Tag: toddler

Storytime: At the Pond

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Summer is coming, so I’ve been a little slow with blog posts!

A pond storytime is a lot of fun, since there are lots of extension activities that go along with pond animals – ducks, frogs, fish, turtles, even bugs! I actually had several extra rhymes and songs in reserve that I didn’t end up using in the time we had, but might be good alternate options for you.

Early Literacy Tip: Rhymes can help children look a bit more carefully at the natural world around them. Take the opportunities that rhymes offer to have conversations with your child. The rhyme “There Was a Little Turtle” gives you a chance to talk about turtles – where they live, what they eat, and that some kinds of turtles might bite!

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

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

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

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

Intro: Today we are talking about a special ecosystem where plants and animals live together – a pond! Can anyone think of something they might find in or near a pond? Fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, mosquitos, water beetles, dragonflies, water lilies, reeds, mud…

This is such a fun rhyme! I’d done it in my Baby program but not for this group. The person who posted it to the Storytime Solidarity Facebook Group didn’t have a source, so if anyone knows where it came from or who wrote it, please let me know!
Bounce/Lift: Fishy, Fishy, Fishy (TT) (FT)
Fishy, fishy, fishy goes swishy, swishy, swishy (bounce)
Flip flop, flip flop, flip flop (rock side to side)
Uuuuup, (lift baby high in air) KERPLOP! (return baby to lap)
Source: Storytime Solidarity

I used my hands to do the motions as if they were duck “flippers,” except for the quacking of the beak.
Action Rhyme: Little Baby Ducklings (TT)
Little baby ducklings- dash, dash, dash
Jumped in the duck pond- splash, splash, splash
When their Mother called them- quack, quack, quack
Little baby ducklings- swam right back
Source: Preschool Express

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

Read: In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming (TT)

Book cover for In the Small Small Pond

What a lovely book. It’s very simple, just various animal and nature noises, but the colored pencil illustrations are exquisite, and the pacing lends itself so well to a group. I ask everyone to make the rain and thunder noises with lap pats and big claps, then we slowly ease back for the end of the book.
Read: A Perfect Day by Jennifer Yerkes (TB) (FT)

book cover for A Perfect Day

Fingerplay: There Was a Little Turtle (TT) (TB) (FT)
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, he snapped at me!
He caught that mosquito, He caught that flea (clap each “caught”)
He caught that minnow
But he didn’t catch me! (waggle finger)
Source: Jbrary

Song: All the Fish (TT) (TB) (FT)
All the fish are swimming in the water
Swimming in the water, swimming in the water
All the fish are swimming in the water:
Bubble, bubble, bubble, SPLASH!

All the ducks are quacking…
All the frogs are jumping…
All the kids are splashing…
Source: Caspar Babypants (from the album I Found You)

I didn’t end up using this one.
Rhyme: I Caught a Fish
One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Then I threw it back again
Why did you let it go? Because it bit my finger so
Which finger did it bite? This little finger on my right
Source: traditional

Action Rhyme: A Fat Little Frog (TT) (FT)
A fat little frog came hop, hop, hop!
He jumped on a log with a plop, plop, plop
He sat very still and he rolled his eyes
Then out came his tongue to catch some flies!
Source: King County (WA) Library System

I had a puppet (well, a plastic bath squirter for the fish…) for each verse, which made this one very engaging.
Song: Mmm-ah (TB) (FT)
Mmm-ahh (stick out tongue) 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 (clap) sha-na-na-na-na (wiggle arms)
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!

Bloop, bloop went the little blue fish one day…
But… we know fish go kissy-kissy-kiss
Quack, quack went the yellow duck one day…
But… we know ducks like to shake a tail feather… (shake bottom)
Source: Jbrary, duck verse original

a green frog puppet, a yellow duck puppet, and a small blue plastic fish bath squirter.

Another one that didn’t end up happening. So many great songs for pond animals!
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

Ukulele Song: Six Little Ducks (TB) (FT)
Six little ducks That I once knew
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones, too
But the one little duck
with the feather on his back
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
A quack, quack, quack, A quack, quack, quack
He led the others With a quack, quack, quack
Source: traditional, as sung by Raffi

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Six Little Ducks” here!

Six Little Ducks songsheet thumbnail

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

Craft: Lily Pad (TB) (FT)
To make a cute little lily pad, we started with small green paper plates with a small wedge cut out. I provided die-cut frogs and flowers, plus a small strip of red paper curled around a pencil for the frog’s tongue. With googly eyes and some crayon details, they turned out pretty cute.

craft with a green plate with a small wedge cut out, decorated with a pink paper flower and frog with googly eyes and a long curly strip of red paper for a tongue.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Scoot! – Cathryn Falwell
Ducks Away! – Mem Fox & Judy Horacek
Song of the Water Boatman – Joyce Sidman & Beckie Prange
The Wide-Mouthed Frog – Rex Schneider
Over and Under the Pond – Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal
At the Pond – Geraldo Valério
I’m a Duck – Eve Bunting & Will Hillenbrand
At the Pond – David Elliott & Amy Schimler-Safford
Maisy Goes on a Nature Walk – Lucy Cousins

This storytime was presented in-person on 5/8, 5/9, & 5/10/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Earth Day

Posted on by msemilylibrary

An environmentally-minded storytime for Earth Day or any day! We talked about littering, recycling, planting trees, and using gas-free transportation options – not bad for thirty minutes and a room full of two-year-olds.

Early Literacy Tip: Your recycling bin can become a craft store! Looking for different uses for ordinary items encourages creativity and inventiveness, skills that help children be ready to learn. You may be surprised at the different things that can be made from (clean) plastic containers, cardboard tubes, and other recyclable materials. Your child thrives on your encouragement, but let them be creative and decide what to do with the materials.

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

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

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

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

Intro: Saturday, April 22 is Earth Day! That’s a day when we celebrate the amazing place our planet is, and we work to clean up the Earth’s air, water, protect plants and animals, and make the earth a great place to live for generations to come. Here’s a poem by Kelly Roper about what we can do for Earth Day.

