Author: Leah Portz

Garden Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign Language: vegetable, garden, flower

Book: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Up, Down, and Around book cover

Rhyme: Five fat peas

Song: Forgot a bag to carry (Tune: “Ring around the Rosie”)
Forgot a bag to carry (sign for bag)
Our books at the library (sign for book)
Stack’em, stack’em (lift baby, or stack hands)
They all fall down (baby to lap, or hands open)
Credit: Leah Portz

Rhyme: Pitty, patty, polt
Pitty, patty, polt, (tap feet together)
Shoe the little colt.
Here a nail, (tap one foot)
There a nail, (tap other foot)
Pitty, patty, polt. (tap feet together)

Book: Who’s in the Garden? By Phillis Gershator

Who's in the Garden? book cover

Song: “In My Garden” – Raffi: One Light, One Sun

Puppets: There’s something in my garden

Song: Hop, hop, hop along (Tune: “Row Your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (hop)
Or bounce on someone’s knee (bounce)
Higher and higher and higher and higher (lift)
Bunny hop with me. (hop)

Rhyme: Round and round the garden

Book (choral): Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

Growing Vegetable Soup book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “The Valley of Vegetables” – Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz

Closing Rhyme

Farm Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign language: Farm

Book: This is the Farmer by Nancy Tafuri

This is the Farmer book cover

Song: Hop, hop, hop along (Tune: “Row Your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (hop)
Or bounce on someone’s knee (bounce)
Higher and higher and higher and higher (lift)
Bunny hop with me. (hop)

Rhyme: Pitty, patty, polt
Pitty, patty, polt, (tap feet together)
Shoe the little colt.
Here a nail, (tap one foot)
There a nail, (tap other foot)
Pitty, patty, polt. (tap feet together)

Book: Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee

Clip-Clop book cover

Puppets/Song: “Old McDonald” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Big Book: I Went Walking by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas

I Went Walking book cover

Song: Forgot a bag to carry (Tune: “Ring around the Rosie”)
Forgot a bag to carry (sign for bag)
Our books at the library (sign for book)
Stack’em, stack’em (lift baby, or stack hands)
They all fall down (baby to lap, or hands open)
Credit: Leah Portz

Flannel: Little Boy Blue

Book (choral): Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton

Barnyard Dance book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “Mary Had a Little Lamb” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Closing Rhyme

Peek-a-Boo Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign Language: again, surprise

Book: Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora

Peekaboo Morning book cover

Song: Forgot a bag to carry (Tune: “Ring around the Rosie”)
Forgot a bag to carry (sign for bag)
Our books at the library (sign for book)
Stack’em, stack’em (lift baby, or stack hands)
They all fall down (baby to lap, or hands open)
Credit: Leah Portz

Rhyme: Pitty, patty, polt
Pitty, patty, polt, (tap feet together)
Shoe the little colt.
Here a nail, (tap one foot)
There a nail, (tap other foot)
Pitty, patty, polt. (tap feet together)

Book: Peek-a-Boo What? by Elliot Kreloff

peekaboo what

Song (with scarves): Where is baby? (Tune: “Where is Thumbkin?”)
Where is baby? Where is baby? (cover baby’s face)
There she is. There she is. (peek under scarf)
I’m so glad to see you. I’m so glad to see you.
Peek-a-boo! I see you! (kiss)
Credit: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County

Song (with scarves): “Colors” – Kira Willey: Dance for the Sun

Song: Hop, hop, hop along (Tune: “Row Your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (hop)
Or bounce on someone’s knee (bounce)
Higher and higher and higher and higher (lift)
Bunny hop with me. (hop)

Book (choral): Peek-a-Baby by Karen Katz

Peek-a-Baby book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “Rollin’ Baby” – Elizabeth Mitchell: Blue Clouds

Closing Rhyme

Bunny Story Time – Toddler

Opening song

Sign language: bunny

Book: The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say MOO by Jonathan Allen

book cover

Song: “I Like to Hop” – Brian Vogan: Born to Wiggle

Book: Peek-A-Boo Bunny by Holly Surplice

Peek-a-Boo Bunny book cover

Rhyme: Here is a bunny (Make fist with two fingers up straight.)
With his ears so funny.
Here is his hole (Circle fingers and thumb of other hand.)
In the ground.
When a noise he hears, (Rotate rabbit as if hearing noise.)
He pricks up his ears,
And jumps in his hole (Jump rabbit ears into hole.)
In the ground.

