep by Robin Riding & Zoe Persico OR Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson.

Mermaids fast asleep book cover, showing a mermaid hugging a merchild with fish all around
Can I give you a squish book cover, with an enthusiastic merboy with arms raised looking at friends dolphin, crab, octopus, and fish.

Can we pretend to be mermaids and mermen?
For the last verse, we got very quiet and pretended to sleep. When the song was over, I said, “Wake Up! It’s time for another song!”
Action Song: Did You Ever See a Mermaid?
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)
Did you ever see a mermaid, a mermaid, a mermaid
Did you ever see a mermaid swim this way and that?
Swim this way and that way
Swim that way and this way
Did you ever see a mermaid swim this way and that?

additional verses:
…a merman flip this way and that?
…merbabies sleep this way and that?
Source: adapted from Barberton Public Library

did you ever see a mermaid thumbnail, with a graphic of a merfolk tail (only). click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Most merfolk live in the ocean. Let’s do the Ocean Song! Grown-ups can lift you up, or you can do the wave motions with me.
Lifting Song: The Ocean Song
Oh, the ocean is great and the ocean is grand
There are lots of big ships but very little land
And we sleep down deep in a hammock near the floor
And this is what we do when we go out to shore:
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
And we turn around!
Source: adapted from Jbrary

the ocean song thumbnail, with a graphic of a clipper ship sailing on waves, with a merfolk's tail visible. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

After the Ocean Song, I’m invariably ready for a breathing break.
Breathing Break: Ocean Breath
Whew, I need a breathing break after that one! Can we make the sound of the ocean with our breath? Take a big breath in, hold it for just a moment, then let the wave crash – TCHHHHHHH! Let’s breathe for five waves.

I feel so much calmer! Let’s sing a merchild lullaby together. Can you rock your merbaby?
I wrote this one a couple years ago when I used the Mermaids Fast Asleep book, but it’s still fun.
Lullaby: Rockabye, Merchild
(tune of Rockabye, Baby)
Rockabye, merchild In the deep sea
Let the tide soothe you And cuddle close to me
When the waves break High up above
Sleep sound and dream sweetly
For you’re safe and loved
Source: original by Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Download a ukulele song sheet for this song!

rockabye merchild ukulele songsheet thumbnail

rockabye merchild thumbnail, with a graphic of a small merchild with med brown skin and dark curly hair sleeping on a nautilus shell as a pillow. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

To avoid using the “10 little” song melody, I do this one like Caspar Babypants. We talked about each merkid’s color as well as the number between each verse.
It’s time to get out our wrist ribbons! Come on up and pick out a color you like. [Practice “Bubble, splash” part] Oh, your ribbons look like seaweed!
Flannel/Ribbon/Counting Song: One Little Merkid
One little merkid swimming in the water
Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water
One little merkid swimming in the water
Bubble, bubble, bubble, …SPLASH! (count up)
Source: adapted from Caspar Babypants’ All the Fish and Verona Storytime

flannel showing five merkids with different colored hair and tails: yellow mermaid (in funbuns), red merboy with straight hair, green mergirl with a braid, blue mergirl with a bob, and purple merboy with curly hair.

One little merkid thumbnail, with a graphic of a dark skinned mermaid jumping out of the water. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Ribbon Song: The Waves in the Sea
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The waves in the sea go up and down (big up and down motions)
Up and down, up and down
The waves in the sea go up and down, All day long!

additional verses:
The fish in the sea go swish, swish, swish… (dart prayer hands forward and side to side)
The crabs in the sea go snap, snap, snap… (pinch fingers)
Merkids in the sea go splash, splash, splash… (go wild!)
Source: adapted from the traditional

the waves in the sea thumbnail, with a graphic of a fish, crab, and mischievous merboy. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

One last song with our ribbons – dance however you’d like! This is a silly one!
I’m always tickled to write new verses for this song, and then do my best to illustrate them using clipart in Canva!
Ukulele/Ribbon Song: Down By the Bay
Down by the bay, Where the merbabies grow
Back to my home, I dare not go
For if I do, my mother will say:
“Did you ever see a whale
With a polka dot tail, Down by the bay?”

additional verses:
…mermaid swimming in lemonade…
…a merman knitting an afghan…
…a merkid riding a squid…
…have a time you couldn’t make a rhyme…
Source: traditional, original merfolk verses by Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Download a ukulele songsheet for Down By the Bay!

Thumbnail of "Down By the Bay" ukulele song sheet

down by the bay merfolk edition thumbnail, with a graphic illustrating each verse. 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: Merfolk Dot Marker Sheets with Sequins
I like an easy craft every so often. I used these merkid sheets a few years ago, and adapted coloring sheets to be sure we had merboys as well as mermaids. The mermaid sheets are from The Artisan Life and the merboys are from Simple Everyday Mom. Did you know you can make any coloring sheet into a dot marker sheet? I used Canva, but you could certainly do the same thing in Publisher. Just add .75 inch dots to the sheet on blocks of color (avoiding faces and slender limbs like arms). Because merfolk need some sparkle, I had large sized sequins and gems available to add wherever they liked!

craft showing merboy and mergirl coloring sheets colored with dot markers and with large sequins glued to a couple of tail dots.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

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)
Mermaid and Pirate – Tracey Baptiste & Leisl Adams
Julián Is a Mermaid – Jessica Love
Sounds Like Joy – Yesenia Moises
How to Spot a Mermaid – Jane Yolen & Sally Deng
Oona – Kelly DiPucchio & Raissa Figueroa
The Little Mermaid – Jerry Pinkney
Mermaid Day – Diana Murray & Luke Flowers
I Am a Meadow Mermaid – Kallie George & Elly MacKay
Goodnight, Mermaid – KJ Oceanak & Allie Ogg
You’re My Sparkly Mermaid – Joyce Wan
Grumpycorn – Sarah McIntyre (it’s about a unicorn writing a story about mermaids!)

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/20 and 8/21/25.

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

book cover gallery with I'm a unicorn by Loehr, I'm a unicorn by Yoon, and Unicorn thinks he's pretty great

Storytime: Unicorns

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Get ready for some magical storytimes! I love how you can incorporate things like horse rhymes and rainbows into a unicorn theme. I bet you could work in some songs/rhymes on magic or kindness as well. Next week we’re diving into Merfolk.

This week’s storytime was a new experience for me. I went part-time at my library, so I’m now sharing storytime duties with a fabulous coworker. She presents Mondays and Tuesdays, and I do Wednesdays and monthly Thursday evenings. We present the same theme throughout the week, but we decided that since we are both part-time, we would share responsibility for planning each theme. So this is the first time I presented a program that I didn’t plan myself! There is room for individualizing – we are both good with tweaking the plan to suit our own styles. I had a simple bounce that I really enjoy that I slipped into the mix, as well as a different counting song that I played on my ukulele. I think it’s a great way to work with the time we have, and I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to continue to work with the age group I love.

(If you’re an email subscriber, please note I forgot to link my rhyme sheets for last week’s blog post – they are fixed online now!)

You can find another magical creatures theme (which included unicorns) from 2020.

I'm a unicorn book cover with a pastel picture of a cute unicorn
I'm a unicorn book cover with an excited looking cow with one horn
Unicorn thinks he's pretty great book cover, with a picture of a unicorn surrounded by a rainbow aura, with a grumpy looking goat at the bottom

Early Literacy Tip: Early experiences help to form the architecture of the brain and lay a strong foundation for both social and emotional development. Playing with other children at a young age, experiencing the fun of taking turns and sharing, and discovering that it is fun to pass a ball or beanbag to someone else and then get it back are great ways to learn important social and emotional skills. -from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

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: Today we’re talking about unicorns! Unicorns are mythical, magical horses with a long horn on their head. They love rainbows, sparkles and spreading kindness.

I did this one more like the King County video, but my colleague had the same instructions as Jen in the Library, so I think that’s where she found it.
Fingerplay: Ten Galloping Unicorns
Ten galloping unicorns
Came galloping through the town
Five were white and five were brown
They galloped up
They galloped down
Ten galloping unicorns
Came through the town… Then WHOA!
They all slowed down
Source: adapted from King County Library System and Jen in the Library

ten galloping unicorns thumbnail, with a graphic of two groups of unicorns - five white and five brown - with various colored manes and horns. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

A sweet and simple book that sets up the idea of unicorns and their purported properties. Perfect introduction to the theme for the littlest ones.
Read: I’m a Unicorn by Mallory C. Loehr

I'm a unicorn book cover with a pastel picture of a cute unicorn

My backups. Both are humorous takes on what unicorns are, so may work better for kids who are already familiar with unicorns.
Backup titles: I’m a Unicorn by Helen Yoon OR Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea.

I'm a unicorn book cover with an excited looking cow with one horn
Unicorn thinks he's pretty great book cover, with a picture of a unicorn surrounded by a rainbow aura, with a grumpy looking goat at the bottom

My coworker created the rhyme sheet for this one!
Action Rhyme: Unicorn, Unicorn
Unicorn, unicorn touch your toes
Unicorn, unicorn touch your nose
Unicorn, unicorn pat your head
Unicorn, unicorn go to bed
Unicorn, unicorn wake up now
Unicorn, unicorn take a bow
Unicorn, unicorn touch the ground
Unicorn, unicorn turn around
Unicorn, unicorn sit back down
Source: Verona Storytime

unicorn unicorn thumbnail, with a graphic of the bust of a unicorn with a rainbow colored mane. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My coworker created a flannel for this one and I forgot to grab a picture. The colors of the unicorns match what I added to the rhyme sheet, though.
Flannel/Counting/Ukulele Song: Five Unicorns Went Out One Day
(tune of Five Little Ducks)
Five unicorns went out one day
Beyond the rainbow and far away
Papa unicorn said, “Please don’t roam”
But only four unicorns came home (count down)

Last verse:
Well, papa unicorn went out one day
Searching for unicorns far and away
He searched far and he searched near
And just like magic, they re-appeared!
Source: Flannel Board Fun

