Category: Everybody Story time

Forest Friends Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Let’s Play in the Forest While the Wolf Is Not Around! by Claudia Rueda
let's play in the forest

Song: “If You’re Ever in the Forest” (Tune: “Did You Ever See a Lassie?”)
If you’re ever in the forest,
The forest, the forest,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see some deer—
A young one and an old one,
And some that can quickly run. (run in place)
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see some deer.

If you’re ever in the forest,
The forest, the forest,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see some rabbits.
They hop here, and they hop there, (jump like rabbits)
They hop, hop, hop everywhere.
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see some rabbits.

If you’re ever in the forest,
The forest, the forest,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might hear some birds.
A tweet here, and a tweet there,
They are flying around everywhere. (fly like a bird)
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might hear some birds.

If you’re ever in the forest,
The forest, the forest,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You’ll surely see lots of trees.
There are tall ones and short ones, (stretch high, and then get low)
And young ones and old ones.
If you’re ever in the forest,
You’ll surely see lots of trees.
(Adapted by Jolanda Garcia, KidsSoup Inc.)

Puppet Story: The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Jane Cabrera

Song: “Silly Dance Contest” – Jim Gill: The Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

Action Song: “My Blue Canoe” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
Start by having kids ask an adult for permission. Then we all put our life jackets on!
I love to paddle my blue canoe, (pretend to row)
Blue canoe, blue canoe.
I love to paddle my blue canoe
Out on the forest pond.

My blue canoe tracks back and forth, (twist right to left)
Back and forth, back and forth.
My blue canoe tracks back and forth
Out on the forest pond.

My blue canoe goes up and down, (bend knees)
Up and down, up and down.
My blue canoe goes up and down
Out on the forest pond.

My blue canoe has a fishing pole, (cast “rod” arm)
A fishing pole, a fishing pole.
My blue canoe has a fishing pole
Out on the forest pond.

My blue canoe rocks side to side, (rock side to side)
Side to side, side to side.
My blue canoe rocks side to side
Out on the forest pond.

My blue canoe turns round and round, (turn in a circle)
Round and round, round and round.
My blue canoe turns round and round
Out on the forest pond.

So, come for a paddle in my blue canoe, (pretend to row)
Blue canoe, blue canoe.
So come for a paddle in my blue canoe
Out on the forest pond.
(Credit: Leah Portz)

Puppet Story: Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen

Closing Rhyme

Goldfish Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

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

Flannel Song: “Bubble, Bubble, Pop!”
One little red fish
Swimming in the water,
Swimming in the water,
Swimming in the water.

One little red fish
Swimming in the water,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble…POP! (clap hands)

Additional verses: Increase the number and change the color of the fish.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: A Friend for Eddy by Ann Kim Ha

Song: “The Goldfish” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Book: Too Crowded by Lena Podesta

Closing Rhyme

Nocturnal Animals Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

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 a long skinny tail and carries my babies on my back, “Click, click, click.” (opossum)
I’m an animal who says, “Whoo, whoo” at night. (owl)
I’m an animal who’s black and white and very stinky, “Stomp, stomp, stomp.” (skunk)
I’m an animal with a black mask and I’m nocturnal! (raccoon)

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: I Am Bat by Morag Hood

Song: “Bats Eat Bugs” – Banana Slug String Band: Dirt Made My Lunch
Bats eat bugs, they don’t eat people.
Bats eat bugs, they don’t fly in your hair.
Bats eat bugs, they eat insects for dinner,
That’s why they’re flying up there.

Coyotes eat rabbits, they don’t eat people.
Coyotes eat rabbits, ‘cuz you’re too big to bite.
Coyotes eat rabbits, they eat rabbits for dinner,
That’s why they’re out in the night.

Snakes eat mice, they don’t eat people.
Snakes eat mice, that’s why they’re on the ground.
Snakes eat mice, ‘cuz we’re too big to swallow,
So they don’t want you hanging around.

Bears eat berries, they don’t eat people.
Bears eat berries, they don’t eat you or me.
Bears eat berries, and they’ll steal your dinner,
So you better hang it high in a tree.

Nothing out there wants to eat you.
Nothing out there wants to make you its meal.
Nothing out there eats people for dinner
‘Cuz they know how sick they would feel

Flannel Rhyme: “One Whole Pie”
One whole pie
Set by the door,
Cut into pieces,
I count four.

Four pieces of pie,
All for us,
Bear ate one piece, (make loud eating sounds as you take the piece off the board)
Now there are three.

Three pieces of pie
All for us,
Opossum ate another piece,
Now there are two.

Two pieces of pie,
Oh! What fun!
Skunk ate another piece,
Now there is one.

One piece of pie,
I can’t wait!
I ate that last piece,
Empty plate!

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

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

Closing Rhyme

Color Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

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

Song: “I Like to Walk” – Grenadilla: Can’t Wait (-1:24)

Book: Butterfly Butterfly by Petr Horáček

Song: “Colors” – Kira Willey: Dance for the Sun

Flannel Song: “Rainbow Soup” (pull out scarves)
Take an apple,
Put it in the pot.
Stir it, stir it, stir it a lot.
Take it out now.
What will it be?
The prettiest RED you ever did see!

Repeat with carrot, banana, broccoli, blueberry, and a bunch of grapes.

Action Rhyme: “The Color I See”
Red, red is the color I see.
If you’re wearing red, then show it to me.
Stand up, take a bow, turn around.
Show me your red and sit back on the ground.

