Tag: ukulele

book covers for my heart fills with happiness, may there always be sunshine, and the thank you book

Storytime: Feeling Thankful (2025)

Posted on by msemilylibrary

It’s the end of November, so that means it’s time for the annual “Feeling Thankful” theme! I try not to repeat themes more than every 2 or 3 years, but this one is close to my heart and I’ve done it every year since 2019. (I wasn’t blogging that year, so I don’t have a post for that one!) It’s fun but also a storytime that promotes mindfulness and a bit of a slowing down to think and feel and appreciate.

Every year I tweak the program just a bit to keep it fresh for myself as well as for any of my regulars who have been with me for a year or more. This year I introduced the song and book “May There Always Be Sunshine” by Jim Gill. I had the pleasure of attending a workshop with him in person a few months ago and it hit me that this is a perfect song for feeling thankful. I was even inspired to create a new craft based on it and it was a big hit.

This is also a great opportunity for me to slow down and say THANK YOU for being a reader. I hope these posts are helpful to you whether you are a fellow librarian, a teacher, caregiver, or anyone else who is interested in early literacy. I love being part of a profession that is generous with our ideas, and I am thankful for all the librarians and teachers who have helped me find my footing in storytime by sharing their materials online.

If you’re looking for more ideas, take a look at the Feeling Thankful themes from every year I’ve done this theme here.

my heart fills with happiness book cover, featuring an indigenous girl from the top down looking up, with two braids and a flared circular flowered skirt around her.
may there always be sunshine book cover, showing a stylized yellow sun with big cheeks and chin on a light blue background
the thank you book cover, with a picture of a light skinned girl with red hair giving a taller Black boy a flower. flowers, rainbows, a sun, and two blackbirds are in the background.

Early Literacy Tip: When we are warm, fed, safe, and snuggled with someone we love, our brains release a chemical called serotonin. This makes us feel good, but it also has the effect of helping us learn. When you snuggle with your child and sing and read together, their brains soak up the language they hear and the serotonin helps make that learning permanent. Snuggling, talking, and singing with your child helps get them ready to read. Source: Mel’s Desk

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* 

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet* 
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster* 

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: What does it mean to feel thankful? When someone does something nice for you, saying “thank you” lets them know we appreciate them and are happy they did what they did! We can also think for a moment about all the good things in our lives and feel happy about them, too. Let’s practice saying “thank you” with this rhyme.

Figuring out how to do this rhyme without the middle finger AND using it to do the ASL sign for I love you is one of my proudest moments. 🙂
Fingerplay: Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin, Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, Here I am,
How are you today, Friend?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away, run away.

(repeat with pointer, pinky, then all three)
Where are three friends, Where are three friends?
Here we are, Here we are,
How are you today, Friends?
Very well, we thank you.
I love you, I love you.
Source: adapted from the traditional rhyme by Ms. Emily

where is thumbkin thumbnail, with a graphic of silhouettes of two hands with thumbs up and two hands showing the ASL "I Love You" sign. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

I’ve shared books by Monique Gray Smith in the past, but this was a new-to-me title. It’s perfect for feeling thankful, because it describes the feeling of gratitude – your heart fills with happiness! It also is short and simple and references things that can make the readaloud more interactive. “Let’s imagine the scent of our favorite thing baking – can you breathe in deep and imagine it?“ It’s also great to share that both the author and the illustrator are indigenous (I read their tribal heritages from the bio at the back), and that November is Native American Heritage Month.
Read: My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith & Julie Flett

my heart fills with happiness book cover, featuring an indigenous girl from the top down looking up, with two braids and a flared circular flowered skirt around her.

This was my backup title, but I didn’t end up using it this year. It’s a board book, so it’s not very big, but it does work for my group. It focuses mostly on HOW to say thank you, both in words and in actions.
Read: The Thank You Book by Danna Smith & Juliana Perdomo

the thank you book cover, with a picture of a light skinned girl with red hair giving a taller Black boy a flower. flowers, rainbows, stars, a sun, and two blackbirds are in the background.

I’m grateful for my body and the senses that I use to experience the world. Here’s a rhyme about 4 of the 5 senses. (AFTER – which senses did we talk about?)
I learned this one from my home library’s storytime. I loved that so many of the pages in My Heart Fills with Happiness were tied to the senses.
Action Rhyme: Two Little Eyes
Two little eyes to look around
Two little ears to hear a sound
One little nose to smell what’s sweet
One little mouth that likes to eat!
Source: Ms Shelby & Ms Robin at Indy PL
Find it online at King County (WA) Library System

two little eyes thumbnail, with a graphic of four children - a white boy with brown hair holding up a magnifying glass, a girl with black hair and vitiligo listening to earphones, a Black boy smelling a flower, and a white girl with blonde hair eating broccoli. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Which of the senses did we miss talking about? Touch! Here’s a tickle rhyme to engage our sense of touch! I’m thankful for the bees that pollinate our plants and make us honey
Tickle Rhyme: Here Is the Beehive
Here is the beehive, but where are all the bees? (make fist)
Hidden away where nobody sees
Watch and you’ll see them come out of the hive:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (open fingers)
They’re alive! Buzz, buzz, buzz! (tickle)
Source: Jbrary

here is the beehive thumbnail, with a graphic of a yellow beehive with several bees flying around it, centered on a red circle. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you – something I love and something I’m always thankful for are books and reading! Here’s a fun song about someone who wears glasses when she reads a book.
We practice making glasses with our hands, and then a book. We open and close the book several times before we get started with the song!
Song: These Are My Glasses
These are my glasses, this is my book
I put on my glasses and open up the book
Now I read, read, read
And I look, look, look
I put down my glasses and
Whoop! Close up the book!
Source: “Whaddaya Think of That?” by the Laurie Berkner Band

these are my glasses thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of glasses folded next to a small pile of books. A red mug is alongside. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Scarf distribution: I am thankful for songs we can sing with our scarves! Will you practice with me – wave high, low, in a circle, throw and catch!

I’m thankful for all of the beautiful plants, especially the trees. Can we pretend to be a little acorn?
We start by scrunching up our scarves in our fists and crouching low to make our bodies small like a seed.
Scarf Rhyme: Be a Seed 
Be a seed, small and round (crouch, with scarf scrunched)
Sprout, sprout, sprout up from the ground (stand up)
Shake your leaves for all to see (shake arms and scarf)
Stretch your arms up, you’re a tree! (stretch tall)
Source: Jbrary

be a seed thumbnail, with a graphic of an acorn and a tree. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I’m thankful for delicious food that we can make and eat with our loved ones.
Scarf Song: Popcorn Kernels
(tune of “Frère Jacques”)
Popcorn kernels, popcorn kernels (wave scarves overhead)
In the pot, in the pot (bunch up scarf in your fist)
Shake them, shake them, shake them!
Shake them, shake them, shake them! (shake)
‘Til they POP! ‘Til they POP! (toss scarves up into the air)
Source: Jbrary

popcorn kernels thumbnail, with a photograph of two popped popcorn kernels. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I’m thankful for toys and games to play.
We did this one three times each session. They loved throwing the scarves up!
Scarf Rhyme: Jack in the Box
Jack in the box (scrunch scarf up in fist)
Sits so still
Will he come out?
Yes, he will! (throw scarf in the air)
Source: Jbrary

jack in the box thumbnail, with a graphic of a colorful jester's head coming out of a box with a crank. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

This flannel was made from the template created by Mel at Mel’s Desk! I add the flannel pieces as the recorded song mentions them (if you’re playing ukulele for this one, you could go over the pieces first and then sing the song. I love the recorded version so I usually let Raffi do the singing.) Before or afterwards is a good time to mention today’s early literacy tip, whichever flows more naturally for you.
We’re going to do a quiet song now. This one is nice to snuggle to. If you’d like to snuggle with your grownup, that’s great. If not, no need to force it, but let’s listen to the words and all the things we can be thankful for.
Flannel/Ukulele Song: Thanks a Lot
Thanks a lot, Thanks for sun in the sky
Thanks a lot, Thanks for clouds so high
Thanks a lot, Thanks for whispering wind
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the birds in the spring
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the moonlit night
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the stars so bright
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the wondering me
Thanks a lot, Thanks for the way I feel
Thanks for the animals, Thanks for the land,
Thanks for the people everywhere
Thanks a lot
Thanks for all I’ve got
Thanks for all I’ve got
Source: From the Album “Baby Beluga” by Raffi

Thanks a lot flannel set with a yellow sun, white cloud, red bird, blue swirl for wind, yellow crescent moon, purple star, single person figure with arms raised, pink heart, elephant, evergreen tree, and group of three people of various skin tones with arms to the side.

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “Thanks a Lot” here!

thumbnail of Thanks A Lot ukulele songsheet

thanks a lot thumbnail, showing lyrics only. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

This is an old song – originally in Russian, and it’s very simple, just four lines. But children’s musician Jim Gill started singing it. When he performs it for a group of kids, he always asks them what they’d always want there to be. He collected his favorites and made a book from them! [show book and a few of the pages] So take a moment and think about what you are thankful for and that you want there to always be.
We sang the original four lines, then I took suggestions. No suggestion too silly or wrong! We were thankful for Ariel, Rapunzel, trucks, cats, naptime (from an adult!), and more. I finished the last line by saying “storytime” and I got lots of nods and yeses from the grownups! A note on the songsheet – I changed the key to fit my voice better (always a good thing to do to make you feel comfortable!)
Recorded or Ukulele Song: May There Always Be Sunshine
May there always be sunshine
May there always be blue skies
May there always be family
May there always be me
Insert the things you are grateful for!
Source: Jim Gill, from the album “Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes”

Get a downloadable ukulele songsheet for “May There Always Be Sunshine” here!

thumbnail for may there always be sunshine ukulele songsheet

may there always be sunshine thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling yellow sun with orange rays. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: May There Always Be… Booklet
Another idea I got from Jim Gill’s workshop was to create a craft for kids to create their own “May There Always Be…” book. I used a technique I learned from zines to fold a 11″x17″ sheet of tabloid paper into an eight-page book, and printed a front, back, and “may there always be” on each inside page. I branded mine to my library, but I made an unbranded version that you can download as well! The trick with folding is to make your folds as precise and as sharp as you can. I use a bone folding tool to help. See the helpful graphic below for help folding and cutting from Anna Brones blog (where she has a very nice intro to zines and how to create them).

Download a PDF of the booklet here!

May there always be booklet craft - with the words "may there always be" at the top, followed by a colored-in outline of a smiling sun. below are the words "a book of thankfulness by:" and a line filled in by Emily in crayon.