Find a ukulele songsheet for the same tune here (One Dinosaur Went Out to Play)

thumbnail for one dinosaur went out to play

five unicorns thumbnail, with a graphic of a larger white unicorn and five smaller ones: purple, red, orange, green, and blue. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Our unicorns want to go for a ride! Can you mount up?
I do this one slow to start, then speed up over the next 2-3 repetitions.
Bounce: Giddy Up, Up, Up
(tune of the William Tell Overture)
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Whoooa, unicorn! (lean back!)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

giddy up up up thumbnail, with a graphic of a rearing unicorn with pastel rainbow mane and tail. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get our scarves out! Can you come up and pick out a scarf? Let’s warm up by doing some shaking.
Scarf Song: Shake it to the East
Shake it to the east, shake it to the west
Shake it all around and then you take a rest
Shake your scarves up, shake your scarves down
Shake it, shake it, shake it and then you settle down
Source: Jbrary

shake it to the east thumbnail, with a graphic of a compass pointing east. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My coworker created the rhyme sheet for this one!
Scarf Song: Let’s All Twirl
(Tune of Mulberry Bush)
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
Scarves today, scarves today
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
All around the room

Additional verses:
…toss our scarves
…circle our scarves
…shake our scarves
Source: Storytime with Miss Jennifer

let's all twirl thumbnail, with a graphic of a dancing unicorn. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Scarf Song: Rainbow Colors
(Tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Rainbow colors way up high
Happy colors in the sky
Red and pink and green and blue
Yellow, orange and purple, too
Rainbow colors way up high
Happy colors in the sky
Source: adapted from King County (WA) Library System

rainbow colors thumbnail, with a graphic of watercolor splashes of each color: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. 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

Here were the ones I didn’t end up doing that my coworker planned:

Since I wanted to do a ukulele song, I subbed in Five Unicorns Went Out to Play instead.
Counting Rhyme: 5 Little Unicorns
I saw 5 little unicorns – creatures from folklore
I watched the blue one prance away and then there were 4
I saw 4 little unicorns resting by a tree
I watched the orange one prance away, and then there were 3
I saw 3 little unicorns, but as near to them I drew
The green one pranced away, and then there were 2
I saw 2 little unicorns – I watched them run and run
The red one pranced away, and then there was 1
I saw a lonely purple unicorn standing in the sun
When I blinked my eyes, it pranced away, and then there were none
Source: Storytime Secrets

I was planning to do this one, but I ended up cutting it for time!
Action Song: If You’re A Unicorn & You Know It
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, then your magic will surely show it
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)

Additional Verses:
…stomp your hooves (stomp, stomp)
…toss your mane (toss, toss)
…twitch your tail (twitch, twitch)
…prance around (prance, prance)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

I think my coworker made these two up as I didn’t see them online.
Action Song: Unicorn Pokey
You put your front hoof in, you put your front hoof out.
You put your front hoof in, and you shake it all about.
You do the unicorn pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

Additional Verses:
Back hoof, Sparkly horn, Swishy tail, Whole self
Source: E Fox

Action Song: I’m A Little Unicorn
(tune of I’m A Little Teapot)
I’m a little unicorn, short and stout
Here is my horn, and here is my snout
I like to chase the rainbow to and fro
I spread kindness wherever I go!
Source: E Fox

Craft: Paper Plate Unicorn
Inspired by Glued to My Crafts, this was a very colorful unicorn! I think if I did it again, I’d have attached the yarn hair ahead of time, as no kids could do that part on their own, but all of the adults were helpers. Snouts, horns and ears were pre-cut as well. For eyes, we have white label paper that we’ve printed eyes on as a good alternative to googly eyes for little ones who may still be putting things in their mouths. My coworker cut her eyes out individually here, but since they’re on white paper and getting stuck to a white paper plate, they don’t need to be cut.

paper plate unicorn craft with a small paper plate decorated with a pink horn, ears, and snout, sticker eyes, and a multi colored yarn mane.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

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)
Uni the Unicorn – Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Brigette Barrager
The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn – Shawn Harris
Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex – Eva Chen & Matthew Rivera
Not Quite Narwhal – Jessie Sima
Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows – Jessika Von Innerebner
Grumpycorn – Sarah McIntyre
Do You Believe in Unicorns? – Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Wee Unicorn – Meg McLaren
Unicorn Day – Diana Murray & Luke Flowers
You Don’t Want A Unicorn! – Ame Dyckman & Liz Climo
Layla, The Last Black Unicorn – Tiffany Haddish, Jerdine Nolen, & Jessica Gibson
Thelma the Unicorn – Aaron Blabey

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/13/25.

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

book covers of gather round, red canoe shows up at two, and the sharing book.

Storytime: Camping

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Welcome back, friends! I’m back from leave and started up my first storytime last week. I’m down to part-time hours, so I’m offering a Wednesday morning Family Time (ages 0-3.5 and siblings) and a Wednesday afternoon Book Babies (0-12 months, or pre-walkers.) I’m collaborating with a coworker, who is offering a Monday and Tuesday storytime with the same theme as my Family Time. Since we are both part-time now, we’re switching off all the planning duties for our weekly themes, and I started with a camping theme.

Coming back after four months away does feel like riding a bike – I know how to do it, but getting back on I was a bit wobbly. I felt like I could have read the room better and skipped activities or brought the group back with more movement. This new set up will take some getting used to – having three storytimes per week used to mean that I could tweak and try different things as the days went by, but now I’m one and done, with no opportunity to try again.

New challenges, new opportunities, right? Camping is a theme I’ve done once before, way back in 2019 and at a different library for a different age group. So this time around I’ve revamped it quite a bit, and found some new songs and rhymes that I liked.

I’ve also got some ideas simmering, so stay tuned for some new Storytime with Ms. Emily Library content coming this fall!

You can find another version of this theme from 2019.

gather round book cover, with an illustration of a campfire with marshmallows being roasted around it and fireflies in the background
red canoe shows up at two book cover, with a photograph of a red canoe at the shore of a tree lined lake.
the sharing book cover with two children hugging in the foreground and a forest with campsites in the background

Early Literacy Tip: Singing with our children is one way to help them hear the smaller sounds in words, especially if there is a different note for each syllable. In “Walking, Walking” the word “walking” has two syllables and two different notes. Learning to hear the individual sounds of words is called phonological awareness, and developing this skill will help your child later with reading.

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: Has anyone been camping before? It’s so fun! You get to spend time outdoors, observe nature, cook over a campfire, and sleep in a tent!

Fingerplay: Here Are the Campers
Here are the campers (hold up 2 fingers)
Here is the tent (bend fingers of other hand over like tent)
And when it was night that’s where they went (fingers go under other hand)
Fireflies flicker in a friendly way (fists open & shut)
And the campers sleep tight ‘Til the light of day (head on folded hands)
Source: adapted from Sturgis Kids Wiki

here are the campers thumbnail, with a graphic of a modern dome tent surrounded by fireflies. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

This is a beautiful book, and short, but it ended up being a little too abstract, or maybe too quiet for my group. I ended up just describing the pictures on the last few pages rather than reading the text.
Read: Gather Round by David Covell

gather round book cover, with an illustration of a campfire with marshmallows being roasted around it and fireflies in the background

Two fun books that were my backups. I like to give myself options and choose a book based on the moment. Looking back, I probably should have chosen Red Canoe for my audience. It’s pretty short and snappy. A few of the boats aren’t “camping” boats (like the tugboat at 1:00), but most of the rest are.
Backup titles: Red Canoe Shows Up at Two by Victoria Allenby OR The Sharing Book by Dianne White & Simone Shin

red canoe shows up at two book cover, with a photograph of a red canoe at the shore of a tree lined lake.
the sharing book cover with two children hugging in the foreground and a forest with campsites in the background

I wanted to highlight a lot of the things that I love best about camping, and hiking is one of them! I set the scene for each verse before we sang the song. I always want what we do to make sense, and telling the “story” of our hike gets everyone more excited.
Let’s go on a hike! Okay, we’ll start by walking down the trail, then – oh! there’s a log fallen over the path! We’ll have to jump over it. Then a long, straight stretch – we should race!
Action Song: Walking, Walking
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Walking, walking (Walking, walking)
Jump, jump, jump (Jump, jump, jump)
Running, running, running (Running, running, running)
Now we stop! (Now we stop)

[Okay, let’s keep hiking – until we get to a stream. We’ll need to hop across the rocks. And beyond that there’s a large ridge – can we climb to the top?]
Hiking, hiking (Hiking, hiking)
Hop, hop, hop (Hop, hop, hop)
Climbing, climbing, climbing (Climbing, climbing, climbing)
Now we stop! (Now we stop!)
[Oh, it’s so beautiful up here! Let’s look around – I see the stream, and the trail. Can we take a big breath of fresh air?]
Source: adapted from Jbrary

walking walking thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of hiking boots. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

It’s going to be dark soon, let’s build our fire. There are so many sights and sounds when you go camping that you don’t see or hear at home.
Action Song: The Fire at the Camp
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The fire at the camp goes Crackle, crackle, POP (wiggle fingers, then clap)
Crackle, crackle, POP, Crackle, crackle, POP
The fire at the camp goes Crackle, crackle, POP
All night long!

Additional verses:
Fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink… (open and close hands)
Rain on my tent goes pitter, pitter, PAT… (pat lap)
The moon up above glows so bright… (circle arms above head)
The water in the river goes whoosh… (move hand up and down)
The leaves in the trees go rustle… (wave hands)
Source: The Crazy Outdoor Mama via Pinterest

the fire at the camp thumbnail, with a graphic of a fire transposed behind the lyrics of the first verse. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I didn’t end up doing this one but had it available in case I needed it.
Fingerplay: Two Little Fireflies
Two little fireflies Blinking in the sky
One blinked low And one blinked high
Fly away low, Fly away high
Come back low Come back high

Two little fireflies Blinking in the grass
One blinked slow And one blinked fast
Fly away slow, Fly away fast
Come back slow Come back fast
Source: Indiana Firefly Award 2020 Program Guide

two little fireflies thumbnail, with a graphic of two cartoon fireflies. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

When you’re camping, you may hear wildlife! Birds, squirrels, cicadas, owls. Maybe even something like a coyote! Don’t worry, these coyotes are just having fun howling at the moon.
I love using this song – it’s just a lot of fun to do all the howling and snoring!
Flannel/Counting Song: Five Coyotes
Five coyotes, sittin’ on a hill
Just sittin’ and a howlin’ at the moon: Aahh-ooo!
One coyote had his fill
So he went to sleep and snoozed *snore!* (count down)
Source: adapted by Rebecca Ballard from Nancy Stewart

five coyotes thumbnail, with a graphic of a coyote silhouette howling in front of a yellow moon. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

You might be able to go on a lake or river when you camp, so let’s row our boats.
Originally I’d planned to use scarves for this program, but we were going to use them for next week, so I changed to shakers. For several songs, including this one, we just shook our eggs in rhythm with the song.
Shaker Song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!