After reading this the first time, it felt a little preachy and kind of boring (no motions to do, etc). I decided to skip it for my other sessions.
Poem: In Celebration of Earth Day (TT)
In celebration of Earth Day, Why not plant a tree?
It will produce fresh air, And be a joy for all to see.
In celebration of Earth Day, Go and visit a local park.
Get back in touch with nature,
Its sights and sounds in light and dark.
In celebration of Earth Day Try to be more aware,
Of how your actions affect this world
And devote yourself to its care
Source: by Kelly Roper, via Stratford (CT) Library

Something that a lot of people do to celebrate Earth Day is planting trees. Let’s do that with this rhyme.
Action Rhyme: Be a Seed (TT) (TB) (FT)
Be a seed, small and round (make a fist)
Sprout, sprout, sprout up from the ground (open fingers)
Shake your leaves for all to see (shake hands and body)
Stretch your arms up, you’re a tree! (raise arms high)
Source: Jbrary

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

I really loved this book, and it was pretty perfect for this age group – though I do have a few caveats. I skipped a couple pages both to shorten it and also… I wished the page about eating less meat featured a plate full of vegetables instead of a barnyard scene. C’mon. I also skipped the “Looking after our backyards” page. I don’t know, I could see how that can be environmentally friendly, but there’s also people who “look after their backyards” by applying lots of chemicals and planting non-native plants and so on. The wording could have been more precise, I think. Nevertheless, I did end up using this book for all three sessions!
Read: Change Starts With Us by Sophie Beer (TT) (TB) (FT)

book cover for change starts with us

This ended up being a backup book that I didn’t use. It does have beautiful pictures and may be inspirational to keeping the Earth clean and beautiful, but since it wasn’t explicitly about being a good steward of the Earth, it didn’t fit quite as well when I only read one book.
Read: Thank You, Earth by April Pulley Sayre

book cover for thank you earth

Bounce: Bumping Up and Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon (bounce)
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darlin’? (lift or tilt)
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken… (bounce then lean)
(what else can you use to get around without a car? A green bicycle, a blue scooter, your pink sneakers?)
Source: adapted from the traditional

This one was fun. I had made a “recycling bin” from a blue ILL bin and just printed the recycling symbol to tape on the sides. I used it both for this and the “Picking Up Litter” song. The kids loved when I took each bottle and gulped it down. We also talked a little about colors, flavors, and sizes. I used permanent markers to color the labels.
Flannel/Counting Song: Five Bottles of Juice (TT) (TB) (FT)
Five bottles of juice on the wall
Five bottles of juice… Glug, glug, glug!
Put one in the recycling bin
Four bottles of juice on the wall!
(count down)
Source: Jen in the Library

Flannel pieces with five differently-shaped bottles of varying sizes. the first has a picture of a carrot on the label, the second a grape, the third an apple, the fourth an orange, and the fifth a pineapple. The bottle labels match the colors of the fruit and the lids match the labels.

I wasn’t exactly sure how this one would go, but it was a hit. When I started pulling crumpled up paper out of my bag and tossing it on the floor, eyes got wide! The most difficult part for me was remembering the rhyme while walking around and tossing enough trash that everyone would be able to grab some.
Song: Litter Bug (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Once there was a litter bug
Who went from town to town
Throwing out his garbage
That landed on the ground
The garbage grew so high
That when he turned around
The litter bug got buried
And could not make a sound! EEK!
Source: Yogibrarian

They LOVED getting to pick up all the trash and put it in the recycling bin. We repeated the song until it was all picked up.
Song: Picking Up Litter (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Paw Paw Patch)
Picking up litter and putting it in the bin
Picking up litter and putting it in the bin
Picking up litter and putting it in the bin
Way down yonder, at the library!
Source: Yogibrarian

a canvas tote bag sits next to a blue recycling bin with a white recycling symbol visible on the side. Crumpled up white paper can be seen inside both.

It’s always great to end with a ukulele song, especially one that has a very familiar and repetitive tune that grownups pretty much know. I have an inflatable ball with a realistic Earth printed on it and I encouraged kids to pass it around to each other. Before they started I asked grownups to help it move along. We only had one instance where it got thrown, so I call that a win.
Song: We’ve Got the Whole World (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of He’s Got the Whole World)
We’ve got the whole world, in our hands
We’ve got the whole world, in our hands
We’ve got the whole world, in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

We’ve got the rivers and the oceans, in our hands…
We’ve got the air all around us, in our hands…
Be kind to plants and animals – in our land…
We’ve got to work together to clean the Earth…
Source: adapted from King County (WA) Library System and DARIA

inflatable beach ball with the earth printed on it. The earth has clouds and the land varies from green to brown. It looks like the Earth from space.

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “We’ve Got the Whole World” here!

Thumbnail for ukulele songsheet

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

Craft: Coffee Filter Earth (TB) (FT)
This was a little more involved than my usual crafts, but I think they enjoyed it. We started by using washable markers and coloring a coffee filter blue and green. Then they came up to me, where together we sprayed the filter with water on a plastic messy tray. Then they hung up their filter on yarn I’d strung up to dry. They could then go back and make stars on their black construction paper. We played and did our goodbye songs, and they could glue down their Earth if it was dry at that time.

Craft showing a blurry blue and green earth glued to a piece of black construction paper. White chalk stars were drawn around the earth.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
The Earth Book – Todd Parr
My Friend Earth – Patricia MacLachlan & Francesca Sanna
Stand Up! Speak Up! – Andrew Joyner
We Are Water Protectors – Carole Lindstrom & Michaela Goade
Milk and Juice – Meredith Crandall Brown
Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival – Lindsay Moore
What a Wonderful World – Bob Thiele, George David Weiss & Tim Hopgood
The Old Boat – Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
Lights Out – Marsha Diane Arnold & Susan Reagan

This storytime was presented in-person on 4/17, 4/18, & 4/19/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Bunny Tales

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I don’t really do holiday programs, but I think it’s fine to do tangentially related programming around the time of holidays. Bunnies or rabbits are a great choice in the spring, and near Easter we see depictions of rabbits everywhere. Plus they’re cute. The hardest task is choosing a bunny book, since there are so many good options!

Early Literacy Tip: You don’t actually need to read books aloud to your children in order for them to benefit. Simply looking at and talking about the illustrations in books helps children develop appreciation for the visual arts, as well as new vocabulary. Talk about the colors you see – not only the names of the colors, but whether they are bright or pastel, sharp or soft.

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

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

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

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

Intro: Who is this? It’s my friend bunny! He wants to say hello! I have two bunny puppets, a pink one and a white one in a hat. I used both!

I found a couple kids in the front and had the bunny puppet tickle their toes on the last line!
Action Rhyme: Rabbit’s Habit (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little rabbit has a habit That is very cute to see!
He wiggles his ears (wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!)
He wiggles his nose (wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!)
And he… Jumps on down to tickle your toes!
Source: Intellidance

And now for the rabbit in a hat puppet. This friend is shyer, if we’re very quiet, maybe she’ll come out.
Fingerplay: Little Bunny in a Hat (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little bunny in a hat, Sitting so still (index & middle fingers (bunny ears) hidden behind other hand)
Will she come out? Yes she will! (raise fingers)
She looks to the left (turn fingers left)
She looks to the right (turn fingers right)
She looks straight ahead (turn fingers to front)
And pops out of sight (hide behind other hand again)
Source: Jbrary

Photo of a white rabbit in a black top hat puppet, with a paper magic wand beside it.
I took this photo for a magic theme, but I didn’t use the wand this time.

