This was the end of my storytime season – at my library we take the month of May off for planning our summer reading program. We start back up in June, and I’ll be doing OUTDOOR STORYTIMES! I’m very excited to be seeing the kids and caregivers in person again (and a little scared, too – will I remember names? Will it be terrible? Have I lost all my in-person skills?) Deep breath – we’ll be good.
You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.
Early Literacy Tip: Helping children cope with transitions is something we caregivers can do mindfully, whether going from one activity to another or going to a new school or moving to a new house. Ease into transitions by creating or continuing routines that evolve as a child gets older. A goodbye routine might be a special hug and kiss, but can evolve into pat and a smile by the time they are “big kids.” Simple songs can signal going to bed (it’s time to go bed, it’s time to go bed, heigh-ho the derry-o, it’s time to go to bed) or time alerts (5 minutes until bed… 3 minutes until bed…) As you show your child ways to cope, they will develop their own internal transition skills.
Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello
Rhyme: How Do You Say Hello?
Hey! Hi! Howdy! Yo!
There are many ways to say hello!
Wave your hand. Nod your head
Smile big or wink instead
Blow a kiss. Tip your hat
Shake your hands. Give a pat
Of all the ways to say hello,
Here’s the way I like to go…
HELLO! (choose your favorite!)
Credit: Storytime Katie
In this book, a little girl named Carmelita loves to say hello to all the people in her neighborhood. Many of them speak a different language, so she’s learned to say hello many different ways.
Read: Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora
Fingerplay: Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, friend? Very well, I thank you!
Say goodbye. Say goodbye.
Credit: adapted from the traditional
Action Song: Say Hello to Your Toes
(tune of London Bridge)
Say hello to your toes, to your toes, to your toes!
Say hello to your toes. Hello, toes!
(repeat for knees, tummies, elbows, middle, etc.)
Credit: Storytime Secrets via the Reading Room
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them (Hello/Goodbye Version)
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Put your hands down low, low, low
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Wave and say hello-lo-lo!
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Raise your hands up high, high, high
Open, shut them, open, shut them
Wave and say goodbye, bye, bye!
Credit: One Little Librarian
This one is a little long, but it’s so sweet.
Read: Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari & Patrice Barton
Using this farm set from Oriental Trading, I hid various animals behind farm objects, with little bits of them sticking out.
Flannel Song: Can We Find?
(tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man?)
Can we find a pink pig? A pink pig? A pink pig?
Can we find a pink pig? We want to say HELLO! (oink, oink!)
(can be used for any hide-and-seek type game at home!)
Credit: Sunflower Storytime
Action 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! (blow a kiss!)
(can you think of other goodbye rhymes? wave goodbye, butterfly, toodle-oo, kangaroo, gotta go, buffalo, take care, teddy bear, etc)
Credit: King County Library System
Discuss: This is our last storytime before our summer programs, so we’ll be saying goodbye for a little while, but I’ll be planning and getting ready to have some amazing fun storytimes for you starting again in June. This next book is about how saying goodbye to one thing always means saying hello to something else.
Read: Goodbye Brings Hello by Dianne White & Daniel Wiseman
Action Rhyme: Thank You Rhyme
My hands say thank you with a clap, clap, clap
And my feet say thank you with a tap, tap, tap
Clap, clap, clap; tap, tap, tap
We roll our hands around and we say goodbye
Credit: Mansfield/Richland County Public Library (OH)
Ukulele Song: Hello Goodbye
See songsheet for lyrics. I couldn’t resist singing this classic Beatles tune for a Hello & Goodbye theme! Honestly, it’s kind of perfect for contrary toddlers. I simplified it for storytime, but kept the full song on the sheet in case you have time or want to play the whole thing on your own. (The parts I eliminated for storytime are in gray.)
You can channel the original from the Beatles, or maybe try to embody Caspar Babypants! If you’re in-person and not a singer, you could play these recordings instead.
Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Hello Goodbye” here!
Craft: Hello Goodbye Elephant
Another simple craft from Sunflower Storytime. I love her printables! I had (too much?) fun making a purple elephant with pink polka dots.
Update 4/21/23: Since the Sunflower Storytime blog is no longer available, I’ll share the downloads that I had saved from their site. Download the Hello Goodbye Elephant here!
I also suggested these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Say Hello Like This! by Mary Murphy
Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina & Sonia Sánchez
Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! by Cori Doerrfeld
Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars
This storytime was presented virtually on 4/27/21.
Storytime Handout:
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 