Boat Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Boats on the Bay by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Grady McFerrin

Song: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Book: Splish-Splash by Nicola Smee

Song/Video: “Dance for the Sun” – Kira Willey: Dance for the Sun

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “row your boat”

Social Story: Sometimes You Get What You Want by Meredith Gary, illustrated by Lisa Brown

Closing Song

Craft: Pool noodle boats

Boat Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Boats by Byron Barton

Nursery Rhyme (with poster): “Rub a dub dub”

Song: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Book: Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
Little Boat book cover

Flannel: “Five Little Boats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
Five little boats went out one day (Hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away (Move hand up and down)
With the wind, they begin to rock (Lean side to side)
One little boat returns to the dock.

Repeat until there are no sailboats left.
(Credit: Adapted from Storytime Katie and Adventures of a Bookworm)

Rhyme: “Motorboat, Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas! (Use foot and pretend to step on gas)
VROOOOOM!
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

Song: “My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean” (sway kids back and forth)

Book: Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban

Song: “My Big Green Boat” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
Big green boat, big green boat.
I love to row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big green boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave gently)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big green boat has two white sails
Out on the deep blue sea.

So come for a row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
My big green boat, my big green boat.
So come for a row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

Song: “All the Fish” – Sue Schnitzer: Wiggle and Whirl, Clap and Nap

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

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Baby

Opening Song: “My Bubble Floats Over the Ocean”
My bubble floats over the ocean,
My bubble floats over the sea,
My bubble floats over the ocean,
Oh, bubbles make me so happy!
(Credit: CSLP 2022)

Sign Language: Boat, water, ocean

Book: Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera
row row row your boat cover image

Song: “Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so sloooow (roll hands slowly)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast (roll hands quickly)
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas (lift baby up)
(Credit: Adventures of a Bookworm)

Song: “Have You Ever Seen a Sailboat?” (Tune: “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?”)
Have you ever seen a sailboat, a sailboat, a sailboat (hand on forehead, looking)
Have you ever seen a sailboat that’s waving its sail? (wave arms high)
Wave this way and that way and that way and this way (wave arms side to side)
Have you ever seen a sailboat that’s waving its sail?

Flannel Rhyme: “Five Sailboats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
5 sailboats went out one day (hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away (move hand up and down)
With the wind they begin to rock (lean side to side)
And 1 little sailboat returns to dock.

Repeat until there are no little sailboats left.
(Credit: Adventures of a Bookworm)

Book: Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
Little Boat book cover

Lap Song: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

Repeat with: bounce, sway, tickle

Action Song: “Splashin’ Up and Down”
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat (bounce up and down)
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat
Won’t you be my darling?

Additional verses:
Lookin’ out to sea (shade eyes)
Wavin’ to a whale (wave)
Don’t stand up or you might tip over (lean to right or left)
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Lap Song: “We’re Sailing on the Sea” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
We’re sailing on the sea (rock side to side)
We’re sailing on the sea
I hope we see some fish out there (make visor with hand)
We’re sailing on the sea.

Additional verses: dolphins, whales, seals
(Credit: Adapted from Mel’s Desk)

Book: Blue Boat by Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Valeria Petrone

Shaker Eggs: “Big Red Boat” – The Wiggles: Splish, Splash, Big Red Boat!

Shaker Eggs: “Shake it High”
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Round and round is how we go.
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Can you reach and touch your toes?
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Touch your shaker to your nose.
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Round and round is how we go.
(Credit: Harford County Public Library)

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Loren Long
Toy Boat book cover

Song: “My Big Blue Boat” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big blue boat, (Pretend to row)
Big blue boat, big blue boat.
I love to row in my big blue boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big blue boat has two white sails
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat goes up and down, (Bend knees)
Up and down, up and down.
My big blue boat goes up and down
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat goes side to side, (Sway from right to left)
Side to side, side to side.
My big blue boat goes side to side
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat rocks back and forth, (Rock forward and back)
Back and forth, back and forth.
My big blue boat rocks back and forth
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat turns round and round, (Turn in a circle)
Round and round, round and round.
My big blue boat turns round and round
Out on the deep blue sea.

So, come for a row in my big blue boat, (Pretend to row)
My big blue boat, my big blue boat.
So come for a row in my big blue boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

Book with Movement: Boats on the Bay by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Grady McFerrin

Rhyme: “Motorboat, Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, push on the gas!
VROOOOOM!
(Repeat rhyme)

Flannel: “5 Sailboats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
5 sailboats went out one day (Hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away. (Move hand up and down)
With the wind they did begin to rock, (Lean side to side)
And 1 sailboat returned to dock.

(Repeat until there are no sailboats left.)

Song: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Book with Puppets: Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen

Closing Rhyme

Transportation Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman

Song: “Have You Ever Seen a Sailboat?” (Tune: “The More We Get Together”)
Have you ever seen a sailboat, a sailboat, a sailboat,
Have you ever seen a sailboat
Waving its sail?
Wave this way and that way
And that way and this way
Have you ever seen a sailboat waving its sail?

Additional verses:
Dump truck – driving down the road
Rocket ship – flying through space
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: I Like Trains by Daisy Hirst

Flannel: “Where is Pick-up Truck?” (Tune: “Where is Thumbkin?”)
Where is pick-up truck? Where is pick-up truck?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you.
Drive away. Drive away.

Additional verses:
Fire truck, garbage truck, tow truck

Song: “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”
Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip
climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
Blast off!
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: The Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort,
illustrated by G. Brian Karas

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

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Loren Long

Toy Boat book cover

Song: “Row, Row, Row your Boat” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Book: One-Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt

One-Dog Canoe book cover

Rhyme: Motorboat, Motorboat
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, push on the gas!
VROOOOOM!
(Repeat rhyme)
(Source: Adapted from Upstart Promotions)

Song: “My Big Green Boat” (tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
Big green boat, big green boat.
I love to row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big green boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave gently)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big green boat has two white sails,
Out on the deep blue sea.

So come for a row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
My big green boat, my big green boat.
So come for a row in my big green boat,
Out on the deep blue sea.
(Source: Upstart Promotions)

Book: Busy Boats by Susan Steggall

Busy Boats book cover

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Folded paper boat

boat story time craft