Visual guide to folding a zine - our craft booklet. involves folding the paper into eighths, cutting a slit along the middle four sections, and folding it into the booklet.

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*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Thank a Farmer – Maria Gianferrari & Monica Mikai
Thank You, Everything – Icinori & Emilie Robert Wong
Thank You, Omu – Oge Mora
The Thankful Book – Todd Parr
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga – Traci Sorell & Frané Lessac
The Thank You Book – Mo Willems
Thank You, Earth – April Pulley Sayre
The Thank You Letter – Jane Cabrera
When We Are Kind – Monique Gray Smith & Nicole Neidhardt
The Blue Table – Chris Raschka
Thank You, Neighbor! – Ruth Chan
Gracias/Thanks – Pat Mora & John Parra
Bear Says Thanks – Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman
To Dogs, With Love – Maria Gianferrari & Ishaa Lobo
Grandma’s Tiny House – JaNay Brown-Woods & Priscilla Burris

This storytime was presented in-person on 11/19 & 11/20/25.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

animals go vroom and on the go awesome book covers

Storytime: Things That Go

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Returning to the theme I skipped last week – Things that Go! Honestly, with this theme the challenge is choosing what NOT to include. There are so many rhymes, songs, books and activities that go along with cars, trucks, busses, planes, boats, and trains. And that’s not even including the construction and work equipment that could fall into the mix!

So, I tried to highlight each of the main categories of vehicles and use rhymes and songs that I like. I also broke out the rhythm sticks for this program! We use shakers and scarves regularly in storytime, but less often rhythm sticks. This age group (0-3.5) find them a little harder to manipulate, and my own cache of rhymes and songs that use them is slim. But I had a windshield wiper rhyme I’ve been wanting to use, as well as the motions from Jbrary for Wheels on the Bus that worked perfectly for the theme. Keeping a few props that are less used isn’t a bad thing, either. It increases the novelty and fun factor when they do come out.

See other versions of transportation storytimes here.

animals go vroom book cover, showing an adult snake driving a yellow car with a younger snake wearing headphones in the backseat.
on the go awesome book cover, showing a busy city street with lots of cars and trucks, planes in the air, and a subway under the road.

Early Literacy Tip: The use of small percussion instruments such as bells, shakers, drums, and rhythm sticks helps children with muscular development and coordination, and games that give them the opportunity to stop and go and do specific movements help them develop their impulse control to follow directions! adapted from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: What goes vroom, vroom, and beep beep? Cars! What about Chugga choo choo? Splash, splash? It’s so fun to think about all the ways we can get around – with things that go!

I’ve got a long black rectangle, and three colored circles. What colors do I have? Red, yellow, and green. Look at what these shapes make all together! If you’re driving in your car or truck, you might see this on the road.
We go over the ASL sign for stop before we start, and it’s a good time to mention that freeze rhymes/songs are great for practicing impulse control!
Action/Flannel Rhyme: Green Means Go
Green means “GO!” Go! Go! Go! (roll arms quickly)
Yellow means “Slow.” Slow… slow… slow. (roll arms slowly)
Red means “STOP!” (ASL sign for stop: one hand making a chopping motion onto flat opposite hand)
Go! Go! Go! (roll fast)
Slow… slow… slow. (roll slow)
Stop! (ASL sign for stop)
Source: Jbrary

green means go thumbnail, with a graphic of a traffic light. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* 

The fun of this title is that the sound and die-cut showing an animal turns out to actually be the sound of the vehicle the animal is driving/riding in! Clever and fun. The pictures are a bit small and complex, so it’s a difficult book to share with a large group.
Read: Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman

animals go vroom book cover, showing an adult snake driving a yellow car with a younger snake wearing headphones in the backseat.

This is a new-to-me book that I just happened to see on the shelf in my library. It’s simple and exciting and covers a range of vehicles. We pretended to be in each vehicle as it came up, with toots and chugga-chuggas and airplane arms.
Read: On the Go Awesome by Lisl H Detlefsen & Robert Neubecker

on the go awesome book cover, showing a busy city street with lots of cars and trucks, planes in the air, and a subway under the road.

Time to go on a trip! How will we get there? Let’s start on this boat!
I love when I can build flannels from pieces I already have. The car is from “Five Cars so Squeaky Clean” and the plane is from “Guess Whose Shadow.” I just had to add a boat and bus to make it complete.
Action/Flannel Song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat/Car/Plane/Bus
Row, row, row your boat (row arms)
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!

Drive, drive, drive your car (steering wheel with hands about 6″ apart)
Gently down the street
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a treat

Fly, fly, fly your plane (airplane arms)
Gently in the sky
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Watch the clouds go by

Drive, drive, drive your bus (steering wheel with hands about 12″ or more apart)
Gently down the way
Stop to let some people out
To ride another day
Source: Grandview Heights Public Library
(this is the source I had in my notes, but I’m not finding a link now)

Row your boat flannel, featuring printed and laminated pieces of a rowboat with two oars, a red car driven by an alligator, a commercial passenger plane, and a green bus with people inside.

row your boat thumbnail, with lyrics only. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I am so glad that I saw Jessica’s post at Storytime in the Stacks with some new verses for this classic bounce rhyme. I use them often with my little one, and it inspired me to come up with a few more! They have been fun to share with my library kids both here and in my Book Babies programs. We don’t always do all of the animals, but it’s fun to take suggestions for the audience.
Speaking of taking the bus, there’s an animal that likes to get on!
Rhythm Rhyme: Hippopotamus on a City Bus
(slap thighs rhythmically or bounce baby until the last line of each verse)
A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus
Got on, got on, got on a city bus
And all, and all, and all the people said,
“You’re squishing us!” (squish face or hug baby)

Additional verses:
A cow… “Mooooove over!” (lean far to one side)
A snake…“Ssssssit down!” (fall thru knees)
A sheep…“Baaaack up!” (lean far back)
A chicken… “Buk-buk-buckle up!” (hug over waist)
A horse… “Howdy, neigh-bor!” (wave)
A pig… “Oink we glad to see you!” (snuffly kisses)
A bee… “Buzz off!” (buzz and tickle)
Source: Jbrary, Storytime in the Stacks (chicken/horse), and original verses (pig/bee)

hippo on a city bus thumbnail, with a graphic of a blue cartoon hippo. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We haven’t yet talked about one of my favorite things that go – trains!
I encouraged them to think about whether they want to use their arms or legs the first time we went through this one. Then before the second time, I said they could choose a different limb, OR they could see if it’s okay to do the rhyme on their grownup’s arm or leg. We had a couple of enthusiastic older kids who chose the latter! And since I had a full train flannel set, I went ahead and put up a short train so we could talk about the caboose before the next song, too.
Tickle Rhyme: This Little Train
This little train ran up the track (walk fingers up arm or leg)
It went Choo! Choo! (tap nose or belly button)
And then it ran back (walk fingers back down)
The other little train (other arm or leg) ran up the track
It went Choo! Choo! And then it ran back
Source: King County (WA) Library System

train flannel made of printed and laminated images of a short train consisting of a black engine and coal car, a purple box car, and a red caboose.

this little train thumbnail, with a graphic of a toddler in a sleeper. a tiny train is on their right arm and an adult's hand is walking up the left. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Which car goes at the end of the train?
This is a fun song – and it inspires great chugga motions! Our program room is right next to the preschool one, and we often coordinate programs at the same time. One of the moms popped her head in after their session and asked “Did you do the train song?” Apparently her kiddo (who had formerly been one of my regulars) heard it in the other room and recognized it from my virtual program on trains! She said, “We probably account for half of your views on that video!” LOVE.
Ukulele Song: Little Red Caboose
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, from the album I Am Kind

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

thumbnail for ukulele songsheet

little red caboose thumbnail, with a graphic of a red train engine on the left and a red caboose on the right. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Rhythm Stick Intro: Let’s practice! Can you make your sticks go Fast & Loud? Slow & Quiet? In a Circle? Rest them on your shoulders? Tap the ground? Okay, listen carefully! Fast, Quiet, Shoulders, etc.
Our rhythm sticks are actually just unsharpened pencils, which are more manageable for little ones (and less likely to hurt when accidentally bonking someone else.) I learned this intro and practice from the Laptime and Storytime blog.

Okay, it’s time to get in the car. Let’s fasten our seatbelts and car seats! We’re ready to head out – wait, it’s raining! What can we do when it’s raining?
Rhythm Stick Rhyme: Windshield Wipers
It’s a rainy day and down the street we go
It’s only raining a little bit so the wipers are going SLOW
(Swish…swish…swish…swish)

It’s starting to rain more now but it’s not a disaster
We know what we need to do: Make the wipers go FASTER!
(swish, swish, swish, swish)

Oh no, it’s really pouring now We hope that it won’t last
Turn those windshield wipers up and they’ll go FAST-FAST-FAST!
(Swish-Swish-Swish-Swish!)

The rain is slacking off again We’re not sad to see it go
We’ll turn those windshield wipers down and they’ll go back to SLOW
(Swish…swish…swish…swish)

Oh, look, is that the sun I see? And here comes one last drop
The rain has stopped now, Yessiree, and we turn our wipers OFF!
(Swish…ker-chunk!)
Source: One for the Books blog

first page of windshield wipers thumbnail, with a graphic of a head-on green car in the rain with wipers going. click the image to download a non-branded PDF
Page 1 of 2 pictured, PDF includes both pages

Okay, I think you’ve proven that you are ready. Can you be a bus driver? Let’s get into the bus!
All the verses below work well with rhythm sticks, and I added a steering wheel one.
Rhythm Stick Song: The Wheels on the Bus
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town!

Additional verses:
The doors on the bus go open and shut…
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…
The people on the bus go up and down…
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink…
The driver on the bus says, “Move on back”…
The [steering] wheel on the bus goes turn, turn, turn…
Source: traditional, stick movements from Jbrary

wheels on the bus thumbnail, with a graphic of a green city bus with a driver and three people shown in the windows. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft:
My library is going through a transition, where our interim programmer who covered my maternity leave is no longer doing the Monday/Tuesday sessions while the new person who will be the permanent full time programmer is getting onboarded. Because we were down two sessions that are often full, I offered to do a second session back-to-back on Wednesdays. So, no crafts in the month of October. Crafts will be back in November!

