Tag: mindfulness

Family Storytime: Boxes

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Another theme on a “concept” that has been treated well in children’s picture book literature is boxes! Imaginative play in or using cardboard boxes, as well as the shape concepts of square and cube, the related idea of block play – all are great early learning tools and fun to riff on at storytime.

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

Find another version of this theme from 2024.

Early Literacy Tip: Playing helps children’s brains grow and develop in so many ways! When we pretend and act out stories, like pretending that a box might be a rocket ship, and what we might do on a space adventure, we’re using problem-solving skills and it prepares us to write stories of our own someday.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

I started using a new warm-up rhyme this week. I’d known the first two verses for many, many years, but saw the “Higher” and “Lower” verses and decided to expand! I chant this, though I think some librarians sing it.
Warm-Up Rhyme: Open, Shut Them
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap clap!
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap!

Creepy, crawly, Creepy, crawly
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open up your little mouth,
But do not let them In, in, in!

Higher, higher, Higher, higher
Almost to the sky, sky, sky
Then like little birdies
Watch them Fly, fly, fly!

Lower, lower, Lower, lower
Almost to the ground, ground, ground
Quickly pick them up again
And turn them round and round:
Faster, faster, faster!
Slower, slower, slower.

Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap clap
Open, shut them, Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap!
Source: adapted from King County Library System (WA)

Intro: Oh, do you like my hat? What do you mean it’s not a hat? It’s a box! That’s the wonderful thing about a box.  It can be a hat… or a mixing bowl … or a hiding place!

I used a variety of animal puppets in an old paper box – I chose that since it has a lid rather than just flaps.
Puppet Rhyme: Here is a Box
Here is a box where something is hid
I wonder whatever is under the lid?
Let’s listen for a shout
And see who comes out!
(make animal noises and have kids guess who is in the box before opening)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

screenshot from virtual storytime showing a chicken puppet that has just emerged from a cardboard box.

Read: Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

This was a really fun flannel that I saw on several storytime blogs – Fun With Friends at Storytime got super fancy with three different shades of felt for each box to make them look more three dimensional. I stuck to one color per box, but I did include a front and back piece, gluing the front piece to just three sides of the back, so the box would create a little “pocket” I could put small laminated pictures in that were “in” the box. The lid was another separate piece that could be removed. I used the template shared by Anne’s Library Life but the rhyme came from One For the Books blog. The small mystery items were different brightly-colored toys and animals that I found on Canva. I was sure to include a “jack in the box” as one of the mystery items, since I wasn’t sure how familiar modern kids would be with this old-fashioned toy. “Jack” features prominently in our song “Turn Around” later in storytime, so I got this picture out again to remind kids who Jack was and why he was in a box.
Flannel Game: Mystery Boxes
Little [pink] box let me look inside and see
What’s inside? Ready? 1, 2, 3! (lift the lid)
Source: adapted from One For the Books blog

Fingerplay: There Was a Little Turtle
There was a little turtle (make fist)
Who lived in a box (cover fist with arm)
He swam in the puddles (fist wiggles like swimming)
He climbed on the rocks (fist climbs up opposite arm)
He snapped at a mosquito, he snapped at a flea
(pinch with thumb and fingers at each “snap”)
He snapped at a minnow, and he snapped at me!
He caught that mosquito, he caught that flea (clap with each “caught”)
He caught that minnow
But he didn’t catch me! (waggle finger)
Source: Jbrary

I really liked the idea of this one-verse song that I found on Anne’s Library Life, but wanted to expand it! Of course, you can shorten/remove verses to fit your audience as needed.
Ukulele Song: Wiggle Box
(tune of Buffalo Gals)
Let’s open up the wiggle box, the wiggle box, the wiggle box
Let’s open up the wiggle box, and wiggle our cares away!

Additional verses:
There’s a lot of wiggles in the wiggle box… so wiggle and dance today!
There’s a lot of giggles in the wiggle box… so wiggle and laugh today!
Now throw all your wiggles in the wiggle box… And lock that box up tight!
(slowly, relaxed)
Now that the wiggle box is closed up tight… We’re ready for a story today!
Source: Verse 4 from Anne’s Library Life, remainder by Ms. Emily

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Wiggle Box” here!