Rock, rock, rock your boat
Gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile
Don’t forget to SCREAM! (Aaah!)

Row, row, row your boat
Gently to the shore
If you see a lion there
Don’t forget to ROAR! (Grrrrr!)
Source: traditional

row your boat thumbnail, with a graphic of a rowboat and a cartoon alligator. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Did you know you can make popcorn over a campfire?
Shaker Rhyme: Pop, Pop, Pop
Pop, pop, pop, put the corn in the pot
Pop, pop, pop, shake it ‘til it’s hot
Pop, pop, pop, Lift the lid and what have you got?
Popcorn!
Source: Jbrary

pop pop pop thumbnail, with a graphic of a small pile of unpopped popcorn kernels and two popped. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Popcorn is tasty, but my FAVORITE campfire treats are s’mores!
The shaker was really just a rhythm prop for this one. We started by patting our laps and clapping, then miming the stacking of the graham crackers and chocolate, and toasting over a fire.
Shaker Rhyme: Campfire, Campfire
(in the style of Pat a Cake)
Campfire, campfire, Toast me a s’more
Graham crackers, chocolate But we need more: Marshmallow!
Toast it and roast it and Get it just right
Put it on top for a Toasted delight!
Source: adapted from The Crazy Outdoor Mama via Pinterest

campfire campfire thumbnail, with a graphic of a s'more. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Okay, friends. It’s getting dark; it’s time to get into our tents, and find our sleeping bags, and say goodnight. Can you make twinkling stars with your shakers?
Ukulele and Shaker Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
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

Download a Ukulele Songsheet here!

Thumbnail for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ukulele songsheet

twinkle twinkle thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling blue star in front of a pink cloud. 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: S’mores
A borrow from Miss Mariah’s Library – s’mores cross-sections using jumbo craft sticks, construction paper, and cotton balls, decorated with chalk or white crayon.

photo of s'mores craft. dk blue paper is the background, on which is a s'more made of two jumbo craft sticks as the graham crackers, a strip of brown construction paper as the chocolate, and four cotton balls as the marshmallow. stars are drawn in the background in white crayon.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

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)
The Hike – Alison Farrell
The Camping Trip – Jennifer K. Mann
Make More S’mores – Cathy Ballou Mealey & Ariel Landy
Fatima’s Great Outdoors – Ambreen Tariq & Stevie Lewis
Maisy Goes Camping – Lucy Cousins
Hiking Day – Anne Rockwell & Lizzy Rockwell
A Bed of Stars – Jessica Love
Camp Rex – Molly Idle
Hungry Bird – Jeremy Tankard
Daddy & Me, Side by Side – Pierce Freelon & Nadia Fisher
Bear Hug – Lawrence Pringle & Kate Salley Palmer
Tiny T. Rex and the Very Dark Dark – Jonathan Stutzman & Jay Fleck

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/6/25.

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

ploof and little cloud book covers

Storytime: Clouds

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m dreaming of warm sunny days with soft puffy clouds drifting, although this spring has brought much more dark rainclouds and overcast skies. Clouds are like that, though! Clouds are a theme you can take in a few directions, obviously weather, but also shapes, or even imagination! There are a few newer titles on clouds, as well as classics like It Looked Like Spilt Milk, so I was able to find plenty of books for display and take-home.

Our craft this session, making cloud dough, was quite messy, but every so often I do like to tackle a messy craft. After all, I am on the clock so I’m getting paid to clean up!

book cover for ploof, showing a white cloud with big eyes and a small smile on a light blue sky
book cover for little cloud, showing a white scribbled cloud with abstract eyes, nose, and smile.

Early Literacy Tip: Playing with playdough, kneading bread dough, or squishing a soft ball are not only fun activities with a unique sensory component, they also help strengthen the hand muscles. These muscles will be important when your child is learning to write later on!

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Last week we talked about springtime, and how much the weather changes in the spring. Today we’re talking about clouds, which play very important role in our weather. They can also be beautiful to look at, and come in all different shapes and sizes!

Can we pretend to be clouds? What does your cloud look like?
Song: I’m a Little Cloud (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little cloud up in the sky
You can find me way up high
Sometimes I’m puffy,
Sometimes stretched out
I just love to float about
Source: Jen in the Library

I'm a little cloud thumbnail, with a graphic of a white cloud with a smiling face and pink cheeks. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

A fantastic interactive read that touches not only on clouds, but also feelings and shapes. I see there’s a new one in the series, too, Paint with Ploof, which would be awesome if you’re doing the CSLP theme Color Our World this summer. So good I did it for all four of my sessions!
Read: Ploof by Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser (TT) (TB) (FT)

book cover for ploof, showing a white cloud with big eyes and a small smile on a light blue sky

This was a backup title for me but I didn’t end up using it.
Read: Little Cloud by Eric Carle

book cover for little cloud, showing a white scribbled cloud with abstract eyes, nose, and smile.

If you were a cloud way up high in the sky, what might you see?
I was inspired by Abby the Librarian, but used either felt pieces that I already had or ones that we have a die cut for to make creating the felt easy and quick. I wanted to end with the sun, as a transition to the next rhyme.
Flannel Chant: Fluffy Cloud, What Do You See? (TT) (TB) (FT)
Fluffy cloud, fluffy cloud,
What do you see?
I see an orange butterfly looking at me!

What else might a cloud see? Try making up your own!
…green kite …white airplane …red rocket …yellow sun
Source: adapted from Abby the Librarian

flannel of fluffy cloud what do you see, with three white clouds, an orange and black butterfly, a green kite, white airplane, red rocket ship, and yellow sun.

Fluffy cloud what do you see thumbnail, with a graphic of a light blue cloud with a smiling face next to a monarch orange butterfly. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I imagine that the sun and the clouds are good friends.
Action Rhyme: Big Round Sun (TT) (TB) (FT)
Big round sun in the summer sky (circle arms overhead)
Waved to a cloud that was passing by (wave)
The little cloud laughed as it started to rain (wiggle fingers down)
Then out came the big round sun again (circle overhead)
Source: Mel’s Desk

big round sun thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling yellow and orange sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I ended up not using this one, but I reimagined my “Find the Moon” hide and seek game for the sun. There were just too many fun things to fit them all in!
Here come some clouds, it’s getting overcast! The sun is playing peekaboo
Flannel Rhyme Game: Find the Sun
Yellow sun, yellow sun,
Come out to play!
Which cloud are you hiding behind today?
Source: original

find the sun flannel, showing four big cloud shapes - blue, purple, mint green, and peach colored, with a yellow sun peeking from behind the blue one.

find the sun thumbnail, with a graphic of four clouds - teal, purple, pink, and mint green, and a sun with a face peeking from the blue one. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

And again, just not enough time for everything. I have done this one in the past and it’s fun to do, with the whooshing at the end! I would have used the large colored clouds shown in the “Find the Sun” rhyme above.
Counting/Flannel Fingerplay: Five Little Clouds
Five little clouds up in the sky (five fingers up)
Drifting, floating, way up high (drift hand)
When a big gust of wind came blowing through – Whoosh! (blow on hand)
One disappeared from the sky so blue (lower a finger, count down)
Source: Jen in the Library

five little clouds thumbnail, with a graphic of five different white cloud shapes outlined in black. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s get our scarves out. The weather is turning windy!
I do this two or three times, hiding my scarf in different places. They especially like it when I put it under my shirt or up a sleeve!
Scarf Song: One Bright Scarf (TT) (TB) (FT)
One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow
Toss it up high, and wave it down low
Wiggle it fast, and wiggle it slow (hide the scarf)
Hey! Where did it go? (bring out) Here it is!
Source: Jbrary

one bright scarf thumbnail, with a graphic of a yellow scarf. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We did this rhyme last week with our parachute. Let’s try it with our scarves this week!
Scarf Song: Rain Is Falling Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!
Pitter patter pitter patter,
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!

Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Peeking here, peeking there,
Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Source: Jbrary

rain is falling down thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling cartoon raincloud with a sun peeking from behind it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Oh, no! The weather is turning stormy! Can you make your scarf big?
Scarf Song: Big Dark Clouds (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
Some big dark clouds, Some big dark clouds (hold hands apart)
Raindrops falling from (wiggle fingers down)
Some big dark clouds (x2)

A thunderclap – BOOM! (clap) A thunderclap – BOOM! (clap)
Raindrops falling from some big dark clouds (x2)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

big dark clouds thumbnail, with a graphic of a dark gray stormcloud with a lightning bolt and raindrops. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

The rain is going away, and now it’s time for the sun to come out again. Can your scarves be little puffy clouds floating in a beautiful sunshiny sky?
Scarf Song: Mr. Sun (TT) (TB) (FT)
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you
Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Source: Raffi from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Mr. Sun” here!

thumbnail of Mr. Sun ukulele songsheet

Mr. Sun 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)

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

Craft: Cloud Dough (TB) (FT)
Some days we go big on the craft. Cloud dough is fun but very messy! I did my best to control it, but it was inevitable. I meant to take pictures of the setup and the aftermath, but didn’t even get any pictures of my finished product! The recipe came from Southern Plate, and it’s basically 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part hair conditioner. I bought six 12 oz boxes of cornstarch and three large (28 oz) bottles of Suave conditioner and that lasted me through 50+ portions. I pre-measured 1/4 cup of cornstarch in big bowls we had in storage (they’re Halloween candy bowls!) so they had lots of space to mix. Then I pre-measured 2 Tbsp conditioner into small disposable bowls and gave everyone a plastic spoon. I did mention to grownups that if they were doing this at home, I would encourage them doing the measuring with their kid as it’s a great way to get some math and spatial skill practice in, but with the big group I didn’t want big scoops of cornstarch or conditioner going everywhere. Everyone got a small snack sized plastic bag to take their cloud dough home. Clean up was a lot, but, hey – I’m getting paid to clean up the mess!

photo of a hand gripping cloud dough, a white fluffy play-dough-like material.
Photo from Southern Plate blog

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
It Looked Like Spilt Milk – Charles G. Shaw
Partly Cloudy – Deborah Freedman
Cloudette – Tom Lichtenheld
Cloudy – Alice K Flanagan
When Cloud Became a Cloud – Rob Hodgson
Clouds – Marion Dane Bauer & John Wallace
Weather Together – Jessie Sima
The Little Cloud – Pam Fong
Cloudland – John Burningham
Moongame – Frank Asch
The Little Cloud – Pam Fong
Paint with Ploof – Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/24, 3/25, 3/26, & 3/27/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

whats new daniel, when spring comes, and little book about spring book covers

Storytime: Spring

Posted on by msemilylibrary

A seasonal storytime is a great one to do – there are so many aspects to each season that there are a lot of activities to pull from. For this week I focused on weather, sprouting plants, and animals that have their babies in the spring. You could also go with gardening, bugs, (bug option 2 here), eggs, seeds, or wind.

what's new daniel book cover, with a little boy in a red hoodie crouching on a rock looking into a pond
when spring comes book cover, with three white kittens looking up at cherry blossoms and a robin.
a little book about spring, with mice looking at the large letters of spring decorated in different colors and textures.