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* 

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

SO many other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Towed By Toad – Jashar Awan
Beep! Beep! Vehicles on the Go – Byron Barton
Not Just the Driver! – Sara H Ackerman & Robert Neubecker
Listen Up! Train Song – Victoria Allenby
The Babies on the Bus – Karen Katz
Red Canoe Shows Up at Two! – Victoria Allenby
Never Take Your Rhino on a Plane – KE Lewis & Isabel Roxas
The Sleeper Train – Mick Jackson & Baljinder Kaur
Is This the Bus for Us? – Harriet Ziefert & Richard Brown
On This Airplane – Lourdes Heuer & Sara Palacios
Honk, Honk, Vroom, Vroom – Jennifer Shand & Barbara Vagnozzi
Snakes on a Train – Kathryn Dennis
Whose Vehicle Is This? – Sharon Katz Cooper & Amy Muehlenhardt
Vroom! – Barbara McClintock
Trucky Roads – Lulu Miller & Hui Skipp
Puppy Bus – Drew Brockington
Hooray for Trucks! – Susan Hughes & Suharu Ogawa
Harbor – Donald Crews
The Airport Book – Lisa Brown
Look Up High! Things That Fly – Victoria Allenby
Truck, Truck, Goose! – Tammi Sauer & Zoe Waring
Monster’s Trucks – Rebecca Van Slyke & Joe Sutphin

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/15/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

book cover gallery of let it grow, pumpkin day, and it's a pumpkin

Storytime: Pumpkins

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m blogging out of order today. This past week I did a “Things that Go” storytime, but this upcoming week is Pumpkins! I figure that might be more helpful and relevant in case you have a pumpkin theme coming up, too, and need a little inspiration or one more song.

As I’ve said before, to be inclusive I don’t do “holiday” programs. Not everyone celebrates, and I’ve found that I really don’t need to focus on a specific holiday. Instead, I try to find something that is tangential but universal. So, in October, pumpkins are perfect! I’ve also done Cats & Bats, Dress-Up, Monsters, Owls, and the Moon to evoke those Halloween/Spooky/Fall vibes. There are a couple of references to Jack-o-lanterns in my activities below, but that’s as close as we get to Halloween.

See other versions of this storytime from 2020 and 2022.

let it grow book cover, showing a large pumpkin still on the vine, with a bee and white flower.
pumpkin day book cover, showing a Black boy holding a pumpkin and sitting on a pile of them, with a farm scene in the background.
book cover of It's a Pumpkin, with various woodland animals surrounding a large pumpkin

Early Literacy Tip: Narrative skill is one of the six skills identified as being important for early literacy. It has to do with learning how to describe things and being able to tell stories. Little stories, like the one in the Pumpkin on the Ground rhyme, are great for little ones to start learning how stories work. “First the pumpkin is a seed, then it is a plant, then it is a pumpkin!”

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

The ASL sign for “pumpkin” is like this…
Show the sign – flick your finger onto the back of your opposite hand, as if you were thunking a pumpkin to check for ripeness.
Fingerplay: Pumpkin, Pumpkin on the Ground
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (ASL pumpkin sign)
How’d you get so big and round? (arms circle over head)
Once you were a seed so small (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball (arms circle in front)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (ASL pumpkin sign)
How’d you get so big and round? (arms circle over head)
Source: Storytime Katie

pumpkin on the ground thumbnail, with a graphic of a large orange pumpkin. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I found a video of this song by a Montessori school but had some trouble finding the original provenance – the video said the song was by Mary Ann Hall, but I also saw Marcia Louis credited (and I did find a YouTube video of hers, so that’s pretty credible.) In any case, I was able to figure out the chords, changed the key to fit my voice better, and now it’s available as a ukulele songsheet for you! I originally used this prop with the book Mystery Vine by Cathryn Falwell, (as seen in the photos) but my current library does not own this book. Big kudos to Rebecca from Sturdy for Common Things for her inspiration for this prop, as well as excellent photos of the process of making it.
So how do pumpkins grow, in between being a tiny seed and a big gourd? Can you help me plant a pumpkin seed, let some rain fall down, let the sun shine, and then… we wait! And wait and wait and wait and wait and THEN! a little pumpkin vine appears!
Ukulele Song: Pumpkin Vine
I looked out my window and what did I find?
Green leaves growin’ on my pumpkin vine
Green leaves, Green leaves are growin’
Green leaves, Green leaves are growin’
Green leaves, Green leaves are growin’
Green leaves are growin’ on my pumpkin vine

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

Download a ukulele songsheet for Pumpkin Vine!

Thumbnail for Pumpkin Vine ukulele songsheet

photo of mystery vine prop extended - a big plastic pot with brown felt, and a green vine with felt leaves, flowers, pipe cleaner vines, a green pumpkin, and two orange pumpkins made of fabric.
an animated gif of the pumpkin vine prop, showing the progression.

pumpkin vine thumbnail, with a graphic of a pumpkin vine with yellow flowers, a green and orange pumpkin, and bees. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story* 

This book also goes through the life cycle of the pumpkin – seed to vine to leaves to flowers to fruit. It’s cleverly written, has a BIPOC character/family and even goes beyond the expected Jack-o-lantern size pumpkin – they let theirs grow to be a GIANT pumpkin, which they take to the fair and then use in the pumpkin regatta!
Read: Let it Grow by Mary Ann Fraser & Riley Samuels

let it grow book cover, showing a large pumpkin still on the vine, with a bee and white flower.

A leveled reader backup (I’m still waiting for Let it Grow to come in on hold!) but this is a solid choice. To shorten just a bit I paperclipped one rhyme set near the beginning of the book, (about the ponies and goats).
Read: Pumpkin Day! by Candice Ransom & Erika Meza

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

I do one evening program a month, and I change the age level to 0-5. I have noticed in the last couple months that I’m getting more older kids, so I decided to do a longer book for them.
Read: It’s a Pumpkin! by Wendy McClure & Kate Kronreif

book cover of It's a Pumpkin, with various woodland animals surrounding a large pumpkin

Oh, look! I’ve found some pumpkins! Let’s sit them up on this gate. How many do we have? Do you have five pumpkins on your fingers?
Counting Fingerplay: Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins, sitting on a gate (hold up 5 fingers)
The 1st one said, “Oh my, it’s getting late!” (point to wrist)
The 2nd one said, “There are bats in the air” (flap hands)
The 3rd one said, “But we don’t care!” (shake head)
The 4th one said, “Let’s run, run, run!” (jog arms)
The 5th one said, “I’m ready for some fun!” (wiggle)
Then WHOOOOSH went the wind (curve hand in air)
And OUT went the light (clap hands together loudly)
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight! (roll arms)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

five little pumpkins flannel pieces, with a brown rectangle topped with five pumpkins of varying orange hues. in the upper right is a full yellow moon with a black bat flying across it.

five little pumpkins thumbnail, with lyrics only. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I saw several versions of this rhyme in various places, including my predecessor’s files, so I decided to combine them!
Maybe YOU can be a pumpkin sitting on a wall.
Rhyme: Pumpkin, Pumpkin Sitting on a Wall
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Sitting on a wall (bounce)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Tip and FALL! (lean to side)

Pumpkin, pumpkin, Bouncing down the street (bounce)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, TICKLE those feet! (tickle)

Pumpkin, pumpkin, Bumping down the hill (bounce)
Can I catch you? Yes, I WILL! (big hug)
Source: adapted from King County (WA) Library System

Pumpkin, pumpkin thumbnail, with a graphic of a happy pumpkin sitting on a rock wall. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

One of these pumpkins has gotten out of control! Can you roll your arms like a pumpkin rolling down the hill?
I love this one – it always goes over well.
Action Song: Roly Poly Pumpkin
(tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Oh, the roly-poly pumpkin (roll arms, gradually speed up)
Went rolling down the hill
Once it started rolling It couldn’t keep still
It rolled and rolled Until it bumped into a rock (clap)
Then the roly-poly pumpkin (roll slowly)
Rolled to a stop (hands up)
Source: King County (WA) Library System

roly poly pumpkin thumbnail, with a graphic of a small pumpkin bouncing down a large brown hill. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

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

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

what do you see thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling orange pumpkin and a red maple leaf looking at the pumpkin. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I didn’t realize this was a traditional rhyme before I had already changed the words and made my own rhyme sheet for it. I wanted to de-gender the pumpkin, use the emotions I had puppets for, and I thought the end felt a little gruesome. Knowing it’s a traditional rhyme – maybe I wouldn’t have changed it, but I didn’t want to take the time to redo what I had already done. I’m including the traditional words as well for your benefit! I first showed my Jack-O-Lantern stick puppets and talked through the emotions. The puppets were originally created by Sunflower Storytime, which is no longer active on the web. You can download my copy of the PDF here! At the end of the rhyme, I plan to show the surprised pumpkin – maybe it will get some laughs?
Look at all these Jack-o-lanterns! Can you tell how they feel by their faces?
Puppet Rhyme: Pumpkin Happy
(make a face to match the emotions)
This is pumpkin happy, This is pumpkin sad
Now you see it silly, Now you see it mad
But roast a pumpkin – My, oh, my
My favorite pumpkin is pumpkin pie! (rub belly)
Source: adapted from the traditional Jack-O-Happy

Traditional Rhyme: Jack-O-Happy
This is Jack-O-Happy,
This is Jack-O-Sad,
Now you see him sleepy,
Now you see him mad!
This is Jack in pieces small,
But in a pie he’s best of all!

five jack o lanterns printed and laminated and mounted on jumbo craft sticks. They show a happy, sad, surprised, angry, and silly face.

pumpkin happy thumbnail, with a graphic of a happy jack o lantern and a slice of pie. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Pumpkin is so tasty, and can be made into so many different things. Let’s do the pumpkin chant!
Action Rhyme: Pumpkin Chant
(For each line, pat lap twice, clap twice, pat twice, then do action)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bread! (hands flat in front, one on other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin head! (hands on head)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin pie! (hands in a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin eye! (hands around eyes)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin cake! (hands flat in front, one about 5 inches above the other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin shake! (shake fists by head)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin stew! (pretend to stir)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin BOO! (do a peek-a-boo)
Source: Jane Willis Johnston, via Jbrary

pumpkin chant thumbnail, with a graphic of a happy jack o lantern. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft:
My library is going through a transition, where our interim programmer who covered my maternity leave is no longer doing the Monday/Tuesday sessions while the new person who will be the permanent full time programmer is getting onboarded. Because we were down two sessions that are often full, I offered to do a second session back-to-back on Wednesdays. So, no crafts in the month of October. Crafts will be back in November!

