food – Page 2 – Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Storytime: Let’s Picnic

Posted on June 9, 2023June 8, 2023 by msemilylibrary

One last May storytime to blog!

Going on a Picnic was actually my very first theme for storytimes I did on my own in a brand new position at a new library. I wasn’t blogging at that time, of course. I revisited it last month, updating some of the activities.

Early Literacy Tip: Singing games where we do motions as a group (like “Picnic in the Park”) encourage social responsiveness. These activities also help your child learn to feel comfortable in a group setting. When your child begins school, such positive associations will help them adjust to being part of a class.

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

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (TT) (TB) (FT)
This is a repeated song that everyone seems to enjoy. I always begin and end with feet and tummies, but find two other body parts to wiggle in the middle. This week it was knees and fingers.

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

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: As we get closer to summertime, I start thinking about some of the fun things we can do outside. One of those is to have a picnic! A picnic is a meal you eat outside. You might do other things like fly a kite, play ball, even take a nap!

I had a bag of flannel picnic pieces that I made a couple years ago for Five Hungry Ants (below), and Raffi’s song, Going on a Picnic, both of which mention certain foods. I think I added a couple of other items to fill it out. After the first session, I learned to do groups of things, not individual pieces for each verse! “Let’s pack some fruits and vegetables! How about dessert?” It just shortened the song to fit my audience’s attention span. The foods stayed up while we read our book, then the ants came!
Rhythm Rhyme: Pack a Lunch (TT) (TB) (FT)
(slap knees in rhythm to the rhyme)
Going on a picnic
Gotta pack a lunch
What should we bring to
Munch, munch, munch?
Let’s bring….
(how many picnic items can you think of?)

Optional last verse:
Ready for a picnic,
Ready with a lunch,
Now we’re ready to
munch, munch, munch!
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Felt board with various picnic foods, including a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, slice of watermelon, red apple, bowl of salad with carrots and tomatoes, glass of lemonade, slice of cake on a plate, chocolate chip cookie, and salt and pepper shakers.

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

This one was okay. I’m not a huge fan of the Mouse books, but it did feature things I was going to talk about like watermelon and ants.
Read: Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson & Buket Erdogan (TT)

This is such a funny and silly book, but also takes a little explaining for the littlest ones to get what’s going on. The adults were chuckling and smiling the whole way through, though, and even the littles seemed to really like the pictures.
Read: Pignic by Matt Phelan (TB) (FT)

For time, I only added four ants. It’s not a bad idea to start your counting songs and rhymes at numbers other than five on occasion. I believe the original source said she tosses the ants behind her after the big sneeze, and that has always gotten a lot of giggles for me. 🙂
We packed our lunch, and now it’s time to eat it! But we’re not the only ones who are hungry. Look who is coming to our picnic!
Counting Rhyme: Five Hungry Ants (TB) (FT)
Five hungry ants, marching in a line
They come upon a picnic, where they could dine
They marched into the salad
They marched into the cake
They marched into the pepper
Oh-uh! That was a mistake! AH-CHOOOOOO! (remove an ant!)
Four hungry ants…
(Continue to count down)
Source: Miss Mary Liberry blog

Same felt board as above, but with five black ants with small googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae added to the top.

I modified the fruit just slightly from the Jbrary version, but it might be fun to brainstorm fruits and fit them into the structure of the song with your group (probably better with an older group).
Oh, good, the ants are gone! Let’s dig in. One thing that’s tasty at a picnic is a fruit salad!
Action Song: Fruit Salad (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Watermelon, watermelon (big circle with hands)
Strawberry, strawberry (chop with hands on each syllable)
Ba-a-a-a-nana, Ba-a-a-a-nana, (swing arms down, rocking)
Fruit salad, fruit salad! (dance it out!)

Pomegranate, pomegranate (pinch fingers)
Clementine, clementine (hold hands together then open)
Pi-i-i-i-neapple, pi-i-i-i-neapple (peak fingers & move around)
Fruit salad, fruit salad! (dance it out!)
Source: Jbrary

A good one to have in the back pocket, but I didn’t end up using it for time reasons. In the past, I encourage the room to really hit the “Boom Boom Boom” hard – A) because it’s fun and B) because at that point in the song I need a big breath!
Oh, no! The ants are back!
Song: The Ants Go Marching
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain.
Boom, Boom, Boom!
(count up)
…two by two, tie his shoe…three by three, climb a tree…four by four, shut the door…five by five, take a dive
Source: traditional

I pretty much did as Michael Rosen does in this video, but encouraged the group to repeat the first four lines as call and response. Once again, as my sessions continued, I shortened to fit our attention. Three obstacles (grass, river, and mud) plus the cave seemed just about right. You can download my reminder sheet here. When we found the bear, I put on my Folkmanis baby bear puppet, which they loved!
It can be fun to play some games when you are on a picnic. Can we pretend to go hunting for a bear?
Retelling/Chant: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury (TT) (TB) (FT)
We’re going on a bear hunt (We’re going on a bear hunt)
We’re gonna catch a big one! (We’re gonna catch a big one!)
What a beautiful day! (What a beautiful day!)
We’re not scared! (We’re not scared!)
Oh, no! GRASS – Long, wavy grass
We can’t go OVER it, We can’t go UNDER it
We have to go THROUGH it
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
Repeat, going through a River, Mud, a Forest, s Storm, a Cave, finding the bear, and then running back through everything to home.
Source: traditional, as performed by Michael Rosen

I saw the first verse on a library blog, and decided to write some more verses to give the whole story of a day at a picnic. It was fun to come up with the rhymes, and figure out some action to go with each one just like She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain.
Ukulele/Action Song: Picnic in the Park (TB) (FT)
(tune of She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain)
Oh, we’ll all go on a picnic in the park (let’s go!) (come here motion)
Oh, we’ll all go on a picnic in the park (let’s go!)
Bring some lunch and bring a ball,
There’ll be so much fun for all
Yes, we’ll all go on a picnic in the park (let’s go!)

Oh, we’ll eat some chips and sandwiches outside (yum, yum)… (rub tummy)
Fruit salad and lemonade
Taste so good out in the shade…

We’ll play a game of tag or hide and seek (ready or not!)… (cup hands around mouth)
Run around, lickety split
I’ll tag you and then you’re it…

Oh, the sky is getting darker, will it rain? (drip drop)… (wiggle fingers down)
Thunder rumbles, then grumbles more
Pack our stuff before it pours…

(slowly)
I’m glad we had a picnic in the park (yawn)… (cover mouth)
We ran around and ate our lunch
Had some fun, all right a bunch…
Source: verse one by Rhyming Reasor (found on the picture of the handout, not in the text of the blog post),
remaining verses are original

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Picnic in the Park” here!

thumbnail for picnic in the park songsheet

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

Craft: Watermelon on a Stick (TB) (FT)
I made a point of letting them know that watermelon is one of my favorite fruits when we added it to the felt board. (Purportedly my word for it as a toddler was “Oh, Boy” since that’s what everybody said when it came out!) So our craft this week was to make paper plate watermelon slices on a stick! Color the plate, fold, and staple (hint – most staplers will staple through a craft stick!) Add some seed shapes and you’re done!