Repeat for different colors
(Credit: Everything Preschool – Colors)

Puppet Story: Adapted from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

BROWN bear, brown bear, what do you see?
I see a _____ looking at me.

Verses: RED dog, YELLOW caterpillar, BLUE seal, GREEN iguana, PURPLE worm, WHITE owl, BLACK cat, GOLD dragonfly, LIBRARIAN, CHILDREN…

CHILDREN, children, what do you see?
WE see a __(ALL)__ looking at us. That’s what we see.

Closing Rhyme

Summer Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Summer Song by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek

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

Book: Maisy Learns to Swim by Lucy Cousins

Song: “The Goldfish” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Flannel: “Five Little Sea Stars”
Five little sea stars swept on the shore,
In comes a wave, whoosh!, and then there were four.

Four little sea stars as happy as can be,
In comes a wave, whoosh!, and then there were three.

Three little sea stars near the ocean blue,
In comes a wave, whoosh!, and then there were two.

Two little sea stars having so much fun,
In comes a wave, whoosh!, and then there was one.

One little sea star playing in the sun,
In comes a wave, whoosh!, and then there were none!
(Credit: Paula Goettsch)

Book: Summer by Julie Murray

Song: “Little Red Wagon” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Wiggleworms Love You

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

Closing Rhyme

Big Feelings Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: It’s Not About You, Little Hoo by Brenda Ponnay

Puppet Song: “Old MacDonald Felt So Glad”
Old MacDonald felt so glad, HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
And when he’s glad he sounds like this: HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
With a HA-HA here and a HA-HA there,
Here a HA, there a HA, everywhere a HA-HA!
Old MacDonald felt so glad, HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

Additional verses:
Grumpy = NO NO NO NO NO
Sad = Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Silly = Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

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: Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer

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

Book: Ollie Feels Fine by Toni Yuly

Scarf Song: “You’ll Wave Your Scarf”
You’ll wave your scarf and I’ll wave my scarf.
We’ll wave our scarves together.
You’ll wave your scarf and I’ll wave my scarf,
In warm or wintry weather.

Additional verses:
You’ll throw your scarf…
You’ll twirl with your scarf…
You’ll shake your scarf…
(Credit: Adapted from “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song” by Ella Jenkins)

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

Closing Rhyme

Garden Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Song: “The Gardener Plants the Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds.

Additional verses:
The rain falls on the ground…
The sun shines bright and warm…
The seeds begin to grow…
Flowers grow everywhere…

Book: Mary Had a Little Plan by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Song: “Won’t You Plant Your Seeds With Care?” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: Say Hello to the Morning

Flannel: “There’s Something In My Garden”

Song: “It Is Springtime” (:12) – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Book/Puppets: Puddle Jumpers by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Nancy Cote

Closing Rhyme

Cloud Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Little Cloud book cover

Song: “It’s Raining-Itsy Bitsy Spider Medley” – Music for Little People: 100 Toddler Favorites

Song: “La Araña Pequeñita” – Cantarima: Canciones Tradicionales

Book: Clouds by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Wallace

Song: “What’s the Weather?” (Tune: “Oh, My Darling Clementine”)
What’s the weather, what’s the weather,
What’s the weather, everyone?
Is it windy, is it cloudy,
Is there rain or is there sun?

Song/Meditation: “Clouds” – Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids

Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
It Looked Like Spilt Milk book cover

Song: “If You’re a Cloud and You Know It” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a cloud and you know it float around (raise arms to side and sway) x2
If you’re a cloud and you know it then you’ll really want to show it,
If you’re a cloud and you know it float around.

If you’re a cloud and you know it make it rain, (move fingers down to ground like rain) x2
If you’re a cloud and you know it then you’ll really want to show it,
If you’re a cloud and you know it make it rain.

If you’re a cloud and you know it make it thunder, (stomp feet) x2
If you’re a cloud and you know it then you’ll really want to show it,
If you’re a cloud and you know it make it thunder.
(Credit: Storytime with Ms. Kelly)

Song: “Bodies 1-2-3” – Peter and Ellen Allard: Sing It! Say It! Stamp It! Sway It! Vol. 2

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

Closing Rhyme

Rabbit and Bunny Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

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

Song: “Did You Ever See a Bunny?” – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Book/Movement: Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
book cover

Puppet Song: “Little Brown Rabbit Popped Out of the Ground” (Tune: “There Was an Old Lady”)

Song: “Fast and Slow” – Laurie Berkner: Rocketship Run

Flannel: “Five Little Bunnies”

Song: “Bunny Pokey” – Junior Jukebox: Animals

Book with Puppets: Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by Il Sung Na

Closing Rhyme

Family Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: The Bear in My Family by Maya Tatsukawa

Song: “The More We Get Together”
The more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we’ll be.

Cause your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
The happier we’ll be.

Oh, the more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we’ll be.
(Credit: Skokie Public Library)

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

Book: Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora

Song: “Skinnamarink”

Song: “The Wheels on the Bus”
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round,
Round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town!

Additional verses:
Horn/beep-beep-beep
Wipers/swish-swish-swish
Doors/open and shut
Babies/up & down
Parents/I love you

Book: One Family by George Shannon, illustrated by Blanca Gómez

Flannel: “Gerald and Piggie Play Hide and Seek!”
Piggie, Piggie, where do you hide?
Are you behind the ___ book? Let’s peek inside!

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

Closing Rhyme