Tag: puppets

Storytime: Apples

Posted on 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)**

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 arms and ears.

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)

book cover for all for pie pie for all

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

Album cover for Songs for Wiggleworms

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.

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)
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:

Storytime handout with suggested books and song/rhyme 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

book covers of titles presented in this storytime

Preschool Storytime: Animals Eating Animals

Posted on by msemilylibrary

So… someone on Storytime Underground mentioned they did an Animals Eating Animals theme and my mind started whirring! I loved it and tucked it away for a future idea. When I did a callout on the site a couple of months later in preparation for this session, I got lots of great ideas, but a few people who said “That’s a weird theme.” Which, sure, it is. BUT – if you look at the number of available books and songs and rhymes that tie in, it’s really not that weird. There’s definitely a basis in the natural world, though I went “silly” instead of “scientific.” And lots of kids seem to love stuff that is just a little taboo – underwear, snot, slime, bugs. So I went in full throttle and had a lot of fun goofing with Animals Eating Animals. I even got to wear my dinosaur dress, and used a TON of props, which I love.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Preschool children have wonderful imaginations. Encourage pretend play and find ways to expand it so that children explore different situations and characters. You can enrich their play by following their lead, adding new words, offering “what if” situations, and incorporating writing and print into their play. This kind of play adds to their “sense of story”.

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

Discussion: Out in the wild, a lot of animals eat other animals to stay alive. This makes them carnivores, or meat-eaters, or omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. What about you? Are you a carnivore, omnivore, or even a herbivore (only eat plants – another word is vegetarian)? One thing I love is that there are a lot of really funny stories and songs about animals eating animals! How about turtles? They eat bugs and fish – here’s a rhyme about that:

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)
He snapped at a minnow, he snapped at me
He caught that mosquito, He caught that flea (clap each time)
He caught that minnow
But he didn’t catch me! (waggle finger)
Credit: Jbrary

Read: Swallow the Leader by Danna Smith & Kevin Sherry

Flannel & Song: Slippery Fish
Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by an …

Jellyfish … floating in the water
Octopus … squiggling in the water
Tuna fish … flashing in the water
Great white shark … lurking in the water

Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water,
Humongous whale, humongous whale,
Gulp! … Gulp! … Gulp! … BURP! (Cover mouth)
Excuse me!
Credit: Jbrary (see motions there)

This is one of the first flannels I made – about 2 years ago now. I think I saw it on a video, took a screenshot, and based the design on that. But I went back to see if I could find either my printout or the original video and couldn’t find it. I do wish the whale was facing the other direction (I guess I could just put another eyeball on the back) and the sizes were increasingly big, but I make it work!

slippery fish flannel, including small green fish, pink jellyfish, gray octopus with pink suckers, white tuna with pink fins, a gray shark, and a blue whale.

I’m not sure if I do Baby Shark the same way the viral video does, but it’s the way I’ve always done it!
Action Song: Baby Shark
(motion shark jaws opening and closing throughout, motions getting bigger with larger relatives)
Baby shark, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo (x3) Baby shark!

Baby (thumb and pointer) … Sister (whole hand) …
Brother (both hands) … Grandma (both hands, fingers curled) …
Momma (arms from elbows down) … Daddy (whole arms) …

SHARK ATTACK!! AAAAAHHH!
Swim away (swim motion) doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo (x3)
Gotcha! (tickle)
Credit: traditional

Based on this post on Literary Commentary, I asked one of our volunteers to make me a George box to retell this classic story. She did an amazing job and this is the second time I’ve gotten to use this prop. It’s a lot of fun, and a good opportunity to show that books can be acted out!
Puppet Retelling: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

I love the jazzy tune of this song, and chose it over Five Green and Speckled Frogs, which is another option for this theme and my prop, which I fashioned after the instructions on the Kenton County Public Library’s page. I have an alligator puppet I considered using, but the logistics seemed just too much – holding the log in one hand and flipping the frogs with the alligator puppet on the other hand while singing is a little beyond my coordination.
Counting Song: Five Frogs, Sittin’ on a Log
Five frogs were hoppin’ on a log
One hopped off into the pond
Then a big alligator came a-swimmin’ along
He went, “Chomp! Mm-mm.” Now he’s gone. (Count down)
Credit: Anna Moo

prop for Five Frogs: consists of a paper towel tube covered by 5 strips. one side of the strip depicts a green frog with spots sitting on a brown log. When the strip is flipped to the bottom of the tube, it shows a light blue wave of water.