Picture of watermelon craft - paper plate colored pink in the middle and green around the edge, folded in half and stapled to a large craft stick. Black paper seeds are glued on.

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

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

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Truck, Truck, Goose! – Tammi Sauer & Zoe Waring
This Is the Way a Baby Rides – Susan Meyers & Hiroe Nakata
Pie Is for Sharing – Stephanie Parsley Ledyard & Jason Chin
Max and Marla Are Having a Picnic – Alexandra Boiger
Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack – Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin
The Watermelon Seed – Greg Pizzoli
In Our Backyard Garden – Eileen Spinelli & Marcy Ramsey
I Really Want a Bigger Piece! – Harriet Ziefert & Travis Foster
Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! – Bob Barner

This storytime was presented in-person on 5/15, 5/16, & 5/17/23.

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

Storytime: Pizza

Posted on April 7, 2023April 6, 2023 by msemilylibrary

Sometimes I look back through themes I did at my old library. Sometimes they make me hungry! Here’s another in-person redo of a theme I only ever did virtually before.

Our program happened to land on Pi Day (and the day before and after) entirely accidentally. What a perfect tie-in!

Early Literacy Tip: Play gives you and your children lots of opportunities to pretend. As you are playing with your children, make a point of adding in a word or two they may not know, like “kneading” dough or “ladling” sauce. Children will find it easier to remember these words because they are hearing them and using them while being involved in imaginative play.

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

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

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: There’s a really important holiday in March, does anyone know what it is? It’s Pi Day! You’ll learn more about Pi the number someday, but today we’re celebrating the very best pie of all, the pizza pie! [this got laughs from the grownups]

I adapted this one to be a little more specific to pizza.
Action Song: I Am Hungry
(tune of Frère Jacques)
I am hungry, I am hungry
Grumble, rumble, Grumble rumble (rub tummy)
I think I’ll eat some pizza, I think I’ll eat some pizza
Yum, yum, yum! Yum, yum, yum! (mime eating)
Source: librionyian

Fingerplay: Pat A Cake Pizza Man
Pat a cake, pat a cake, pizza man
Make me a pizza as fast as you can
Roll it, Toss it, and sprinkle it with cheese
Put in the oven And bake it fast please!
Source: Mansfield/Richland County Public Library (OH)

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

Not everyone acted out everything, but there was lots of kneading the dough and sprinkling of pretend cheese!
Read: Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig (TT) (FT)

This one didn’t go over as well, perhaps the group was too distracted to really connect the pictures with the very simple text.
Read: Pizza Party! by Grace Maccarone & Emily Arnold McCully (TB)

Tickle: Pizza Pickle Pumpernickel (TT)
Pizza, pickle, pumpernickel, (bounce)
My little one shall have a tickle! (tickle)
One for your nose, And one for your toes,
And one for your tummy, where the pizza goes!
Source: King County (WA) Library System

I get that the writer of this rhyme didn’t want to repeat colors, but that means we leave out the most popular topping (red pepperoni) and the cheese is orange, which looks a little odd. I think next time I might redo the cheese as white, and make a couple more blobs of it. At first I was kind of dreading making tons and tons of little topping pieces, but realized that I really only need 3 or 4 of each to make the pizza look full, even if that would be terrible coverage on an actual pizza!
Rhyme: Pizza, Pizza, What Do You See? (TT) (FT)
Pizza dough, Pizza dough what do you see?
I see red sauce covering me
Red sauce, Red sauce, what do you see?
I see white mushrooms being added to me
continue with different colored ingredients, such as black olives, brown sausage, green peppers, purple onions, yellow pineapple, red pepperoni, and end with ~~orange~~ white cheese, then:
Orange cheese, orange cheese, what do you see?
I see a yummy pizza that looks good to me.
Yummy pizza, yummy pizza what do you see?
I see hungry children THAT ARE GOING TO EAT ME!
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Flannel pizza with different colored toppings (as mentioned in the lyrics)

Action Rhyme: Pizza Maker, Pizza Maker Turn Around (TT) (TB) (FT)
Pizza maker, pizza maker turn around
Pizza maker, pizza maker touch the ground
Pizza maker, pizza maker give the dough a toss
Pizza maker, pizza maker ladle on the sauce
Pizza maker, pizza maker sprinkle on the cheese
Pizza maker, pizza maker touch your knees
Pizza maker, pizza maker put it in the oven
Pizza maker, pizza maker press the oven button
Pizza maker, pizza maker rub your tummy
Pizza maker, pizza maker eat some pizza! Yummy!
Source: Jen in the Library

Rhythm Sticks Intro: Let’s practice our rhythm sticks. Rest them on our shoulders, tap fast and loud, soft and quiet, rub them together, roll them in a circle (TB)

This is a good warmup for rhythm sticks and gets everyone involved.
Rhythm Stick Song: Count the Beat (TB)
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10
8 9 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8… 9… 10!
Source: Sarah French

There are lots of versions of this on YouTube. I especially liked how she went on a walk and saw a cat, dog, bee, and alligator!
Rhythm Sticks Song: The Pizza Song (TB) (FT)
(tune of Skip to My Lou)
Roll, roll, roll the dough,
Roll, roll, roll the dough
Roll, roll, roll the dough,
Roll the dough together! (put both sticks on the ground and roll)

Stir, stir, stir the sauce… (use sticks to stir in a circle)
Spread, spread, spread the sauce… (roll one stick on the ground using 2nd)
Grate, grate, grate the cheese (rub 1 stick down the other)
[Chop some veggies/pepperoni, anything you like]
Chop, chop, chop-chop-chop (tap 1 stick on horizontal 2nd)
[Put it in the oven, set timer, let’s go for a walk!]
Lou, lou, skip to my lou… (swing arms with sticks in them)
[Ding, the timer went off! Our pizza is ready, take it out of the oven. Cut a slice, in a triangle, then eat it]
Source: Harbor Preschool Music YouTube

Flannel/Clapping Song: P-I-Z-Z-A (FT)
(tune of B-I-N-G-O)
There is a treat that’s good to eat and pizza it its name-a
P-I-Z-Z-A! P-I-Z-Z-A! P-I-Z-Z-A!
And pizza is its name-a
(spoken) Oh yum! I’m gonna eat one!

There is a treat that’s good to eat and pizza it its name-a
(clap)-I-Z-Z-A! (clap)-I-Z-Z-A! (clap)-I-Z-Z-A!
And pizza is its name-a
(Continue until you are clapping all the letters.)
Credit: Jen in the Library

I used Jen in the Library’s post as a template, but decided to make my pizza slices double-sided, based on the background color of my felt board. The opposite side of the full slice looked like just the pizza crust that was gnawed on, effectively becoming a placeholder for our claps. I like the way it turned out!

We’ve eaten some pizza, now my body is asking for a little movement.
Action Song: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (TT) (TB) (FT)
(start slow and repeat, speeding up)
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes (knees and toes!)
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes (knees and toes!)
Eyes and ears and a mouth and nose!
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes (knees and toes!)
Source: traditional

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

Craft: Pizza Pretend Play Kit
I gave everyone the option to either glue down their pieces to make an actual craft, or to pick out pieces to put in a little baggie to “make” pizzas at home for their families. The toppings were just foam shapes we had – I cut down much larger pieces into smaller pieces that were either square or triangular or thin strips based on what ingredient they represented. The sauce is a wavy shape of construction paper, and the cheese is short pieces of yarn. Craft idea adapted from Storytime Katie..

