Fall Story Time – Baby

Opening song

Sign language: Leaf

Book: Who Loves the Fall? by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Judy Stead

Who Loves the Fall? book cover

Song: (Tune: “Twinkle twinkle”)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Once you were a seed so small, (hold baby’s hands together)
Now you are a great big ball! (make a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)

Rhyme: Balloon goes up (lift)
Balloon goes down (lap)
Balloon goes up to reach the clouds (lift high)
Storm rolls by (wiggle side to side)
Babe rocks down (sway to lap)
Made it home, safe and sound (hug and kiss)
(Credit: Leah Portz)

Rhyme: Trot, trot, trot to Boston (gently bounce baby on your knees)
Trot, trot, trot to Lynn.
Look out baby
You’re going to fall in. (lower knees)

Book/Puppets: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

The Busy Little Squirrel book coverBusy Little Squirrel puppet show

Song (with scarves): (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees…All over town.
Autumn leaves are falling down…All over town.
Autumn leaves are whirling round…
Everybody rake them up…

Song: Did you ever see a baby, a baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean side to side)
Go this way and that way and this way and that way (lean front to back, side to side)
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean front to back)

Rhyme: Away up high in the apple tree (lift baby)
I saw a little baby smiling at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could (shake gently)
Down came the baby (bring down)
Mmm, was she good! (Kiss)

Book (choral): Baby Loves Fall! by Karen Katz

Baby Loves Fall book cover

Song (with shaky eggs): “Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree” – The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow

Closing rhyme

Orange Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Leaves by David Ezra Stein

Leaves book cover

Puppet/Song: So many leaves are falling on the ground (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
So many leaves are falling on the ground,
Orange ones, yellow ones, and even brown,
But the one little leaf that rhymes with ____________.
Is my favorite color, it’s the color ___________.

tree puppet image

Song: “Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down” – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Book: The Dancing Tiger by Malachy Doyle, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

The Dancing Tiger book cover

Song: “Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree” – The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow

Book/Puppets: Orange by Martha E. H. Rustad

Orange book cover

Activity: Color-sort leaves

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Painting with oranges

orange paint preschool story time craft

House Story Time – Toddler

Opening song

Sign language: house

Book: A House is a House for Me (abridged) by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Betty Fraser

house is a house for me

Rhyme/flannel: Some houses

house

Some houses are wood and some are stone.
But let’s build one with shapes alone.
Start with a square but we won’t stop.
Add a triangle up on the top.
Then a rectangle for the door.
Now square windows 1, 2, 3, 4!
A little circle just for fun.
Now our shape house is all done!

(Credit: Finger Tales by Joan Phelps)

Song: In and Out the Doors (Credit: Susan M. Dailey) (tune: “Go In and Out the Window”)

Step in and out the front door. (take a step forward, then back)
Step in and out the front door. Step in and out the front door.
Then make a doorbell sound. (say “ding dong”)

Jump in and out the back door. (jump forward, then back)
Jump in and out the back door. Jump in and out the back door.
Bend down and touch the ground. (touch ground with hand)

Slide in and out the side door. (slide to one side, then other)
Slide in and out the side door. Slide in and out the side door.
And then turn all around. (turn around)

Step in and out the front door.
Jump in and out the back door.
Slide in and out the side door.
Then sit yourself right down. (sit down)

Book: Roy’s House by Susan Goldman Rubin, art by Roy Lichtenstein

roys-house

Rhyme: Fingerplay: “Houses”
Here is a nest for robin (cup both hands)
Here is a hive for bee (fists together)
Here is a hole for bunny (make a circle)
And here is a house for ME! (make a roof)
(Credit: Perry Public Library)

Book: Do Lions Live on Lily Pads? by Melanie Walsh

do lions live on lily pads

Song: “Put your Finger in the Air” – Bob McGrath: Bob’s Favorite Sing Along Songs

Song: “Icky-Sticky Bubble Gum” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties

Closing rhyme

Craft: Peek-a-boo houses

peekaboo-house2

Fall Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon

penguin-and-pumpkin cover image

Rhyme: Pumpkin, pumpkin,Pumpkin bread! (Hold hands flat in front, palms up)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin head! (Put hands on head)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin pie! (Hold hands in a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin eye! (Curve hands around eyes)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin cake! (Hold Hands flat, one palm up, one down, few inches above the other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin shake!
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin stew! (Pretend to stir stew)
Pumpkin, pumpkin, Pumpkin BOO!