This has really interesting illustrations if you have a small group that can appreciate them. I liked that the text was pretty simple and short, too.
Read: What to Do With a Box by Jane Yolen & Chris Sheban

It’s pretty unusual for me to do two ukulele songs in one storytime, but it worked out here. This is from Sue Schnitzer, who I was connected to through the ukulele community, and I didn’t even realize she put out children’s song albums because she was also a librarian! She graciously shared the chords for this song with me. Check her out! One more note – be sure to practice this one ahead of time! I didn’t realize how difficult it was to spin in a circle and play ukulele and sing all at the same time, and it took me a couple of tries to get the rhythm down!
Ukulele Song: Turn Around
Can you turn around with me? (spin in place)
It’s as easy as can be
Round and round and round just so
Then ker-PLOP! Down we go! (fall to the floor)

(tacit) Jack is quiet – shhh! (fingers to lips)
In his box… (arm covers head)
Open the lid… (slowly open arm out)
And up he… POPS! (jump up)
Source: Sue Schnitzer, from the album “Wiggle and Whirl”

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Turn Around” here!

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

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

Craft: Blocks Craft and Box Coloring Page
Two crafts today! I used an idea from Storytime Katie for a very simple 2D blocks craft, making some random squares, rectangles, triangles, half circles, and “bridge” shapes (a rectangle with a half circle cut out of it) from different colored construction paper, and a plain white sheet to glue them to. (Photo from Storytime Katie’s blog)
I also created a Box Imagination sheet, which just has a plain box in the middle with lots of white space around, in which kids could color whatever they imagined the box to be. (I made mine a treehouse as an example.)

You can download the sheet here!

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
A Box Can Be Many Things by Dana Meachen Rau & Paige Billin-Frye
Boxitects by Kim Smith
Big Box, Little Box by Caryl Hart & Edward Underwood
Blocks by Irene Dickson

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 11/9/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: The American Southwest

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Sometimes life inspires storytime! I was planning to take a two week vacation to visit family in Arizona and do some sightseeing as well, so the week before I was to be off, storytime was all about the Southwest! It was fun to do some learning before the trip as well as incorporate things I love about the region, such as the animals and plants that live there. I also wanted to highlight the fact that Native peoples have lived there continuously, as well as it once being a part of Mexico, so there are many wonderful traditions and stories from the region, and they are told in many languages. I had trouble finding a book that was short and simple enough to share from a Native perspective, but I tried to offer some of the longer options on my take-home reading list.

This was also my last outdoor in-person storytime of the season, though I picked up virtual programming again when I returned home in November. It was really nice to be able to offer outdoor programs, but the weather was turning colder and more unpredictable as far as the rain and wet.

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

Early Literacy Tip: The American Southwest has been (and still is) the home of Native American nations for centuries including the Lakota, Navajo, Hopi and many other nations. It was also once a part of a Spanish territory, and then Mexico, before becoming part of the United States. This means a rich collection of stories about the Southwest exists in English, Spanish, and Native languages. Your child can build good speaking and listening skills and habits when they listen and talk to people who are fluent in any language.
Source: Adapted from this Storytime Starter document from the Madison Public Library (WI)

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

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

I handed out shaker eggs at the beginning of storytime and we used them for several songs. For this one, we wiggled our eggs, rolled them (rolled our arms), and made a big circle in front of us.
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

Anytime a rhyme uses “left” and “right,” I make a point of telling the crowd to “mirror me” and I do the opposite.
Fingerplay: Two Desert Tortoises
(tune of Two Little Blackbirds)
Two desert tortoises walking at night
One turns left, the other turns right
Come back tortoises, don’t go away
Come back here, it’s time to play
Source: Brevard County Libraries (FL)

This storytime took place at the tail end of Hispanic Heritage Month, so I mentioned that both Pat Mora and Francisco X. Mora are of Mexican heritage. I read the title in English and Spanish, and mentioned that the book is bilingual, but that I’d only be reading the text in English today.
Read: Listen to the Desert/Oye al desierto by Pat Mora & Francisco X. Mora

Book Cover for Listen to the Desert

Shaker Rhyme: Mr. Rattlesnake
I wish that I could rattle and shake
Just like Mister Rattlesnake!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
And shake, shake, shake
Just like Mister Rattlesnake!
Source: MCLS Kids Wiki

I kind of shoehorned this song to be a “shaker” song. Kids could hop like a rabbit, or make their egg shaker “jump.” For the coyote verse, the shaker could be the moon we howled at. The cactus verse didn’t really incorporate it, though!
Shaker Song: In the Desert
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The jackrabbit in the desert can hop like this,
Hop like this, hop like this
The jackrabbit in the desert can hop like this,
All night long!