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

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Secret Pizza Party – Adam Rubin & Daniel Salmieri
How to Eat Pizza – Jon Burgerman
Pizza Day – Melissa Iwai
Every Night Is Pizza Night – J. Kenji López-Alt & Gianna Ruggiero
Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) – Philemon Sturges & Amy Walrod
The Pizza That We Made – Joan Holub & Lynne Cravath
Pizza Pig – Diana Murray & Maria Karipidou
Little Nino’s Pizzeria – Karen Barbour
The Princess and the Pizza – Mary Jane Auch & Herm Auch
Pete the Cat & the Perfect Pizza Party – Kimberly & James Dean

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/13, 3/14, & 3/15/23.

Storytime Handout:

Handout including 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

Storytime: Cutie Cookies

Posted on December 16, 2022December 15, 2022 by msemilylibrary

Everyone loves cookies, right? I did this theme for the first time before starting this blog, but even so, I made a lot of changes to my old plan for this year. I looked for more activities to suit the age I work with now, and replaced an extensive prop story use of the “Ten Little…” song melody that I’d used before I knew better. I think this is a better mix. I also had a fairly different plan for the younger Book Babies program than the one for the older Teddy Bears (Family time skewed younger, so I used the same plan as BB), with a different slate of songs and rhymes in addition to the books.

To be honest, the actual programs went a little haywire – I had a couple of kids/families that were pretty wired up and I felt off my game. That happens. I generally either plow on or just cut short what I’m doing in favor of going to either the next song with movement or finishing up with Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, always our last song. That didn’t really help this time! What kinds of strategies do you use when kiddos are extra wiggly and distracted?

Early Literacy Tip: Showing a child how to follow a recipe not only introduces print in a new way, but also develops early math skills through measuring. It also teaches the ability to follow directions. For babies, set out a small tub filled with uncooked beans or rice. Give them a scoop and let them play while you’re in the kitchen.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (BB) (TB) (FT)**

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* (BB) (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. This week was shoulders and fingers.

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (BB) (FT)

Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (FT)

Intro: Mmm, today I’m in the mood for cookies! Let’s make some cookies together.

Rhyme: Pat a Cake (Cookie Style) (BB) (FT)
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man (clap hands together)
Bake me a cookie as fast as you can
Roll it (roll hands) And pat it (pat lap)
And mark it with a “C” (draw a C in the air or on baby’s belly)
And put it in the oven for you and me! (point)
Source: adapted from the traditional

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

Read: Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington (BB) (FT)

I love this book, but it didn’t really work well for my group. This was the EXTRA wiggly group, so that may have been a factor, but I did notice with this retelling that it seemed a missed opportunity that “but the Cow loves cookies” was not consistently repeated after every grouping. The repetition of the other animals made the book drag a little, too. The lilting rhymes help, but I think this is better for a little older kids.
Read: The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson & Marcellus Hall (TB)

Tickle: Round and Round the Batter Bowl (BB) (FT)
Round and round the batter bowl (circle on baby’s belly)
One, two, three! (gentle poke on each number)
A little here, a little there (touch both cheeks)
As tasty as can be! (tickle or nibble belly!)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

I did this and Here’s a Cup for all three programs, but for Teddy Bears we did them before our book.
Rhyme: Making Cookies (BB) (TB) (FT)
(mime each action unless otherwise indicated)
I am making cookie dough (point to self)
Round and round the beaters go (roll hands)
Add some flour from a cup
Stir and mix the batter up
Roll them, cut them nice and neat
Put them on a cookie sheet
Bake them, count them, 1, 2, 3 (count with fingers)
Then serve them to my friends for tea!
Source: Jen in the Library

The arms on my Scaredy Squirrel puppet that I usually use as my “little one” when I demonstrate rhymes are not long enough for this to work! I asked a grownup to help me demonstrate, then we did the rhyme twice more.
Fingerplay: Here’s a Cup (BB) (TB) (FT)
Here’s a cup, and here’s a cup,
And here’s a pot of tea
Pour a cup, and pour a cup,
And drink some tea with me
Source: Jbrary

Even though I didn’t read The Cow Loves Cookies for these sessions, I used my cow puppet to gobble up all the cookies. Click the source link to get Jessica’s template for the sugar cookie flannel! (I made six cookies, but only used five for this group)
Puppet/Flannel Rhyme: Down Around the Corner (BB) (FT)
Down around the corner at the bakery store
Were five sugar cookies with frosting galore!
Along came a cow looking for a treat…
She saw those cookies and she took one to eat!
(count down)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Six flannel sugar cookies with different colored icing. A large white circle, a small blue circle, a large pink heart and a small green heart, a large blue star and a small white star.

So this is the song I adapted to replace the “Ten Little” melody. In the past I had a flannel oven, cookie sheet, and 10 cookies that a volunteer helped me make at my old library and followed the prop story from One Little Librarian (the blog is now not available to the public). I had left the flannel at that library and didn’t make a replacement, so this was just an action song for us. BUT, I did have laminated cookies for all the kids that I gave out during the “cool the cookies” verse that they fed to Cookie Monster later in the session.
Action Song: This Is the Way We Make Cookies (TB)
(tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
This is the way we pour the flour,
Pour the flour, pour the flour
This is the way we pour the flour
To make our cookie treats

Additonal verses:
Now we cream the butter & sugar…
This is the way we stir the dough…
Bake the dough…
Cool the cookies…
Eat the cookies…
Source: original

You know who else loves to eat cookies? Cookie monster! This was made with a fairly high resolution picture of Cookie Monster, printed on cardstock and laminated, then attached to an empty tissue box covered in blue paper.
Song: C is for Cookie (TB)
C is for cookie, That’s good enough for me
C is for cookie, That’s good enough for me
C is for cookie, That’s good enough for me
Oh, cookie, cookie, cookie – Starts with C!
Source: Sesame Street, From the Album “Sesame Street Platinum All-Time Favorites”

Cookie monster prop made with a printed CM face attached to an empty tissue box covered in blue paper, with the mouth/hole cut out. Also pictured are 5 paper sugar cookies with sprinkles, orange, green, red, blue, and purple.

Download a template of the cookies here!

After this rhyme, the kids took their paper cookies and fed them to Cookie Monster.
Action Rhyme: Cookies Up (TB)
Cookies up! Cookies down!
Hold your cookie & turn around
Cookies up! Cookies down!
Wave your cookies all around
Source: adapted from One Little Librarian

I wanted to make this a little longer, so made up the second and third verses. I’m particularly proud of the “mustachy” couplet! I asked everyone to join in on the echoes, and either raise their hands or do a lift there.
Ukulele Song: I Wish I Were a Little Cookie Crumb (BB) (TB) (FT)
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
Oh, I wish I were a little cookie crumb (cookie crumb!)
Oh, I wish I were a little cookie crumb (cookie crumb!)
I’d go crumby, crumby, crumby
Over everybody’s tummy
Oh, I wish I were a little cookie crumb (cookie crumb!)