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

The rhyme scheme makes it easy for your audience to help tell the story, filling in the missing color for each page turn.
Read: What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park & Maggie Smith (TT) (FT)

book cover for What Does Bunny See?

If you have a very active group, this one is fun – there’s lots of actions to mimic. If you have a very quiet group (which I did this week), it feels a little awkward. :S
Read: Everybunny Dance! by Ellie Sandall (TB)

Book cover for Everybunny Dance

Fingerplay: Here is a Bunny (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is a bunny with ears so funny (bunny ear fingers, bent)
And here is his hole in the ground (make circle w/ other hand)
At the first sound he hears, he pricks up his ears (extend ears)
And hops in the hole in the ground (fingers jump into the hole)
Source: Storytime Katie

Fingerplay: Bunnies Up! (TT) (TB) (FT)
(index and middle finger make bunny ears)
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Hold your bunny & turn around
Bunnies up! Bunnies down!
Put your bunny on the ground
Source: One Little Librarian

This one makes a great transition to the Sleeping Bunnies song.
Counting Rhyme: Come, My Bunnies (TT) (TB) (FT)
“Come my bunnies, It’s time for bed!”
That’s what Mother Bunny said
“But first let’s count you, just to see
If all my bunnies came back to me
Bunny one, Bunny two, Bunny three . . . Oh dear!
Bunny four, Bunny five, Yes, you’re all here!
You’re the cutest little bunnies alive!
Bunny one, two, three, four, five!”
Source: King County (WA) Library System

Action Song: Sleeping Bunnies (TT) (TB) (FT)
(begin with “bunnies” asleep on the floor)
Look at all the bunnies sleeping
’Til it’s nearly noon (point to wrist)
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
(wave hands like a conductor)
Oh so still… Are they ill?
(dramatic pause, then sing fast and clap!)
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies!
Wake up, wake up, wake up little bunnies!
(bunnies get up and hop around!)
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies, Hop, hop, hop
Stop little bunnies, Stop, stop, stop! (FREEZE!)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

I had two backup rhymes that I didn’t end up using.
Action Rhyme: Little Bunny Rabbit
(mime actions)
Little bunny rabbit goes hop hop hop
See how his ears go flop flop flop
See how his eyes go blink blink blink
See how his nose goes twink twink twink
Pet his white coat so soft and furry
Hop hop hop he’s off in a hurry!
Source: North Mankato Taylor Library

Song: I’m a Little Bunny
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little bunny with a cotton tail
See me hopping down the trail
When I see a carrot – my ears they shake
And then, of course, a bite I take! CRUNCH!
Source: Johnson County (KS) Library

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

Craft: Bunny Ears Headband (TB) (FT)
This was a very easy craft. I freehanded two ears on pink cardstock, cut strips of brown paper, and used some pink cotton balls that we had in the craft supply closet to make bunny ear headbands. I put out crayons in case they wanted to do any decorating. They turned out pretty cute!

Picture of the craft, showing a pink cotton ball glued to the back, and two pink ears glued to the front of a brown headband.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Hat Tricks – Satoshi Kitamura
I Am a Bunny – Ole Risom & Richard Scarry
The Runaway Bunny – Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd
Creepy Carrots – Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown
Wolfie the Bunny – Ame Dyckman & Zachariah OHora
Bunny in the Middle – Anika A Denise & Christopher Denise
Big Bad Bunny – Franny Billingsley & G Brian Karas
A is for Another Rabbit – Hannah Batsel
One Brown Bunny – Marion Dane Bauer & Ivan Bates
Out of a Jar – Deborah Marcero

This storytime was presented in-person on 4/10, 4/11, & 4/12/23.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Trains

Posted on by msemilylibrary

From the Little Engine to the Little Caboose, trains are a storytime hit. I learned a couple of new-to-me songs in prepping for this week’s storytime, and boy, are they catchy! Be prepared to chugga-chugga and whoo-whoo all the way through your program.

Early Literacy Tip: Toddlers love playing word games — repeating rhymes, singing songs and reciting chants. Rhyming words, even if they are nonsense, help them understand that language is made up of strings and patterns of phonemes, or individual sounds. Being able to hear these in oral language develops skills that help reading written language later.

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

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

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

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

Intro: Chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga, CHOO CHOO! The storytime train is pulling into the station! It’s time to celebrate trains!

I bought a wooden train whistle just for this rhyme, and everyone got excited when I gave it a toot – kids and adults alike! It actually was the inspiration for our craft today.
Action Rhyme: Choo Choo Train (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here’s a little choo choo train chugging down the track (chug arms)
Now it’s going forward (chug forward)
Now it’s going back (chug backwards)
Hear the bell ringing (ring a bell), Now the whistle blows (woo!)
What a lot of noise it makes everywhere it goes!
Source: Adventures of a Bookworm

Tickle Rhyme: Down the Track (TT) (FT)
Chugga-chugga Chugga-chugga, Choo-choo!
The train runs down the track (walk fingers up one arm)
Chugga-chugga Chugga-chugga, Choo-choo!
And then it runs right back (walk fingers down)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

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

Numbers, senses, noises, scenery – there’s a lot packed into this simple book.
Read: Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Emma Garcia (TT) (FT)

book cover for chugga chugga choo choo

This one is very visually appealing, but there are times that the rhyme scheme changes or is a little awkward, so be sure to practice ahead of time. I lean in to the hissing and ask the kids to help me.
Read: Snakes on a Train by Kathryn Dennis (TB)

book cover for snakes on a train

I modified this one slightly to match the train cars from Donald Crews’ Freight Train. I found these beautiful printables from kizclub.com and printed and laminated them for this flannelboard. Of course, it’s super long so it’s hard to take a picture. In my program I ended up just making two parallel lines.
Flannel/Counting Rhyme: Clickety Clack
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack,
Here comes the train on the railroad track!
Clickety-clunn, clickety-clunn, Here comes ENGINE number 1
Clickety-clew, clickety-clew, Here is COAL CAR number 2
Clickety-clee, clickety-clee, Here is BOX CAR number 3
Clickety-clore, clickety-clore, GONDOLA CAR is number 4
Clickety-clive, clickety-clive, Here comes CATTLE CAR number 5
Clickety-clicks, clickety-clicks, HOPPER CAR is number 6
Clickety-cleven, clickety-cleven, Here’s TANK CAR number 7
Clickety-clate, clickety-clate, Little red CABOOSE is number 8!
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack,
There goes the train on the railroad track! Choo-choo! Goodbye!
Source: Storytime Katie

Picture of printed and laminated train flannelboard pieces: Black engine and black coal car, purple boxcar, blue gondola car, green cattle car, yellow hopper, orange tank car, and red caboose

This one actually messed me up – after singing it, I could not get the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” in my head. This happens to me on occasion, where a tune just completely escapes me. Sigh. In any event, this is a really cute song, and I was glad to learn it.
Song: The Little Red Train Going Down the Track (TT)
There’s a little red train going down the track
Look at the wheels go clickety clack

