Month: May 2022

Berries Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Blackberry Banquet by Terry Pierce, illustrated by Lisa Downey or Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Song: “Pop Goes the Berry” (Tune: “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
All around the strawberry fields,
We picked some juicy berries
We brought them home and washed them off,
Pop! Go the berries! (have kids jump up on “pop”)

Additional verses: blueberry, blackberry, huckleberry, raspberry
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins

Flannel: “Five Red Strawberries”
Five red strawberries, sweet to the core.
Bear came and ate one and then there were four.

Four red strawberries, growing near a tree.
Bear came and ate one and then there were three.

Three red strawberries, for you and you and you.
Bear came and ate one and then there were two.

Two red strawberries, sitting in the sun.
Bear came and ate one and then there was one.

One red strawberry, left all alone.
Bear came and ate it and then there were none.
(Credit: Storytime Katie)

Book: More Blueberries! by Susan Musgrave, illustrated by Esperança Melo or Share, Big Bear, Share! by Maureen Wright, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

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

Closing Rhyme

Poetry Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer

Rhyme: “Hickory Dickory Dock”
Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock. (run fingers up arm)
The clock struck one, (clap once)
The mouse ran down, (run fingers down arm)
Hickory dickory dock.

Additional verses (clap for each number the clock strikes):
…two…said “Boo!”…
…three…said “Whee!”…
…four…said “No more!”…
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Put Your Hands Up High” (tune: “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”)
Put your hands up high,
Put your hands down low,
Put your hands in the middle
And wiggle just so. (wiggle fingers)

Put your elbows in the front,
Put your elbows in the back,
Put your elbows to the side
And “quack, quack, quack.” (flap wings on each quack)
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Open Shut Them” – Laurie Berkner: Laurie Berkner’s Favorite Classic Kids’ Songs

Book: Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry by Vern Kousky

Song: “The Ants Go Marching”
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb.
And they all go marching down,
To the ground, to get out, of the rain.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Additional verses:
…two…tie her shoe…
…three…climb a tree…
…four…shut the door…
…five…take a dive…
…six…pick up sticks…
…seven…count to eleven…
…eight…check the gate…
…nine…check the time…
…ten…say “The End!”
(Credit: adapted from King County Library System)

Closing Rhyme

Words that Rhyme Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Song: “Hello Friends”
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
It’s time to say hello.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Roly Poly” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down

Roly poly, roly poly
out, out, out
out, out, out
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
in, in, in
in, in, in

Roly poly, roly poly
fast, fast, fast
fast, fast, fast
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
slow, slow, slow
slow, slow, slow
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Song: “Open Shut Them”
Open shut them, open shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open shut them, open shut them.
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, crawl them
Creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open wide your little mouth. . . Ahhhhhhh!
But do not let them in.
(Credit: Laurie Berkner)

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.

Book/Flannel: Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett
Orange Pear Apple Bear book cover

Puppet Rhyme: “There Was a Little Turtle”
There was a little turtle
who lived in a box
he swam in the puddles
he climbed on the rocks
He snapped at a mosquito
He snapped at a flea
He snapped at a minnow
He snapped at me
He caught the mosquito
He caught that flea
He caught that minnow
But he didn’t catch me!
(Credit: Jbrary)

Rhyme: “I’m Toast in the Toaster”
I’m toast in the toaster
And I’m getting very hot!
Tick, tock,
Tick, tock,
Up I pop!

Book: Splish, Splash, Ducky! by Lucy Cousins

Song: “The Wheels on the Bus”

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

Closing Rhyme

Clifford Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re ready for a story wag your tail,
If you’re ready for a story wag your tail,
If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story,
If you’re ready for a story wag your tail.

Repeat with:
Dig a hole
Give a woof

Book: Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell

Stuffed animal box: Pull stuffed animal versions of Clifford’s friends out of a box. Tied to each collar is an action to do with each friend:
Wag your tail
Run around
Bark
Jump

Book: Clifford’s Puppy Days by Norman Bridwell

Game: “Clifford Says” (Simon Says, but change the name to Clifford)

Flannel: “Where Is Clifford’s Bone?”
Clifford, Clifford, where is your bone?
Did someone put it in your [color] home?
Behind the [color] home was a shoe. Can Clifford eat that? No!

(Hide different objects beneath different colored houses, including a bone for Clifford.)

Book: Where Is the Big Red Doggie? by Norman Bridwell

Closing Rhyme

Worm Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Wonderful Worms by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Loretta Krupinski

Song: “Little Wiggle Worm Song” (Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little wiggle worm, watch me go!
I can wiggle fast, or very very slow
I wiggle all around, then back I go
Down into the ground, to the home I know
(Credit: Handley Regional Library System)

Flannel: Images and facts from Deep Down Underground by Olivier Dunrea.