With a snake prop: the head sticks out from under your arm, and as you say “moa,” pull so the body is exposed.
Poem: Boa
Just when you think you know the boa
There’s moa, and moa, and moa, and moa!
Credit: King County Library System

Photo of plush snake made from a man's tie in browns with a hexagonal pattern and black toy safety eyes.

I’ve seen a lot of videos doing this with a prop – some kind of play tunnel that you leave collapsed at the floor then slowly bring up around your body. If I had one, I’d have used it! As it is, I found a snake plush in our basement so just held and moved that.
Song/Poem: Boa Constrictor
(your arm or your grownup can be the snake)
I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor, a boa constrictor, a boa constrictor.
I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don’t like it– one bit.
Well, what do you know? It’s nibblin’ my toe!
Oh Gee! It’s up to my knee! Oh My! It’s up to my thigh!
Oh Fiddle! It’s up to my middle! Oh Heck! It’s up to my neck!
Oh Dread! It’s upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff…
Credit: Shel Silverstein, from the book Where the Sidewalk Ends

I think this is the book that I first thought of when contemplating this theme! Here’s how I introduced it: “This next book has a lot of great rhythm! I love that the author talks about being visually impaired in his bio, so the way the book SOUNDS was very important to him.”
Read: One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Daniel Bernstrom & Brendan Wenzel

Silly Story: Herman the Worm
I was sittin’ on my fencepost, chewing my bubblegum (chew, chew, chew, chew)
Playin’ with my yo-yo – wee-oo! wee-oo!
When along came Herman the worm
And he was this big (measure a small worm with fingers)
And I said: “Herman? What happened?”
“I ate my mother!”

(Herman gets bigger and bigger, eating more family members, then
goes back to being tiny)
…And I said: “Herman? What happened?”
“I burped!”
Credit: traditional, via Jbrary

Craft: Bark, George Story Retelling Activity
This was a printable that came straight from Making Learning Fun. I didn’t have time to pick up snack-sized bags, so I used sandwich size and just made sure the bottom was where George’s belly was. I had a volunteer precut the holes and I taped the plastic bag on the back so the kids just had to color and cut out their animals.

I also suggested these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Poor Little Guy by Elanna Allen
The Wolf, the Duck, & the Mouse by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen
I Saw Anaconda by Jane Clarke & Emma Dodd

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 1/26/21.

Storytime Handout:

Sheet with book suggestions and rhyme/song lyrics

Preschool Storytime: Magic

Posted on by msemilylibrary
gif of a man in a unicorn shirt, long curly hair, and a mustache waving his fingers and saying "magic." The word magic appears at the bottom with a rainbow sparkle.

Magic shows and magic tricks are fun for all ages. I think I was inspired to do this storytime by seeing the book Hat Tricks and Jbrary’s “Little Bunny in a Hat” rhyme in the same week. I bought myself the Folkmanis Rabbit in a Hat puppet and away we went! I made a “magic wand” using a roll of black construction paper with white paper tips on each end, which worked just fine for what I needed in the Abra-cadabra and Hat Trick rhymes. I considered doing an actual magic trick but didn’t leave myself enough time – plus I wasn’t sure how well it would go on video. If I did this theme in person, I’d definitely want to do some magic!

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

Early Education Tip: Counting songs are great ways to introduce children to consecutive numbers and counting. To mix it up, count up AND down, use your non-dominant hand for counting, and occasionally count from or to a number outside of 5 or 10, as we did today in “Six Magic Rabbits.”