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator* 

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Runaway Pumpkins – Teresa Bateman & Stephanie Fizer Coleman
How to Help a Pumpkin Grow – Ashley Wolff
Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party – Erin Barker
Hello, World! From Seed to Pumpkin – Jill McDonald
Pumpkin Eye – Denise Fleming
The Great Pumpkin Contest – Angie Rozelaar
Stumpkin – Lucy Ruth Cummins
Amara’s Farm – JaNay Brown-Wood & Samara Hardy
Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch – Mary Peterson & Jennifer Rofé
Pumpkin Trouble – Jan Thomas
Penguin and Pumpkin – Salina Yoon
Mystery Vine – Cathryn Falwell

This storytime was presented in-person on 10/22 & 10/23/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

It is time, a butterfly is patient, and the very hungry caterpillar book covers

Storytime: Butterflies

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I had always associated butterflies with springtime – the flowers are blooming, the world is becoming more colorful and warm – it just seems like butterfly time. But a friend of mine is a monarch enthusiast and she associates butterflies with autumn, since monarch butterflies migrate south in the fall. So my coworker and I decided to do our butterfly theme this month in September. She planned this one, so there were some new-to-me rhymes and songs, which is always fun.

A butterfly theme is perfect for incorporating your scarves, so flutter away!

it is time book cover, showing a boy looking at a green caterpillar on a plant.
a butterfly is patient book cover featuring a big blue butterfly as well as several other smaller ones and caterpillars
The Very Hungry Caterpillar book cover, showing a green and red caterpillar

Early Literacy Tip: When we say rhymes, play rhyming games with children, and point out the rhyming words, it helps them hear the smaller sounds in words which will help them later when they try to sound out words to read.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Today we’re talking about butterflies! These wonderful creatures begin their lives as tiny eggs, then hatch into caterpillars. After that, they create a cocoon or chrysalis where they spend 1-2 weeks transforming into butterflies! Butterflies love the sun and have delicate wings that make beautiful patterns.

Butterflies are not born with wings. Let’s use our hands to go through the life cycle of a butterfly!
Fingerplay: My Friend Caterpillar
My friend caterpillar (fingers crawl up arm)
Made its cocoon one day (close hands together)
It turned into a butterfly (open hands with thumbs hooked)
And quickly flew away (flap hands)
Source: Storytime Katie

my friend caterpillar thumbnail, with a graphic of a monarch butterfly flying away from a leafed branch where there is a caterpillar and a chrysalis. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

This is an excellent and very simple primer on the life of a caterpillar. I always enjoy Lizzy Rockwell books. I did have a moment of difficulty, though, during the book. She says “A pupa is there” when referring to the chrysalis. I kind of tried to explain that a pupa and chrysalis and cocoon are all similar, but I was sure there were scientific differences. I just hadn’t checked before the program, which I regret. I learned later that a pupa is that particular stage (not the structure that holds it.) A chrysalis is the pupa of a butterfly, and moths spin cocoons from silk – a cocoon surrounds a pupa but it is not the same thing. More info at Wikipedia!
Read: It Is Time: The Life of a Caterpillar by Lizzy Rockwell

it is time book cover, showing a boy looking at a green caterpillar on a plant.

My backups. A Butterfly Is Patient is such a beautiful book, and I appreciate that it can be read on several levels. You can just read the larger text and give a very concise explanation, or you can read the smaller text as well which gives more detail.
Backup titles: A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long OR The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

a butterfly is patient book cover featuring a big blue butterfly as well as several other smaller ones and caterpillars
The Very Hungry Caterpillar book cover, showing a green and red caterpillar

Does anyone know what butterflies eat? They drink sweet juice from flowers called nectar. Let’s count to 10 while we pretend to feed a butterfly.
The hand motions for this one are a bit simple, but it worked.
Action Rhyme: Butterfly Food
(tune of 1, 2, Buckle my Shoe)
1, 2, Nectar for you! (point outward)
3, 4, Find some more! (searching motion)
5, 6, Plants by sticks! (pretend to hold sticks)
7, 8, Nectar is great! (thumbs up)
9, 10, Let’s eat again! (eating motion)
Source: Carla @ Preschool Powol Packets

butterfly food thumbnail, with a graphic of an orange butterfly eating from a pink flower. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

The butterfly song is about waiting for a caterpillar to make his transformation into a butterfly.
I pointed to each stage on the flannelboard, but also tried to add some volume dynamics. “Oh, oh, oh” was very soft and anticipatory, then louder on “out of the chrysalis.” I had created the butterfly and caterpillar flannel pieces for another set, and my colleague completed the life cycle by making the eggs and chrysalis and arrows!
Flannel Song: The Butterfly Song
(tune of Up on the House Top)
First comes the butterfly and lays an egg
Out comes a caterpillar with many legs
Oh see the caterpillar spin and spin
A little chrysalis to sleep in
Oh, oh, oh, wait and see
Oh, oh, oh, wait and see
Out of the chrysalis, my oh my
Out comes a pretty butterfly
Source: Storytime Hooligans

flannel showing a monarch butterfly, a leaf with eggs, a monarch caterpillar, and a green chrysalis. gray arrows show the circular flow.

butterfly song thumbnail, with a graphic of the four butterfly life stages - egg, caterpillar, pupa, and butterfly. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I skipped this one for time.
Fingerplay Song: Caterpillar
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Caterpillar, caterpillar (wiggle index finger)
In the tree, in the tree (spread arms like branches)
First you wiggle this way (wiggle finger to one side)
Then you wiggle that way (wiggle finger to other side)
Look at me, look at me (finger “looks” at you)
Source: Palatine Public Library District

caterpillar thumbnail, with a graphic of a realistic yellow, black, and white monarch caterpillar. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

When I hand out a prop, I generally will do a “practice” song – something that gets them using the prop and following directions, and doesn’t necessarily go with the theme.
Scarf Song: Let’s All Twirl
(tune of Mulberry Bush)
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
Scarves today, scarves today
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
All around the room
(toss, scrunch, shake)
Source: Library Village Blogspot

let's all twirl thumbnail, with a graphic of a dancing unicorn. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Oh, my scarf has turned into a butterfly! Can you turn your scarf into a butterfly? Where will it fly?
Demonstrate pinching the scarf in the middle to create “wings” on both sides. This one was fun because they got to toss their scarf up and catch it. Getting the tune right was tricky for me, so I had to practice a few times pre-storytime.
Scarf Song: A Butterfly is Landing on my Nose
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
A butterfly is landing on my nose
On my head, and on my toes
Now the butterfly is landing on my knee
She’ll fly away when I count to three:
1… 2… 3…! (toss scarf)
Source: The Loudest Librarian

a butterfly is landing on my nose thumbnail, with a phot of a dog with a butterfly on its snout. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Next, let’s use our scarves to wiggle, munch, and flutter!
The original song had a “big fat” caterpillar in the second verse. In addition to the syllables being awkward to sing, why fat-shame our poor caterpillar?!
Ukulele/Scarf Song: There’s a Tiny Caterpillar on a Leaf
(tune of If you’re happy & you know it)
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf: wiggle, wiggle
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf: wiggle, wiggle
There’s a tiny caterpillar, there’s a tiny caterpillar
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf: wiggle, wiggle

additional verses:
There’s a big caterpillar on a leaf: munch, munch
There’s a pretty butterfly on a leaf: flutter, flutter
Source: Storytime with Miss Jennifer

there's a tiny caterpillar on a leaf thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling green caterpillar on a leaf. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Download a ukulele songsheet for If You’re Happy And You Know It here!

thumbnail for happy and you know it ukulele songsheet

Another one I skipped for time!
Scarf Song: Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
(tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Flutter, flutter, butterfly
Floating in the summer sky
Floating by for all to see
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter, butterfly
Floating in the summer sky
Source: Storytime with Miss Jennifer

flutter butterfly thumbnail, with a graphic of a pink cartoon butterfly. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: Coffee Filter Butterfly
We used dot markers to decorate. I’ve also done washable markers and sprayed with water to make a watercolor or tie dye effect, but this time just markers! Clip it with a wooden clothespin and add a little bit of pipe cleaner for antenna, and you are set!

coffee filter butterfly craft, showing a white coffee filter pinched in the middle to create two wings. It's decorated with blue yellow, and purple dots, and secured with a wooden clothespin.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Ten Little Caterpillars – Bill Martin, Jr. & Lois Ehlert
Hello, Little One – Zeena Pliska & Fiona Halliday
Winged Wonders – Meeg Pincus & Yas Imamura
The Digger and the Butterfly – Joseph Kuefler
Señorita Mariposa – Ben Gundersheimer & Marcos Almada Rivero
Binkle’s Time to Fly – Sharmila Collins & Carolina Rabei
Goodnight, Butterfly – Ross Burach
Waiting for Wings – Lois Ehlert
Bianca and the Butterfly – Sergio Ruzzier
Papilio – Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, & Andy Chou Musser
Becoming Charley – Kelly DiPucchio & Loveis Wise

This storytime was presented in-person on 9/10/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

You Are My Sunshine

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Popping in with a quick post on a storytime off-week!

Have you ever really read the full lyrics to You Are My Sunshine? They are actually pretty depressing and (at least in my view) depict a controlling and manipulative romantic relationship. But the chorus is baked into my happy childhood memories and the tune seems to be very widely known and sung here in the US.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away

The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried

I’ll always love you and make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me to love another
You’ll regret it all some day

You told me once, dear, you really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you’ve left me and love another
You have shattered all my dreams

I found some alternate lyrics written by children’s musician Bill Crosby on a blog post many years ago. (When I tried to go back to look at it, the original link is expired.) Those lyrics are sweet, but the phrasing of the syllables is a little awkward to sing and I’ve never really been in love with it.

But recently, I saw Mama Nous singing her version of the song, and it is so simple and sweet and works so well. I love that it doesn’t put pressure on the child to be someone’s only source of happiness, and reinforces the caregiver sharing their love. I’m going to be using it as my lullaby in an upcoming Book Babies session, so updated my rhyme sheet and ukulele songsheet. Enjoy!

You Are My Sunshine
You are my sunshine, my sweetest sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll always know, dear, how much I love you
For I will tell you every day

And every night, dear, as you lay sleeping
I will be there just out of sight
And in the morning I’ll be so happy
To start the day with my sunshine
Source: Mama Nous

Download a ukulele songsheet here!

you are my sunshine thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling yellow sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

book covers for merdaddy, mermaids fast asleep, and can I give you a squish

Storytime: Merfolk

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Another magical storytime! This time, we headed to the sea to swim with the merfolk. Now, remember, not all merfolk are mermaids! We talked about mermen, merdaddies and mermommies, merboys and mergirls, merkids, merchildren, even merbabies. I love how the books available also reflect an array of merfolk. Merfolk come in all skin tones, hair and tail colors, even body types (though it’s a little harder to find those.)

You can find another magical creatures theme (which included merfolk) from 2020, and a merfolk only theme from 2022.