Book: Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson and Jennifer Rofe

piggies-in-the-pumpkin patch cover image

Puppet Song: So many leaves are falling on the ground (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)

So many leaves are falling on the ground,
Orange ones, yellow ones, and even brown,
But the one little leaf that rhymes with ____________.
Is my favorite color, it’s the color ___________.

tree puppet image

Song:  “Pumpkin, Pumpkin”
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a circle)
Once you were a seed so small (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball! (make a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a circle)

Book: Autumn Orange by Christianne C. Jones

autumn-orange

Song: “Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree”- The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow

Book: Fall is Not East by Marty Kelley

Fall is not easy cover image

Song: “Head and Shoulders” – Dance and Sing! The Best of Nick Jr.

Closing Rhyme

Craft:

pumpkin-face

 

 

Circus Story Time – Baby

Opening song

Sign language: Clown, Lion, Elephant

Book: Circus Parade by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Tanya Roitman

Circus Parade book cover

Rhyme: Away up high in the apple tree (lift baby)
I saw a little baby smiling at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could (shake gently)
Down came the baby (bring down)
Mmm, was she good! (Kiss)

Rhyme: Trot, trot, trot to Boston (gently bounce baby on your knees)
Trot, trot, trot to Lynn.
Look out baby
You’re going to fall in. (lower knees)

Book: Circus by Lois Ehlert (abridged)

Circus book cover

Song: “Popcorn” – Laura Doherty: Shining Like a Star

Song: “Elephant Rhyme” – Sharon, Lois & Bram: One Elephant Went Out to Play

Fingerplay: Five little lions

Song: Did you ever see a baby, a baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean side to side)
Go this way and that way and this way and that way (lean front to back, side to side)
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean front to back)

Rhyme: Balloon goes up (lift)
Balloon goes down (lap)
Balloon goes up to reach the clouds (lift high)
Storm rolls by (wiggle side to side)
Babe rocks down (sway to lap)
Made it home, safe and sound (hug and kiss)
(Credit: Leah Portz)

Big Book: The Circus is in Town by Claude Belanger, illustrated by Philip Webb

The Circus is in Town book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “Colonel Hathi’s March” – Disney Studio Chorus: Disney’s Greatest Hits Disc 3

Closing rhyme

Party Story Time – Toddler

Opening song

Sign language: party

Book: Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Brian Biggs

Brownie and Pearl Step Out

Rhyme: Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Shake some flour in (make a shaking motion with one arm/hand)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Place it in a tin (pretend to pour)

Sprinkle in some chocolate chips (pretend to sprinkle)
Put it in to bake (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Then open wide the oven door (pretend to open door)
And out comes the cake! (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime)

Song: “Put your Finger in the Air” – Bob McGrath: Bob’s Favorite Sing Along Songs

Song: “Roll your hands” – Carol Totsky Hammett: Toddlers on Parade

Draw and Tell Story: Birthday Cake
(Credit: Linda Meuse, Notes from the Story Room)

Rhyme: Make a Wish
Big birthday cake  (make huge circle with arms)
Ice cream in a dish  (cup hands)
Here are the candles  (wiggle fingers on one hand)
Now make a wish!  (blow and make fingers into a fist)
(Credit: Upper Arlington Public Library)

Song: “Five Days Old” – Laurie Berkner: Rocketship Run

Book: Where is Baby’s Birthday Cake? by Karen Katz

where is babys birthday cake

Song: “Icky-Sticky Bubble Gum” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties

Closing rhyme

Craft: cupcakes

cupcake

Farm Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Sign Language: Cow

Book: Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig, illustrated by Marc Brown

farmyard-beat cover image

Song with puppets: “Old McDonald”

Book: Simm Taback’s Farm Animals by Simms Taback

farm-animals cover image

Flannel Rhyme: “This Little Chick”

This little chick is black.
She stands in the barnyard on a big haystack.

This little chick is brown.
She is feeling sad and wearing a frown.

This little chick is yellow.
She’s friends with the rooster; he’s a handsome fellow.

This little chick is white.
She dances and plays, oh what a sight.

This little chick is purple.
She spends her day running around in a circle.

This little chick is green.
She is the prettiest chick I’ve ever seen.

This little chick is blue.
She lays eggs for me and you.

This little chick is pink.
She goes down to the pond to get a drink.

All of these chicks live at the farm,
Out in the big red barn.

this little chick

Song: “Silly Dance Contest” – Jim Gill: JIm Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

Book: Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming

barnyard-banter cover image

Song (shaky eggs): “Shaky Shaky” – The Wiggles: Yummy Yummy

Closing Rhyme

Craft:

cow