Additional verses:
The coyotes in the desert can howl…
The rattlesnakes in the desert can rattle…
The saguaro in the desert can stand like this…
Source: Literary Hoots

I really enjoy using my frog rasp instruments with a song written by a fellow librarian and posted on Storytime Underground – Three Frogs in a Bog. I rewrote it so I could have some desert toads! I used the rasps, but encouraged the kids to use their shakers.
Shaker Song: Three Toads
There was a big toad (shake, shake)
Lived in a cactus by the road (shake, shake)
He hopped in the desert (shake, shake)
Croaked his hellos (shake, shake)
Big toad (shake, shake)
By a big road (shake, shake)
Croaked a big hello (shake, shake)
(repeat for middle-sized and little frogs)

And then one day (shake, shake, shake)
The toads got together (shake, shake, shake)
Hopped in the desert (shake, shake, shake)
In the hot dusty weather (shake, shake, shake)
Three toads (shake, shake, shake)
Three friends (shake, shake, shake)
The end! (shake, shake, shake)
Source: adapted by Ms. Emily from Ada Moreau Demlow

Three wooden frog rasp instruments, large, medium, and small

Shaker Collecting Song: If You Have a Red Egg
(tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man)
If you have a red egg, a red egg, a red egg
If you have a red egg, please bring it up here!
Repeat with other colors of eggs.
Source: adapted from this ALSC Blog post

Breathing Break: Soup Breathing
Since the weather was turning colder, I brought back our soup breathing visualization. I asked the kids to imagine they were holding a bowl of their very favorite soup, and asked what kind they liked. Then with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma of their very favorite soup through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot soup. We repeated about 5 times. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl of soup if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Source: Lucky Little Learners

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

The main reason I chose this one is that it was short and showed some different animals. I wish there were more short titles on this topic!
Read: Way Out West Lives a Coyote Named Frank by Jillian Lund

Book cover for Way Out West Lives a Coyote Named Frank

I *love* this song. It has a great tune and everyone likes howling and snoring! I had fun making a flannel for this one, but generally flannels are too small for the outdoor crowd. Instead, I used a larger template from Nancy Stewart to make bigger coyotes that stuck with magnets to my book cart. The tune I learned is slightly different from Nancy’s original, which a librarian friend Rebecca taught me. You can hear it in the video link above.
Counting/Flannel 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

For the regular-sized flannel, I had plans to make them double-sided, with the reverse showing the coyotes curled up and sleeping, but ran out of time. Someday I’ll add that! I also did my best to make the moon look realistic, with craters in the right place. 🙂

Craft: Saguaro Cactus
Inspired by Literary Hoots, this was an easy yet really attractive craft, with some nice 3D elements. Cactus trunks and arms can be cut from construction paper, and the kids can glue them down however they like. I snapped toothpicks in half to make spines they could glue on, and picked out some magenta tissue paper squares they could crumple and glue to the tops. (I learned later that saguaro blooms are white/yellow – oops.)

Craft of a saguaro cactus, with one main trunk and two arms, glued on a sandy colored paper. Toothpicks are glued on as spines, and pink tissue paper flowers are glued to the top of the trunk and arms.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Big Moon Tortilla by Joy Cowley & Dyanne Strongbow
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard & Juana Martinez-Neal
The Seed and the Giant Saguaro by Jennifer Ward & Mike K. Rangner
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Jonathan Emmett & Deborah Allwright

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 in-person and virtually on 10/12/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Pirates

Posted on by msemilylibrary

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

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

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

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

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

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

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

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

Lifting Song: The Ocean Song
Oh the ocean is great
and the ocean is grand
There are lots of pirate ships
and very little land
And we sleep down deep
in a hammock near the floor
And this is what we do
when we go out to shore:
We ride the waves going up,
We ride the waves going down (rep 3x)
And we turn around – Arr!
Source: Jbrary

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

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

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

Download a copy of the printed sea animals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read: Bubble Bath Pirates! by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

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

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

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

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

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

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 in-person and virtually on 9/21/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: International Dot Day

Posted on by msemilylibrary

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

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

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

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

Retell: The Dot by Peter Reynolds

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

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

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

Download the Pretty Ladybug template!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thumbnail of ukulele songsheet

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

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

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 in-person and virtually on 9/14/21.