Chorus: And the train wheels are rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling
And the train wheels are rolling, rolling right along

There’s an engine in the front and a caboose in the back
Look at those wheels go clickety clack… (chorus)

The little train goes to the top of the hill,
It goes very slow but it gets there still
It gets to the top and it goes back down
Look at the wheels go around and around (chorus)
Source: Kathy Reid-Naiman via Jbrary

After having trouble the first session with the “Little Red Train” song, I skipped it for the last two sessions and I was able to recall the Wheels on the Bus tune. Whew. Those groups really enjoyed the motions on this one.
Song: The Wheels on the Train (TB) (FT)
The wheels on the train go clickety-clack,
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack
The wheels on the train go clickety-clack,
All along the track

The whistle on the train goes toot, toot, toot…
The conductor on the train says, “All aboard!”…
The people on the train go bounce, bounce, bounce…
The engine on the train goes chug, chug, chug…
Source: Jen in the Library

I remember this one from my childhood, though we didn’t count down then, just sang it with one peanut. For some extra silliness, blow a raspberry after singing “peanut butter.” The video below isn’t the tune I remember, though, it’s more like this one.
Fingerplay: Three Peanuts (TB) (FT)
Three peanuts sat on a railorad track (hold up three fingers)
Their hearts were all a-flutter (flutter hand on chest)
Around the bend came Number 10 (make wide around motion)
Whoo-whooo (pull train whistle cord), Peanut Butter!
(count down)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

This is a barnstormer of a song – it goes fast but is so much fun.
Song: Little Red Caboose (TT) (TB) (FT)
Little red caboose chug, chug, chug,
Little red caboose chug, chug, chug,
Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train
Smokestack on its back, back, back, back
Coming down the track, track, track, track
Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo!

Little red caboose chug, chug, chug
Little red caboose chug, chug, chug,
Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train
Always at the end, end, end, end
Comin’ round the bend, bend, bend, bend
Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo!

Always on time, time, time, time
Comin’ down the line, line, line, line
Little red caboose behind the train, train, train
Never running late, late, late, late
Comin’ through the gate, gate, gate, gate
Little red caboose behind the train, Woo-woo!
Source: Lindsay Munroe

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Little Red Caboose” here!

thumbnail for ukulele songsheet

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

Craft: Cardboard Train Whistle
I couldn’t flaunt my train whistle without letting the kids make one of their own! Essentially, we made a simple kazoo using a toilet paper tube, wax paper, and a rubber band. The instructions call for making a small hole somewhere along the exposed edge (i.e. not under the wax paper) which I pre-made. I also pre-cut circles of wax paper. I provided dot markers for decoration, but any paint or markers would work. I tried drawing a train on mine – it was not super successful. An all-over design would likely work better! Lastly, it can be tricky to “play” a kazoo – you can’t blow into it, you have to hum, so we practiced a little when they were done making theirs.

Picture of cardboard tube kazoo, with a circle of waxed paper attached to the top with a rubber band, and a crude picture of a red train engine painted on the side.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Mr. Complain Takes the Train – Wade Bradford & S. britt
Freight Train – Donald Crews
Listen Up! Train Song – Victoria Allenby
And the Train Goes… – William Bee
I Like Trains – Daisy Hirst
I Can Make a Train Noise – Michael Emberley & Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
How to Train a Train – Jason Carter Eaton & John Rocco
Choo-Choo School – Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Mike Yamada
I’m Fast! – Kate & Jim McMullan

This storytime was presented in-person on 4/3, 4/4, & 4/5/23.

Storytime Handout:

storytime handout with suggested books, rhyme, and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: The Seeds of Spring

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Springtime in Indiana is capricious, but thankfully we had some warm days, some rain, and some early blooms to reflect on. Although an ostensibly “springtime” theme, I focused mostly on seeds and plants. I’ve done gardening themes before, and I’ve also done a couple of sessions on bugs (here and here) that might also fit into this theme, if you are looking for more ideas.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning directional words like up, down, above, and below is foundational to learning to write letters. When you use words like these with your child and you gesture to show what you mean, you’re setting them up to learn how to write later on.

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

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

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

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

Intro: This week is the first official day of spring. Every day, the days are getting a little bit longer, the weather changing like the season, but moving toward getting a little warmer, and the little seeds that have been in the ground all winter long are starting to wake up!

As simple as this is, it worked really well for all three groups.
Fingerplay: During the Spring (TT) (TB) (FT)
During the spring, it often showers (flutter fingers down)
Or the sun shines for many hours (form circle with arms)
Both are very good for the flowers! (cup hands, extend arms)
Source: Storytime Katie

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

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

Read: A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis (TT) (FT)

What a beautiful book this is. I love its playfulness and gentleness.
Read: How to Say Hello to a Worm by Kari Percival (TB)

Fingerplay: Five Plump Peas
Five plump peas in a peapod pressed (make a fist and cover with the other hand)
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest (raise all fingers on first hand one by one)
they grew, & they grew, & they grew, & never stopped (hands get wider and wider)
They grew SO BIG that the peapod… POPPED! (hands spread as wide as possible, then clap!)
Source: Carole Stephens

Rhyme: Be A Seed
Be a seed, small and round
Sprout, sprout, sprout up from the ground.
Shake your leaves for all to see
Stretch your arms up, you’re a tree!
Source: Jbrary

Action Rhyme: A Big Green Leaf (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big green leaf, a big green leaf (hold hands apart)
Little ladybug (pinch fingers close)
On a big green leaf (x2)

A bumblebee- BZZ! (tickle) A bumblebee- BZZ! (tickle)
And a little ladybug On a big green leaf (x2)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Scarf Song: One Bright Scarf (TT) (TB) (FT)
One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow
Toss it up high, and wave it down low
Wiggle it fast, and wiggle it slow (hide the scarf)
Hey! Where did it go? (bring out) Here it is!
Source: Jbrary

Scarf Rhyme: Here is a Green Leaf (TT) (TB) (FT)
(start by crumpling scarf between both hands)
Here is a green leaf, and here is a green leaf (show thumbs)
and that, you see, makes two
Here is the bud that makes the flower (show a tiny bit of the scarf)
Now watch it bloom for you! (open hands to let scarf expand)
Source: Jbrary

Scarf Rhyme: Little Seed (TB) (FT)
(start by scrunching scarf in one hand)
Little seed in the ground
Sitting oh, so still
Little seed, will you sprout?
YES, I WILL! (pull scarf up out of hand)
Source: Lady Librarian Life

Ukulele Song: Mr. Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Source: Raffi (from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young)

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

thumbnail of Mr. Sun ukulele songsheet

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

Craft: Dot Painted Flowers
Pretty simple. I used two die cuts to make flowers on white construction paper, and provided light blue backing paper, glue sticks, and dot markers.
I’d also read a great article on how radishes are a great veggie for children to grow, since they are very quick to both sprout and mature. I bought a package of radish seeds and gave them out with some simple instructions.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
And Then it’s Spring – Julie Fogliano & Erin E. Stead
If You Plant a Seed – Kadir Nelson
Flower Garden – Eve Bunting & Kathryn Hewitt
On a Snow-Melting Day – Buffy Silverman
A Seed is Sleepy – Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long
Emile and the Field – Kevin Young & Chioma Ebinama
My Garden/Mi Jardín – Rebecca Emberley
Lola Plants a Garden – Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw
How a Seed Grows – Helene J. Jordan & Loretta Krupinski
Planting a Rainbow – Lois Ehlert

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/20, 3/21, & 3/22/23.