Merdaddy book cover, showing a bearded merman holding a small merchild with fish in the background
Mermaids fast asleep book cover, showing a mermaid hugging a merchild with fish all around
Can I give you a squish book cover, with an enthusiastic merboy with arms raised looking at friends dolphin, crab, octopus, and fish.

Early Literacy Tip: Learning how to deal with big feelings is one crucial way we can help our child’s development. The act of taking slow, deep breaths triggers a cascade of mind-body systems that can result in increased comfort, relaxation, vigor, and alertness, and reduced symptoms of confusion, anxiety, stress, sadness, and anger – and it works fast. Taking a breathing break regularly gives kids the practice for using this tool when they really need it.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Today we’re celebrating magical, imaginary beings that live in the ocean – merfolk! Maybe you’ve heard of mermaids, mermen, merkids? Merfolk are legendary creatures that are half human and half fish. It’s fun to imagine what they might be like!

I wonder what it would be like to live in the ocean like the merfolk?
My hand motions for this one were a little random. In fact, a lot of our hand motions for this theme were similar, though that didn’t seem to bother anyone. I waved my hand vaguely behind me for the tail, jumped my hand up and down like a dolphin, and opened hands wide for big whales. The ocean was a smaller up and down like waves and the last line was a swishing motion with hands together.
Action Song: I’m a Little Merkid
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little merkid, see my tail
My friends are the dolphins and also the whales
I live in the ocean big & blue
I love to swim with the little fish, too!
Source: adapted from Bayviews.org

I'm a little merkid thumbnail, with a graphic of a merkid wearing a t-shirt with fish, a dolphin, and a whale's head visible. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

A merchild looks up to Merdaddy and they have fun together under the sea, until… it’s time to get out of the bath! I loved that Merdaddy has a bigger body type and that we saw a lot of sea life that we could imitate as we read.
Read: Merdaddy by Wednesday Kirwan

Merdaddy book cover, showing a bearded merman holding a small merchild with fish in the background

My backups. Can I Give You a Squish is a great one about consent, too!
Backup titles: Mermaids Fast Asleep by Robin Riding & Zoe Persico OR Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson.

Mermaids fast asleep book cover, showing a mermaid hugging a merchild with fish all around
Can I give you a squish book cover, with an enthusiastic merboy with arms raised looking at friends dolphin, crab, octopus, and fish.

Can we pretend to be mermaids and mermen?
For the last verse, we got very quiet and pretended to sleep. When the song was over, I said, “Wake Up! It’s time for another song!”
Action Song: Did You Ever See a Mermaid?
(tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)
Did you ever see a mermaid, a mermaid, a mermaid
Did you ever see a mermaid swim this way and that?
Swim this way and that way
Swim that way and this way
Did you ever see a mermaid swim this way and that?

additional verses:
…a merman flip this way and that?
…merbabies sleep this way and that?
Source: adapted from Barberton Public Library

did you ever see a mermaid thumbnail, with a graphic of a merfolk tail (only). click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Most merfolk live in the ocean. Let’s do the Ocean Song! Grown-ups can lift you up, or you can do the wave motions with me.
Lifting Song: The Ocean Song
Oh, the ocean is great and the ocean is grand
There are lots of big ships but very little land
And we sleep down deep in a hammock near the floor
And this is what we do when we go out to shore:
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
We ride the waves going up
We ride the waves going down
And we turn around!
Source: adapted from Jbrary

the ocean song thumbnail, with a graphic of a clipper ship sailing on waves, with a merfolk's tail visible. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

After the Ocean Song, I’m invariably ready for a breathing break.
Breathing Break: Ocean Breath
Whew, I need a breathing break after that one! Can we make the sound of the ocean with our breath? Take a big breath in, hold it for just a moment, then let the wave crash – TCHHHHHHH! Let’s breathe for five waves.

I feel so much calmer! Let’s sing a merchild lullaby together. Can you rock your merbaby?
I wrote this one a couple years ago when I used the Mermaids Fast Asleep book, but it’s still fun.
Lullaby: Rockabye, Merchild
(tune of Rockabye, Baby)
Rockabye, merchild In the deep sea
Let the tide soothe you And cuddle close to me
When the waves break High up above
Sleep sound and dream sweetly
For you’re safe and loved
Source: original by Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Download a ukulele song sheet for this song!

rockabye merchild ukulele songsheet thumbnail

rockabye merchild thumbnail, with a graphic of a small merchild with med brown skin and dark curly hair sleeping on a nautilus shell as a pillow. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

To avoid using the “10 little” song melody, I do this one like Caspar Babypants. We talked about each merkid’s color as well as the number between each verse.
It’s time to get out our wrist ribbons! Come on up and pick out a color you like. [Practice “Bubble, splash” part] Oh, your ribbons look like seaweed!
Flannel/Ribbon/Counting Song: One Little Merkid
One little merkid swimming in the water
Swimming in the water, Swimming in the water
One little merkid swimming in the water
Bubble, bubble, bubble, …SPLASH! (count up)
Source: adapted from Caspar Babypants’ All the Fish and Verona Storytime

flannel showing five merkids with different colored hair and tails: yellow mermaid (in funbuns), red merboy with straight hair, green mergirl with a braid, blue mergirl with a bob, and purple merboy with curly hair.

One little merkid thumbnail, with a graphic of a dark skinned mermaid jumping out of the water. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Ribbon Song: The Waves in the Sea
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The waves in the sea go up and down (big up and down motions)
Up and down, up and down
The waves in the sea go up and down, All day long!

additional verses:
The fish in the sea go swish, swish, swish… (dart prayer hands forward and side to side)
The crabs in the sea go snap, snap, snap… (pinch fingers)
Merkids in the sea go splash, splash, splash… (go wild!)
Source: adapted from the traditional

the waves in the sea thumbnail, with a graphic of a fish, crab, and mischievous merboy. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

One last song with our ribbons – dance however you’d like! This is a silly one!
I’m always tickled to write new verses for this song, and then do my best to illustrate them using clipart in Canva!
Ukulele/Ribbon Song: Down By the Bay
Down by the bay, Where the merbabies grow
Back to my home, I dare not go
For if I do, my mother will say:
“Did you ever see a whale
With a polka dot tail, Down by the bay?”

additional verses:
…mermaid swimming in lemonade…
…a merman knitting an afghan…
…a merkid riding a squid…
…have a time you couldn’t make a rhyme…
Source: traditional, original merfolk verses by Storytime with Ms. Emily Library

Download a ukulele songsheet for Down By the Bay!

Thumbnail of "Down By the Bay" ukulele song sheet

down by the bay merfolk edition thumbnail, with a graphic illustrating each verse. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: Merfolk Dot Marker Sheets with Sequins
I like an easy craft every so often. I used these merkid sheets a few years ago, and adapted coloring sheets to be sure we had merboys as well as mermaids. The mermaid sheets are from The Artisan Life and the merboys are from Simple Everyday Mom. Did you know you can make any coloring sheet into a dot marker sheet? I used Canva, but you could certainly do the same thing in Publisher. Just add .75 inch dots to the sheet on blocks of color (avoiding faces and slender limbs like arms). Because merfolk need some sparkle, I had large sized sequins and gems available to add wherever they liked!

craft showing merboy and mergirl coloring sheets colored with dot markers and with large sequins glued to a couple of tail dots.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Mermaid and Pirate – Tracey Baptiste & Leisl Adams
Julián Is a Mermaid – Jessica Love
Sounds Like Joy – Yesenia Moises
How to Spot a Mermaid – Jane Yolen & Sally Deng
Oona – Kelly DiPucchio & Raissa Figueroa
The Little Mermaid – Jerry Pinkney
Mermaid Day – Diana Murray & Luke Flowers
I Am a Meadow Mermaid – Kallie George & Elly MacKay
Goodnight, Mermaid – KJ Oceanak & Allie Ogg
You’re My Sparkly Mermaid – Joyce Wan
Grumpycorn – Sarah McIntyre (it’s about a unicorn writing a story about mermaids!)

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/20 and 8/21/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

book cover gallery with I'm a unicorn by Loehr, I'm a unicorn by Yoon, and Unicorn thinks he's pretty great

Storytime: Unicorns

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Get ready for some magical storytimes! I love how you can incorporate things like horse rhymes and rainbows into a unicorn theme. I bet you could work in some songs/rhymes on magic or kindness as well. Next week we’re diving into Merfolk.

This week’s storytime was a new experience for me. I went part-time at my library, so I’m now sharing storytime duties with a fabulous coworker. She presents Mondays and Tuesdays, and I do Wednesdays and monthly Thursday evenings. We present the same theme throughout the week, but we decided that since we are both part-time, we would share responsibility for planning each theme. So this is the first time I presented a program that I didn’t plan myself! There is room for individualizing – we are both good with tweaking the plan to suit our own styles. I had a simple bounce that I really enjoy that I slipped into the mix, as well as a different counting song that I played on my ukulele. I think it’s a great way to work with the time we have, and I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to continue to work with the age group I love.

(If you’re an email subscriber, please note I forgot to link my rhyme sheets for last week’s blog post – they are fixed online now!)

You can find another magical creatures theme (which included unicorns) from 2020.

I'm a unicorn book cover with a pastel picture of a cute unicorn
I'm a unicorn book cover with an excited looking cow with one horn
Unicorn thinks he's pretty great book cover, with a picture of a unicorn surrounded by a rainbow aura, with a grumpy looking goat at the bottom

Early Literacy Tip: Early experiences help to form the architecture of the brain and lay a strong foundation for both social and emotional development. Playing with other children at a young age, experiencing the fun of taking turns and sharing, and discovering that it is fun to pass a ball or beanbag to someone else and then get it back are great ways to learn important social and emotional skills. -from The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards by Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Ghoting

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Today we’re talking about unicorns! Unicorns are mythical, magical horses with a long horn on their head. They love rainbows, sparkles and spreading kindness.

I did this one more like the King County video, but my colleague had the same instructions as Jen in the Library, so I think that’s where she found it.
Fingerplay: Ten Galloping Unicorns
Ten galloping unicorns
Came galloping through the town
Five were white and five were brown
They galloped up
They galloped down
Ten galloping unicorns
Came through the town… Then WHOA!
They all slowed down
Source: adapted from King County Library System and Jen in the Library

ten galloping unicorns thumbnail, with a graphic of two groups of unicorns - five white and five brown - with various colored manes and horns. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

A sweet and simple book that sets up the idea of unicorns and their purported properties. Perfect introduction to the theme for the littlest ones.
Read: I’m a Unicorn by Mallory C. Loehr

I'm a unicorn book cover with a pastel picture of a cute unicorn

My backups. Both are humorous takes on what unicorns are, so may work better for kids who are already familiar with unicorns.
Backup titles: I’m a Unicorn by Helen Yoon OR Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea.