Storytime Handout:

Family Storytime: Grandparents

Posted on by msemilylibrary

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

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

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

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

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read: The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr

cover image of The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr

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

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

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

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

Read: Llama Llama Gram & Grandpa by Anna Dewdney

cover image of Llama Llama Gram & Grandpa by Anna Dewdney

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

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail of You Are My Grandma/Grandpa ukulele songsheet

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

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

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

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 in-person and virtually on 9/7/21.

Storytime Handout:

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

Posted on 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

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

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

Storytime Handout:

A Hoppy, Jumpy Family Storytime

Posted on by msemilylibrary
Photograph of storytime, showing families on the grass and me presenting.

In a further attempt to keep us moving and engaged, I used two books that were smaller/standard size, but big on interactivity for this week’s storytime. Both of them focused on animals that jump and hop! I remember that it was a pretty hot and humid day – can you see most of my families clumped in the shady area to the back? I think we’d mostly lost steam by the time we got to the Croaky Pokey, but the kids did seem to enjoy the party noisemakers that I put in their bags to simulate the *thwap* of the frogs’ tongues!

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

Early Literacy Tip: We do a lot of singing in storytime! Singing is important to early language development because it slows down language and there is often a different note for each syllable. Both of these help children hear the smaller sounds in words. This will later help them sound out words as they learn to read. And don’t worry about how you sound. Your kids love your voice and the fun you have singing together.

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

We did a repeated warm up each week to get everyone loosened up.
Warm-Up Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll arms and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
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… in… your… lap
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

Read/Sing: If You’re Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre & Jackie Urbanovic

I made up a new verse for this song for a little gray bunny. The “crunch-a-munch-a-munch” was for some carrot-eating, and the motion I picked was a cross between Bugs Bunny and Groucho Marx waggling a carrot/cigar. (Wait, was Bugs Bunny imitating Groucho? Lightbulb moment!)
Song: Mmm-ah Went the Little Green Frog
Mmm-ahh went the little green frog one day,
Mmm-ahh went the little green frog
Mmm ahh went the little green frog one day,
And they all went mmm, mmm, ahh
But… We know frogs go sha-na-na-na-na
Sha-na-na-na-na, Sha-na-na-na-na
We know frogs go sha-na-na-na-na
They don’t go mmm, mmm, ahh!

Hop, Hop went the little gray bunny one day…
But… We know bunnies go crunch-a-munch-a-munch…

Grr, Grr went the big brown bear one day…
But… We know bears go huggy-huggy-hug…
Credit: adapted from Jbrary

During the virtual program, I used my log prop, but since it’s pretty small just did hand motions for the outdoor session.
Counting Song: Five Green & Speckled Frogs
Five green and speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating the most delicious bugs (yum, yum)
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green speckled frogs
(count down)
Credit: traditional

Five Speckled Frogs prop - paper towel tube with 5 frog tabs that can be pushed downward to show a wave on the opposite side.

Breathing Break: Soup Breathing
This was part of our repeated activities in June. I asked the kids to imagine they were holding a bowl of their very favorite soup, and asked what kind they liked. Then with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma of their very favorite soup through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot soup. We repeated about 5 times, and after the 1st time with explanation, I used my Hoberman sphere to help them visualize the in and out breaths. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl of soup if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Credit: Lucky Little Learners

Another repeated activity during June.
Song: Look at All the Bunnies
Look at all the bunnies sleeping til it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
Oh so still! Are they ill?
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, stop, stop, stop
And…. 1, 2, 3, SILLY FREEZE!
Credit: King County Library System

Fingerplay: Mr. Bullfrog
Here is Mr. Bullfrog (make fist)
Sitting on a rock (place fist on other palm)
He jumps into the water… (lift fist)
KERPLOP! (clap hands together)
Credit: Storytime with Miss Tara and Friends

I invited the group to get out their party noisemakers from their packets during this book and use them everytime the frog went “Thwap!” As I mentioned, it was hot and by this time the kids weren’t doing the hokey pokey movements, but there were a lot of “Thwaps” happening!
Read/Sing: The Croaky Pokey! by Ethan Long

Three multi-colored party noisemakers, which when blown, unwrap like a frog's tongue.