Early Literacy Tip: As we do fingerplays and action songs, we are working on our fine and gross motor skills. Both are necessary for learning to write. Doing storytime activities at home with your child now will help develop the muscles and skills your child will need to learn to write later on.

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Friday will be the first day of the new season. Does anyone know what it is? Hint – right now we’re in “winter.” What happens during the season of spring? (temps warm, weather is unpredictable, flowers and other plants sprout, many animal babies are born.)

In the spring, the weather can do anything! Sunshine, rain, wind, even snow! Let’s check. What’s it like outside today?
I showed different weather symbols and asked them to say what kind of weather it was. I chose about four of the eight to do at each session: sun, rain, wind, and something else. Usually I get my ukulele out at the end of a storytime, but this week it was the first themed song we did. You can download my printable flannel template here!
Flannel/Ukulele Song: What’s the Weather? (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Clementine)
What’s the weather, what’s the weather,
What’s the weather, everyone?
Is it windy, is it cloudy,
Is there rain, or is there sun?
Source: Storytime Katie

Download a ukulele songsheet for What’s the Weather here!

what's the weather ukulele songsheet thumbnail

What's the weather flannel, showing eight circles with a blue background and various weather symbols: sun, wind, clouds, sun behind clouds, snow, rain, cloud with lightning, and fog

what's the weather thumbnail, with a graphic of four blue circles with weather symbols on them: wind, clouds, rain, and sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

I LOVE this book. It’s so sweet, and I love the interplay between the natural world and the child’s world. The turnaround at the end (where Daniel asks grandpa what’s new with HIM) is an unusual example of modeling empathy and care for caregivers rather than showing the child being the only subject of questions and concern. My group’s attention seemed to wander toward the end, though, so I didn’t try it again at the other sessions.
Read: What’s New, Daniel by Micha Archer (TT)

what's new daniel book cover, with a little boy in a red hoodie crouching on a rock looking into a pond

Read: When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek (TB)

when spring comes book cover, with three white kittens looking up at cherry blossoms and a robin.

By far the simplest of the three, I chose this one when my Wednesday group was already very wiggly.
Read: A Little Book About Spring by Leo Lionni & Julie Hamilton (FT)

a little book about spring, with mice looking at the large letters of spring decorated in different colors and textures.

Let’s see, what’s the weather… it is raining!
Action Rhyme: “Splash!” Fall the Raindrops (TT) (TB) (FT)
“Splash!” fall the raindrops (wiggle fingers down)
To the ground they go (pat lap in rhythm)
We need the rain (pat lap quickly)
To help the flowers grow (lift hands and wiggle up)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

splash fall the raindrops thumbnail, with a graphic of a droplet of water splashing on the left and a small yellow flower on the right. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

When there are new spring flowers, there are also bees to collect their pollen and make honey.
Tickle/Fingerplay: Here Is the Beehive (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is the beehive, (make fist)
But where are all the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees
Watch and you’ll see them come out of the hive:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (open fingers)
They’re alive! Buzz, buzz, buzz! (tickle)
Source: Jbrary

here is the beehive thumbnail, with a graphic of a yellow beehive centered on a red circle. Five small bees fly around it.. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Who is this? A duck! And duck has an egg. I hear something cracking… it’s hatching! Can you be a duckling?
I switched from “little duck” to “duckling,” but I love all these actions!
Action Rhyme: Duckling (TT) (TB) (FT)
Duckling, duckling, waddle around
Duckling, duckling, touch the ground
Duckling, duckling, wings go flap
Duckling, duckling, “Quack, quack, quack!”
Duckling, duckling, jump into the river
Duckling, duckling, give a little shiver
Duckling, duckling, shake your feet
Duckling, duckling, find your seat
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Duckling flannel and puppet - a fat yellow duck puppet poses in front of the flannelboard, which shows a blue-green egg and duckling flannel pieces.

duckling, duckling thumbnail, with a graphic of a realistic looking brown and yellow duckling. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Another animal who has its babies in the springtime is the bunny.
I cut this one for time after the first session.
Fingerplay: Here is a Bunny (TT)
Here is a bunny with ears so funny (bunny ear fingers, bent)
And here is his hole in the ground (make circle w/ other hand)
At the first sound he hears, he pricks up his ears (extend ears)
And hops in the hole in the ground (fingers jump into the hole)
Source: Storytime Katie

here is a bunny thumbnail, with a graphic of a gray bunny posing next to a patch of grass with a hole in it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s get out the parachute! In the springtime, the weather can change quickly. We did this song last week with scarves, let’s try it this week with the parachute.
We haven’t gotten the parachute out in a while. I have to remind myself that a lot of the songs we do with scarves can also be done with a parachute.
Parachute Song: Rain Is Falling Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Rain is falling down, SPLASH! Rain is falling down, SPLASH!
Pitter patter pitter patter, Rain is falling down, SPLASH!

Sun is peeking out, PEEK! Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Peeking here, peeking there, Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Source: Jbrary

rain is falling down thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling cartoon raincloud with a sun peeking from behind it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s sing about the itsy bitsy spider in some unpredictable spring weather.
I sing “up came the sun” instead of the traditional “out came the sun” to emphasize the up and down motion of the parachute.
Parachute Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider (TT) (TB) (FT)
(lift and lower scarf when the song indicates up or down)
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Up came the sun and dried up all the rain
So the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again
Source: traditional

the itsy bitsy spider thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling spider next to a rain gutter attached to a red brick wall. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Can we pretend that we’re planting some seeds?
I added some scarves to the middle of the parachute as our “seeds” and then we popped them up to become flowers. I was not completely sure if scarves would pop up or stick to the parachute, but they did! They floated perfectly! I will definitely be using scarves on top of the parachute in the future.
Parachute/Scarf Rhyme: Little Seed (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little seed in the ground
Sitting oh, so still
Little seed, will you sprout?
YES, I WILL! (pop scarf up in the air)
Source: Lady Librarian Life

Little seed thumbnail, with a graphic of a seedling sprouting with a watering can above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Now our scarves are butterflies! Let’s help them flutter!
The power of imagination transforms our flower-scarves into butterfly-scarves.
Parachute/Scarf Song: Flutter Butterfly (TT) (TB) (FT)
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the springtime sky
Floating by for all to see
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the springtime sky
Source: Storytime Katie

flutter butterfly thumbnail, with a graphic of a pink cartoon butterfly. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My go-to way to put the parachute away.
Parachute Song: Parachute Fly (TT) (TB) (FT)
(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 a graphic of an overhead view of children holding on to a colorful parachute with balls bouncing on top. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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

Craft: Tissue Paper Butterflies (TB) (FT)
Inspired by the Taming Little Monsters blog, I found a simple butterfly outline in Canva, and sized to to print two per page of cardstock. Volunteers cut them out and I provided tissue paper squares to decorate. We added regular craft sticks and a loop of yarn to make a hanger.

butterfly craft with wings covered in colored tissue paper and the body made from a craft stick with a face drawn on. A loop of yarn is attached as a hanger.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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 Spring – Lauren Thompson & Buket Erdogan
How to Say Hello to a Worm – Kari Percival
Emile and the Field – Kevin Young & Chioma Ebinama
On a Snow-Melting Day – Buffy Silverman
And Then it’s Spring – Julie Fogliano & Erin E. Stead
An Earth Song – Langston Hughes & Tequitia Andrews
A Seed Grows – Antoinette Portis
The Tiny Seed – Eric Carle
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring – Kenard Pak
Escargot & the Search for Spring – Dashka Slater & Sydney Hanson

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/17, 3/18, & 3/19/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

tap the magic tree and can you hug a forest book covers

Storytime: Trees

Posted on by msemilylibrary

As I mentioned last post, I got sick with the flu and was off work for a week. In that time, my awesome coworkers stepped in and did the theme that I planned for trees. I was disappointed I didn’t get to present any of the sessions – I’d never done this theme before and I was looking forward to seeing how it played out. Oh, well – maybe I’ll do it again in another two or three years! This would also be a great theme to tie to Earth Day in April.

Early Literacy Tip: We do a lot of rhymes in storytime. Rhyming and reading go hand in hand! Being able to recognize rhyming words helps kids pick up on word patterns, which helps them read AND write. When you say, sing, and play with rhyming words, you help your child get ready to read. –Storytime in the Stacks

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Today we’re celebrating trees! Trees are beautiful, they provide a home for many different animals and insects, they can give us fruit or nuts, a shady spot, and they help give us clean air to breathe. Trees are amazing!