I'm a unicorn book cover with an excited looking cow with one horn
Unicorn thinks he's pretty great book cover, with a picture of a unicorn surrounded by a rainbow aura, with a grumpy looking goat at the bottom

My coworker created the rhyme sheet for this one!
Action Rhyme: Unicorn, Unicorn
Unicorn, unicorn touch your toes
Unicorn, unicorn touch your nose
Unicorn, unicorn pat your head
Unicorn, unicorn go to bed
Unicorn, unicorn wake up now
Unicorn, unicorn take a bow
Unicorn, unicorn touch the ground
Unicorn, unicorn turn around
Unicorn, unicorn sit back down
Source: Verona Storytime

unicorn unicorn thumbnail, with a graphic of the bust of a unicorn with a rainbow colored mane. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My coworker created a flannel for this one and I forgot to grab a picture. The colors of the unicorns match what I added to the rhyme sheet, though.
Flannel/Counting/Ukulele Song: Five Unicorns Went Out One Day
(tune of Five Little Ducks)
Five unicorns went out one day
Beyond the rainbow and far away
Papa unicorn said, “Please don’t roam”
But only four unicorns came home (count down)

Last verse:
Well, papa unicorn went out one day
Searching for unicorns far and away
He searched far and he searched near
And just like magic, they re-appeared!
Source: Flannel Board Fun

Find a ukulele songsheet for the same tune here (One Dinosaur Went Out to Play)

thumbnail for one dinosaur went out to play

five unicorns thumbnail, with a graphic of a larger white unicorn and five smaller ones: purple, red, orange, green, and blue. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Our unicorns want to go for a ride! Can you mount up?
I do this one slow to start, then speed up over the next 2-3 repetitions.
Bounce: Giddy Up, Up, Up
(tune of the William Tell Overture)
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Giddy up, giddy up
Giddy up, up, up
Whoooa, unicorn! (lean back!)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

giddy up up up thumbnail, with a graphic of a rearing unicorn with pastel rainbow mane and tail. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get our scarves out! Can you come up and pick out a scarf? Let’s warm up by doing some shaking.
Scarf Song: Shake it to the East
Shake it to the east, shake it to the west
Shake it all around and then you take a rest
Shake your scarves up, shake your scarves down
Shake it, shake it, shake it and then you settle down
Source: Jbrary

shake it to the east thumbnail, with a graphic of a compass pointing east. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

My coworker created the rhyme sheet for this one!
Scarf Song: Let’s All Twirl
(Tune of Mulberry Bush)
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
Scarves today, scarves today
Let’s all twirl our scarves today
All around the room

Additional verses:
…toss our scarves
…circle our scarves
…shake our scarves
Source: Storytime with Miss Jennifer

let's all twirl thumbnail, with a graphic of a dancing unicorn. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Scarf Song: Rainbow Colors
(Tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Rainbow colors way up high
Happy colors in the sky
Red and pink and green and blue
Yellow, orange and purple, too
Rainbow colors way up high
Happy colors in the sky
Source: adapted from King County (WA) Library System

rainbow colors thumbnail, with a graphic of watercolor splashes of each color: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Here were the ones I didn’t end up doing that my coworker planned:

Since I wanted to do a ukulele song, I subbed in Five Unicorns Went Out to Play instead.
Counting Rhyme: 5 Little Unicorns
I saw 5 little unicorns – creatures from folklore
I watched the blue one prance away and then there were 4
I saw 4 little unicorns resting by a tree
I watched the orange one prance away, and then there were 3
I saw 3 little unicorns, but as near to them I drew
The green one pranced away, and then there were 2
I saw 2 little unicorns – I watched them run and run
The red one pranced away, and then there was 1
I saw a lonely purple unicorn standing in the sun
When I blinked my eyes, it pranced away, and then there were none
Source: Storytime Secrets

I was planning to do this one, but I ended up cutting it for time!
Action Song: If You’re A Unicorn & You Know It
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, then your magic will surely show it
If you’re a unicorn & you know it, shake your horn (shake, shake)

Additional Verses:
…stomp your hooves (stomp, stomp)
…toss your mane (toss, toss)
…twitch your tail (twitch, twitch)
…prance around (prance, prance)
Source: Adventures in Storytime

I think my coworker made these two up as I didn’t see them online.
Action Song: Unicorn Pokey
You put your front hoof in, you put your front hoof out.
You put your front hoof in, and you shake it all about.
You do the unicorn pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

Additional Verses:
Back hoof, Sparkly horn, Swishy tail, Whole self
Source: E Fox

Action Song: I’m A Little Unicorn
(tune of I’m A Little Teapot)
I’m a little unicorn, short and stout
Here is my horn, and here is my snout
I like to chase the rainbow to and fro
I spread kindness wherever I go!
Source: E Fox

Craft: Paper Plate Unicorn
Inspired by Glued to My Crafts, this was a very colorful unicorn! I think if I did it again, I’d have attached the yarn hair ahead of time, as no kids could do that part on their own, but all of the adults were helpers. Snouts, horns and ears were pre-cut as well. For eyes, we have white label paper that we’ve printed eyes on as a good alternative to googly eyes for little ones who may still be putting things in their mouths. My coworker cut her eyes out individually here, but since they’re on white paper and getting stuck to a white paper plate, they don’t need to be cut.

paper plate unicorn craft with a small paper plate decorated with a pink horn, ears, and snout, sticker eyes, and a multi colored yarn mane.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
Uni the Unicorn – Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Brigette Barrager
The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn – Shawn Harris
Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex – Eva Chen & Matthew Rivera
Not Quite Narwhal – Jessie Sima
Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows – Jessika Von Innerebner
Grumpycorn – Sarah McIntyre
Do You Believe in Unicorns? – Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Wee Unicorn – Meg McLaren
Unicorn Day – Diana Murray & Luke Flowers
You Don’t Want A Unicorn! – Ame Dyckman & Liz Climo
Layla, The Last Black Unicorn – Tiffany Haddish, Jerdine Nolen, & Jessica Gibson
Thelma the Unicorn – Aaron Blabey

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/13/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

book covers of gather round, red canoe shows up at two, and the sharing book.

Storytime: Camping

Posted on by msemilylibrary

Welcome back, friends! I’m back from leave and started up my first storytime last week. I’m down to part-time hours, so I’m offering a Wednesday morning Family Time (ages 0-3.5 and siblings) and a Wednesday afternoon Book Babies (0-12 months, or pre-walkers.) I’m collaborating with a coworker, who is offering a Monday and Tuesday storytime with the same theme as my Family Time. Since we are both part-time now, we’re switching off all the planning duties for our weekly themes, and I started with a camping theme.

Coming back after four months away does feel like riding a bike – I know how to do it, but getting back on I was a bit wobbly. I felt like I could have read the room better and skipped activities or brought the group back with more movement. This new set up will take some getting used to – having three storytimes per week used to mean that I could tweak and try different things as the days went by, but now I’m one and done, with no opportunity to try again.

New challenges, new opportunities, right? Camping is a theme I’ve done once before, way back in 2019 and at a different library for a different age group. So this time around I’ve revamped it quite a bit, and found some new songs and rhymes that I liked.

I’ve also got some ideas simmering, so stay tuned for some new Storytime with Ms. Emily Library content coming this fall!

You can find another version of this theme from 2019.

gather round book cover, with an illustration of a campfire with marshmallows being roasted around it and fireflies in the background
red canoe shows up at two book cover, with a photograph of a red canoe at the shore of a tree lined lake.
the sharing book cover with two children hugging in the foreground and a forest with campsites in the background

Early Literacy Tip: Singing with our children is one way to help them hear the smaller sounds in words, especially if there is a different note for each syllable. In “Walking, Walking” the word “walking” has two syllables and two different notes. Learning to hear the individual sounds of words is called phonological awareness, and developing this skill will help your child later with reading.

Welcome Song: Hello, Friends* †

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Warm Up Song: Wake Up, Feet*
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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Lifting Rhyme: Toast in the Toaster*

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Has anyone been camping before? It’s so fun! You get to spend time outdoors, observe nature, cook over a campfire, and sleep in a tent!

Fingerplay: Here Are the Campers
Here are the campers (hold up 2 fingers)
Here is the tent (bend fingers of other hand over like tent)
And when it was night that’s where they went (fingers go under other hand)
Fireflies flicker in a friendly way (fists open & shut)
And the campers sleep tight ‘Til the light of day (head on folded hands)
Source: adapted from Sturgis Kids Wiki

here are the campers thumbnail, with a graphic of a modern dome tent surrounded by fireflies. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Transition: If You’re Ready for a Story*

This is a beautiful book, and short, but it ended up being a little too abstract, or maybe too quiet for my group. I ended up just describing the pictures on the last few pages rather than reading the text.
Read: Gather Round by David Covell

gather round book cover, with an illustration of a campfire with marshmallows being roasted around it and fireflies in the background

Two fun books that were my backups. I like to give myself options and choose a book based on the moment. Looking back, I probably should have chosen Red Canoe for my audience. It’s pretty short and snappy. A few of the boats aren’t “camping” boats (like the tugboat at 1:00), but most of the rest are.
Backup titles: Red Canoe Shows Up at Two by Victoria Allenby OR The Sharing Book by Dianne White & Simone Shin

red canoe shows up at two book cover, with a photograph of a red canoe at the shore of a tree lined lake.
the sharing book cover with two children hugging in the foreground and a forest with campsites in the background

I wanted to highlight a lot of the things that I love best about camping, and hiking is one of them! I set the scene for each verse before we sang the song. I always want what we do to make sense, and telling the “story” of our hike gets everyone more excited.
Let’s go on a hike! Okay, we’ll start by walking down the trail, then – oh! there’s a log fallen over the path! We’ll have to jump over it. Then a long, straight stretch – we should race!
Action Song: Walking, Walking
(tune of Frère Jacques)
Walking, walking (Walking, walking)
Jump, jump, jump (Jump, jump, jump)
Running, running, running (Running, running, running)
Now we stop! (Now we stop)

[Okay, let’s keep hiking – until we get to a stream. We’ll need to hop across the rocks. And beyond that there’s a large ridge – can we climb to the top?]
Hiking, hiking (Hiking, hiking)
Hop, hop, hop (Hop, hop, hop)
Climbing, climbing, climbing (Climbing, climbing, climbing)
Now we stop! (Now we stop!)
[Oh, it’s so beautiful up here! Let’s look around – I see the stream, and the trail. Can we take a big breath of fresh air?]
Source: adapted from Jbrary

walking walking thumbnail, with a graphic of a pair of hiking boots. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

It’s going to be dark soon, let’s build our fire. There are so many sights and sounds when you go camping that you don’t see or hear at home.
Action Song: The Fire at the Camp
(tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The fire at the camp goes Crackle, crackle, POP (wiggle fingers, then clap)
Crackle, crackle, POP, Crackle, crackle, POP
The fire at the camp goes Crackle, crackle, POP
All night long!