Song: “The Gardener Plants the Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The worms mix up the soil,
The worms mix up the soil,
Hi-ho, the derry-oh,
The worms mix up the soil. (pretend to dig)

The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds. (pretend to plant seeds)

Additional verses:
The rain falls on the ground… (flutter fingers down to ground)
The sun shines bright and warm… (hold hands in circle overhead)
The seeds/plants begin to grow… (slowly raise hands from ground)
Flowers grow everywhere… (hold hands outstretched)
Fresh vegetables to eat… (pretend to eat)

Book: How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival

Song: “The Wiggly Wiggly Earthworm” (Tune: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”)
The wiggly wiggly earthworm dug through the dirt.
Down came the rain, and wet all the earth.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain,
And the wiggly wiggly earthworm dug through the dirt again.

Song/Puppets: “Out in the Garden” (Tune: “Down by the Station”)
Out in the garden, early in the morning,
See the red tomatoes all in a row.
See the hungry _______ coming out to eat them.
Crunch, munch, crunch, munch, off s/he goes.

(Have puppets eat different color vegetables and fruits.)

Book/Puppets: Toto’s Apple by Mathieu Lavoie

Closing Rhyme

Earth Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Song: “Hello Friends”
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
It’s time to say hello.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Roly Poly” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down

Roly poly, roly poly
out, out, out
out, out, out
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
in, in, in
in, in, in

Roly poly, roly poly
fast, fast, fast
fast, fast, fast
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
slow, slow, slow
slow, slow, slow
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: The EARTH Book by Todd Parr

Song: “Slippery Fish”
Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a/an…

Repeat with: Octopus, Tuna Fish, Great White Shark, Humongous Whale

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.

Book: Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson

Fingerplay: “Way Up High in the Apple Tree”
Way up high, in a tree (point up)
Two little apples looking down at me (two fists up in the air)
So I shook that tree as hard as I could (two fists shake ‘trunk’)
Down fell the apples (fists fall to ground)
Mmmm! Were they good! (rub tummy)

Song: “My Two Hands”
My two hands go clap, clap, clap
My two feet go tap, tap, tap
My two hands go thump, thump, thump
My two feet go jump, jump, jump

My one body turns around and it quietly sits down.

Book: Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Song: “Bear is Sleeping” (Tune: “Frère Jacques”)
Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping (lay head on hands)
Wake him up, wake him up (make peek-a-boo motion with hands)
Come and say hello bear, come and say hello bear (wave hello)
Time to eat, time to eat (grab food and put in mouth)
(Credit: Jbrary)

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

Closing Rhyme

Eggs Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Song (with shaky eggs): “I Know a Chicken” – Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think Of That?

Book: Egg by Kevin Henkes

Flannel: “5 Colorful Eggs”
5 little colorful eggs
Not one more
My mom hid the green egg
Now there are 4

4 little colorful eggs
2 and 2 you see
My sister hid the blue egg
Now there are 3

3 little colorful eggs
And then before I knew
My brother hid the green egg
Now there are 2

2 little colorful eggs
Oh what fun!
My dad hid the pink egg
Now there’s only 1

1 little colorful egg
See me run
I hid the last egg
Now there are none
(Credit: adapted from Flannel Board Fun)

Song: “We Are the Dinosaurs” – Laurie Berkner: Favorite Classic Kids’ Songs

Book: Whose Chick Are You? by Nancy Tafuri

Closing Rhyme

Pockets Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Poem in My Pocket by Chris Tougas, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon

Song: “Bottle Caps” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito (-2:14)

Book/Flannel: What Did You Put in Your Pocket? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, illustrated by Michael Grejniec
What did you Put in Your Pocket Cover Image

Song: “I’m Gonna Catch You” – Laurie Berkner: Under a Shady Tree

Activity: Sort colorful items into color-matching pockets

Book/Puppets: A Sock Is a Pocket for Your Toes by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes Cover Image

Closing Rhyme

Pinkalicious Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann

Action Rhyme: “Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious Turn Around”
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious turn around.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious touch the ground.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious jump up high!
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious touch the sky.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious bend down low.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious touch your nose.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious dance to the beat.
Pinkalicious, Pinkalicious take a seat!
(Credit: Book Cart Queens)

Book: Pinkalicious: Message in a Bottle by Victoria Kann

Flannel with puppet animals: “Five Fancy Cupcakes”
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
Were five fancy cupcakes with sprinkles on top!
Along comes a (insert animal puppet) with a dollar to pay.
She picks up a cupcake and takes it away.

Song: “Pink” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
P-I-N-K
P-I-N-K
That spells pink.
That spells pink.
Bubble gum is pink,
Cotton candy is pink,
Pink, pink, pink.
Pink, pink, pink.

Other words to use: flamingo, pigs, flowers
(Credit: Book Besotted Librarian)

Book: Pinkalicious: Puptastic! by Victoria Kann

Closing Rhyme