Trees come in all shapes and sizes (just like people)!
I had fun finding specific trees to highlight on this rhyme sheet – many of them are quite different! Palms, redwoods, baobabs, saplings, a conifer, and a willow were the ones I matched to the rhyme. I’m sure you could find lots of other options! I did change the word “perfect” to “beautiful” because perfection is such a loaded term. We can be beautiful without being perfect, and so can trees!
Action Rhyme: Some Trees
Some trees are thin, (stand straight with arms to sides)
Some trees are tall (reach up high)
Some trees are wide, (spread hands wide)
Some trees are small (crouch)
Some trees reach high, (reach high)
Some trees bend low (bend over and hang arms down)
All trees are beautiful, No matter how they grow! (could give a self hug here)
Source: Lady Librarian Life

some trees thumbnail, with a graphic of trees that match each description: a palm tree, redwood, baobab, sapling, a conifer, and a willow. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

A modern classic, with so much interaction! I’m not sure which books were read by my substitutes at which sessions, but this would have been my pick for Toddler Time and Family Time.
Read: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

tap the magic tree book cover, showing a tree's branches in various seasons.

This is a beautiful celebration of nature and appreciating it in the moment. It’s a little longer, so I would have tried it at my Teddy Bear session.
Read: Can You Hug a Forest? by Frances Gilbert & Amy Hevron

Some trees provide delicious fruit for us!
Action Rhyme: Way Up High in the Apple Tree
Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arms high)
I saw two apples looking at me (hold up two fists)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (shaking motion)
Down came the apples… (fists fall)
And mmm, they were good! (smile and rub belly)
Source: traditional

apple tree flannelboard - a large simple tree shape takes up most of the board, and two red apples of slightly different hues are in the tree's canopy.

way up high in the apple tree thumbnail, with a graphic of a tree with two red apples in it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Can we pretend to be a big old oak tree?
Action Song: I’m an Old Oak Tree
(tune of I’m A Little Teapot)
I’m an old oak tree Tall and strong
My trunk is wide And my branches long
My roots go underground to help me grow
Underground below, below
Source: Richmond (VA) Public Library

i'm an old oak tree thumbnail, with a graphic of a tree showing both the branches and root system of a big tree. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Who lives in the old oak tree and eats lots of acorns? Squirrels!
Fingerplay: This Little Squirrel
(wiggle each finger in turn)
This little squirrel said, “Let’s run and play!”
This little squirrel said, “I want some acorns today!”
This little squirrel said, “Acorns are good.”
This little squirrel said, “Yes, my favorite food”
This little squirrel said, “Come climb this tree” (run fingers up arm)
And crack these acorns: one, two, three! (clap)
Source: Sunflower Storytime (no longer linkable)

this little squirrel thumbnail, with a graphic of a squirrel holding an acorn. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s do some moving. Listen carefully!
Action Rhyme: Tall as a Tree
Tall as a tree, (stretch tall)
Wide as a house (arms out to either side)
Thin as a pin, (stand straight with arms to body)
Small as a mouse (crouch down)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

tall as a tree thumbnail, with a graphic of a tall slim tree. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s get our scarves out. Can we pretend to be a baby tree – a seed?
Scarf Rhyme: Be a Seed
Be a seed, small and round (hide scarf and crouch low)
Sprout, sprout, sprout up from the ground (stand and reach up)
Shake your leaves for all to see (shake scarf)
Stretch your arms up, you’re a tree! (raise arms high)
Source: Jbrary

be a seed thumbnail, with a graphic of an acorn and a tree. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Some trees lose their leaves in the autumn.
Yes, it’s similar to the last one, but I liked the dropping of the scarves at the end!
Scarf Rhyme: Once I Was a Seed
Once I was a seed and I was small, small, small
I grew into a tree and now I’m tall, tall, tall!
My branches sway in the breeze so soft (sway gently)
And when it’s autumn, all my leaves fall off! (drop scarf)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

once i was a seed thumbnail, with a graphic of a tree with most of its leaves fallen to the ground. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

This is a very catchy melody – so be careful, it will stick with you! It definitely feels like the tune of a common hymn to me, but I am not familiar enough with it to name a specific one. Lady Librarian Life created a very helpful chord sheet, but I did feel like it needed a couple tweaks.
A tree has deep, deep roots that help them stay steady even when they grow very tall.
Scarf Song: My Roots Go Down
My roots go down, down to the earth
My roots go down, down to the earth
My roots go down, down to the earth
My roots go down

verses:
I am a birch tree swaying in the breeze…
I am a pine tree standing tall…
I am an oak tree spreading wide…
I am a willow swinging low…
Source: original by Sarah Pirtle, adapted by Lady Librarian Life

Download my version of the songsheet here.

thumbnail for my roots go down ukulele songsheet

my roots go down thumbnail, with a graphic of a tree's root system. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I’m not sure if they played this one or not, it was an extra in case we had time.
Optional Scarf Song: Mr. Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you
Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Source: Raffi from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Mr. Sun” here!

thumbnail of Mr. Sun ukulele songsheet

Mr. Sun 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)

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

Craft: Tree Handprint Paintings (TB) (FT)
This craft was a mashup of two tree crafts I saw online. The first was from the Richmond (VA) Public Library. Instead of tracing their hand on brown paper and cutting it out to glue down onto a different page, I just provided crayons and encouraged them to trace and color in their hand to be the tree trunk and branches. Then, instead of gluing down tissue paper leaves, I took the idea from Brie Brie Blooms to use a stamper to make the leaves. She used play-doh lids, but I just used our toilet paper tube stash. A great example of taking ideas from all over to create something that will work for your group.

handprint tree craft, showing a brown traced hand colored with crayon, and overlapping circles of green paint making the leaves of the tree.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree – Mary Murphy
Some Questions About Trees – Toni Yuly
The City Tree – Shira Boss & Lorena Alvarez
Apple and Magnolia – Laura Gehl & Patricia Metola
Treehouse Town – Gideon Sterer & Charlie Mylie
Eco Girl – Ken Wilson-Max
All Kinds of Special – Tammi Sauer & Fernando Martin
My Tree – Hope Lim & Il Sung Na
Nell Plants a Tree – Anne Wynter & Daniel Miyares
Zee Grows a Tree – Elizabeth Rusch & Will Hillenbrand

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/3, 3/4, & 3/5/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

little hoo has the flu and llama home with mama book covers

Storytime: Feeling Sick and Feeling Better

Posted on by msemilylibrary

It is an unfortunate truth that we all get sick sometimes. Kids especially, who are still building their immune systems, get sick a lot! So although it isn’t a “fun” topic, it’s definitely a relevant one for the storytime crowd. As is often the case, real life ironically (in the Alanis sense) reared its head and I got really sick with the Flu A strain right after this week of programs! It was not fun, but I did, eventually, get to feeling better.

little hoo has the flu book cover, showing an owl holding a thermometer and whose beak area is reddened.
llama llama home with mama book cover, with a sick in bed llama with mama feeling his forehead.

Early Literacy Tip: Children love being able to identify animals and imitate the sounds they make. Identifying animals, matching sounds with an animal puppet or picture, and imitating animal sounds build children’s knowledge of the world around them. Even children who are not yet talking can make a cow sound: Moo! -adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Has anyone felt sick before? It’s not fun, but it does happen to everyone at some point or another. What does it feel like in our body when we’re sick? We may: feel pain, have an upset stomach, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, tired. The good thing to remember about being sick is that eventually we get better! Some things that make us feel better: visiting the doctor, taking medicine, getting plenty of rest, drinking water, and lots of hugs and kisses.

Here’s a rhyme about feeling sick.
Action Rhyme: I’ve Got a Cold (TT) (TB) (FT)
I’ve got a cold
My nose can’t smell (touch nose)
My eyes are red (touch by eyes)
I don’t feel well (hand to forehead or tummy)
So I’ll drink my juice (pretend to drink)
And go to bed… (fold hands under head)
Until my nose feels better (touch nose)
And so does my head! (touch head)
Source: Handley (VA) Regional Library System

I've got a cold thumbnail, with a graphic of a light skinned girl with a red nose and pained expression. she has a thermometer in her mouth, is wearing a scarf, and hugging her body as if cold. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

This isn’t the most sophisticated publishing (it kind of looks self-published), but it’s actually a good one for storytime in that it’s straightforward and simple, and did a good job of talking about feeling sick as well as friends helping to cheer you up with flowers and a card, which related to our craft today. We actually have about six Little Hoo books on early experiences.
Read: Little Hoo Has the Flu by Brenda Ponnay (TT) (FT)

little hoo has the flu book cover, showing an owl holding a thermometer and whose beak area is reddened.

Everyone seems to like Llama Llama books. This one worked okay, but I felt like the group got a antsy toward the end.
Read: Llama Llama Home With Mama by Anna Dewdney (TB)

llama llama home with mama book cover, with a sick in bed llama with mama feeling his forehead.

When we are sick, our germs can sometimes make other people sick. There are a few things we can do to avoid that! Stay home when we have a fever. Wash our hands. Cover our mouth!
The original rhyme had you using a tissue or your hand – I updated to the better practice of using the crook of your elbow. We practiced coughing into our elbows before starting the rhyme.
Action Rhyme: When You Cough (TT) (TB) (FT)
When you cough or when you sneeze
Will you think of others, please?
Use a tissue or your elbow
So on your friends your germs won’t go now – Ah-choo!
Source: adapted from SurLaLuneFairyTales.com

When you cough thumbnail, with a graphic of a light skinned girl holding a tissue to her nose, and a dark skinned boy coughing into his elbow. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Oh, no! Someone forgot to cover their mouth and now everyone on the farm has a cold!
I have a farm flannel set, so put the farmer out from there, but used puppets for the other verses.
Puppet Rhyme: Animal Sneezes (TT) (TB) (FT)
Farmer’s nose tingles,
Farmer’s nose twitches,
Farmer is going to sneeze!
Ah-choo, ah-choo, ah-choo!