Additional verses:
Fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink… (open and close hands)
Rain on my tent goes pitter, pitter, PAT… (pat lap)
The moon up above glows so bright… (circle arms above head)
The water in the river goes whoosh… (move hand up and down)
The leaves in the trees go rustle… (wave hands)
Source: The Crazy Outdoor Mama via Pinterest

the fire at the camp thumbnail, with a graphic of a fire transposed behind the lyrics of the first verse. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I didn’t end up doing this one but had it available in case I needed it.
Fingerplay: Two Little Fireflies
Two little fireflies Blinking in the sky
One blinked low And one blinked high
Fly away low, Fly away high
Come back low Come back high

Two little fireflies Blinking in the grass
One blinked slow And one blinked fast
Fly away slow, Fly away fast
Come back slow Come back fast
Source: Indiana Firefly Award 2020 Program Guide

two little fireflies thumbnail, with a graphic of two cartoon fireflies. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

When you’re camping, you may hear wildlife! Birds, squirrels, cicadas, owls. Maybe even something like a coyote! Don’t worry, these coyotes are just having fun howling at the moon.
I love using this song – it’s just a lot of fun to do all the howling and snoring!
Flannel/Counting Song: Five Coyotes
Five coyotes, sittin’ on a hill
Just sittin’ and a howlin’ at the moon: Aahh-ooo!
One coyote had his fill
So he went to sleep and snoozed *snore!* (count down)
Source: adapted by Rebecca Ballard from Nancy Stewart

five coyotes thumbnail, with a graphic of a coyote silhouette howling in front of a yellow moon. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

You might be able to go on a lake or river when you camp, so let’s row our boats.
Originally I’d planned to use scarves for this program, but we were going to use them for next week, so I changed to shakers. For several songs, including this one, we just shook our eggs in rhythm with the song.
Shaker Song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!

Rock, rock, rock your boat
Gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile
Don’t forget to SCREAM! (Aaah!)

Row, row, row your boat
Gently to the shore
If you see a lion there
Don’t forget to ROAR! (Grrrrr!)
Source: traditional

row your boat thumbnail, with a graphic of a rowboat and a cartoon alligator. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Did you know you can make popcorn over a campfire?
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!
Source: Jbrary

pop pop pop thumbnail, with a graphic of a small pile of unpopped popcorn kernels and two popped. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Popcorn is tasty, but my FAVORITE campfire treats are s’mores!
The shaker was really just a rhythm prop for this one. We started by patting our laps and clapping, then miming the stacking of the graham crackers and chocolate, and toasting over a fire.
Shaker Rhyme: Campfire, Campfire
(in the style of Pat a Cake)
Campfire, campfire, Toast me a s’more
Graham crackers, chocolate But we need more: Marshmallow!
Toast it and roast it and Get it just right
Put it on top for a Toasted delight!
Source: adapted from The Crazy Outdoor Mama via Pinterest

campfire campfire thumbnail, with a graphic of a s'more. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Okay, friends. It’s getting dark; it’s time to get into our tents, and find our sleeping bags, and say goodnight. Can you make twinkling stars with your shakers?
Ukulele and Shaker Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Source: traditional

Download a Ukulele Songsheet here!

Thumbnail for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ukulele songsheet

twinkle twinkle thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling blue star in front of a pink cloud. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Action Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!*

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: S’mores
A borrow from Miss Mariah’s Library – s’mores cross-sections using jumbo craft sticks, construction paper, and cotton balls, decorated with chalk or white crayon.

photo of s'mores craft. dk blue paper is the background, on which is a s'more made of two jumbo craft sticks as the graham crackers, a strip of brown construction paper as the chocolate, and four cotton balls as the marshmallow. stars are drawn in the background in white crayon.

Play Time
I put out a laundry basket of baby toys – rattles and cars, sorters and stackers, toy phones and spinners. For the older toddlers and siblings, we have foam blocks, soft food toys, puzzles, plastic farm animals, and lacing cards and I rotate among a few of these options each session. We play for 5-10 minutes at the most, then I ring the bell and ask the kids to help me clean up. The clean up bit is good practice for them – I often say “it’s hard to say goodbye to toys, so that’s why we practice every storytime!” I think that helps the grown ups who may be embarrassed that their kid is crying or refusing to put a toy away. So much of what we do in storytime is practicing skills, and I don’t expect the kids to “do it right’ every time, or even most times.

Goodbye Song: See You Later Alligator*

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
The Hike – Alison Farrell
The Camping Trip – Jennifer K. Mann
Make More S’mores – Cathy Ballou Mealey & Ariel Landy
Fatima’s Great Outdoors – Ambreen Tariq & Stevie Lewis
Maisy Goes Camping – Lucy Cousins
Hiking Day – Anne Rockwell & Lizzy Rockwell
A Bed of Stars – Jessica Love
Camp Rex – Molly Idle
Hungry Bird – Jeremy Tankard
Daddy & Me, Side by Side – Pierce Freelon & Nadia Fisher
Bear Hug – Lawrence Pringle & Kate Salley Palmer
Tiny T. Rex and the Very Dark Dark – Jonathan Stutzman & Jay Fleck

This storytime was presented in-person on 8/6/25.

Storytime Handout:

handout with book suggestions, rhyme and song lyrics.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

if you're hoppy and bounce book covers

Storytime: Hop & Jump

Posted on by msemilylibrary

A big movement storytime generally works pretty well, as long as there are some breaks in between. And as spring advances, my thoughts turn to some of the notable animals we haven’t seen all winter – rabbits and frogs – so this week was all about jumping and hopping. We talked a bit about the difference between a jump and a hop (a hop could be a little jump, or it could be a jump on one foot for an advanced move) and practiced both a LOT.

I’ll be taking a little break from blogging in the next couple of months. I’m so happy to say that I’ll be on maternity leave, getting to know our new little one. I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to catching up again in July or August!

If you're hoppy book cover with a rabbit, frog and cricket mid leap
Bounce book cover showing a dog on a big bouncing ball toy

Early Literacy Tip: Learning to “stop” is an important skill for children, both for safety as well as for impulse control. Practicing “stopping” in a fun way, like with freeze songs, helps work on this skill in a positive environment. You can also add the American Sign Language sign for “stop” to further reinforce this concept: one hand “chops” against the other as if blocking the way.

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

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Today I am very excited – I’m just feeling very bouncy, and hoppy, and jumpy! We’re going to do a lot of moving today, so get your bouncy feet ready.

Let’s practice our jumping and listening.
Action Rhyme: We Can Jump (TT) (TB) (FT)
We can jump, jump, jump, We can hop, hop, hop
We can clap, clap, clap, We can stop, stop, stop
We can nod our heads for yes
We can shake our heads for no
We can bend our knees a little bit
And sit down really slow
Source: Jen in the Library

we can jump thumbnail, with a graphic of a jumping green frog. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

A story you can sing! This one got a lot of chuckles from the adults in particular (especially the “slimy and scaly … nevermind” line.) It worked so well I used it for all of my sessions.
Read: If You’re Hoppy by April Pulley Sayre & Jackie Urbanovic (TT) (TB) (FT)

If you're hoppy book cover with a rabbit, frog and cricket mid leap

This was a backup title for me but I didn’t end up using it.
Read: Bounce by Doreen Cronin & Scott Menchin

Bounce book cover showing a dog on a big bouncing ball toy

My group stayed seated during the book, so this gave them a chance to act it out afterward. After the end of this song, I assured the grownups that this was the last time we’d be using this tune this storytime (pretty much 3 times in a row!)
Are YOU hoppy?
Action Song: If You’re Hoppy (TT) (TB) (FT)
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump
If you’re hoppy and you know it
and you really want to show it
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump

additional verses:
If you’re jumpy… hop high
If you’re bouncy… baby hop
Source: adapted from Jen in the Library

if you're hoppy thumbnail, with a graphic of multiple jumping animals: a rabbit, frog, dolphin, kangaroo, and sheep. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

There’s an animal that is really good at jumping – like this!
I did this one once with the puppet and a second time demonstrating the hand movements.
Fingerplay/Puppet: Mr. Bullfrog (TT) (TB) (FT)
Here is Mr. Bullfrog (make fist)
Sitting on a rock (place fist on other palm)
He jumps into the water… (lift fist)
KERPLOP! (clap hands together)
Source: Storytime with Miss Tara and Friends

mr bullfrog thumbnail, with a graphic of a fat green bullfrog sitting on a gray rock. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Counting Song: Five Green & Speckled Frogs (TT) (TB) (FT)
Five green and speckled frogs Sat on a hollow 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)
Source: traditional

five green and speckled frogs thumbnail, with a graphic of a five different frogs (all with spots) sitting on a brown log. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

There’s another jumpy animal who lives far away in Australia
Fingerplay: Kangaroo (TT)
Jump, jump, jump (jump pointer finger)
Goes the kangaroo
I thought I saw one (hold up one finger)
But now I see two! (hold up two fingers)
Mommy and her baby
With his head popping out (wiggle thumb from fist)
He holds on tight (hug self)
As they jump all about! (bounce hand around)
Source: Storytime Katie

kangaroo thumbnail, with a graphic of a mother kangaroo with a joey in her pouch. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Time to get our shakers out! Okay, let’s see if we can FREEZE when you hear the word STOP
I learned this one from Jbrary, but going back to listen to them I realized that I morphed the tune and made it my own. You can hear how I do it here!
Action/Shaker Song: We Bounce and STOP (TT) (TB) (FT)
(ASL sign for “stop” – one hand “chops” across the opposite hand)
We bounce and we bounce and we STOP
We bounce and we bounce and we STOP
We bounce and we bounce and we bounce and we bounce
And we bounce and we bounce and we STOP
(we hop… we shake… we hug…)
Source: Jbrary

we bounce and stop thumbnail, with lyrics only. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

There’s a traditional rhyme about jumping over a candlestick. Can we pretend that our shaker is a candlestick? Lay it on the ground, and we’ll try to jump over. Grown-ups, please help if needed.
Only the oldest of my kiddos were able to let go of their shakers to put them on the ground, but oh, well. This is another place where a good early literacy tip fits – that traditional nursery rhymes often use rich language that isn’t usually included in everyday conversation, and we talked briefly about what the word “nimble” means.
Nursery Rhyme: Jack Be Nimble (TT) (TB) (FT)
(at home, try using a cardboard tube or similar to jump over!)
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jump over the candlestick!
Source: traditional

jack be nimble thumbnail, with a graphic of an old fashioned candlestick holding a white lit taper candle. An arrow is arced over the candle. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I know you’re good at jumping – but let’s practice our counting
Recorded Song: Jumping and Counting (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Jim Gill (from the album Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense)

One last chance to jump around!
Recorded Song: Shake My Sillies Out (TT) (TB) (FT)
Source: Raffi (from the album Raffi in Concert with the Rise and Shine Band)

I also have this one as a ukulele songsheet. Download it here!

shake my sillies out ukulele songsheet thumbnail

shake my sillies out thumbnail, with a graphic of two children dancing. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

A couple other recorded songs about jumping that might work for you. I added them to my take home handout but didn’t play them in storytime.
Recorded Song: Leap Frog
Source: Jazzy Ash (from the album Bon Voyage)

Recorded Song: All the Ways of Jumping Up and Down
Source: Hap Palmer (from the album Walter the Waltzing Worm)

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

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: Speckled Frogs (TB) (FT)
After last week’s very, very messy craft, I went easy this week. My library has a few frog die cuts, so I cut out enough so everyone could have five, as well as a brown construction paper rectangle log. All could be arranged and decorated with crayons however they liked on a background sheet of sky (or water) blue. I pointed out that two of my frogs had already jumped into the pool and were feeling nice and cool!