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

In the virtual version, I did this song instead of Teddy Bear. I realized that morning I had forgotten my three frog rasp instruments that I usually use for this song, so improvised with a plain rasp we have at the library and used three different sounding implements to make a big, middle, and small sound.
Instrument Song: Three Frogs in a Bog
(find 3 instruments (even pots and pans!) that make a big/deep sound, a middle sound, and a little/high sound to imitate the frogs)
There was a big frog (big sound, big sound)
Lived in a big bog (big, big)
He swam in the water (big, big)
Played on a big log (big, big)
Big log (big, big)
Big bog (big, big)
Big frog (big, big)

(repeat for middle-sized and little frogs)
And then one day (big sound, middle sound, little sound)
The frogs got together (big, middle, little)
They swam in the water (big, middle, little)
In the bright sunny weather (big, middle, little)
Three frogs (big, middle, little)
Three friends (big, middle, little)
The end! (big, middle, little)
Credit: Ada Moreau Demlow

Screenshot of video, showing the rasp instrument and me holding three implements to make different sounds on it.

Craft: Jumpy Frog
There are LOTS of frog crafts out there. I didn’t want anything too intricate since I was short on time and needed to make a lot of them, so settled on a frog with accordion-folded arms and legs. I was inspired by this craft at All Kids Network but decided to simplify the head and make the body more squat and oval shaped, and leaving off the tongue and separate mouth piece entirely. My template works well printed on regular paper, then stapled to a few sheets of green construction paper to cut out. The blank side and top parts can be cut into 1 inch strips for the arms and legs.

Download the template here!

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Leap! by JonArno Lawson & Josée Bisaillon
Ah Ha! by Jeff Mack

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 6/15/21.

Storytime Handout:

Hooray for… Family Storytime

Posted on by msemilylibrary
photo of outdoor storytime

I was really happy to find a Big Book copy of Hooray for Hat in our library consortium that I could borrow – it was the newest large-format title I could find. It seems like all of the others are quite a bit older, and I like to present newer material when I can. I paired this one with Hooray for Birds, which has a lot of movement, interaction, and bright, bold pictures – perfect for a socially distanced outdoor storytime.

I was fortunate that the weather held every Tuesday for outdoor storytime this summer. On this particular day, it had rained early in the morning, and chances were good for rain at around 11:30 AM, so I chanced it with my 10:30 program and it worked out perfectly. Since the grass was very wet, we moved to a large brick courtyard my library is fortunate to have. I asked if families liked this better than the grass throughout the summer, but they liked the softness of the yard for future programs – as long as it was dry!

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

Early Literacy Tip: Although it might get old for grownups, repetition is the bread and butter of early learning! When kids ask for the same book/song/rhyme/activity over and over again, their brain is creating neural pathways to learn the words, narrative structure, actions and more. You might offer suggestions to add a new twist to the activity, but it’s okay to repeat exactly, too.

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

We did a repeated warm up each week to get everyone loosened up.
Warm-Up Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll arms and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
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… in… your… lap
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

Read: Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won
I asked the group to repeat the phrases “Go away, I’m grumpy!” in their best grumpy voices, and “Hooray for hat!” in their best happy voices.

I put a simple cone party hat in each kid’s packet, and asked them to use it for this song.
Song: Silly Hat Song
(tune of This Old Man)
On my head, I wear my hat
It is such a silly hat!
That my head will wiggle waggle to and fro
Where else can my silly hat go?
Repeat with other body parts: foot, elbow, etc
Credit: Johnson County Library (KS)

For my virtual program, I used the emotions faces from Sunflower Storytime to demonstrate the feelings, but that was too much to deal with for the in-person program.
Ukulele Song: If You’re Happy
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap!)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap!)
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap!)