Repeat, with animal noises:
Oh, no! Look at cow – cow’s nose wiggling…
Cow: moo-choo
Chicken: bok-choo
Pig: oink-choo
Duck: quack-choo
Source: Handley (VA) Regional Library System

photo of farmer flannelboard piece surrounded by four farm animal puppets: cow, chicken, pig, and duck.

animal sneezes thumbnail, with a graphic of a yellow chick pictured twice, once at the inhale of a sneeze ("ah"), and once at the exhale ("choo"). click the image to download a non-branded PDF

The other thing to do both to keep others from getting sick AND to prevent us from getting sick in the first place is to wash our hands. Germs are tiny, so tiny we can’t see them! So we need three things to wash our hands well – soap, water, and time. Let’s sing through this song twice so there’s enough time to get all the germs. Okay, everyone get a some soap on your hands (pretend to pump soap). Now turn on the water! (pretend to twist knob)
I sing this one slow so you can highlight each part of the hand as it’s sung.
Action Song: Wash Your Hands (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Row Your Boat)
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Get them nice and clean
Wash the tops and wash below,
And wash them in between

Scrub, scrub, scrub your hands,
Fingernails and thumbs
Wrists and palms and pinky too,
Wash them every one!
Source: Waukee (IA) Public Library

Wash your hands thumbnail, with a graphic of a light skinned pair of hands holding soap on the left and a dark skinned pair of hands washing between fingers on the right. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

A nice bowl of soup always makes me feel better when I’m sick.
I cut this one for time during the last session.
Action Song: The Soup Is Boiling Up (TT) (TB)
(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
The soup is boiling up (hands corkscrew up)
The soup is boiling up
Stir it slow, around we go (stir)
The soup is boiling up
What goes in soup? – noodles, chicken, lentils, celery, carrots, etc
Source: Jbrary

the soup is boiling up thumbnail, with a graphic of a silhouetted soup pot with lid ajar showing bubbles underneath. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I saw a pin for the inspiration of this rhyme, but rewrote all but the first two lines to change it from enjoying popsicles in the summertime to enjoying them when you’re sick. The last two lines helped me use my “popsicle girl” flannel, which I love but rarely have the opportunity to use.
And when my throat is sore, a popsicle feels so nice!
Flannel Rhyme: Popsicles (TT) (TB) (FT)
Popsicles, popsicles taste so sweet
Popsicles, popsicles hard to beat
Whenever my throat feels sore and sick
A cool lime popsicle does the trick
Look in the mirror, give a holler
My tongue has changed to a different color! GREEN!
What other flavors and colors do popsicles come in?
Source: original, inspired by First Grade Wow

photo of popsicle girl flannelboard set. includes a dark skinned girl with afro puffs and a large smile on her face, as well as 7 popsicles and a coordinating color tongue: orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, and rainbow.

popsicles thumbnail, with a graphic of three popsicles - green, red, purple. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get our shaker eggs out! Let’s practice a bit with this song.
Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Grand Old Duke of York)
You shake your shaker high
You shake your shaker low
You shake your shaker fast, fast, fast
And then you shake it slow
Source: Harris County (TX) Public Library

shake your shaker thumbnail, with a graphic of three shaker eggs: blue, purple, and yellow. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Sometimes we feel bad when we aren’t sick, but we’ve fallen down & hurt ourselves.
Easy enough to adapt this rhyme for shakers since it has a rhythm. Before starting, I asked everyone to decide where their boo-boo was on their body so they could point to it during the rhyme.
Shaker Rhyme: Boo-Boo (TT) (TB) (FT)
One, two, I’ve got a boo-boo
Three, four Oh, it’s sore!
Five, six Blow it a kiss
Seven, eight, Put the bandage on straight
Nine, ten, Now it’s better again!
Source: North Olympic (WA) Library System

boo boo thumbnail, with a graphic of an adhesive bandage with a blue heart in the middle. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

All the rest, soup, and popsicles are making me feel so much better! Let’s shake our sickies out!
Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies (Sickies) Out (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Raffi, from the album In Concert with the Rise and Shine Band

I also have this one as a ukulele songsheet. Download it here!

shake my sillies out ukulele songsheet thumbnail

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

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

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

Craft: Get Well Soon Cards (TB) (FT)
A super easy craft. I printed cards with a dotted-line font saying “Get Well Soon” on cardstock and folded to a card. Then provided crayons, foam stickers, and band-aid bandages to decorate however they wanted.

Download the Get Well Soon Card template.

get well soon card craft, showing the card decorated with hearts and flower foam stickers with band aid bandages across them.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
Doctor Maisy – Lucy Cousins
Leo Gets a Checkup – Anna McQuinn & Ruth Hearson
Scaredy Squirrel Visits the Doctor – Melanie Watt
Germs Make Me Sick! – Melvin Berger & Marylin Hafner
My Mommy Medicine – Edwidge Danticat & Shannon Wright
A Bad Case of Stripes – David Shannon
Bear Feels Sick – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon – Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
A Sick Day for Amos McGee – Philip C Stead & Erin E Stead
The Flea’s Sneeze – Lynn Downey & Karla Firehammer

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/24, 2/25, & 2/26/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

book covers for some pets and pet this book.

Storytime: Pets

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Apologies for the long delay in posting. I’ve been sick with flu A and it was a doozy!

Kids love animals! They love to talk about their pets and the animals they’ve met in their day-to-day lives. There are lots of fun rhymes and songs about domesticated animals, too, so this is really an easy theme to take into lots of different directions. You could probably do a session just on dogs or cats! One on “unusual” pets would be more challenging, but I’m sure it would work. Here’s the route I went.

You can find another version of this theme from 2021 here.

book cover of pet this book

Early Literacy Tip: Even before your child can read on their own, books are a great way to work on visual literacy skills. Let them “read” the pictures to you – they’ll learn to pick up details, tell a narrative, and appreciate how illustrations can tell a story as well as text. Books like Dog in Charge or even wordless picture books are great for this exercise.

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Who has a pet at home?  What kind?  What do you love about them?  If not, what kind of pet would you get if you could?  Some of us can’t have furry pets because we’re allergic, or we don’t have the time to properly take care of a pet.  Maybe you have a stuffed animal that gets your love, or maybe you get to visit a relative or neighbor’s pet.

Let’s see if we can pretend to be some common pets.
Action Rhyme: Can You?
Can you make yourself small like a hamster?
Can you jump up high like a frog?
Can you s-t-r-e-t-c-h like a cat?
Can you wag your tail like a dog?
Can you fly like a bird?
Can you swim like a fish?
Can you sit back down and be as still as this?
Source: Harford County (MD) Public Library

can you thumbnail, with a graphic of each animal: a hamster, green frog, stretching gray and white cat, brown dog with waggy tail, blue parakeet, and goldfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Super simple, with just a few words per page, this is a great title. There’s a lot to look at in the pictures, so I try to point out the main animals and encourage them to check it out later to look more closely.
Read: Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi & Brendan Wenzel (TT) (FT)

I love the interactiveness of this title. However, some of the animals are a bit of a stretch as far as “pets” go – a butterfly? And two different dogs are featured – it feels like that was a missed opportunity to feature another animal.
Read: Pet this Book by Jessica Young & Daniel Wiseman (TB)

book cover of pet this book

I don’t think I used every single animal in the flannel set I’d made, but I went with the most common as well as some that have distinctive noises like the snake. We had to get creative with the rabbit! I did include the dog, cat, snake, bird, fish, and rabbit.
Can you help me with all of my pets? I forgot what they say!
Activity: Pet Voices (TT) (TB) (FT)
Use pictures and let your child fill in the blanks for each animal
This my pet____________. They make this sound __________.
(for example)
This is my Fish. They make this sound: “Glub Glub”
Source: Jen in the Library

Let’s sing a song. I will need your help to do some of the animal voices that we just practiced. What does the doggie say again?
Ukulele Song: How Much is that Doggie (TT) (TB) (FT)
How much is that doggie in the window? (Woof woof!)
The one with the waggily tail?
How much is that doggie in the window? (Woof woof!)
I do hope that doggie’s for sale

Kitty…meow…whiskers so long
Birdie… tweet tweet…flappity wings
Rabbit…hop hop…hoppity legs
Fishy… glub glub… swimmity fins
Source: adapted from traditional by Jen in the Library

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

How much is that doggie thumbnail, with a graphic of a friendly beagle dog. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I found this song version with the fun bubble motions at the end at Jbrary. If you’re a child of the 90s like me, you’ll recognize the old hand clapping tune – when we sang it, it was about Miss Lucy and the person in the bathtub was her baby (although I think the Miss Suzy and her steamboat song also used the same tune). The adults sang loud so I wasn’t the only one who remembered it!
We love our pets, but sometimes they can get into trouble!
Song: Tiny Tim (TT) (TB) (FT)
I have a little turtle his name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim
He drank up all the water (glug, glug, glug)
He ate up all the soap (munch, munch, munch)
And now he’s lying in his bed with bubbles in his throat!
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP! (roll arms then clap)
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP!
Source: Jbrary

tiny tim thumbnail, with a graphic of a small green turtle. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We sure do love our pets. And I love this song!
I went through the different motions with everyone first.
Action Song: My Dog Rags (TT) (TB) (FT)
I have a dog and his name is Rags
He eats so much that his tummy sags
His ears flip flop and his tail wig wags
and when he walks he goes zig zag!
He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag
He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag
He goes flip flop, wig wag, [pause] zig zag
I love Rags and he loves me!
Source: Jbrary

my dog rags thumbnail, with a graphic of a dark skinned girl hugging a floppy eared dog. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s get out our scarves! Make sure they’re working – shake them up high… down low… in a circle… behind your knees… looks good!

I learned this rhyme at an in-person children’s roundtable event and I don’t know who shared it! It’s a great one because it can be done with anything. I did all animals, starting with a snake (which is an easy one for a scarf to emulate) then did a fish (loosely fold scarf in half, with a bulbous fish body in front and all the edges sticking out the back of your hand as the tail), bird (hold scarf in the middle and let both sides be wings that flap), and rabbit (same as fish but the “tail” turned upward to form the ears).
Did you know that these are magic scarves?
Scarf Rhyme: Magic Scarf (TT) (TB) (FT)
Abracadabra! Fiddle dee dee!
If I wave my magic scarf, what will it be?
Source: unknown

magic scarf thumbnail, with a graphic of a magic wand with stars coming out, and a waving blue scarf. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My friend Little Bo Peep has outdoor pets – sheep!
Scarf Rhyme: Little Bo Peep
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep (hide scarf)
And doesn’t know where to find them
Leave them alone
and they’ll come home (bring scarf out)
Wagging their tails behind them! (wave scarf)
Source: traditional, scarf movements from Jbrary

little bo peep thumbnail, with a graphic of three fluffy white sheep. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s do a song about this pet – what is it? (pointing to rabbit flannelboard piece) And how do bunnies get around? First we’re going to pretend to be sleeping bunnies. Let’s make a pillow with our scarf.
Action/Scarf Song: Sleeping Bunnies
(begin with “bunnies” asleep on the floor)
Look at all the bunnies sleeping
’Til it’s nearly noon (point to wrist)
Shall we wake them with a merry tune? (wave hands like a conductor)
Oh so still… Are they ill? (dramatic pause, then sing fast and clap!)
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies!
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies! (bunnies get up and hop around!)
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, Stop, stop, stop!
(FREEZE!)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

sleeping bunnies thumbnail, with a graphic of many curled up sleepy bunnies. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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

Craft:Pet Parade/Collage Craft (TB) (FT)
My library has a great collection of Ellison and Accucut dies, so I just went through and picked out all the animals that could be construed as pets! I cut them all in colors that made sense for the animal and gave them a large 12 x 18″ piece of purple construction paper. I tried to emphasize that they could choose any of the animals, and didn’t need to do all the same ones I did, to make it their own.