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello

I wanted this to be just a tad bit longer, so I added the two lines in the middle.
Fingerplay: Magic Finger
Magic finger in the air, Magic finger in my hair
Magic finger on my fist, Magic finger on my wrist
Magic finger on my shin, Magic finger on my chin
Magic finger on my hip, Magic finger on my lips (shhhh!)
Credit: adapted from YouthLiterature.com via Storytime Katie

Before reading, I encouraged the kids to watch the pictures carefully, then at the end asked if they thought Anton REALLY did do magic…
Read: Anton Can Do Magic by Ole Könnecke

Rhyme Game: Abra-cadabra
(children act as the “spell” indicates)
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zitty
When I say KAZAM you’ll all be kitties! KAZAM!
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zoo
When I say KAZAM you’ll all be kangaroos! KAZAM!
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zion
When I say KAZAM you’ll all be lions! KAZAM!
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zow
When I say KAZAM you’ll all be cows! KAZAM!
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zap
When I say KAZAM you’ll all take a nap! KAZAM!
Abra-cadabra, Alaka-zids
When I say KAPOW you’ll turn back to kids! KAPOW!
Credit: libraryfun.home.blog

Picture of a construction paper wand and a puppet of a white rabbit in a black top hat.

This one was a little tricky to stuff the items into the hat puppet and keep them all plus the rabbit hidden – it might work better with an actual hat than with the Folkmanis puppet.
Rhyme with Puppet: Hat Trick
Magic, magic, in my hat!
I’ll pull out a rabbit – (pull anything other than a rabbit)
Ahhhh! What is that?!
(repeat until ready for the rabbit)

Magic, magic, in my hat!
I’ll pull out a rabbit –
See! Look at that!
Credit: SLC Book Boy

I love Hattie the Rabbit so, so much.
Read: Hat Tricks by Satoshi Kitamura

Flannel Rhyme: Six Magic Rabbits
Six magic rabbits, each in a tall black hat
Along comes a magician who gives each one a pat
Then she waves her magic wand high above their ears
Abracadabra, poof! One rabbit disappears!
(Count down to one)

One magic rabbit, in a tall black hat
Along comes a magician who gives him a pat
Then she waves her magic wand high above his ears
Abracadabra, poof! The last rabbit disappears!
Credit: Libraryfun.home.blog

flannel of six identical black hats with six identical white rabbit heads on top as if appearing from the hats

Before this rhyme, I mentioned that knowing our left and right is a learned skill (and not an easy one!) so grownups can help, or they can mirror me.
Puppet Rhyme: Little Bunny in a Hat
Little bunny in a hat, Sitting so still (begin with bunny hidden)
Will she come out? Yes she will! (bunny pops out of hat)
She looks to the left (turn puppet left)
She looks to the right (turn puppet right)
She looks straight ahead (turn puppet to front)
And pops out of sight (hides in hat again)
Credit: Jbrary

Fingerplay: Bunnies Up!
(index and middle finger make bunny ears if you don’t have a puppet)
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Hold your bunny & turn around
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Put your bunny on the ground
Credit: One Little Librarian

I love the super-dramatic tone of this title. Be sure to read it in your best circus announcer voice!
Read: Max and the Won’t Go to Bed Show by Mark Sperring & Sarah Warburton

In this song, the bunny isn’t doing magic – but someone else is!
Fingerplay Song: Little Bunny Foo Foo
Little bunny Foo Foo, hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice, and bopping ’em on the head
Then down came the Good Fairy, and she said:
“Little bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you
Scooping up the field mice, and bopping ’em on the head”
I’ll give you two more chances, Then I’ll turn you into a goon!
The next day…
(Repeat, one more chance)

“I gave you three chances. Now I’ll turn you into a goon!”
(POOF!)
And the moral of the story is: “Hare today, goon tomorrow!”
Credit: traditional

Craft: Magic Rabbit in a Hat Puppet
Since I had so much fun with my puppet, I wanted the kids to have something they could use to recreate our rhymes and games. I used the images shared on Libraryfun.home.blog, printed them on white cardstock, and included a jumbo craft stick and some sparkly star stickers for this easy craft.

picture of magic rabbit in a hat craft - paper white rabbit with a bow tie is attached to a craft stick, then put through a slit in a black paper hat. The rabbit can peek up through the hat or be hidden below the rim.

I also suggested these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
The Magic Box by Katie Cleminson
Milo’s Hat Trick by Jon Agee
A Small Surprise by Louise Yates

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 1/19/21.