Additional verses:
Grumpy – stomp your feet
Silly – do a dance
Sad – say boo-hoo
Credit: traditional

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for ukulele songsheet
simple faces showing emotions: teal scared, pink happy, blue sad, red mad, green surprised, and yellow silly.

Read: from the book Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander & Ekua Holmes, et al.
I read the poem “Majestic” by Kwame Alexander, and explained it was about an inspiring poet named Maya Angelou, but it could apply to all of us.

Breathing Break: Soup Breathing
This was part of our repeated activities in June. I asked the kids to imagine they were holding a bowl of their very favorite soup, and asked what kind they liked. Then with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma of their very favorite soup through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot soup. We repeated about 5 times, and after the 1st time with explanation, I used my Hoberman sphere to help them visualize the in and out breaths. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl of soup if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Credit: Lucky Little Learners

Another repeated activity during June.
Song: Look at All the Bunnies
Look at all the bunnies sleeping til it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
Oh so still! Are they ill?
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, stop, stop, stop
And…. 1, 2, 3, SILLY FREEZE!
Credit: King County Library System

Being in person allowed me to do some recorded music in a way I really didn’t let myself do virtually. This song was omitted in the virtual version.
Recorded Song: Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill

Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
(use two fingers or thumbs to follow motions)
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack, one named Jill
Fly away, Jack, fly away, Jill
Come back, Jack, come back Jill

Additional verses:
Two little blackbirds sitting on a cloud
One named Quiet, one named Loud…
Two little blackbirds flying in the sky
One named Low and one named High…
Two little blackbirds sitting on a pole.
One named Fast and one named Slow…
Credit: traditional

Read: Hooray for Birds! by Lucy Cousins

Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

In the virtual version, I played a ukulele song instead of the recording, and used animals from the books we read:
Ukulele Song: Duck On Her Head
Ms. Emily’s got a duck on her head
Ms. Emily’s got a duck on her head
Ms. Emily’s got a duck on her head
And she keeps it there all day! (Quack, quack!)
Repeat with children’s names and other animals.
Credit: Laurie Berkner (Original song is “Pig on Her Head”)

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for ukulele songsheet

Craft: Hooray for Birds Craft
Inspired by these birds at the Happy Hooligans blog, I provided a paper plate, construction paper beak and strips for tailfeathers, and embellishments like feathers and sequins.

paper plate craft of a bird. plate is painted yellow and purple, has long tailfeathers, feathers glued to the body, and sequins.

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer
Hooray for Kids! by Suzanne Lang & Max Lang
Birds of a Color by élo

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

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 6/8/21.

Storytime Handout:

Farm/I Went Walking Family Storytime

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Hello, blog, old friend! Do I even remember how to write you?! I decided early in the summer that I would concentrate on my programming and not worry about getting blog posts done, and I think that was wise. As a part-timer, I felt like I had just enough time to plan and present 2-3 programs each week and didn’t have the extra mental capacity to get a blog post done, too. But it’s good to be back.

This summer I offered my community our first in-person storytimes since March 2020. We were outdoors, in a nice big lawn area just outside the library, and it was fantastic. I didn’t realize how much I was longing for that in-person interaction during a year of virtual programming until I got out there with the kiddos and families. It was refreshing and rejuvenating! I also continued to record a virtual version of each week’s storytime, as well as doing a short outreach to our preschool parks department day-camp once a week.

This wasn’t without new challenges! Although I had done outdoor storytimes at a previous job, I hadn’t done them spaced out so much and didn’t need amplification before. With a large space to cover, we purchased a speaker with a hands-free mic. I knew I needed to keep everyone engaged, so I focused on more movement and interactive activities than I had been doing. And with the pent-up demand for programming, I went from making 8 weekly Take & Make craft packets to making 30 or 40!

Although I made sure to have a connection to animals each week to support our Tails & Tales summer topic, my themes were much looser than usual, which is not a bad thing. My rhymes and songs had some tangential thread, but were not all focused on one THING. As the summer progressed, I may have slipped back into thematic thinking – I think that’s just how my brain organizes activity – but I always had some repeating and unrelated extension activities. It’s something I’ll likely feel freer to incorporate in my planning going forward.