Storytime Handout:

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Pizza

Posted on by msemilylibrary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pete's a Pizza book cover

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

Pizza Party book cover

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Storytime Handout:

Handout including suggested books, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Big & Little

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Usually the songs and rhymes that I plan for my Toddler Time (ages 1-2) and my Teddy Bear (ages 2-3.5) sessions are very similar, with just two or three different extension activities that differ between the two. Family Time (ages 0-3.5) is usually a judgement call between the two plans based on the ages that show up. However, because of the books I chose to read, the two plans for this storytime were quite different!

I also was in love with the craft for this week – and I got gasps from the crowd when I revealed my sample both days! It was very simple, but made a BIG impact.

Early Literacy Tip: Children love to talk about how “big” they are. While they’re smaller than many people and things they interact with, they find joy in being bigger than younger siblings or a pet. Their learning and understanding of big and small are important for math readiness as it lays the foundation for understanding and comparing sizes. It sets them up to learn the concepts of less vs. more, smaller than vs. larger than, and equal to. Additionally, the frequent use of vocabulary like “large” and “small,” “big” and “little” helps increase your children’s spatial language.

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

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

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

We just had to do this one!
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Intro: Let’s talk about size. What is big? [spread arms out!] What is little? [pinch fingers together] Can we practice?

I’ve done this one with bubbles, but not with balls. The flannel is super simple, and we do the rhyme three times, then say I have one more to add, now let’s count, and it makes an even 10.
Flannel Rhyme: Little Ball, Big Ball (TT) (TB) (FT)
A little ball (make a circle with your fingers)
A bigger ball (make a larger circle with your hands)
A great big ball I see (make a large circle with your arms)
Can you count the [yellow] balls? 1 – 2 – 3 (make 3 circles again)
Source: Jen in the Library

Flannelboard showing three balls of increasing size in yellow, green, and blue, plus one small pink ball to make ten total.

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

This is a board book, and I *still* skipped some pages for the wiggly toddler time group!
Read: Big Little by Leslie Patricelli (TT)

book cover for Big Little

Classic storytime book. I got some raised eyebrows and nervous titters from grownups when the squid’s tentacles are hanging out of the whale’s mouth, but everyone liked the twist!
Read: I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry (TB) (FT)

Book cover for I'm the biggest thing in the ocean

The next four activities were only for Toddler Time, then the next two were just for Teddy Bears and Family Time.

I pointed out that we’re doing a small, medium, and large sized jumping animal to reinforce our theme for this one.
Bounce: Grasshopper (TT)
There was a little grasshopper
Always on the jump
Because they never looked ahead
They always went BUMP! (tilt to side, drop between knees, or lift)
Repeat with bunny, kangaroo
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Action Rhyme: Tall as a Tree (TT)
Tall as a tree (arms over head)
Wide as a house (arms out to the side)
Thin as a pin (arms straight down by side)
And small as a mouse (crouch low)
Source: Dogeared Storytime

The little Folkmanis mouse finger puppet is the cutest, so it’s always exciting to find a new use for her!
Story Rhyme: Little Mousie Brown (TT)
(Index finger is mouse, opposite arm is candlestick)
Up the tall white candlestick
Went little Mousie Brown
But when she got up to the top
She could not get back down
She called for Mama, “Mama, Mama!”
But Mama was in town
So she called for daddy, “Daddy, Daddy!”
But Daddy wasn’t around
So little Mousie curled right up
And rolled right down!
Source: Jbrary

Photo of Folkmanis finger puppet mouse - brown with a white tummy and beige inner ears, with a beige rope tail.
Mousie Brown is the cutest

Rhythm Rhyme: The Elephant (TT)
(stomp feet rhythmically)
Right foot, left foot see me go
I am grey and big and slow
I come walking down the street
With my trunk and my four big feet
(extend arms in front of face, trumpet like an elephant!)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

We did this one every week last summer as part of the Oceans of Possiblities theme, and it was nice to revisit it.
Action Song: A Big Sea Star (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
A big sea star, a big sea star (stretch arms & legs out)
Little cuddle clam (hug yourself and get small)
and a big sea star (x2)

A pufferfish! (big breath and blow out)
A pufferfish!
Little cuddle clam and a big sea star (x2)
Source: Jbrary

Action Song: Slippery Fish (TB) (FT)
Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through
the water, Slippery fish, slippery fish,
Gulp, Gulp, Gulp! Oh, no!
It’s been eaten by …

A jellyfish, a jellyfish, floating in the water …
An octopus, an octopus, squiggling in the water …
A mako shark, a mako shark, lurking in the water …
Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water… Gulp, Gulp, Gulp – BURP! Excuse me!
Source: Jbrary

Flannelboard for "Slippery fish." Pictured is a small green and blue fish, a pink jellyfish, a gray and pink octopus, a white and pink tuna fish, a gray shark, and a blue whale
I didn’t use the white and pink “tuna fish” this time

Parachute Intro: Let’s get out our biggest prop, the parachute! Let’s practice by lifting it up and down, shaking fast and slow. (TT) (TB) (FT)

Parachute Song: Very, Very Tall (TT) (TB) (FT)
I’m very, very tall (reach up high)
I’m very, very small (reach down low)
Tall!
Small!
Now I’m a little ball (curl up)
Source: Old Town School of Folk Music, from the album Wiggleworms

I mean, I guess it’s big…
Parachute Song: London Bridge (TT) (TB) (FT)
London bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down
London bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Build it up with sticks and stones…
Source: traditional

Parachute Song: Parachute Fly
tune of Skip to My Lou
Up, up, up it goes
Down, down, down so low
Raise our parachute to the sky…
Count to 3 and watch it fly!
Spoken:
Up on 1…
Down on 2…
Up on 3, and Fly! (adults release while you gather up the ‘chute)
Source: Gymboree

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

Craft: Giant Squid (TB) (FT)
As I said, this was a craft that inspired gasps of delight when revealed, but the elements are really quite simple. I freehand drew a squid’s head on our largest size of blue construction paper (12″ x 18″) and asked a volunteer to trace and cut those out. I also drew large white circles for the eyes and a smile mouth on white construction paper – them being a little wonky really added to the fun look. We had small dark blue stickers for the pupils (black would have worked, too, but I used what I found), and I pre-cut lengths of blue crepe paper streamers for the tentacles. I put out glue sticks, tape, and staplers and let everyone choose what worked well for them, and we ended up with adorable giant squids that in most cases were bigger than the children that made them! I was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest from the Share and Remember blog.