Storytime Handout:

rhyme sheet with book suggestions and rhyme and song text

Preschool Storytime: Hibernation

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m slowly catching up on recording storytimes – I’m now into 2021! Inspired by the book William’s Winter Nap used in the last session (Warm & Cozy), it made sense to theme an upcoming storytime on hibernation. Although I’ve been a librarian for over 16 years, I’m only creeping into my second year as a children’s programmer (I started as a teen librarian, then went into management). So I’ve been presenting a lot of “classic” themes that I’m sure a lot of veteran librarians have been doing forever – but they’re new to me!

This theme gave me the opportunity to learn some more facts, as well as be frustrated with inaccurate picture books! I wanted to present a variety of animals that hibernate, not just bears, but several books show squirrels as hibernators, when they are not. I think they are less active in the winter, but they definitely don’t hibernate – the ones in my yard play in the snow! So there were a few titles that were good except for these inaccuracies that I just couldn’t present. Grr.

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

Early Literacy Tip: Making predictions about a book really helps children understand what they read. Comprehension is important because without it, kids don’t stay motivated to keep reading for very long. So ask your children a question or two about the book before you start reading. Talking with your child will help them get ready to read!

Discuss: When it’s cold outside, we bundle up and like to spend more time indoors. But some animals will sleep all winter long – this is called hibernation! Let’s learn more about what it means.

Read: Hibernation by Margaret Hall

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

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

Fingerplay: Here Is a Cave
Here is a cave. Inside is a bear (bend fingers on one hand; put thumb inside)
Now he comes out to get some fresh air (pop out thumb)
He stays out all summer in sunshine and heat
He hunts in the forest for berries to eat (move thumb in a circle)
When snow starts to fall, he hurries inside
His warm little cave and there he will hide (put thumb inside fingers)
Snow covers the cave like a fluffy white rug
Inside the bear sleeps all cozy and snug (place one hand over the other)
Credit: King County Library System (WA)

Bear is ready to sleep, but first, he wants to remind his friends that it’s time to hibernate. Who will he meet?
Read: Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming

Action Rhyme: Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Brown bear, brown bear, turn around
Brown bear, brown bear, touch the ground
Brown bear, brown bear, reach up high
Brown bear, brown bear, touch the sky
Brown bear, brown bear, bend down low
Brown bear, brown bear, touch your toes
Brown bear, brown bear, go to bed
Brown bear, brown bear, rest your head
Brown bear, brown bear, turn out the lights
Brown bear, brown bear, say “good night”
Credit: King County Library System (WA)

I rooted around for any hibernator puppets or stuffed animals we had and came up with quite a few. I think I only did about four during storytime, though.
Fingerplay with Puppets: Sleepy Bear
(tune of “Thumbkin”)
Where is Bear? Where is Bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
(repeat with other hibernators: hedgehog, chipmunk, turtle, bat, frog, mouse)
Credit: preschooleducation.com

photo of stuffed animals and puppets: turtle, hedgehog, mouse, bat, and chipmunk.
A few of my hibernators – not pictured: baby bear and frog who are at home!

You know I love a funny book. This one is told entirely in jokes!
Read: Knock Knock by Tammi Sauer & Guy Francis

Flannel/Action Rhyme: Sleepy Bear Roll
Five sleepy bears moving really slow
One yawns and stumbles and starts to… ROLL! (roll arms)
He rolls to a stop and begins to snore (exaggerated snoring)
How many bears are left to explore? (count down)
Credit: Canton Public Library (MI)

laminated cartoon pictures of 5 different cartoon bears, all sleeping.

Counting/Ukulele Song: The Bears Go Marching
The bears go marching one by one, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The bears go marching one by one, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The bears go marching one by one,
The little one knew that autumn was done
And they all go marching down to their den
Because winter had set in, boom, boom, boom

Additional verses:
…two by two… little one stopped to sneeze : “ahh-choo!”
…three by three… little one stopped to scratch a tree
…four by four… little one stopped to eat just a bit more
…five by five… little one stopped to whisper : “nighty-night!”
Credit: Ram Sam Storytime

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “The Bears Go Marching” here!