Anyway, on to the content! Our library has a good number of big books, so I pulled from them as much as I could, as well as more interactive titles that weren’t so dependent on the pictures. It seemed to go well, despite my nerves at being in front of real people for the first time in awhile! I also incorporated some mindful breathing exercises, which were honestly helpful for me to remember to slow down!

You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.
I decided to start bookmarking my videos for each activity/transition, so they are hopefully easier to navigate. Look at the full description to see and jump to timestamps of each activity.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning to “stop” is an important skill for children, both for safety as well as for impulse control. Practicing “stopping” in a fun way, like with freeze songs, helps work on this skill in a positive environment. We did this with the songs “Walking, Walking,” “Look at All the Bunnies,” and Jim Gill’s “Silly Dance Contest.” You can also add the American Sign Language sign for “stop” to further reinforce this concept: one hand “chops” against the other as if blocking the way.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

I decided to do a second welcome song which incorporates kids’ names to help me learn/relearn them faster! It was popular, and kids seemed to light up when their name was sung. I do the “friends” verse once, then repeat the name verse as many times as I need to cover everyone. I also liked that this song lets us get through names quickly, making it feasable even with a largish group. As the summer went by, I found that calling out 3 names before singing the verse helped everyone sing along. I encouraged everyone to give a big wave and hello to the kids named after each verse, too. I think I’ll continue to use this one going forward!
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

We did a repeated warm up each week to get everyone loosened up.
Warm-Up Rhyme: Roly Poly
(Roll arms and change voice to coordinate with the lyrics)
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… in… your… lap
Credit: Rebecca Jane Flanagan

I wanted something familiar everyone could join!
Song: Row Your Boat
(move arms back and forth as if to row & match the song)
Row, row, row your boat
gently (quickly/slowly/quietly/loudly) down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!
Credit: traditional, via Jbrary

Read: I Went Walking by Sue Williams & Julie Vivas (Big Book)

Movement Song: Walking, Walking
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Walking, walking (Walking, walking)
Hop, hop, hop (Hop, hop, hop)
Running, running, running (Running, running, running)
Now we stop (Now we stop)
(repeat, substituting other movements in the first line like tiptoe or marching)
Credit: Jbrary

Fingerplay: This is Big, Big, Big
This is big, big, big (hold arms out to side)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (flat hand lowers)
This is tall, tall, tall (flat hand reaches up)
This is fast, fast, fast (circle fists quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
Credit: Mel’s Desk

Breathing Break: Soup Breathing
I asked the kids to imagine they were holding a bowl of their very favorite soup, and asked what kind they liked. I got some good ones – tomato, potato, lentil, sausage, noodle, chicken, nacho! So, with their hands cupped in front of them, we slowly breathed in the delicious aroma of their very favorite soup through their noses, then slowly and gently breathed out through their mouths to cool off this hot soup. We repeated about 5 times, and after the 1st time with explanation, I used my Hoberman sphere to help them visualize the in and out breaths. Afterward, I let them know that this exercise always makes me feel good and more grounded, and they could always get out their bowl of soup if they need help calming down or feeling more connected to their bodies.
Credit: Lucky Little Learners

(In our virtual program, I booktalked My Mindful Walk with Grandma by Sheri Mabry & Wazza Pink after our Breathing Break)

After taking the energy down, I wanted to bring us back up. This was a song I’d never heard of, but several people suggested to me when I asked on Storytime Underground what a good Low to High energy song was. It was perfect! At the final stop, I did a “Freeze” like in the first KCLS video, and quickly learned that I am AWFUL at coming up with freeze poses on the fly.
Song: Look at All the Bunnies
Look at all the bunnies sleeping til it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
Oh so still! Are they ill?
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, stop, stop, stop
And…. 1, 2, 3, SILLY FREEZE!
Credit: King County Library System

Being in person allowed me to do some recorded music in a way I really didn’t let myself do virtually.
Recorded Song: Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill

Big, clear pictures and highly interactive – Jan Thomas is always a good choice for storytime! It was probably pretty painful to hear me try to manically sing the chicken dance song, though… 🙂 In my virtual program, I acted out the story using a chicken puppet and an alligator puppet. The success of which I’ll let you judge for yourself. I opted to just read the story in-person!
Read: Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Thanks to Annamarie of Bookcart Queens for introducing me to Jazzy Ash. Her Teddy Bear is so much fun! I highly recommend checking out her blog post on diversifying storytime music, too!
Recorded Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Jazzy Ash

(In my virtual program, I played my ukulele instead of doing the recorded songs.)
Ukulele Song: Shake My Sillies Out
I gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away!