Additional verses:
Oh, I wish I were a little chocolate chip (chocolate chip!)…
I’d be melty and sweet
And leave chocolate in your teeth…

Oh, I wish I were a cold glass of milk (glass of milk!)…
I’d go splishy splishy splashy
And leave you a cute mustachy…
Source: verse 1, North Mankato Taylor Library (MN), verses 2 & 3, original

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

One last song for the babies!
Let’s wash up our faces from all the messy cookie crumbs!
Body Song: Eyes, Nose, Cheeky, Cheeky, Chin
Eyes, nose cheeky cheeky chin
Eyes, nose cheeky cheeky chin
Eyes, nose cheeky cheeky chin
Cheeky cheeky chin, nose, eyes
Source: King County (WA) Library System

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

Craft: Cookie Design Craft
We had giant cookies that could be decorated with crayons and adhesive foam shapes, mounted on another sheet of construction paper. I encouraged the kids to think about what flavor their cookie might have, and if they had a special name for their recipe.

Brown circle on a light green sheet of paper, decorated with multicolored triangular foam shapes. Labeled "Emily's Cookie. Cinnamon with rainbow sprinkles"

Play Time
The babies 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* (BB) (TB) (FT)

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (BB) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? – Mo Willems
Who Put the Cookies in the Cookie Jar? – George Shannon & Julie Paschkis
Baker Baker Cookie Maker – Linda Hayward & Tom Brannon
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Laura Numeroff & Felicia Bond
May I Please Have a Cookie? – Jennifer E. Morris
Gingerbread Baby – Jan Brett
Good Night, Knight – Betsy Lewin
The Cookie Fiasco – Dan Santat
Stop and Smell the Cookies – Gibson Frazier & Micah Player

This storytime was presented in-person on 12/12, 12/13, & 12/14/22.

Storytime Handout:

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

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

Storytime: Pumpkins

Posted on October 28, 2022October 17, 2025 by msemilylibrary

After moving to a new library, I’ve been using a lot of the themes that I developed while in a virtual-only setting at a different organization. It’s been really fun to see the in-person impact of some of the extension activities that seemed like, well, *maybe* real life kids would enjoy. (Virtual programs always felt like a shot in the dark since I wasn’t getting any immediate feedback.) I’m also working with a different book collection and a slightly younger audience, so books and some activities are adjusted. For example, the pumpkin vine prop I created back in 2020 was made with the book Mystery Vine by Cathryn Falwell in mind specifically. The new library doesn’t have this one (and it’s out of print so I can’t make the purchase), so I found a song that will work with the prop. I love that it’s like a puzzle, fitting pieces together to make a storytime that works for me now in this particular situation.

See other versions of this storytime from 2020 and 2025.

pumpkin day book cover, showing a Black boy holding a pumpkin and sitting on a pile of them, with a farm scene in the background.

Early Literacy Tip: Narrative skills have to do with learning how to describe things and being able to tell stories. Little stories, like the one in “Pumpkin, Pumpkin on the Ground,” are great for children to start learning how stories work. “First the pumpkin is a seed, then it is a plant, then it is a pumpkin!”

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (BB) (TB) (FT)**

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (BB)

Intro: It’s pumpkin time! Pumpkins are great big gourds that get ripe around this time. They are very tasty and are good for you – AND they can be fun to carve a face into! But how do pumpkins grow? That’s what this song is asking.

Fingerplay: Pumpkin, Pumpkin, On the Ground (BB) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
(ASL for pumpkin: gently flick middle finger on back of other hand)
How’d you get so big and round? (arms circle over head)
Once you were a seed so small (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball (arms circle in front)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (ASL pumpkin sign)
How’d you get so big and round? (arms circle over head)
Source: Jbrary

So how do they grow, in between being a tiny seed and a big pumpkin?
I found a video of this song but had some trouble finding the original provenance – the video said the song was by Mary Ann Hall, but I also saw Marcia Louis credited (and I did find a YouTube video of hers, so that’s pretty credible.) In any case, I was able to figure out the chords, changed the key to fit my voice better, and now it’s available as a ukulele songsheet for you!
This song is also a perfect replacement for the Mystery Vine book I didn’t have at this library. I could pull out a little of the vine after each verse and I got the extremely satisfying gasps of surprise when the green and orange pumpkins appeared! So fun. I set up the song by asking everyone to help me plant a pumpkin seed, let some rain fall down, let the sun shine, and then… a little pumpkin vine appeared!
Ukulele Song: Pumpkin Vine (BB) (TB) (FT)
I looked out my window and what did I find?
Green leaves growin’ on my pumpkin vine
Green leaves, Green leaves are growin’ (x3)
Green leaves are growin’ on my pumpkin vine

Additional verses:
…yellow flowers growin’
…honey bees buzzin’
…green pumpkins growin’
…orange pumpkins growin’
Source: Montessori de Terra Linda

Download a ukulele songsheet for Pumpkin Vine!

Thumbnail for Pumpkin Vine ukulele songsheet

Pumpkin vine prop, showing large plastic pot covered with two overlapping pieces of brown felt (so there's an opening in the middle). The vine is shown with leaves, small curlicue vines made with pipe cleaners, yellow flowers, a green pumpkin, and two orange pumpkins.

Gif of pumpkin vine prop, showing it coming out of the plant pot little by little.

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

To shorten this a bit I paperclipped one rhyme set near the beginning of the book, and it worked well for my younger kids.
Read: Pumpkin Day! by Candice Ransom & Erika Meza (BB) (FT)

To simplify and shorten, I ended the book when they were making pies and didn’t read the very last couple of pages. That also eliminates the reference to Halloween, in case that’s a concern in your community. I did it just to shorten the book, though.
Read: How to Help a Pumpkin Grow by Ashley Wolff (TB)

Book cover for how to help a pumpkin grow.

Action Song: Roly Poly Pumpkin (BB) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Oh, the roly-poly pumpkin (roll arms, gradually speed up)
Went rolling down the hill
Once it started rolling
It couldn’t keep still
It rolled and rolled
Until it bumped into a rock (clap)
Then the roly-poly pumpkin (roll slowly)
Rolled to a stop (stop suddenly)
Source: King County Library System

Just adding a bounce for the littles
Bounce: Bounce, Tickle, Hug (BB) (FT)
I bounce you here, I bounce you there
I bounce you, bounce you everywhere
I tickle you here, I tickle you there
I tickle you, tickle you everywhere
I hug you here, I hug you there
I hug you, hug you everywhere
Source: Mansfield/Richland County (OH) Public Library

I saw that Mel’s Desk created a rhyme/game reminiscent of the Brown Bear, Brown Bear books. She started hers with Brown Bat, but I decided to make mine Orange Pumpkin. Mine is also circular – I start and end with the same flannel piece, which is a plain pumpkin on one side and a jack-o-lantern on the other, so I just flip it over as we say the last line.
Flannel Rhyme: Orange Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkin, What Do You See? (BB) (TB) (FT)
Orange pumpkin, orange pumpkin, what do you see?
I see a red leaf looking at me!