Our craft - a blue squid made of construction paper and blue streamers. In full, it measures about 4 feet long

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
I’m Not Small – Nina Crews
Tiny Little Fly – Michael Rosen & Kevin Waldron
Who’s the Biggest? – Delphine Chedru
Marta! Big & Small – Jen Arena & Angela Dominguez
Big and Small and In-Between – Carter Higgins & Daniel Miyares
Jump! – Scott M. Fischer
Little Mouse – Alison Murray
You Are (Not) Small – Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant
The Crayola Comparing Sizes Book – Jodie Shepherd
What Will Fit? – Grace Lin
Big and Small with Northwest Coast Native Art – NativeNorthwest.com

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/6, 3/7, & 3/8/23.

Storytime Handout:

Storytime handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Shadow Tales

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Doing a storytime about shadows is fun and exciting. It’s also a bit logistically difficult. I think I’ve seen others do this theme around Groundhog Day, but I hadn’t actually made that connection in my mind when I scheduled this for late February. I’d done this theme once before, pre-pandemic, and at that time I brought in one of those heavy-duty work lights with the halogen bulbs that have lots of scary warning stickers on them. For several of our rhymes and songs, we’re making motions and looking for our shadows to imitate us. Back then, I was able to put that big light toward the back of the room to shine on the group and project our shadows on the front wall, but I had a lot fewer kids attending then, and their grownups were more fastidious about keeping them within arms length. This time around, the only good place to put it was front and center, and I now have a larger and more mobile group. I just didn’t feel comfortable with that setup. I had a desk lamp I was able to use for my shadow theater, but it wasn’t a good fit for the wider room. A coworker let me borrow her ring light, but the light was too diffused to throw much of a shadow. Instead, we made do. I had a few flashlights, and when I lowered the main lights, there were still some can lights on the ceiling that stayed on and we were able to throw some shadows on the floor.

All that to say – it was still totally worthwhile to do, even with all the technical difficulties! Just lowering lights in storytime is fun and exciting, and a shadow made with a handheld flashlight still demonstrates the science, even if not everyone can see their distinct shadow at the same time.

Early Literacy Tip: Sharing nonfiction titles, even in an abbreviated way, helps introduce your child to new concepts, vocabulary, and general knowledge of the world around them. You can look at the pictures and read captions or paraphrase the “big ideas” of a book to create an age-appropriate experience with a factual book on a subject like shadows.

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

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

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

Intro: Today we’re talking about shadows! A shadow is a dark spot that is made when light shines past something solid, like us! Let’s make some shadows on the walls. I’m going to lower the overhead lights and turn on this bright light behind us. Can you see our shadow on the wall? [This ended up being floor!]

I usually use this rhyme as a “filler,” but since it makes some nice big movements, it was a good option to do and see our shadow selves doing as well.
Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big* (TT) (TB) (FT)

Read: Share individual pages from What Makes Shadow by Clyde Robert Bulla & June Otani. This is where I shared our literacy tip.

Book cover of What Makes a Shadow?

Let’s try this rhyme and see what our shadows do.
Action Rhyme: My Shadow Movements (TT) (TB) (FT)
If I walk, my shadow walks
If I run, my shadow runs
And when I stand still, as you can see
My shadow stands beside me
When I hop, my shadow hops
When I jump, my shadow jumps
And when I sit still, as you can see
My shadow sits beside me
Source: Johnson County (Kansas) Library (link no longer functional)

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

Instead of reading a book here, I performed the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff using shadow puppets. I just improvised the traditional story on memory, but the novelty of the shadow theater was riveting for the little ones and I highly recommend trying this sometime! I found a puppet and scenery template for this story at this website and increased the size to fit about 11×17 inches, which fit nicely on the box I used. I liked this story because it only had four characters, and only two were “onstage” at one time, so I felt like I could handle that by myself pretty easily. I watched this Hallmark Channel video as a guide to how to make the theater (the side hole for manipulating the puppets is really helpful.) I didn’t make the box look super nice or fancy, but sketched a little theater outline on the outside with the help of a ruler. You can’t actually see it when it’s dark and the play is going on, so you really don’t need to do that. If you do need a script, there are lots of versions out there, in picture book form as well as by searching for “Billy Goats Gruff Script.”
Shadow Theater: The Three Billy Goats Gruff (TT) (TB) (FT)

Let’s try to retell that story with this rhythm rhyme!
We didn’t use rhythm sticks, but patted our laps and did the hand motions option from Jbrary.
Story Rhyme: Billy Goats Trip Trap (TT) (TB) (FT)
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Across the bridge they come
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Crossing one by one
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Baby takes a stroll
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Over the sleeping troll
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Louder taps I hear
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Middle goat is near
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Stomps the biggest goat
Trip, trap, trip, trap, Troll goes in the moat!
Source: Jbrary (see motions there)

Action Rhyme: Shadow, Shadow (TB)
Shadow, shadow turn around
Shadow, shadow touch the ground
Shadow, shadow dance on your toes
Shadow, shadow touch your nose
Shadow, shadow jump up now
Shadow, shadow take a bow
Shadow, shadow stomp your feet
Shadow, shadow take your seat.
Source: Storytimes and More

You can use pretty much any clip art here, I was inspired by Sunflower Storytime (website now unavailable) and Storytimes and More (link below). I found several of the same images they used. I laminated my printout and also a black piece of cardstock, then cut both out together to make the image and the art. Most are fairly easy, and the kids were excited to tell me each object until the last one, the sandwich on the plate, which was a difficult one. I got some good guesses, like a boat, but they laughed to see the actual picture.
Flannelboard Game: Guess That Shadow (TB) (FT)
I’m a shadow, look at me
Guess whose shadow I might be!
Source: Sunflower Storytime and Storytimes and More

Flannelboard for guess that shadow, showing clipart objects and black "shadows" in the exact shape. Includes a tree, house, bird, cupcake, airplane, and sandwich on a plate with a decorative toothpick sticking out of it.

I wanted them to have the opportunity to try puppet theater, so I made some spider puppets (a die cut spider on a craft stick) and we did the Itsy Bitsy Spider, using our opposite arm as the water spout. With all the lighting issues, only my shadow really made it on the wall, but we sang through it twice and I told them this will look amazing on their bedroom wall tonight with their grownup helping with a flashlight. They all loved that they were allowed to take their spiders home.
Fingerplay: The Itsy Bitsy Spider (TT) (TB) (FT)
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again
Source: traditional

Spider puppet showing a black spider die cut taped to a craft stick.