Song: “Sleeping Bunnies” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: Zoom Zoom Cuddle and Croon

Book: Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

book cover

Song: “Little Bunny” (Tune: “Twinkle, twinkle”)
Little bunny turn around
Little bunny touch the ground
Little bunny wiggle your nose
Little bunny touch your toes
Little bunny rest your head
Little bunny jump in bed

Song: “Bunny Pokey” – Junior Jukebox: Animals

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

Closing song

Craft: paper bunny ears

Spring Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! book cover

Rhyme: Little Brown Rabbit Popped Out of the Ground

Flannel: There’s something in my garden

Song: “Won’t you plant your seeds with care” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: Say Hello to the Morning

Book: What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Maggie Smith

What Does Bunny See? book cover

Song: “It Is Springtime” – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Puppet Show: Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand (abridged)

Spring is Here book cover

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Fork-painted tulips

fork paint tulip preschool spring story time craft

Birthday Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign Language: party, cake, gift

Book:  The Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Jonathan Langley

The Fairytale Cake book cover

Rhyme: Ten Little Candles
Ten little candles on a birthday cake.
(hold up ten fingers)
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are eight.
(blow twice and bend down two fingers)
Eight little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are six.
Six little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are four.
Four little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are two.
Two little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are none!
Make a wish!

Song: Hop, hop, hop along (Tune: “Row Your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (hop)
Or bounce on someone’s knee (bounce)
Higher and higher and higher and higher (lift)
Bunny hop with me. (hop)

Book:  A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas

birthday for cow book cover

Rhyme: Pitty, patty, polt
Pitty, patty, polt, (tap feet together)
Shoe the little colt.
Here a nail, (tap one foot)
There a nail, (tap other foot)
Pitty, patty, polt. (tap feet together)

Song: Forgot a bag to carry (Tune: “Ring around the Rosie”)
Forgot a bag to carry (sign for bag)
Our books at the library (sign for book)
Stack’em, stack’em (lift baby, or stack hands)
They all fall down (baby to lap, or hands open)
Credit: Leah Portz

Book: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli

birthday box book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “Milkshake Song” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms

Closing Rhyme

Travel Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Pigs Ahoy! By David McPhail

Pigs Ahoy! book cover

Song: “Take a Trip Out on the Sea” – Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies: Born to Wiggle

Book: Charlie’s Superhero Underpants by Paul Bright, illustrated by Lee Wildish

Charlie's Superhero Underpants book cover

Song: “Blow Up Your Balloon” – The Wiggles: Splish, Splash, The Big Red Boat!

Book: Making the Moose out of Life by Nicholas Oldland (abridged)

Making the Moose Out of Life book cover

Song: “The Airplane Song” – Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think of That?

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Cork rafts with time for creative play

creative play story time raftcork raft preschool story time craft

Fox Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign language: Fox (o.k. quivering at end of nose)

Book: Do Like a Duck Does! by Judy Hindley, illustrated by Ivan Bates

Do Like a Duck Does! book cover

Song/Puppets: “Duck and Cow” – Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies: Born to Wiggle

Song: (Tune: “Shortnin’ Bread”)
Mama’s little baby loves bouncin’, bouncin’
Mama’s little baby loves bouncin’ round.
Mama’s little baby loves bouncin’, bouncin’
Mama’s little baby loves bouncin’ round.

Lean to the left, lean to the right,
Now hug that baby nice and tight.
Lean to the left, lean to the right,
Now hug that baby nice and tight.

Daddy’s little baby loves wigglin’ wigglin’ etc.

Rhyme: Here we go up, up, up

Big Book: Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox, illustrated by Patricia Mullins

Hattie and the Fox book cover

Song: They’re a Part of Me (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I can make my hands go clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, clap
I can make my hands go clap, clap, clap
They’re a part of me.

I can make my feet go stomp, stomp, stomp, etc…
I can make my hands wave bye, bye, bye…

Book/Puppet/Song: What Does the Fox Say? by Ylvis, illustrated by Svein Nyhus

What Does the Fox Say? book cover

Rhyme: Hurry scurry little mouse

Finger Puppets: The Gingerbread Man

Song (shaky eggs): “Gingerbread Man” – Stuart Stotts and Tom Pease: Celebrate

Closing Rhyme