Continue with:
Red leaf > Black cat > Gray owl > Brown bat > Yellow moon > Orange Jack-o-Lantern

Flannel for Orange Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkin, What Do You See, with an Orange pumpkin, red leaf, black cat, gray owl, brown bat, and yellow crescent moon. An inset shows the reverse side of the pumpkin, which shows a yellow jack-o-lantern face.

Look at that pumpkin – it has a face! It looks happy, doesn’t it? Just like this one (show happy face pumpkin on a stick.) What about this one, how do you think it’s feeling?

I used the printable pumpkins from Sunflower Storytime to briefly discuss feelings, then we sang a verse for each one.
Song: If You’re Happy & You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray (hooray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray (hooray!)
If you’re happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray (hooray!)
…angry…stomp your feet…
…surprised…say “oh, my!”…
…sad…have a cry (boo hoo)…
…silly…do a dance…
Source: traditional

Jack-o-lantern puppets - five pumpkins with faces showing emotions of happy, sad, angry, surprised, and silly, printed and laminated and mounted to large craft sticks.

This is a fun rhyme, and I love how KCLS has options for babies, hand motions, and full body motions!
Bounce Rhyme: Pumpkin, Pumpkin Sitting on a Wall (BB)
Pumpkin, pumpkin Sitting on a wall (bounce)
Pumpkin, pumpkin Tip and fall (tip to side)
Pumpkin, pumpkin Rolling down the street (roll arms or legs)
Pumpkin, pumpkin Trick or treat! (lift)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Action Rhyme: Pumpkin Chant (TB) (FT)
(For each line, pat lap twice on 1st pumpkin, clap twice on 2nd, pat twice on 3rd, then do action for last word)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bread!
(Hold hands flat in front, one on top of the other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin head!
(Put hands on head)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin pie!
(Hold hands in a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin eye!
(Curve hands around eyes)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin cake!
(Hold hands flat, one about 5 inches above the other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin shake!
(shake fists by head)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin stew!
(Pretend to stir stew)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin BOO!
(do a peek-a-boo)
Source: Jane Willis Johnston, via Jbrary

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

Craft: Pumpkin Patch
We did a take on a previous craft I did that also incorporated the green leaves and yellow flowers we sang about in our “Pumpkin Vine” song. I offered two methods for the yarn vines: grownups could draw swirling vine shapes on the page with glue, then older kids could follow the glue with the yarn. That would take a little more coordination, but is less messy. Alternatively, I had some liquid glue in a shallow bowl, and kids could dunk the yarn in to saturate it, then add the vines whichever way they wished. Messier, but easier. Both methods work on fine motor skills! Unfortunately, I saw a lot of grownups drawing the glue swirls and then sticking the yarn on themselves, just letting kids add the pumpkins, leaves, and flowers. 😦

Download a template for the pumpkin leaves and flowers here! (Pumpkins were die cut)

Craft showing paper orange pumpkins, yellow flowers, green leaves and green yarn representing a pumpkin vine, pasted to a brown sheet of construction paper.

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

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (BB) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Let it Grow – Mary Ann Fraser & Riley Samuels
Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party – Erin Barker
Pumpkin Eye – Denise Fleming
The Great Pumpkin Contest – Angie Rozelaar
Stumpkin – Lucy Ruth Cummins
Amara’s Farm – JaNay Brown-Wood & Samara Hardy
Pumpkin Countdown – Joan Holub & Jan Smith
Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch – Mary Peterson & Jennifer Rofé
Pumpkin Trouble – Jan Thomas
Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch – Alyssa Satin Capucilli & Pat Schories

One of these I’d like to especially highlight is Let it Grow by Mary Ann Fraser & Riley Samuels. It didn’t come in on hold for me in time to use it in the program, but it’s such an excellent book I would have substituted it for How to Help a Pumpkin Grow. It also goes through the life cycle of the pumpkin – seed to vine to leaves to flowers to fruit. But it’s cleverly written, has a BIPOC character/family and even goes beyond the expected Jack-o-lantern size pumpkin – they let theirs grow to be a GIANT pumpkin, which they take to the fair and then use in the pumpkin regatta! The back matter talks about the real life regatta and has some great photographs that I’m sure would elicit lots of oohs and aahs. I’ll definitely be using this one next time!

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/24, 10/25, & 10/26/22.

Storytime Handout:

Handout including book suggestions and rhyme/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:
(BB) Book Babies, ages 0-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Apples

Posted on September 23, 2022September 25, 2025 by msemilylibrary

There are so many fun things to do with the theme of apples! I may have tried to do all of them. It was fun, but there was a lot to keep track of – puppets, egg shakers, recorded music (so setting up speakers), and a craft that involved paint and real fruit. Oh, and apple slices to sample at the end!

You can find other versions of this theme from 2020 and 2025.

all for pie, pie for all book cover, with an image of a grandmother cat holding a pie.

Early Literacy Tip: As you and your child go about your day, highlight the five senses and talk about the textures, the size, color, sounds, smells, and tastes of the things around you. These observations will be the basis for later exploration and classifying that will lead to sorting and problem solving skills. These are skills that will help your child later understand what they read.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* (BB) (TB) (FT)**

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* (BB)

Intro: Who likes apples? I do! Apples are ripe and fresh right now, so let’s celebrate this delicious fruit! Where do apples come from? Apples grow from little seeds into tall apple trees!

Action Song: A Little Apple Seed (BB) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Once a little apple seed was planted in the ground (pinch finger together like a small seed)
Down came the rain drops falling all around (fingers wiggle downward)
Out came the big sun bright as bright could be (join hands in circle above head)
And the little apple seed grew up to be an apple tree (start with the pinch, then grow arms out)
Source: Madelyn’s Library Programming

Now that there’s a tree, let’s pretend to be that tree!
Song: Great Big Apple Tree (BB)
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Great big apple tree, great big apple tree (extend baby’s arms)
Standing tall, standing tall, (lift baby up)
Moving your branches, when the wind blows (sway arms)
Apples fall! Apples fall! (bring baby’s arms down)
Source: Pasadena (CA) Public Library blog

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

Okay, so this book only mentions apples on the first page, but it’s super cute and one of the few apple books my library had that worked best for babies. I was surprised at how many have such big chunks of text!
Read: Applesauce is Fun to Wear by Nancy Raines Day & Jane Massey (BB)

book cover for applesauce is fun to wear

Read: All for Pie, Pie for All by David Martin & Valeri Gorbachev (TB) (FT)

Time to go for a ride to the apple orchard!
Bounce Song: A Smooth Road (BB)**

Have you ever been apple picking? Let’s pretend that we are going to pick some apples.
Rhyme: Way Up High in the Apple Tree (BB) (TB) (FT)
Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arms up high)
Two red apples smiled at me (hold up two fists & wiggle them)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (make a shaking motion)
Down came the apples… (fists fall down)
And mmm, they were good! (smile and rub tummy)
Source: traditional

Word Exercise: Using Our Five Senses (TB)
What words can we use to describe apples using our senses? I could sense the group getting a little wiggly, so I only asked for one word for each sense (the picture below was from an earlier program). I wanted to get it in since I’d tied it to our Early Lit tip today – and it was nice to see some of the grownups nodding in understanding when I explained that using descriptive language helps them learn to sort and classify objects as well as giving them a basis in reading comprehension. I borrowed this activity from Literary Hoots