I didn’t actually play this for any of the storytime sessions, we just ran too long. But it’s a good one if you do have time.
Ukulele Song: Mr. Sun
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me
Source: Raffi (from the album Singable Songs for the Very Young)

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

thumbnail of Mr. Sun ukulele songsheet

Another optional activity, which I didn’t use (or even plan to use), but I did include on my handout, is the classic Sesame Street video of Grover and his Furry Little Shadow.
Video: My Furry Little Shadow
Source: Sesame Street

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

Craft: Shadow Tracing (TB) (FT)
I encouraged grownups to use their phone’s flashlight feature or one of my traditional flashlights (I had about four available) to cast a shadow on a piece of paper using one of our farm animal toys or plastic trucks, then the kids could trace the shadow. ALTERNATELY, since I understand that this is on the higher skill spectrum for this age, they could just draw and color whatever they wanted. I had about half and half, so it was good to have both options out there. No original picture for this one, just a borrowed one from the site that inspired the idea, the Dad Lab.

Photo showing a preschooler tracing the shadow of a toy horse on a white sheet of paper.
Image from The Dad Lab

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Shadows – April Pulley Sayre & Harvey Stevenson
The Three Billy Goats Gruff – Jerry Pinkney
I Love My Shadow – Hans Wilhelm
Groundhug Day – Anne Marie Pace & Christopher Denise
Shadow – Suzy Lee
Groundhog’s Runaway Shadow – David Biedrzycki
Footprints and Shadows – Ann Dodd & Henri Sorensen
Maisy Goes Camping – Lucy Cousins
Moonbear’s Shadow – Frank Asch
The Night World – Mordicai Gerstein
Shadows and Reflections – Tana Hoban

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/20, 2/21, & 2/22/23.

Storytime Handout:

Handout with suggested books rhyme and song lyrics.

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: I Love Being Me

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Instead of a Valentine’s theme, I wanted to do a program on loving and appreciating ourselves this February. I learned some new songs and my groups did a lot of self-hugs.

This is a topic near and dear to me, and in one of my asides, I noted to the group that kids generally do a pretty good job loving themselves, but it’s a harder task for us grown-ups. I reminded them that finding ways to be loving and compassionate to ourselves as adults sends a great message to our kids that our bodies don’t have to look a certain way for us to appreciate them, and we can celebrate our smarts, our creativity, our problem-solving, our kindness as well as our bodies and all the amazing things they do for us.

Early Literacy Tip: Self-confidence is an attribute that you can teach your children as they play, learn, and read with you. Don’t forget that they pick up so many cues from us even when we’re not paying attention. Being positive about your own body and self is a great way to model it for them – both now and as they grow and change.

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

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

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

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

Intro: February is a month full of love – who are some of the people you love? Don’t forget to love YOU. You are special and there’s no one else exactly like you. Loving yourself gives you the foundation to love others.

The orginal rhyme said “my fingers can snap” but most of my kids can’t snap yet, so I changed it to wiggle!
Rhyme: All of Me (TT) (TB) (FT)
My hands are for clapping, My arms can hug tight
My fingers can wiggle, Or turn out the light
My legs are for jumping, My eyes help me see
This is my body, And I love all of me!
Source: Miss Sarah’s Storytime

Rhyme: Up & Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Put your arms up, Put your arms down
Put them in the middle, Move them all around
One arm to the left, One arm to the right
Give yourself a hug, And hold on tight!
Source: Mansfield/Richland County (OH) Public Library

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

This is just a perfect book for this age. Lots of adorable kids in the illustrations, and body parts to touch and tickle.
Read: I Love All of Me by Lorie Ann Grover & Carolina Búzio (TT) (FT)

book cover for I Love All of Me

I love that this one looks at the whole person.
Read: Be You! by Peter H. Reynolds (TB)

book cover for Be You

Our bodies are so amazing, let’s test them out.
Rhyme: Touch Your Nose (TT) (TB) (FT)
Touch your nose, touch your chin,
That’s the way this game begins.
Touch your eyes, touch your knees,
Now pretend you feel a breeze.
Touch your hair, touch one ear,
Touch your two cheeks right here.
Touch your elbows where they bend,
That’s the way this touch game ends.
[I added: okay, now reach a little farther and give yourself a big hug!]
Source: King County (WA) Library System

I love my body, but I also love other things about myself. Here’s some of them!
The original song uses the “love” verse as a chorus and repeats it. It also is sung a little differently. I simplified by singing it the same as the other verses and used it as the last verse.
Ukulele Song: I Am Kind (TT) (TB) (FT)
I am kind – I’ll be your friend, will you be mine?
I can share a smile, I am kind

I am brave – I do it though I feel afraid
I can do the hard things, I am brave

I am wise – Solving problems that arise
Finding new solutions, I am wise

I am strong – I’m OK when things go wrong
I know I can do it, I am strong

I am love – I wrap my arms around myself
In a great big hug, I am love!
Source: Lindsay Munroe featuring Raffi, from the album I AM KIND: Songs for Unique Kids

Download a ukulele songsheet here!

Thumbnail for I Am Kind Ukulele songsheet

Rhyme: Make a Heart (TT) (TB) (FT)
I put my hands together,
This is how I start
I curve my fingers right around,
And I can make a heart!
Source: Verona Story Time

Shaker Rhyme: Egg Shakers Up (TT) (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 absolutely love this song. Gives me the feels every time. The toddlers were running out of steam, so we skipped this song for them and went straight to the hokey pokey. For everyone else, I just encouraged them to shake their shakers along with the music.
Ukulele/Shaker Song: I Love My Body (TB) (FT)
I love my body from my head to my toes
I love my face, my eyes, my mouth, my nose
I love the way I look when I look in the mirror
I stand a little closer just to see a little clearer

Who is that? It’s me! And I am looking good as good can be
So, what do I say? I tell myself I love me every day
I hope you can, too! You’re worthy of your own love, it is true
So what do we say? We tell ourselves we love us, every day!
Source: Mother Moon

Download a ukulele songsheet here!

thumbnail for I Love My Body ukulele songsheet

Shaker Song: The Hokey Pokey (TT) (TB) (FT)
You put your right arm in,
You take your right arm out,
You put your right arm in
and you shake it all about,
You do the hokey pokey,
and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about! (clap, clap)
(repeat with arms, legs, head, whole self)
Source: traditional

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

With one group I did this after Zoom, Zoom, Zoom and before our craft, and with the others I did it after cleaning up toys and before our Goodbye song and rhyme. I think it worked best before saying goodbye, but it worked either way!
Affirmation (TT) (TB) (FT)
I am KIND (hands outstretched)
I am BRAVE (hands on hips)
I am SMART (finger to your head)
I am STRONG (arms curled up)
I am LOVED (give yourself a hug)
Today is an awesome day! (fist pump)
Source: adapted from Miss Sarah’s Storytime

Craft: Valentine to Yourself (TB) (FT)
Very simple concept and execution. Write your name on the heart. Talk with your grownup about some of the things you love about yourself, and ask them to help you write a few on your (die-cut) heart. Decorate with stickers and crayons.