Speckled frog craft, showing a sky blue background sheet of construction paper with a brown paper log and five die cut frogs - two lime green and taller, three grass green and squatter.

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)

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
A Hippy-Hoppy Toad – Peggy Archer & Anne Wilsdorf
Jabari Jumps – Gaia Cornwall
Froggy Day – Heather Pindar & Barbara Bakos
Hop Jump – Ellen Stoll Walsh
Hop – Jorey Hurley
Jump! – Scott M. Fischer
The Ball Bounced – Nancy Tafuri
Jumpy Jack & Googily – Meg Rosoff & Sophie Blackall
Peep Leap – Elizabeth Verdick & John Bendall-Brunello
The Croaky Pokey – Ethan Long

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/31, 4/1, & 4/2/25.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF

ploof and little cloud book covers

Storytime: Clouds

Posted on by msemilylibrary

I’m dreaming of warm sunny days with soft puffy clouds drifting, although this spring has brought much more dark rainclouds and overcast skies. Clouds are like that, though! Clouds are a theme you can take in a few directions, obviously weather, but also shapes, or even imagination! There are a few newer titles on clouds, as well as classics like It Looked Like Spilt Milk, so I was able to find plenty of books for display and take-home.

Our craft this session, making cloud dough, was quite messy, but every so often I do like to tackle a messy craft. After all, I am on the clock so I’m getting paid to clean up!

book cover for ploof, showing a white cloud with big eyes and a small smile on a light blue sky
book cover for little cloud, showing a white scribbled cloud with abstract eyes, nose, and smile.

Early Literacy Tip: Playing with playdough, kneading bread dough, or squishing a soft ball are not only fun activities with a unique sensory component, they also help strengthen the hand muscles. These muscles will be important when your child is learning to write later on!

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

Hello Friends rhyme sheet. Includes a smiling rainbow and two yellow ducks at the bottom. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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. I rotate between elbows, cheeks, hips, noses, arms, chins, thighs, heads, shoulders, ears, knees, and fingers.

Wake Up Feet thumbnail, with a graphic of three pairs of baby-sized shoes. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

Toast in the Toaster thumbnail, with a graphic of a toaster with a piece of bread hovering above it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Intro: Last week we talked about springtime, and how much the weather changes in the spring. Today we’re talking about clouds, which play very important role in our weather. They can also be beautiful to look at, and come in all different shapes and sizes!

Can we pretend to be clouds? What does your cloud look like?
Song: I’m a Little Cloud (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little cloud up in the sky
You can find me way up high
Sometimes I’m puffy,
Sometimes stretched out
I just love to float about
Source: Jen in the Library

I'm a little cloud thumbnail, with a graphic of a white cloud with a smiling face and pink cheeks. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

A fantastic interactive read that touches not only on clouds, but also feelings and shapes. I see there’s a new one in the series, too, Paint with Ploof, which would be awesome if you’re doing the CSLP theme Color Our World this summer. So good I did it for all four of my sessions!
Read: Ploof by Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser (TT) (TB) (FT)

book cover for ploof, showing a white cloud with big eyes and a small smile on a light blue sky

This was a backup title for me but I didn’t end up using it.
Read: Little Cloud by Eric Carle

book cover for little cloud, showing a white scribbled cloud with abstract eyes, nose, and smile.

If you were a cloud way up high in the sky, what might you see?
I was inspired by Abby the Librarian, but used either felt pieces that I already had or ones that we have a die cut for to make creating the felt easy and quick. I wanted to end with the sun, as a transition to the next rhyme.
Flannel Chant: Fluffy Cloud, What Do You See? (TT) (TB) (FT)
Fluffy cloud, fluffy cloud,
What do you see?
I see an orange butterfly looking at me!

What else might a cloud see? Try making up your own!
…green kite …white airplane …red rocket …yellow sun
Source: adapted from Abby the Librarian

flannel of fluffy cloud what do you see, with three white clouds, an orange and black butterfly, a green kite, white airplane, red rocket ship, and yellow sun.

Fluffy cloud what do you see thumbnail, with a graphic of a light blue cloud with a smiling face next to a monarch orange butterfly. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I imagine that the sun and the clouds are good friends.
Action Rhyme: Big Round Sun (TT) (TB) (FT)
Big round sun in the summer sky (circle arms overhead)
Waved to a cloud that was passing by (wave)
The little cloud laughed as it started to rain (wiggle fingers down)
Then out came the big round sun again (circle overhead)
Source: Mel’s Desk

big round sun thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling yellow and orange sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

I ended up not using this one, but I reimagined my “Find the Moon” hide and seek game for the sun. There were just too many fun things to fit them all in!
Here come some clouds, it’s getting overcast! The sun is playing peekaboo
Flannel Rhyme Game: Find the Sun
Yellow sun, yellow sun,
Come out to play!
Which cloud are you hiding behind today?
Source: original

find the sun flannel, showing four big cloud shapes - blue, purple, mint green, and peach colored, with a yellow sun peeking from behind the blue one.

find the sun thumbnail, with a graphic of four clouds - teal, purple, pink, and mint green, and a sun with a face peeking from the blue one. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

And again, just not enough time for everything. I have done this one in the past and it’s fun to do, with the whooshing at the end! I would have used the large colored clouds shown in the “Find the Sun” rhyme above.
Counting/Flannel Fingerplay: Five Little Clouds
Five little clouds up in the sky (five fingers up)
Drifting, floating, way up high (drift hand)
When a big gust of wind came blowing through – Whoosh! (blow on hand)
One disappeared from the sky so blue (lower a finger, count down)
Source: Jen in the Library

five little clouds thumbnail, with a graphic of five different white cloud shapes outlined in black. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Let’s get our scarves out. The weather is turning windy!
I do this two or three times, hiding my scarf in different places. They especially like it when I put it under my shirt or up a sleeve!
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

one bright scarf thumbnail, with a graphic of a yellow scarf. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

We did this rhyme last week with our parachute. Let’s try it with our scarves this week!
Scarf Song: Rain Is Falling Down (TT) (TB) (FT)
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!
Pitter patter pitter patter,
Rain is falling down, SPLASH!

Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Peeking here, peeking there,
Sun is peeking out, PEEK!
Source: Jbrary

rain is falling down thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling cartoon raincloud with a sun peeking from behind it. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Oh, no! The weather is turning stormy! Can you make your scarf big?
Scarf Song: Big Dark Clouds (TT) (TB) (FT)
(tune of A Ram Sam Sam)
Some big dark clouds, Some big dark clouds (hold hands apart)
Raindrops falling from (wiggle fingers down)
Some big dark clouds (x2)

A thunderclap – BOOM! (clap) A thunderclap – BOOM! (clap)
Raindrops falling from some big dark clouds (x2)
Source: Storytime in the Stacks

big dark clouds thumbnail, with a graphic of a dark gray stormcloud with a lightning bolt and raindrops. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

The rain is going away, and now it’s time for the sun to come out again. Can your scarves be little puffy clouds floating in a beautiful sunshiny sky?
Scarf Song: Mr. Sun (TT) (TB) (FT)
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
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

Mr. Sun thumbnail, with a graphic of a smiling sun. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

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

zoom zoom zoom thumbnail, with a graphic of a rocket ship. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Craft: Cloud Dough (TB) (FT)
Some days we go big on the craft. Cloud dough is fun but very messy! I did my best to control it, but it was inevitable. I meant to take pictures of the setup and the aftermath, but didn’t even get any pictures of my finished product! The recipe came from Southern Plate, and it’s basically 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part hair conditioner. I bought six 12 oz boxes of cornstarch and three large (28 oz) bottles of Suave conditioner and that lasted me through 50+ portions. I pre-measured 1/4 cup of cornstarch in big bowls we had in storage (they’re Halloween candy bowls!) so they had lots of space to mix. Then I pre-measured 2 Tbsp conditioner into small disposable bowls and gave everyone a plastic spoon. I did mention to grownups that if they were doing this at home, I would encourage them doing the measuring with their kid as it’s a great way to get some math and spatial skill practice in, but with the big group I didn’t want big scoops of cornstarch or conditioner going everywhere. Everyone got a small snack sized plastic bag to take their cloud dough home. Clean up was a lot, but, hey – I’m getting paid to clean up the mess!

photo of a hand gripping cloud dough, a white fluffy play-dough-like material.
Photo from Southern Plate blog

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)

See you later thumbnail, with a graphic of a green alligator, brown crocodile, ladybug, and jellyfish. click the image to download a non-branded PDF

Other books I had available for families to browse (and may work for you on this theme)
It Looked Like Spilt Milk – Charles G. Shaw
Partly Cloudy – Deborah Freedman
Cloudette – Tom Lichtenheld
Cloudy – Alice K Flanagan
When Cloud Became a Cloud – Rob Hodgson
Clouds – Marion Dane Bauer & John Wallace
Weather Together – Jessie Sima
The Little Cloud – Pam Fong
Cloudland – John Burningham
Moongame – Frank Asch
The Little Cloud – Pam Fong
Paint with Ploof – Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser

This storytime was presented in-person on 3/24, 3/25, 3/26, & 3/27/25.

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

† Click the image of rhyme/song sheets to download a non-branded PDF