Thumbnail of ukulele sheet

Craft: Sleeping Bear Den
I ordered some foam leaf stickers to go with this craft, but they didn’t come in time. Either way, I think it’s simple and cute. Inspired by the project at Glued To My Crafts blog. Bear image from Play Create Explore.

craft with 3 jumbo craft sticks colored brown and glued into a triangle, with a grey construction paper triangle glued to it plus a picture of a sleeping bear. Cotton balls are glued to the top and bottom to represent snow.

I also suggested these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep by Dev Petty & Mike Boldt

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 1/5/21.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books and rhyme/song lyrics

Preschool Storytime: Apples

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Yum! Apples are an easy theme – most kids like them, and there’s a wealth of storytime material to choose from when planning. I’d noticed in my last few storytimes that I’ve been cramming more and more content in, and my videos were getting longer and longer. Starting with this week, I tried to cut back. It’s against my nature, but I’m doing better!

You can find other versions of this theme from 2022 and 2025.

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

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

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: We Clap and Sing Hello

Fingerplay: A Little Apple Seed
(tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Once a little apple seed was planted in the ground
Down came the rain drops falling all around
Out came the big sun bright as bright could be
And the little apple seed grew up to be an apple tree
Credit: Madelyn’s Library Programming

Read: Apples Here! by Will Hubbell
This is a really great book that goes through the seasons of an apple tree and shows that apples are “in” the buds, flowers, and more. It shows diverse kids enjoying the orchard and cooking, eating applesauce with latkes and finding them in the toes of Christmas stockings. Simple and short text makes it perfect for storytime.

Rhyme: Way Up High in the Apple Tree
Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arms up high)
Two red apples smiled at me (hold up two fists)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (make a shaking motion)
Down came the apples… (make a downward motion)
And mmm, they were good! (smile and rub tummy)
Credit: traditional

Rhyme: Eat an Apple
Eat an apple (bring hand to mouth)
Save the core (close hand in fist)
Plant some seeds (bend down to touch hand to ground)
And grow some more! (extend both arms out)
Credit: preschooleducation.com

Word Exercise: Using Our Five Senses
What words can we use to describe apples using our senses? This definitely would work better in-person, but I made it work for virtual. I borrowed this activity from Literary Hoots

drawing of a red apple outline (with brown stem and green leaf) on whiteboard, with words written inside: sweet, smooth, fresh, red, yellow, green, wet, crunchy, tart, good, shiny, crisp, sour, mushy

Read: Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray

Action Song: The Pie Song
(tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
This is the way we slice the apple, (act out each step)
Slice the apple, slice the apple,
This is the way we slice the apple to make a yummy pie.

Additional verses:
Pour the flour… Roll the dough… Stir the filling…
Sprinkle spices… Bake our pie… Eat a slice…
Credit: adapted from “Thanksgiving Pie Song” at Storytime Hooligans

People like to eat apples, but so do animals! I decided to do a twist ending on this one, with 4 tiny finger puppet animals (mouse, rabbit, duck, and deer) and then a full size alligator! Silliness. 🙂 I made the flip side of the apples with different amounts eaten and with counted up seeds, but ended up not flipping them for this rhyme.
Flannel Rhyme: Five Little Apples
Five little apples up in a tree
The farmer wasn’t looking,
So guess who came to eat?
A mouse! Munch munch munch!
(count down, using available animal finger puppets, or choose animals you like to “munch” on your five fingers as the apples)
Credit: Storytime Katie

Read: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

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: Apple Pie
Cut an apple in half. Eat one half and use the other for this craft! Spread the paint on one plate and let your child dip the cut apple half in paint, then “stamp” a second paper plate in the middle. They can make as many stamps as they wish! Help your child spread brown paint around the rim of the plate. For an additional sensory element, let your child sprinkle a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on the wet paint. (My example pie looked a little sad – I didn’t have an apple handy so cut a foam sheet in an apple shape and it didn’t stamp as well as I’d hoped!) Credit: Literary Hoots

paper plate craft - brown paint around the edge to look like crust, red paint in middle for apples, sprinkled with cinnamon

I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Secrets of the Apple Tree by Carron Brown & Alyssa Nassner
Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins
Apples, Apples! by Salina Yoon

Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars

This storytime was presented virtually on 10/20/20.

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.