Craft showing a pink scalloped heart shape with the name EMILY written vertically down the middle, with "I like my smile" "My hands let me be creative" "I am friendly" "I am kind" also written on it, decorated with hearts, stars, stickers, and jewels.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Be Who You Are – Todd Parr
Bodies Are Cool – Tyler Feder
I Love My Body Because – Shelly Anand, Nomi Ellenson, & Erika Rodriguez Medina
Lovely – Jess Hong
I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! – Linda Davick
Beautifully Me – Nabela Noor & Nabi H. Ali
I Am Golden – Eva Chen & Sophie Diao
Who Will You Be? – Andrea Pippins
From Head to Toe – Eric Carle

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/13, 2/14, & 2/15/23.

Storytime Handout:

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5

Storytime: Farm Friends

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Who doesn’t love mooing and oinking and clucking and neighing? Farm animals are a theme with so many options and resources – the hard part is choosing which songs, rhymes, activities, and books to present!

Although I only read Farmyard Beat in the Toddler Time session, I decided to do rhythm sticks as our prop this week in all the classes. I didn’t find a great transition as to how it related to the farm, but this was a new prop and the kids were all excited to try them out regardless of the theme.

Early Literacy Tip: Imitating animal noises is a great way for kids to practice making language sounds and developing sound meaning. Animal sounds also help children hear the smaller sounds in words, which is good for when they are starting to sound out words to read.

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

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

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

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

Intro: I got out the “barn” that I made from a cardboard box spray painted red. What is this? It’s a barn! Where might we see a barn? On a farm. And who lives in a barn? Farm animals!

red barn box with white X details on the top and bottom "doors", with a split showing on the top door where it opens in the middle.

As we sang “on that farm he had a…” I popped out an animal from the barn doors, to much delight.
Puppet Song: Old MacDonald had a Farm (TT) (TB) (FT)
Old MacDonald had a farm, E – I – E – I – O!
And on that farm he had a dog, E – I – E – I – O!
With a woof, woof here, and a woof, woof there
Here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof, woof!
Old MacDonald had a farm, E – I – E – I – O!
Source: traditional

a pig puppet peeking out from the top portion of the barn box, which opens like a saloon door on the top half of the box.

One of my favorites! The graphics for the flannelboard come from the now-defunct Sunflower Storytime. Since the website is no longer available either in its original form or through the Internet Archive, I’m uploading my copy for you.
Flannel/Fingerplay: Ten Fluffy Chicks (TT) (TB) (FT)
Five eggs and five eggs, and that makes ten
Sitting on top is Mother Hen
Cackle, cackle, cackle (clap, clap, clap)
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chicks, as cute as can be
Source: Mel’s Desk

Download Sunflower Storytime’s printable here!

I thought this was really fun! When I did a search for the song to get the King County link, I learned that this was a Glenn Miller song.
Fingerplay: Boogie Woogie Piggy (TT) (FT)
This little piggy went to market (pinky)
This little piggy stayed home (ring)
But this little piggy is the boogie woogie piggy (thumb, waves back and forth)
and he boogie-woogied all the way home!

Oink, oink, oink, oink, oink,
boogie woogie piggy (x3) (use thumb to pull up nose on the oinks, then dance that piggy!)
And he boogie woogied all the way home!

This little piggy had roast beef (middle)
This little piggy had none (index)
But this little piggy is the boogie woogie piggy (thumb)
and he boogie-woogied all the way home!
(repeat Oink, oink, oink chorus)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

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

Read: Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig & Marc Brown (TT)

farmyard beat book cover

This was an absolute hit – the kids could finish the sentences for most of the farm noises, then I got to yell BOO!
Read: Cows Go Boo! by Steve Webb & Fred Blunt (TB) (FT)

cows go boo book cover

Rhythm Sticks Intro – Do you have the beat? Let’s make our own beat with rhythm sticks! (I did a little “er, this fit with the other book I read, let’s just have fun with this” in the two sessions that didn’t follow Farmyard Beat.) Practice: Lay them on your shoulders, tap fast & loud, tap soft & quiet, rub them together, roll them in a circle.

Rhythm Stick Song: Count the Beat (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10
8 9 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8… 9… 10!
Source: Sarah French

Rhythm Stick Song: This Is the Way We Tap (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
This is the way we tap our sticks
Tap our sticks, tap our sticks
This is the way we tap our sticks
At our storytime
(repeat with different motions: rub, tap them soft, tap the floor, tap our shoes, roll our sticks, tap them loud, etc)
Source: Sarah French

This was a little trickier, since they had to wait with their sticks on their shoulders until the last line, when they could do the action. I saved it for my oldest group.
Rhythm Stick Song: If You Have Some Rhythm Sticks (TB)
(tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
(keep sticks on shoulders until last line)
If you have some rhythm sticks,
You can tap them now (tap!)
(repeat with different motions: rub, hammer, drum)
Source: Sarah French

Recorded Song: Tap Your Sticks by Hap Palmer (TT) (TB) (FT)
from the album Rhythms on Parade
see the video: https://youtu.be/M-UKTeWNgOk

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

Craft: Muddy Pig Painting (TB) (FT)
This was another craft from the Sunflower Storytime blog (I miss it!) I printed the pig template on pink paper and asked a volunteer to cut them out. The kids glued them down, then used cotton balls to get the pig dirty with brown paint. Again, since Sunflower Storytime is no longer with us, I’m uploading the template!

Download the pig template here!

pink pig on green construction paper, with splotches of brown paint all over it.

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

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

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

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Go Sleep in Your Own Bed! – Candace Fleming & Lori Nichols
Old MacDonald Had a Farm – Jane Cabrera
Five Fuzzy Chicks – Diana Murray & Sydney Hanson
On the Farm – David Elliott & Holly Meade
Barnyard Banter – Denise Fleming
Big Red Barn – Margaret Wise Brown & Felicia Bond
Farm Lullaby – Karen Jameson & Wednesday Kirwan
The Greedy Goat – Petr Horáček
Color Farm – Lois Ehlert
Skip to My Moo – Iza Trapani & Maddie Frost

This storytime was presented in-person on 2/6, 2/7, & 2/8/23.

Storytime Handout:

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

**These symbols indicate the program sessions I used the activities for:
(TT) Toddler Time, ages 1-2
(TB) Teddy Bears, ages 2-3.5
(FT) Family Time, ages 0-3.5