Pet parade craft, showing a large purple piece of construction paper with die-cut animals - a blue bird, brown dog, white cat, orange fish, green frog, gray rabbit, and yellow chicken. They are labeled and decorated with crayon.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
Mister Kitty Is Lost! – Greg Pizzoli
The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals – Deborah Underwood & LeUyen Pham
The Welcome Home – Amy June Bates
Mr. Watson’s Chickens – Jarrett Dapier & Andrea Tsurumi
I Am Cat / I Am Dog – Peter Bently & Chris Chatterton
My Dog Just Speaks Spanish – Andrea Cáceres
Where Have You Been, Little Cat? – Richard Jones
Coquí in the City – Nomar Perez
Alfie – Thyra Heder
Lola Gets a Cat – Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw
Take Your Pet to School Day – Linda Ashman & Suzanne Kaufman
Dog in Charge – K.L. Going & Dan Santat
Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite – Stacy McAnulty & Edward Hemingway
I Got a New Friend – Karl Newsom Edwards
Is This Your Class Pet? – Troy Cummings
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy – Mo Willems
Hello, Jimmy! – Anna Walker
I Wanna Iguana – Karen Kaufman Orloff & David Catrow

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/17, 2/18, & 2/19/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

time to sleep and old bear book covers

Storytime: Hibernation

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Another wintery theme for the season! Hibernation touches on some STEM concepts as well as bedtime and weather. I’ve done this one before, but updated with some new rhymes and songs about particular hibernators, such as frogs and bats. I also worked out two songs to play on ukulele – which is always popular.

If you have them, puppets are a great addition to a hibernator storytime. I bought two new finger puppets – both Folkmanis – a chipmunk and a bat. I already had a frog, turtle, and bear, so we had a puppet-stravaganza!

You can find another version of this theme from 2021 here.

Early Literacy Tip: Don’t shy away from using regular adult language with young children. They pick up the words you say and the more words they hear, the greater their vocabulary will be. Children learn words best in context, so you can clarify or explain what you mean if it’s a new or difficult word. -adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: When it’s cold outside, we bundle up and like to spend more time indoors.  But animals in the wild have to adapt to the winter temperatures and do so in different ways. Some migrate south to warmer temperatures, like geese. Some grow thick coats of fur like wolves. But some animals will sleep all winter long – it’s called hibernation! Let’s see, I have some animals that hibernate here! (Pull out puppets one by one) Turtle, frog, chipmunk, bat, and the star of the hibernation show – bear!

Photo of realistic animal puppets on top of a flannelboard. Includes bear, chipmunk, turtle, bat, and frog.

When I think of hibernation, I usually start by thinking of bears, who will often find a cave to sleep in over the winter.
After one session, I felt this rhyme was a little too long, especially with not very many “movements” to pair with each line. I reprinted the rhyme sheet and skipped the couplet that dealt with summer, shown in brackets below. I’ve included both versions in the pdf, even though only one is shown here.
Fingerplay: Here Is a Cave (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is a cave, Inside is a bear (make a circle with thumb and fingers, then tuck thumb in)
Now she comes out To get some fresh air (pop thumb out)
[She stays out all summer In sunshine and heat
She hunts in the forest For berries to eat]
When snow starts to fall She hurries inside (wiggle fingers down and tuck thumb in)
Her warm little cave And there she will hide
Snow covers the cave Like a fluffy white rug (cover hand with other hand)
Inside the bear sleeps All cozy and snug (lay head on hands)
Source: Storytime Katie

Here is a cave thumbnail, with a graphic of a sleeping bear in a snowy cave. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

I love that this title showcases a wide variety of hibernators, but it was a bit long for my squirrely 1-2 year olds. I switched to Old Bear for the next two sessions.
Read: Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming (TT)

book cover for time to sleep

Short and sweet, with beautiful illustrations that are just odd enough to be dreamy, this title is always a winner.
Read: Old Bear by Kevin Henkes (TB) (FT)

book cover for old bear

I had photographs of a bear, frog, snake, and bat being active, then hibernating on the back of cards. We talked about them before starting the song. This is a fun and fairly easy one to do on ukulele, too.
Song: Hibernation (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of “Alouette”)
Chorus:
Hibernation, time for hibernation
Hibernation, time to go to sleep
Verse:
In the winter, where’s the bear?
Sleeping in his log or lair
Where’s the bear? (Log or lair) OOOOOOH!

Additional verses:
…frog? Sleeping by a pond or log
…snake? In the mud beside the lake
…bat? In a cave is where she’s at
Source: Charles County Public Library (MD)

Download a ukulele songsheet for Hibernation here!

hibernation ukulele songsheet thumbnail

hibernation thumbnail, with a graphic of a hollow log, a cave, and a mud puddle. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Oh, no, the bear is so sleepy, it lost its footing and is ROLLING!
I think we did four bears instead of five for this one.
Counting/Flannel Rhyme: Sleepy Bear Roll (TT) (TB)
Five sleepy bears moving really slow
One yawns and stumbles and starts to… ROLL! (roll arms)
He rolls to a stop and begins to snore…
How many bears are left to explore? (count down)
Source: Canton (MI) Public Library

printed and laminated flannelboard set for sleepy bear roll - includes 5 different sleeping cartoon bears.

sleepy bear roll thumbnail, with a graphic of a curled up sleepy bear rolling end over end. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I got out the frog puppet to jump with us on this rhyme. I’ve used this rhyme in the past and just changed one word to make it fit for hibernation – the last line I’ve used before was “Now go free.” “Sleep” slips in there perfectly!
We said that bears hibernate, but what about this friend? Did you know that frogs bury themselves in the mud and freeze solid in the winter? Then in the spring, they thaw out and hop along!
Action Rhyme: Funny, Funny Froggy (TT) (TB) (FT)
​Funny, funny froggy, Hop, hop, hop!
Funny, funny froggy, Stop, stop, stop!
Funny, funny froggy, Jump with me
Funny, funny froggy, Now go sleep
Source: adapted from Books and Bibliotheks

funny fuuny froggy thumbnail, with a graphic of a cartoon frog with its tongue sticking out. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Another one that I changed the middle lines to make it a hibernation song.
How about this friend? They sleep upside down in a cave
Song: Flutter, Flutter, Little Bat (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Flutter, flutter, little bat
How I wonder where you’re at
When winter chill begins to creep
To your cave you go to sleep
Flutter, flutter little bat
How I wonder where you’re at
Source: adapted from traditional

flutter little bat thumbnail, with a graphic of a brown bat with closed eyes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time for some movement!
This version is from Jazzy Ash’s rendition of Teddy Bear.
Action Rhyme: Black Bear, Turn Around (TT) (TB) (FT)
Black bear, black bear turn around,
Black bear, black bear touch the ground
Black bear, black bear Wave up high
Black bear, black bear Wink one eye
Black bear, black bear Bend your knees,
Black bear, black bear flap in the breeze
Black bear, black bear climb up to bed,
Black bear, black bear rest your head!
Source: adapted from traditional

black bear thumbnail, with a graphic of a standing black bear. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I started with turtle, then went chipmunk, and ended with bear to transition into the next song.
Puppets/Fingerplay: Sleepy Turtle (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Thumbkin)
Where is Turtle? Where is Turtle?
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you this winter? Very tired, thank you
Go to sleep, Go to sleep (repeat with other hibernators)
Source: Storytime Katie

sleepy turtle thumbnail, with a graphic of a turtle with closed eyes resting its head on its front arms. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

A few of our grownups knew this song right away! I did go through the motions with everyone before we started, especially since I couldn’t lead them while playing.
Let’s put our bears to sleep for the winter.
Ukulele Action Song: Rockabye Your Bear (TT) (TB) (FT)
Everybody clap (clap, clap, clap)
Everybody sing, La, la-la, la, la!
Bow to your partner
Then you turn around
Hands in the air
Rockabye your bear
Bear’s now asleep: (sh, sh, sh!)
Bear’s now asleep: (sh, sh, sh!)
Source: The Wiggles

Download a ukulele songsheet for Rockabye Your Bear here!

rockabye your bear ukulele songsheet thumbnail

rockabye your bear thumbnail, with a graphic of a brown haired light skinned girl hugging a teddy bear. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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

Craft: Bear Cave Craft (TB) (FT)
Inspired by the project at Glued To My Crafts blog, I pre-printed the bear image on cardstock and cut out triangles. Then I glued three craft sticks to the edges with liquid glue – the craft sticks tended to warp a bit with the glue, so they needed to be weighted down with some wax paper and a heavy book while they dried. That way, the kids just needed to decorate with these small leaf cutouts (we had them in the craft stash but they look like they came from paper punches) and add snow with pulled-apart cotton balls. There was some time investment on the prep for me, but it was a smooth craft for them. Bear image from Play Create Explore.

Bear in a cave craft consisting of a printed picture of a sleeping bear glued to a triangle of wooden craft sticks. fall-colored leaves are glued to the sides and cotton is glued to the top and bottom to simulate snow.

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
Bear Has a Story to Tell – Philip C Stead & Erin E Stead
William’s Winter Nap – Linda Ashman & Chuck Groenink
Bear’s Big Dreaming – Michael Rosen & Daniel Egneus
Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers – Jessica Kulekjian & Salini Perera
Knock Knock – Tammi Sauer & Guy Francis
Over and Under the Snow – Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal
I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep – Dev Petty & Mike Boldt
Bear Snores On – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman
Bedtime for Bear – Brett Helquist
Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! – Maureen Wright & Will Hillenbrand

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/3, 2/4, & 2/5/25.