Word Exercise - an apple shape drawn on a whiteboard with descriptive words written inside: sweet, smooth, fresh, crunchy, wet, good, red, yellow, green, crisp, sour, shiny, tart, mushy

The apple flannel set I made for the last library I worked for was left there, so I redid it (off the clock this time so it’s mine, all mine!) This time I tried to have the apples be more and more eaten up as we count up (also indicated by the number of seeds each has. I had a set of farm animal puppets, so I used the duck, pig, horse, and cow, then my bear cub puppet to end – that came as a fun surprise! Grr!
Flannel Rhyme: Five Little Apples (TB) (FT)
Five little apples up in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking,
So guess who came to eat?
Quack, quack!
A duck! Munch munch munch!
(count down, using available animal puppets, or choose animals you like to “munch” on your five fingers as the apples)
Source: Storytime Katie

We passed out egg shakers – I usually do one on-theme song with props and two just for fun.
Shaker Rhyme: Egg Shakers Up (BB) (TB) (FT)
Egg shakers up, egg shakers down
Egg shakers dancing all around the town
Dance them on your shoulders, Dance them on your head
Dance them on your knees, And tuck them into bed!
Source: Jbrary

I like this jazzy tune, even if she does talk about bananas in the second and third verses.
Recorded Shaker Song: Shake Your Apples
I like to eat my apples, red and yellow too
And if you give me apples green,
I’ll make an apple pie for you

Come on and shake, shake, shake your apples
Shake ‘em way up high
Shake ‘em to the left and shake ‘em to the right
Let’s have a little apple pie
Source: Nancy Stewart

I told them I was imagining an “apple pie milkshake” – I think that sounds amazing.
Shaker Song: The Milkshake Song
You take a little milk – pour some milk!
And you take a little cream – pour some cream!
You stir it all up, You shake it and you’ll sing…

Milkshake, milkshake shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it all up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it up, shake it up!
Milkshake, milkshake shake it all up!
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, from the album Songs for Wiggleworms via Jbrary

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

Craft: Paper Plate Apple Pie
Each table had a brown dot marker, a plate with red paint, and a plate with green paint, blank paper plates, and halved apples to use as stamps. For an additional sensory element, I had a small container of cinnamon to sprinkle on the wet paint. This went over great and I was especially impressed with how well the adults cleaned up after – the tables were basically spotless, which is NOT what I was expecting, but lovely! On their way out, I also had thinly sliced apples available to sample. I’d read that this is the best way to serve apples to very little children to avoid a choking hazard.
Source: Literary Hoots

Photo of paper plate apple pie craft, with the tray of supplies to the side, including blank paper plates, red and green paint with a halved apple cut side down in the paint, and a brown dot marker.

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

Goodbye Rhyme: Tickle the Stars* (BB) (TB) (FT)

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Tap the Magic Tree – Christie Matheson
Apple Picking Day – Candice Ransom & Erika Meza
Orange Pear Apple Bear – Emily Gravett
Apples and Pumpkins – Anne Rockwell & Lizzy Rockwell
One Green Apple – Eve Bunting & Ted Lewin
Apple Farmer Annie – Monica Wellington
Biscuit and the Great Fall Day – Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Apples, Apples, Everywhere – Robin Koontz & Nadine Takvorian
Apples for Little Fox – Ekaterina Trukhan

This storytime was presented in-person on 9/19, 9/20, & 9/21/22.

Storytime Handout:

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

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

Family Storytime: Breakfast

Posted on January 7, 2022December 30, 2021 by msemilylibrary

Mmmmm. Breakfast (and breakfast food) might be my favorite meal of the day. And there are some fun and cute books out there about breakfast items.

This was my first back-to-virtual-only program after a summer and fall of outdoor in-person sessions. I missed seeing the families in person and sometimes wonder what the actual impact of virtual programming is, but the days were getting colder and we were not doing indoor in-person programs at the library.

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

Early Literacy Tip: As you go about your day, stop for a moment and listen to the sounds around you. Ask your children what they hear. Talk about what you hear. Try to imitate the sounds. Even little activities like this one help your children develop phonological awareness – the ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Warm-Up Rhyme: We Wiggle and Stop
(Use the ASL sign for the word “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle
And we wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
(Try other motions such as jump, twirl, stretch)
Source: Jbrary

Intro: My favorite meal of the day is breakfast! What are some things that you like to eat for breakfast? Discuss and suggest. I added flannel parts from Flip Flap Jack to the board (randomly, not to build the “man”) as I talked through (realizing that probably the most common and favorite food for kids is probably cereal, which is not part of the flannel…) In the future, I might add things like eggs and cereal (hot or cold) to my set just so they are represented. Our rhymes and songs started with toast!

Chant: Bread and Butter
Bread and butter,
marmalade and jam
Let’s say “Breakfast”
as quiet as we can – “Breakfast!”

Other verses:
Loud, Slow, Fast, High, Low
(you can change the word as well as the adverb)
Source: traditional

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster
I’m toast in the toaster,
I’m getting very hot
Tick tock, tick tock,
UP I pop!
Source: Jbrary

Read: Early One Morning by Mem Fox & Christine Davenier

Fingerplay: Five Fat Sausages
Five fat sausages (show five fingers)
frying in a pan (lay fingers in the flat opposite hand)
The grease got hot (wiggle the “sausage” fingers)
and one went BAM! (clap!)
(count down)

No fat sausages frying in a pan.
The grease got hot and the pan went BAM!
Source: Jbrary

Action Rhyme: Mixing Pancakes
(mime actions)
Mixin’ pancakes, stirrin’ pancakes
Pour ’em in the pan
Frying’ pancakes, flippin’ pancakes
Catch ’em if you can!
Source: Adapted from poet Christina Rossetti via Jbrary

Read: Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

For this one, I chose the names of five of my regular in-person kids to pick a doughnut. And I had to include my favorite kind of doughnut in the flannel – jelly-filled!
Flannel Song: Five Colored Doughnuts
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
There were five little donuts with frosting on top
Along came [name], hungry for a treat,
And s/he picked the [color] one to take home and eat!
(count down)
Source: Literary Hoots

Flannel showing 4 traditional doughnuts (with light green, lavender, pink, and brown icing) and one jelly-filled doughnut with white icing and a small pink dot of jelly at one end.

Breathing Break: “Soup” Breathing – Which became “Oatmeal Breathing!”
Instead of using a bowl of soup as we have been in the last couple of weeks, today we imagined our favorite hot cereal in our bowls in front of them. I suggested oatmeal, porridge, cream of wheat, and grits! You could also go into what kinds of toppings and mix-ins they like, if you wanted to prolong the discussion. Then with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot cereal. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Source: Lucky Little Learners

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

This was another instance where I had two versions of the flannel props. I’d originally planned this theme earlier in the fall, when I would be doing it outdoors in person, but moved things around so it was my first virtual-only theme in November. One set is actually made of flannel, that I purchased from Storytelling Fun. It is nice to have a detailed felt set, but I was disappointed that the the images, which seemed to be ink-jet printed onto white felt, seemed very pixelated. I also made a larger paper version that was photocopied from the book by Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis, who wrote the song. I colored and laminated it, and it turned out pretty well, so I’ll have to make a reason to use it at some point.
Flannel Song: Flip Flap Jack
Intro:
There was a man made of food (Made of food?) Made of food!
There was a man made of food and his name was Flip Flap Jack!

