Author: Mia I

House Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Building a House by Byron Barton

Song: “Here is a House”
Here is a house built up high (hands over head to make a roof)
With two big chimneys
Reaching for the sky. (raise arms up high)
Here is a window. (draw a square)
Here is a door. (pretend to open a door)
If we look inside, (peek through fingers)
There’s a mouse on the floor! (scamper fingers away)
(Credit: Storytime Katie)

Book: Little Houses by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek

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: Storytime Katie)

Yoga/Breathing: Child’s Pose

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

Social Story: “Pointing at Stuff” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren

Closing Song

Craft: Paper Bag Houses

Pumpkins Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson, illustrated by Jennifer Rofé
piggies-in-the-pumpkin patch cover image

Puppet Song: “Old MacDonald” (use pig, dog, and cow puppets)

Book: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo, illustrated by Valeria Petrone

Song: “Have You Ever Seen a Pumpkin?” (Tune: “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?”)
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin? (show pumpkin)
Have you ever seen a pumpkin that grows on a vine? (show pumpkin, twirl finger like vine)
Short ones and tall ones and big ones and small ones. (hold hand down low, up higher, hold arms in big circle, hands in small circle)
Have you ever seen a pumpkin that grows on a vine? (show pumpkin, twirl finger like vine)
(Credit: Adventures in Storytime)

Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”

Book: Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean or I See Fall by Charles Ghigna, illustrated by A.G. Jatkowska

Rhyme: “Pumpkin Chant”
Pumpkin, pumpkin, (on first pumpkin, pat hands on thighs, then clap twice on second pumpkin)
Pumpkin bread! (on pumpkin, pat hands on thighs, then hold hands flat in front with one palm lying on top of the other)
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 palm down five inches above the other)
Pumpkin, pumpkin,
Pumpkin shake! (hold fists up close to ears and shake hard)
Pumpkin, pumpkin,
Pumpkin stew! (pretend to stir stew)
Pumpkin, pumpkin,
Pumpkin BOO!
(Credit: Jbrary)

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

Closing Rhyme

Leaves Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall, illustrated by Shari Halpern

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

Book: Leaves by David Ezra Stein
Leaves book cover

Flannel: “The Green Grass Grew All Around”

Book: One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count With Me! by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Clive McFarland

Song: “Orange, Yellow, Red and Brown” (Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”) (use colored felt leaves)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are twirling all around. (hold your arms out to your sides and spin them around and around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are dancing in the breeze. (hold your arms up and dance them all around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are falling to the ground. (lay down on the floor)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
(Credit: From the CD Children’s Favorite Autumn Songs & Fingerplays by The Learning Station)

Closing Rhyme

Fall Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre

Song: “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees,
In the trees, in the trees.
Autumn leaves are in the trees
All over town.

Additional verses:
Autumn leaves are falling down…
Autumn leaves are whirling round…
Everybody rake them up…
Jump into the pile we made…

Book/Flannel: That Pup! by Lindsay Barrett George

Song: “Gray Squirrel” – Learning Station: Where is Thumbkin?

Book/Flannel: Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, illustrated by Susan Swan

Song: “Pumpkin, Pumpkin” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
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, (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 big circle)
(Credit: Step by Step Childcare)

Puppet Show: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
The Busy Little Squirrel book cover

Puppet Song: “So Many Leaves are Falling on the Ground”
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…

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

Closing Rhyme

Farm Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Cows Go Boo! by Steve Webb, illustrated by Fred Blunt

Flannel: “Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean” (Tune: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”)
Five pigs so squeaky clean,
Cleanest you’ve ever seen,
Wanted to go outside and play.
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud,
Landed with a big THUD,
Then there were four clean and squeaky pigs.

Repeat, counting down until there are no clean and squeaky pigs.
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Action Song: “I’m a Little Chick” (Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little chick who’s ready to hatch, (crouch down inside your egg)
Pecking at my shell, Tap, tap, tap! (pecking motion with hands)
When I crack it open, out I’ll leap (jump out of shell)
I’ll flap my feathers, and say, “Peep! Peep! Peep!”
(Credit: Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City area)

Book: Moo! by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

Puppet Song: “Down on Grandpa’s Farm”
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is a black and white cow,
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is a black and white cow.
The cow she makes a sound like this: Moo! Moo!
The cow she makes a sound like this: Moo! Moo!

Chorus:
Oh, we’re on our way, we’re on our way,
On our way to Grandpa’s farm.
We’re on our way, we’re on our way,
On our way to Grandpa’s farm.

Additional verses:
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is a strong, brown horse…
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is fluffy, white sheep…
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is a muddy, pink pig…
Down on Grandpa’s farm there is a little, yellow chick…
(Credit: Adapted from Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives)

Closing Rhyme

Frog Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: One Frog Sang by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by Cynthia Jabar

Puppet Song: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”

Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”

Book: Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

Puppet Song: “Mmm, Ahh Went the Little Green Frog”
Mmm, ahh went the little green frog one day.
Mmm, ahh went the little green frog.
Mmm, ahh went the little green frog one day.
And they all went mmm, mmm, ahh.
But…
We know frogs go (clap) shanananana.
(clap) shanananana. (clap) shanananana.
We know frogs go (clap) shanananana.
They don’t go mmm, mmm, ahh.

Bloop, bloop went the little blue fish one day.
Bloop, bloop went the little blue fish.
Bloop, bloop went the little blue fish one day.
And they all went bloop, bloop, bloop.
But..
We know fish go (kiss) kissy, kissy kiss.
(kiss) kissy, kissy kiss. (kiss) kissy, kissy kiss.
We know fish go (kiss) kissy, kissy kiss.
They don’t go bloop, bloop, bloop.