Storytime Handout:

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

book covers for no yeti yet and the thing about yetis

Storytime: Yetis

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Winter monsters, come play! Yetis (or yeti, looks like either can be plural) have a pretty good representation in picture books, as well as some popular media. Smallfoot, Abominable, and Missing Link are all fairly recent animated films featuring yetis. I was also reminded of the yeti character in the old stop-motion Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer television special as well as the Pixar film Monsters, Inc by families who came to the program. So it wasn’t too difficult to plan a whole storytime around yetis! I did this theme back in 2020 (pre-blog) and enjoyed revisiting it and adding some new songs and activities. Props to Lady Librarian Life, who first inspired this theme and from whom I borrowed a lot of activities!

no yeti yet book cover, featuring two children in the snow, looking at a large footprint. a yeti is peering at them from behind a mound of snow.
The thing about yetis show a cute yeti in the snow wearing a red earflap hat and holding a small stuffed yeti

Early Literacy Tip: The concept of loud and soft plays an important role in music and throughout life. Children need to know when a loud voice is okay and when a soft voice is required. Through music and rhymes they can have fun learning the difference between loud and soft, and practice the right time for the right volume. -The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

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

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* (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.

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* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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: Today we are talking about a mythical creature called a Yeti. A mythical creature is one that we tell stories about, but doesn’t really exist in real life, like a unicorn or a dragon. A yeti lives high in the mountains where it’s cold and snowy most of the time. They have fuzzy white hair all over their bodies and walk on two feet like a person. They usually don’t like to be out in the open and are shy around people. Some stories say they are ferocious and like to roar! Can I hear a mighty yeti roar?

Yes, we did this rhyme last week, but it never gets old.
Fingerplay: Two Little Yetis (TT) (TB) (FT)
(style of Two Blackbirds)
Two little yetis playing in the snow
One was fast and one was slow
Go away fast, go away slow
Come back fast, come back slow

Two little yetis looking at the clouds One was quiet and one was loud…
Two little yetis getting kind of chilly, One was serious and one was silly…
Source: Lady Librarian Life

two little yetis thumbnail, with a graphic of two white and blue yetis. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Now, let’s pretend to be a yeti ourselves.
Action Rhyme: Yeti, Yeti, Turn Around (TT) (TB) (FT)
Yeti, Yeti, turn around
Yeti, Yeti, touch the ground
Yeti, Yeti, reach up high
Yeti, Yeti, blink your eyes
Yeti, Yeti, show your teeth
Yeti, Yeti, stomp your feet
Yeti, Yeti, slap your knees
Yeti, Yeti, sit down, please
Source: Lady Librarian Life

yeti turn around thumbnail, with a graphic of a white and blue yeti waving. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

This was a fun title, but one that my library didn’t own. Thankfully, I was able to get a copy from my home library because it worked so seamlessly with the Yeti Hunt theme.
Read: No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser (TT) (FT)

no yeti yet book cover, featuring two children in the snow, looking at a large footprint. a yeti is peering at them from behind a mound of snow.

I tried this one with my older group, but they were pretty wiggly through it. Cute title, but they maybe were just not in the mood that day.
Read: The Thing About Yetis by Vin Vogel (TB)

The thing about yetis show a cute yeti in the snow wearing a red earflap hat and holding a small stuffed yeti

Yetis are such mysterious creatures! Let’s see if we can go find some.
Everyone seemed to enjoy this one and I’ve started to figure out some ways to make the “hunt” flow well for me and be enjoyable for my groups. Just to keep things moving, I’ve started skipping the “can’t go over it” part, and it still works really well. We slap our knees in rhythm during the “chorus” part. For the flannel, I was able to reuse the penguin ice floe from last week to add to my various bear/dragon hunt pieces. No more than four terrains (including the cave) are a good amount for my age group. This has taken a good amount of trial and error – the very first time I did Bear Hunt, it was a mess! But tweaks along the way have made it a favorite.
Chant: Going on a Yeti Hunt (TT) (TB) (FT)
(chorus, repeat between each terrain)
​We’re going on a yeti hunt (We’re going on a yeti hunt)
We’re gonna find a big one! (We’re gonna find a big one!)
With great big feet (With great big feet) (stomp feet)
And fuzzy white fur (And fuzzy white fur)
Look, it’s a great, big field of snow
We have to ski across it – put on your skis! Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Look, it’s a wide, frozen river
We have to skate across it – get your skates on! Glide, glide, glide!
Look, it’s a great big mountain with snow on top
We have to climb up it! Do you have all your climbing gear? (pretend to climb, then when you get to the top, slide down the other side: whee!)
Look, it’s a deep, dark cave! Just like where the Yeti lives.
Let’s go in: Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe!
Whoops, what is that? I see two great big feet!
And fuzzy white fur! It’s a Yeti! RUN!
(backwards through terrain)
Back to the house, shut the door, up the stairs, jump in bed, put the blanket over your head – are we safe? whew!
Source: adapted from Adventures in Storytime

yeti hunt flannel, with a snow field, river, snow capped mountain, and cave. A yet figure is show at the cave mouth.

going on a yeti hunt thumbnail, with a graphic of a tall sasquatch like yeti going into an icy cave. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I made this felt set back in 2020, and I’m not sure where I got the pattern! It’s very hard to tell from the pictures, but the beard part was made from glittery white felt – I love it! As a transition from the Yeti Hunt, I set this one up like this:
Let’s peek out the window and see if it’s safe outside. Oh, no!! I see not one, not two, three, four, but FIVE enormous yetis out there! Maybe they will go away if we wait.
Counting Rhyme: Five Enormous Yetis (TT) (TB) (FT)
Five enormous yetis letting out a roar
One stomped away and then there were four
Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, ROAR!

4… hiding in the trees…
3… didn’t know what to do…
2… having lots of fun…
1… saw the setting sun…
Source: Lady Librarian Life

flannel with five yets with white beards and blue faces, each with a different expression.

five enormous yetis thumbnail, with a graphic of a five blue yeti heads peeking around the sides and bottom of the sheet. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We found a yeti, let’s see what they do.
This was not the most engaging, so I dropped it after the first session.
Action Song: The Yetis In the Snow (TT)
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The yetis in the snow go roar, roar, roar
Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar, roar
The yetis in the snow go roar, roar, roar,
All through the snow

Additional verses:
…stomp their feet
…slide down the hill – whee!
…creep by the town sh, sh, sh
Source: Lady Librarian Life

yeti in the snow thumbnail, with a graphic of yeti creeping in front of a darkened town. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get our scarves out. What a snowy day! Yeti love the snow.
Scarf Song: Snowflake in the Sky (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Snowflake, snowflake in the sky
Love to watch you floating by
Down you fall upon the ground
Down you fall without a sound
Snowflake, snowflake in the sky
Love to watch you floating by
Source: Jbrary

snowflake in the sky thumbnail, with a graphic of a brown indeterminate monster wearing a red scarf and sticking its tongue out to catch falling snowflakes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I was looking for more snowy scarf rhymes to add, and found this one about the robin which I rewrote to fit with yetis.
Oh, the weather is changing again – the wind is blowing! Can you make your scarf blow in the wind?
Scarf Rhyme: When Cold Winds Blow (TT) (TB) (FT)
When cold winds blow
And we shall have snow
What will the shy yetis do?
They’ll run outside
With their arms open wide
Then slide down the mountain with a “yahoo!”
Source: adapted from King County (WA) Lib Sys

when the cold winds blow thumbnail, with a graphic of a blue yeti raising his arms in front of a mountain. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Another kind of a stretch to fit with the theme, but I could just imagine a bunch of yetis rolling around in the snow! I demoed rolling the scarf by holding both ends and rolling your hands, or by letting go of one end and letting it fly free. Either works.
Yetis like to roll around and play in the snow.
Scarf Rhyme: Roly Poly (TT) (TB) (FT)
(roll scarf accordingly)
Roly poly, roly, poly, up, up, up
Roly poly, roly, poly, down, down, down
Roly poly, roly, poly, out, out, out
Roly poly, roly, poly, in, in, in
Roly poly, roly, poly, BIG, BIG, BIG
Roly poly, roly, poly, very, very small
Roly poly, roly, poly, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast!
Rol…ly… po…ly… to… a… stop! (clap)
Source: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

roly poly thumbnail, with a graphic of a snowboarding yeti doing a loop de loop. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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

Craft: Yeti Fork Painting (TB) (FT)
Inspired by this post at the Our Kid Things blog, we painted yeti fur with white paint and forks. I didn’t want to mess with two colors of paint, so I made and cut a head and chest shape out of light blue construction paper and pre-glued it down to black construction paper. I also drew big eyes and a toothy mouth/nose combo on white cardstock and made copies. So the kids only had three small things to glue down, then they could go to work painting the fur. They came out very cute, and unique with interesting combinations of feature placement (one kid did a cyclops yeti!) and though most painted with the forks, some abandoned them and did finger painting. It’s all good! I love that they can do their own thing and most of our parents are willing to let them.

craft showing a blue head above a blue chest on black construction paper. big eyes and a large smiling toothy mouth are pasted to the head, and fork lines of white paint are all over the head and chest for hair

Play Time
The toddlers have two laundry baskets of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older kids, I have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, and a few other items that are a little more sophisticated than the baby toys. For Family Time, I gauge the overall age of the group and put out what seems right for them. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. I think the clean up bit is good practice for them!

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* (TT) (TB) (FT)

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)
(There are a good number but not a huge number on yetis, so I supplemented with Bigfoot books!)
Are We There, Yeti? – Ashlyn Anstee
Dear Yeti – James Kwan
Henry and the Yeti – Russell Ayto
How to Catch a Yeti – Adam Wallace & Andy Elkerton
Itchy, Scratchy Pants – Steve Smallman & Elina Ellis
Not Yet, Yeti – Bethany V Freitas & Maddie Frost
Yetis Are the Worst – Alex Willan
Elwood Bigfoot – Jill Esbaum & Nate Wragg
Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella – Tony Johnston & James Warhola
Larf – Ashley Spires
Bigfoot’s Big Heart – Sarah Glenn Marsh & Ishaa Lobo

This storytime was presented in-person on 1/20, 1/21, 1/22, & 1/30/25.

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