Chorus:
And he danced upon the table, the table, the table.
He danced upon the table, and his name was Flip Flap Jack!

Verses:
His head was a pancake (A pancake?) A pancake!
His head was a pancake and his name was Flip Flap Jack
His hair was made of whipped cream (whipped cream?) Whipped cream!
His hair was made of whipped cream and his name was Flip Flap Jack

(Do two verses between each chorus repetition, and repeat the intro at the very end as an outro)
His eyes were blueberries / His nose was a strawberry / His mouth was a sausage / His ears were oranges / His body was a waffle / His arms were two bananas /His legs were made of bacon / His feet were made of French toast /His bellybutton was a raspberry
Source: Gail Benton and Trisha Waichulaitis from the book Ready to Go Storytimes: Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music and More. To get the tune in my head and an idea of movements, I used this video from Klamath County Library (OR).

Craft: Paper Plate Pancake
This was a take on a craft I saw on the What Happens in Storytime blog. The kids got a paper plate, three light brown circles, three yellow squares, some brown yarn, and red and blue pom poms. They could then build their pancake breakfast however they liked. In the instructions, I noted that kids could glue down their creations if they wanted to make “art,” but they could also leave the pieces loose and treat it like play food, taking orders from different family members and extending the activity to do some dramatic play.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio & Eric Wight
Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison & Brianne Farley
Woodpecker Wants a Waffle by Steve Breen
Pancakes with Grandma by Kathryn Smith & Seb Braun

Goodbye Song: See You Later, Alligator
(tune of Clementine)
See you later, alligator (wave with one hand, then the other)
In a while, crocodile (open and shut arms like a croc’s mouth)
Give a hug, ladybug (hug yourself or a loved one)
Blow a kiss, jellyfish! MWAH! (move hand like a jellyfish then blow a kiss!)
Source: King County Library System

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 11/2/21.

Storytime Handout:

Flannel Friday!

Posted on October 22, 2021October 14, 2021 by msemilylibrary

I’m on vacation for two weeks, but I wanted to share a preview of some flannels I’ve been working on for upcoming posts, and what better day to do so than on a Friday? (If you haven’t checked it out yet, Flannel Friday is an amazing resource of community-submitted flannelboard/feltboard props.)

My last in-person outdoor storytime of the season was themed for the American Southwest (where I’m vacationing!) My friend and fellow librarian Rebecca suggested this Five Coyotes song and flannel that is so sweet. The coyotes were fun but layered, so took some patience. I was feeling extra and wanted the moon to be as realistic as possible, so I printed a NASA photo of the moon and mapped out some simplified craters and darker areas.

Flannel showing five coyotes, three sitting on the back haunches and two standing on four feet, all howling upward at a white and gray moon.

I ran out of time, but I will someday make the coyotes reversible! I’d like them to be curled up and sleeping on the back.

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)
Credit: adapted by Rebecca Ballard from Nancy Stewart

Upcoming, I have a Breakfast-themed storytime coming up. One rhyme is about doughnuts, so here are mine. I love jelly doughnuts, so I had to make one a filled jelly! Making some pieces different is a great opportunity for talking with your group about similarities and differences. I thought about putting sprinkles on these, but I’m kind of paint-shy – they never seem to look as good after I’ve added the paint! So for now, they’ll just be frosted.

Flannel showing five doughnuts, four with holes in the middle and different colored frosting: mint green, dark brown, lavender, and light pink, and one with no hole but covered in white frosting and a dark pink dot of jelly showing on one side.

Counting Rhyme: Five Colored Doughnuts
Down around the corner
at the bakery shop,
There were [number] little donuts
with frosting on top
Along came [name]
hungry for a treat,
And s/he picked the [color] one
to take home and eat!
Credit: The Lion is a Bookworm via Literary Hoots

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends
(tune of Goodnight, Ladies)
Hello, friends! Hello, friends!
Hello, friends, it’s time to say hello!
Hello, [name 1], hello, [name 2]!
Hello, [name 3], it’s time to say hello!
(ASL motions: salute for “hello,” then take the index fingers on each hand and you link them together as though they are hugging each other back and forth for “friends”)
Credit: Glenside Public Library District

Our new warm-up for the last few weeks of the summer session.
Warm-Up Rhyme: We Wiggle and Stop
(Use the ASL sign for the word “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
We wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle and we wiggle
And we wiggle and we wiggle and we STOP
(Try other motions such as jump, twirl, stretch)
Credit: Jbrary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

screenshot from virtual storytime, showing five finger breathing.

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

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

thumbnail of Bear Brain Breaks worksheet.

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

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

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

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

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

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

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

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

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

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

Storytime Handout:

Preschool Storytime: In the Garden

Posted on May 28, 2021May 25, 2021 by msemilylibrary

Another classic springtime theme. I loved that there were some good recent titles about gardening!

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

Early Literacy Tip: When your children are playing, think about what words you might write or what signs you can make to make the play more language-rich. For example, if children are playing gardening, you might ask what plants they are growing and then make signs for them, saying the letters as you spell the words.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Discussion: Have you noticed all of the new growing things in the world? Do any of you have a garden or some plants that you’ve helped to grow? A garden can be outside in your yard, or you can grow some great plants in pots or in a window garden. Let’s see how a plant grows from a tiny seed. What does it need? Water, soil, sunshine!

Garden tableau: the word garden spelled at the top, five flowers, butterfly, carrot, worm, and lettuce leaf.

Fingerplay: Dig a Little Hole
Dig a little hole, Plant a little seed
Pour a little water, Pull a little weed
Chase a little bug, Heigh-ho, there he goes!
Give a little sunshine, Grow a little rose
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime via Storytime Katie

Read: The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson

Song: Will Our Flowers Bloom?
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The seeds from the pack go in the ground (poke with finger)
In the ground, in the ground
The seeds from the pack go in the ground
Will our flowers bloom?

additional verses:
The rain from the sky goes drip drip drop… (flutter fingers)
The sun above is bright and hot… (arms make a circle)
Our little seeds are sprouting fast… (fingers grow upward)
(last line) Look! Our flowers bloomed! (spread hands)
Credit: Storytime with Miss Jennifer

Flannel Rhyme: Five Little Flowers
Five little flowers growing in a row
The first one said, “We need rain to grow.”
The second one said, “Yes, we need water!”
The third one said, “Whew, it’s getting hotter!”
The fourth one said, “Look, there are clouds in the sky.”
The fifth one said, “I wonder why?”
Then “BOOM” went the thunder, (clap hands)
And “ZAP” went the lightening (draw zig-zag in air)
That springtime storm was kind of frightening.
But were the flowers scared? No, no, no. (shake head)
They knew they needed rain to grow, grow, grow.
Credit: Adventures in Storytime

Felt set with a sun, grey clouds, lightning bolt, three raindrops, and five different-colored flowers, pink, blue, orange, purple, and yellow.