Additional verses:
I gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out…
I gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out…
I gotta stretch, stretch, stretch my stretchies out…
I gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out…
Credit: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail of "shake my sillies out" ukulele song

Craft: I Went Walking Scene
I cobbled this one together after seeing elements from different places. The animals I found in a PDF from The Mailbox and sized them to be able to fit on my background, which I created in Canva. Kids could draw themselves at the far right of the page, then line up the animals behind them from the order in the book and retell the story.

Download the templates here!

I added a goodbye song just because I was enamored of this one I saw on the King County Tell Me a Story page.
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! (move hand like a jellyfish then blow a kiss!)
Credit: King County Library System

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan
Taking Time by Jo Loring-Fisher
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig & Marc Brown

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented in-person and virtually on 6/1/21.

Storytime Handout:

Preschool Storytime: No Theme

Posted on by msemilylibrary

This was my second virtual storytime ever, way back in March. I worked with books I had at home and tried to transition between them using rhymes and songs. I used shaker songs, so encouraged caregivers to make a simple shaker at home using rice or beans in a closable container their child could grip (mine is a 4 oz plastic food container secured with tape). I also said that even if you don’t have a shaker, you can participate by getting out your “magic shaker” – an invisible shaker you can shake and make noise with a “cha-cha” sound. This was a storytime I did exclusively on Facebook Live, and do not have a permanent YouTube version available. With everyone staying safer at home, we weren’t providing handouts or Take and Make packets at that time. I tried to suggest either crafts made with household materials or activities caregivers could do with their child.

Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello

Fingerplay: Mr. Bullfrog
Here is Mr. Bullfrog (make fist)
sitting on a rock (place fist on other palm)
He jumps into the water… (lift fist, building anticipation)
Kerplop! (clap hands together)
Credit: Storytime with Miss Tara and Friends

Read: Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

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!
Credit: Jbrary (see video for motions)

Shaker Song: Shake Your Shaker
(tune of London Bridge)
Shake your shakers in the air
Shake it here, shake it there
Shake your shakers in the air
Shake your shakers

Shake it high and shake it low
Shake it yes, shake it no
Shake it high and shake it low
Shake your shakers

Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shaker on the ground
Shake it up and shake it down
Shake your shakers

Shake it near and shake it far
Drive your shaker like a car
Shake it near and shake it far
Shake your shaker

Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake it stop, shake it go
Shake it fast and shake it slow
Shake your shaker
Credit: Jbrary

Read: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems

Action Song: My Dog Rags
I have a dog and his name is Rags
He eats so much that his tummy sags (arms circle in front of tummy)
His ears flip flop (flop hands up and down by ears)
and his tail wig wags (wiggle bottom)
And when he walks, he goes zig zag! (zig zag hands together)

He goes flip flop, wig wag, (pause) zig zag (repeat motions above)
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! (arms cross chest)
Credit: Jbrary

Ukulele Song: Days of the Week
(tune of the Addams Family Theme)
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week, days of the week, days of the week (clap, clap)

There’s Sunday and there’s Monday
There’s Tuesday and there’s Wednesday
There’s Thursday and there’s Friday
And then there’s Saturday!
Credit: Yogibrarian

Download a ukulele songsheet for Days of the Week

Read: Saturday by Oge Mora

Breathing Exercise
When things don’t go our way, sometimes it helps to take some deep breaths, just like Ava did in Saturday. Will you breathe with me? Let’s breathe in for 3 counts and out for 3 counts.

Activity Suggestion: Puppets!
Just as Ava and her mother made puppets, so can you! You can make puppets from a sock, a paper lunch sack, or even make finger puppets out of plain paper. Dramatic play is great for storytelling and narrative skills, and is a great creative outlet! My puppets were a paper bag flamingo, a sock puppet with pink bows, and a pigeon finger puppet. (My sock puppet was dismantled after storytime.)

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 3/30/20.