Song: “Shakes Your Sillies Out” – The Wiggles: Yummy Yummy

Book: Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Fingerplay: “Two Little Frogs”
Two little frogs sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and one named Jill.
“Jump,” said Jack. “Jump,” said Jill.
And they both jumped down the great big hill.
Come back, Jack. Come back, Jill.
And the both jumped up the great big hill.

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

Closing Rhyme

Move Your Body Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Puppet Song: “When Ducks Get Up in the Morning”
When ducks get up in the morning, they always say good day
When ducks get up in the morning, they always say good day
Quack, quack, quack, quack, this is what they say
Quack, quack, quack, quack, this is what they say

Repeat with other animals/sounds
(Credit: King County Library System)

Sign Language: Body, eat, drink, play

Book: Animals Move by Jane Whittingham

Song: “I Wake Up My Hands”
I wake up my hands with a clap clap clap,
A clap clap clap, a clap clap clap.
I wake up my hands with a clap clap clap,
And I wiggle my waggles away.

Repeat with: feet/stomp, eyes/blink, head/nod, belly/beep, hips/shake
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Baby Hokey Pokey”
You put your arms up,
You put your arms down,
You put your arms up,
And you wave them all around.
And you tickle, tickle, tickle,
And you wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
That’s how baby hokey pokey goes. (clap)

Additional verses:
You put your legs up…
You put your baby up…
(Credit: King County Library System)

Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Book: Bouncing Time by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Lap Song: “I’m a Little Cuckoo Clock”
Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little Cuckoo clock. (rock gently side to side)
Tick tock, tick tock, now I’m striking one o’clock.
Cuckoo. (lift in air once)

Repeat with: two o’clock (lift into air 2x), three o’clock (lift into air 3x)
(Credit: King County Library System)

Lap Song: “The Grand Old Duke of York”
The grand old Duke of York, (bounce baby)
He had ten thousand men,
He marched them up to the top of the hill (lift baby)
And marched them down again. (lower)

‘Cause when you’re up, you’re up, (lift baby)
And when you’re down, you’re down, (lower)
And when you’re only halfway up (lift halfway)
You are neither up nor down. (lower)

Lap Song: “Tiny Little Babies”
Tiny little babies love bouncin’, bouncin’.
Tiny little babies love bouncin’, yeah. (x2)
Lean to the left, lean to the right,
Now hug that baby nice and tight! (x2)

Repeat with: ticklin’, wigglin’, clappin’

Scarf Song: “Autumn Leaves are Falling Down”
Autumn leaves are falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
Autumn leaves are falling down
All around the town.

The wind will blow them round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wind will blow them round and round
All around the town.
(Credit: King County Library System)

Scarf Song: “This is the Way”
This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face, wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face,
So early in the morning.

Repeat with: arms, knees, hands, feet, etc.

Closing Rhyme

Pet Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: If I Had an Octopus by Gabby Dawnay, illustrated by Alex Barrow

Puppet Song: “Octopus (Slippery Fish)” – Charlotte Diamond: 10 Carrot Diamond

Book: Bob’s Rock by Ann Hassett and John Hassett

Flannel Song: “Bingo” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Wiggleworms Love You

Book: My Bus by Byron Barton

Song: “The Wheels on the Bus”

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

Closing Rhyme

Opposites Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: The Same But Different Too by Karl Newson, illustrated by Kate Hindley

Song: “Can You Clap” – Sue Schnitzer: Wiggle and Whirl, Clap and Nap

Rhyme: “This Is Big”
This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)

Book with Puppets: Marta! Big & Small by Jen Arena, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

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

Fingerplay: “Two Little Blackbirds”
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill.
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away Jack, fly away Jill.
Come back Jack, come back Jill.

Additional verses:
Two little blackbirds flying in the sky. One named Low and one named High…
Two little blackbirds sitting on a pole. One named Fast and one named Slow…

Song: “Slow and Fast” – Hap Palmer: Rhythms on Parade

Book with Puppets: ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by Dušan Petričić

Closing Rhyme

Raccoon Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Kitty by Rebecca Jordan-Glum

Song: “Raccoon Sitting in a Tree” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
Raccoon, raccoon, climbing a tree, (make climbing motions)
Wearing a mask, you can’t fool me. (hands circle eyes, then shake finger)
Hiding there so I can’t see (point to eyes)
What you’re doing in that tree. (hands stretched over head like a tree)
Raccoon, raccoon, climbing a tree, (make climbing motions)
Wearing a mask, you can’t fool me. (hands circle eyes, then shake finger)

Book: Raccoons by Mari C. Schuh

Song: “Nocturnal Animals” – Banana Slug String Band: Dirt Made My Lunch

Book: Raccoon Tune by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Howard Fine

Song: “Jump, Jump” – Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights: I’m a Rock Star

Puppet Rhyme: “There’s Something in the Woods”
There’s something in the woods, that I can’t really see. (hands around eyes like binoculars)
There’s something in the woods. Now what can it be? (hold up hands, shrug shoulders in question)

Repeat the rhyme above before giving each clue:
I’m an animal who’s big, brown, and furry and who “Roars.” (bear)
I’m an animal who has long ears and goes “Hop, hop, hop.” (rabbit)
I’m an animal who says “Whoo, whoo” at night. (owl)
I’m an animal who’s red, furry, has a big, bushy tail, and likes to eat chicken. (fox)
I’m an animal who’s small, has a big, bushy tail, and loves to eat nuts. (squirrel)
I’m an animal who’s tiny and makes very quiet “Squeaks.” (mouse)
I’m an animal with a black mask and I’m nocturnal! (raccoon)

Closing Rhyme