I LOVE the little worm protagonist with his one sneaker!
Read: Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray & Zachariah OHora

I found these cute carrot flannels at Target before Easter last year, so adapted a flower rhyme. They kind of remind me of the carrots from the book Creepy Carrots!
Flannel Counting Rhyme: Out in the Garden
Out in the garden growing in the sun
Were 4 tasty carrots and my mommy picked one! (nom, nom!)
Out in the garden growing in the sun
Were 3 tasty carrots and my daddy picked one! (nom, nom!)
Out in the garden growing in the sun
Were 2 tasty carrots and the baby picked one! (nom, nom!)
Out in the garden growing in the sun
Was 1 tasty carrot and and I picked that one! (nom, nom!)
Credit: adapted from Pasadena Public Library (CA)

Felt pieces of carrots with googly eyes and smiles

I tried to pair an animal and what they might be after in the garden for each of these.
Guessing Game: Something In My Garden
There’s something in my garden, Now, what can it be?
There’s something in my garden,That I can’t really see.
I hear its funny sound…. RIBBIT – RIBBIT – RIBBIT
A … FROG is what I found! RIBBIT – RIBBIT – RIBBIT

Repeat with other animals found in a garden. I used:
Ribbit – Frog – bugs from a lettuce plant
Thump – Rabbit – nibbling a carrot
Squeak – Mouse – tasting a blackberry
Caw – Crow – pecking at some corn
Buzz – Bee – gathering pollen from a flower
Wiggle – Worm – chewing an old leaf
Flutter – Butterfly – sipping nectar from a hyacinth
Credit: Storytime Katie

Laminated printed "flannel" showing a frog, lettuce plant that has bugs on it, rabbit, carrot, crow, corn, mouse, blackberry, worm, flat brown leaf, hyacinth flower, bee, and butterfly.

Read: One Little Lot by Diane C. Mullen & Oriol Vidal

Ukulele Song: Apples and Bananas
(begin with the correct pronunciation, then change the vowel sounds for each verse to a, e, i, o, and u)
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

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

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

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

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

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

Download a ukulele songsheet for Apples and Bananas

thumbnail of apples and bananas ukulele songsheet

Craft: Cupcake Liner Flowers
I provided a blue construction paper background, various cupcake liners in different colors and sizes, and several strips of green construction paper that they could cut or tear into any kind of leaf shape. Thanks to Storytime Katie and Literary Hoots for the inspiration.

Flower craft made from cupcake liners on a blue background with strips of green construction paper as leaves and stems.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
A Peaceful Garden by Lucy London & Christa Pierce
Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres & Nadine Bernard Westcott
Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root & G. Brian Karas

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 4/13/21.

Storytime Handout:

Handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

Preschool Storytime: Soup

Posted on May 7, 2021April 30, 2021 by msemilylibrary

In the colder months, I just love a hot bowl of soup. This session was pushed back one week due to a snow day closure, so I was extra prepared… One thing that was a challenge, though, is that so many of the songs and rhymes are presenting the same info. How to make soup, the steps involved, the motions of stirring and adding to a pot. I did my best to mix it up but it still felt a little repetitive to me as I was presenting. Perhaps I should have just cut a couple activities and made it shorter overall.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Some songs tell a story or have a logical sequence, like “Make the Soup.” Children learn what comes next. Recounting an event using a song helps them understand how narrative works and helps break down tasks step by step. Try adapting this to another task, like getting dressed or getting ready for bed.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Discussion: When it’s cold outside, a hot bowl of soup sounds really tasty! It helps to warm you up, and there are so many kinds. What kinds of soup can you think of?

Action Rhyme: Stir the Soup
Stir the soup in the pot,
Oh, boy, it’s really hot
Stir it fast, really fast
Stir it really, really slow
Stir it high, stir it low
It’s still hot, let’s blow
Stir it fast like you should.
I think it’s done! Mmmmmmmm! It’s good!
Credit: Johnson County (KS) Library

Have you ever helped make soup from scratch? Let’s see what it takes. I also provided a scan of the soup recipe from the back of this book in my take-home packets.
Read: Soup Day by Melissa Iwai

Action Song: Make the Soup
(tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
Come and help me make the soup
make the soup, make the soup
Come and help me make the soup
One cold and frosty evening

Additional verses:
First you put the pot on the stove …
Then you pour the water in …
This is the way we add some veggies …
This is the way we stir the pot …
Now it’s time to take a sip …
Credit: Johnson County (KS) Library

Action Song: The Soup is Boiling Up
(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
Sub kinds of soup: chili, daal, ramen, noodles, etc.
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Soup for One by Ethan Long

You can do this one as a fingerplay or by adding green pompoms to a play pot. When the peas “jump” out of the pot, they’ll go everywhere and cause some giggles. If you’re doing this one in person, you can give each child a “pea” and count up as many peas/kiddos as you have.
Fingerplay: Pea Soup
(begin with five fingers up)
One little pea jumped into the pot,
And waited for the soup to get hot (fold one finger down)

(count down)
Finally, the soup got so very, very hot,
That all the little peas jumped out of the pot!
(open hand jumps)
Credit: Librarian is on the Loose blog

Screenshot from storytime video, showing Ms. Emily holding a blue and orange play kitchen soup pot in one hand and a small green pompom in the other. — Pea Soup

Action Song: I Feel Crazy, So I Jump in the Soup
I feel crazy so I jump in the soup
I feel crazy so I jump in the soup
I feel crazy so I jump in the soup
I jump jump jump in the soup

Additional verses:
…swim…gallop…splash…sit…
Credit: Laurie Berkner, from the album “Victor Vito”

Read: Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas

Who likes alphabet soup? It’s fun to see if you can spell words or just find certain letters. Let’s sing our ABCs!
Song: ABCs

Ukulele Song: Noodles in My Soup
(tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
There are noodles, noodles, noodles in my soup
There are noodles, noodles, noodles in my soup
There are oodles, oodles, oodles
Of the most delicious noodles
There are noodles, noodles, noodles in my soup
(repeat with other soup ingredients, but keep 3rd & 4th lines)
Credit: Librarian is on the Loose blog

Craft: Alphabet Soup
Construction paper soup bowl! This was pretty easy – I asked a volunteer to cut out circles and spoons, and provided a generous snack-sized bag of Alpha-bits cereal to glue down and snack on. (I provided a copy of the nutrition facts and ingredient list from the box so caregivers knew exactly what was in the cereal.) Kids were encouraged to draw the soup ingredients that they like in addition to adding the cereal.
Warning! Alpha-bits cereal is NOT made the way it used to be, it seems. All of my pieces were very puffy and misshapen, and I could only identify a couple of actual letters – maybe an A, I, D, L, maybe a weird E or F. It was very disappointing. You may have better luck with actual dry alphabet noodles (though that doesn’t have the added benefit of being a snack on the side).

Craft of a bowl of soup with an orange placemat, blue bowl, light brown soup, and gray spoon. The soup has colored ingredients like celery, mushrooms, peas, and carrots, and has alpha-bits cereal glued to it. Caption says "Ms Emily's Alphabet Soup!"

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley
Perfect Soup by Lisa Moser & Ben Mantle
A Soup Opera by Jim Gill & David Moose

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 2/23/21.

Storytime Handout: