Wind Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Wind Watchers by Micha Archer
The cover of the book Wind Watchers. The illustration is of a child holding onto their white hat while the wind blows through, scattering flower petals.

Flannel: “Five Little Clouds”
Five little clouds up in the sky,
Drifting, floating way up high.
One disappeared from the sky so blue
When a big gust of wind came blowing through! (make a whooshing sound and remove one cloud)

Repeat, counting down until there are no little clouds.

Book: Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand
The cover of the book Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story. The illustration is of bear and mole running in a field while holding onto a large yellow kite.

Action Rhyme: “The Windmills”
The wind blows high, (wave hands in air over head, make wind sounds)
And the wind blows low. (wave hands close to floor, make wind sounds)
Round and round the windmills go. (roll hands at a medium pace)
Sometimes fast, and sometimes slow. (go really fast, then very slow)
And that is how the wind blows. (wave hands and make wind sounds)
(Credit: Adventures in Storytime)

Song: “My Kite” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
My kite is up so high,
My kite is up so high,
Oh my – – just watch it fly,
My kite is up so high.

My kite is falling down,
My kite is falling down,
Oh no – – it’s down so low,
My kite is falling down.

The wind has caught my kite,
The wind has caught my kite,
What fun – – I’m on the run,
The wind has caught my kite.

My kite is up so high,
My kite is up so high,
Oh my – – just watch it fly,
My kite is up so high.
(Credit: Preschool Education)

Book: One Windy Wednesday by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Helen Craig
The cover of the book One Windy Wednesday. The illustration is of a strong wind blowing past a child holding a basket and a cow.

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

Closing Rhyme

Play Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
The cover of the book Duck on a Bike. The illustration is of a duck waving at the reader while riding a red bike.

Song: “The Wheels on the Bike” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The wheels on the bike go round and round, (spin arms around each other)
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bike go round and round,
All through the town.

Additional verses:
Pedals/up and down
Streamers/swish
Bell/ding

Book: Let’s Be Bees by Shawn Harris
The cover of the book Let's Be Bees. The illustration is of a father bee saying the title to a baby bee.

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

Puppet Story: Let’s Play in the Forest While the Wolf Is Not Around! by Claudia Rueda
The cover of the book Let's Play in the Forest While the Wolf is Not Around. The illustration is of several colorful woodland animals staring at the reader on a bright green background.

Closing Rhyme

Clothes Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Daisy Gets Dressed by Clare Beaton
The cover of the book Daisy Gets Dressed. The illustration is of a child wearing colorful, patterned clothes, including boots, a hat, and an umbrella.

Song: “Boots” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Book: Little Freddie Two Pants by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
The cover of the book Little Freddie Two Pants. The illustration is of a dog wearing two pairs of pants and a monkey holding a sign that says, "The dog with too many pants."

Scarf Song: “Bring Your Clothes” – Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think of That? (stop at 2:18)

Flannel: “I Can Dress Myself!” (loosely based on the book by Birte Müller)

Ring Song: “Getting Dressed” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
Pretend the rings are your clothes and get dressed.
Put your underwear on, pull them up.
Put your underwear on, pull them up.
Put your underwear on, it shows that you’re grown up.
Put your underwear on, pull them up.

Additional verses:
Put your socks both on, one foot, two…
Put your socks both on, and make sure they are new…

Put your shirt over your head, and find two holes…
Put your shirt over your head, and reach out for your goal…

Put your pants on forward, slide them on…
Put your pants on forward, up both legs and you’re done…

Put your jacket on top, and find your hands…
Put your jacket on top, just show me that you can…

Puppet Story: I Love My Hat by Douglas Florian, illustrated by Paige Keiser
The cover of the book I Love My Hat. The illustration is of a cat, pig, and goat wearing various clothes and dancing down the lane.

Closing Rhyme

Shadow Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Robert Bulla, illustrated by June Otani (abridged)
The cover of the book What Makes a Shadow? The illustration shows three children and a dog walking past a brick wall, casting shadows on it.

Rhyme: “My Shadow Movements”
If I walk, my shadow walks,
If I run, my shadow runs,
And when I stand still, as you can see,
My shadow stands beside me.
When I hop, my shadow hops,
When I jump, my shadow jumps,
And when I sit still, as you can see,
My shadow sits beside me.
(Credit: Johnson County (Kansas) Library)

Book: The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler, illustrated by Jane Chapman
The cover of the book The Dark, Dark Night. The illustration is of a rabbit, squirrel, badger, frog, and hedgehog with a lantern in a windy field at night.

Puppet Rhyme: “In the Window”
Silhouette, silhouette,
You fill my window pane.
A certain shape in frame.
What do I see?
A ____ is its name.

Song: “Shadow” – Caspar Babypants: Sing Along!

Rhyme: “Shadow, Shadow”
Shadow, shadow, turn around.
Shadow, shadow, touch the ground.
Shadow, shadow, dance on your toes.
Shadow, shadow, touch your nose.
Shadow, shadow, jump up now.
Shadow, shadow, take a bow.
Shadow, shadow, stomp your feet.
Shadow, shadow, take your seat.
(Credit: Storytimes and More)

Shadow Puppet Show: A Dark, Dark Cave by Eric Hoffman, illustrated by Corey R. Tabor
The cover of the book A Dark, Dark Cave. The illustration is of two children and a dog against a blue background. They are holding flashlights and casting shadows on the background.

Closing Rhyme

Alien Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross
The cover of the book Dr Xargle's Book of Earthlets. The illustration shows a green creature on an alien planet wearing a graduation cap and gown and holding a book.

Song: “Aliens” – Mr. Elephant: Routine-Based Songs for Little Language Learners

Fingerplay/Flannel: “5 Little Aliens” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
5 little aliens went out to play (hold up 5 fingers, wave)
All ’round mars and far away, (circle and raise hand)
When big alien cried, “Bloop-zak, bloop-zak,” (open and close other hand)
Only 4 little aliens came zooming back! (zig zag raised hand back down, with one less finger)

Repeat for 4, 3, and 2 aliens.

1 little alien went out to play
All ’round mars and far away,
When big alien cried, “Bloop-zak, bloop-zak,”
All little aliens came zooming back! (zig zag raised hand back down, with 5 fingers)
(Credit: Leah Portz, Verona Public Library)

Book: E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Zach von Zonk, illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
The cover of the book E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm. The illustration shows a UFO with an alien and many farm animals inside flying away from a farm while a farmer chases after it.

Puppet Song: “Old MacMartian Had a Ship” (Tune: “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”)
Old MacMartian (make finger antennae on head)
Had a ship, (down low, both palms down and fingers inward, set one hand over the other)
E-I-UFO. (slowly raise hands, shifting them back and forth, like a floating UFO)
And on that ship he had a ____, E-I-UFO.
With a ____, ____, here, and a ____, ____, there,
Here a ____, there a ____, everywhere a ____, ____,
Old MacMartian had a ship, E-I-UFO.

Verses:
Kangaroo/hop
Llama/nod
Guinea pig/zoom
Sloth/slow swing
Unicorn/prance
Friend (alien)/play
(Credit: Adapted from E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Zach von Zonk, actions by Leah Portz, Verona Public Library)

Book: Life on Mars by Jon Agee
The cover of the book Life on Mars. The illustration shows a creature poking its head out of a crater on a non-Earth planet and watching a child astronaut carrying a present walk past.

Closing Rhyme

Love Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J. Jones, illustrated by Alison Edgson

Song: “Heartbeat” – Laura Doherty: In a Heartbeat (-2:23)

Flannel: “Valentine Hearts”
Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
Valentines, valentines, count them with me.
I have a red one, orange one, yellow one too.
I have a green one, purple one, and one that is blue.
I have a pink one, brown one, and one that is white.
And one last valentine as black as the night.
Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
Valentines, valentines, count them with me.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.

Song: “The More We Get Together” – Raffi: The Singable Songs Collection
(Use sign language for “more,” “together,” and “happy.”)

Book: Love the World by Todd Parr

Flannel: “Heart” (Tune: “Bingo”)
I know a shape and it means love,
And heart is its name-o.
H-E-A-R-T, (3x)
And heart is its name-o.
(Credit: Everything Preschool)

Song: “Love Grows One by One” – Tom Pease: I’m Gonna’ Reach!

Puppets/Book: Group Hug by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Joey Chou
(Puppets used: slug, beetle, mouse, skunk, squirrel, beaver, porcupine, groundhog, goose, fox, moose, bear)
The cover of the book Group Hug. The illustration is of a group of woodland animals hugging each other.

Closing Rhyme

Groundhogs Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Groundhogs by Kari Schuetz
The cover of the book Groundhogs. The cover has a photograph of a groundhog.

Movement Rhyme: “Groundhog”
Groundhog is inside her home, warm and fast asleep.
But she’ll wake up and poke her head out for one tiny peep.
If the day is cloudy and cool, she’ll go for a stroll.
But if the sun is shining bright – Pop! Back in her hole!

Book: Groundhog’s Runaway Shadow by David Biedrzycki
The cover of the book Groundhog's Runaway Shadow. The illustration shows a groundhog wearing a Hogzilla t-shirt and its shadow running across the cover.

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

Book: Ten Grouchy Groundhogs by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook, illustrated by Jay Johnson
The cover of the book Ten Grouchy Groundhogs. The illustration shows ten groundhogs piling out of a hole, looking very grumpy.

Flannel Song: “Snow Globe Song” (Tune: “Milkshake Song” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms)
Colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink (Adjust number for time!) (Optional: shaky eggs)

Let’s make a “color” snow globe! Are you ready?
You take a little water, (reach to right side)
Pour some water. (right hand pour)
And you take a little snow, (reach to left side)
Pour some snow. (left hand pour)
You stir it all up, (stir two hands)
You lift it and you’ll sing . . . (slowly reach both arms to circle above head)

Snow globe, snow globe, (with arms circled above head, lean right and left)
Shake it up, shake it up. (shake arms and hands)
Snow globe, snow globe,
Shake it all up.

How many snow globes have we made? (count total)
(Credit: Leah Portz, Verona Public Library)

Puppets: “Burrowing Animals”
Describe the characteristics of different burrowing animals and have the kids guess who.
(Examples: chipmunk, turtle, ant, mole, rabbit, fox, mouse, groundhog)

Closing Rhyme

Patterns Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: A-B-A-B-A- A Book of Pattern Play by Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Brian Gable
The cover of the book A-B-A-B-A- A Book of Pattern Play. The illustration is of cartoon cats building different patterns in a yard.

Song: “Head and Shoulders” – Various Artists: Dance and Sing! The Best of Nick Jr.

Book: Pattern Fish by Trudy Harris, illustrated by Anne Canevari Green
The cover of the book Pattern Fish. The title is spelled out with some fish-shaped letters and there are five fish in a line below the title.

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

Flannel: Color dot patterns – single, double, triple

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: A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
The cover of the book A Pair of Socks. The illustration is of a dog holding a sock in its mouth.

Closing Rhyme

Hippopotamus Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Hiccupotamus by Steve Smallman, illustrated by Ada Grey
The cover of the book Hiccupotamus.

Song: “All I Wanna Do Is Dance” – Kira Willey: Kings & Queens of the Forest

Flannel Story: Hiding Hippos: Counting from 1 to 10 by Amanda Doering Tourville, illustrated by Sharon Holm
The cover of the book Hiding Hippos: Counting from 1 to 10.

Song: “The Hooves on a Hippo Go Stomp” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The ____ on a hippo go . . . ____ ____ ____ . . . all day long.

Verses:
Hooves/stomp
Nose/snort
Birds/peck
Tail/swish
Legs/swim
Jaws/open and shut
(Credit: Verona Public Library, Leah Portz)

Canopy Scarf: “The Water’s Getting Higher” (Tune: “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”)
The water’s getting _____ x3
Bubble, bubble, pop!

Verses:
Higher
Lower
Faster
Slower
Rougher
Calmer

Puppet Story: Hidden Hippo by Joan Gannij, illustrated by Clare Beaton
The cover of the book Hidden Hippo.

Closing Rhyme

Scientist Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: What Will I Discover? by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi (abridged)

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

Book: Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen by Heather Ferranti Kinser (abridged)

Flannel Rhyme: “Scientist Tools”
Chorus:
Scientist, scientist,
What will you discover,
With one tool or another?

Verses:
Tools to stay safe and wear,
A lab coat, gloves, and glasses.
Let’s use them together!

Tools to see and observe,
A magnifying glass and microscope.
Let’s use them together!

Tools to measure and compare,
A ruler, magnet, and thermometer,
A stop watch, scale, and beaker,
Let’s use them together!

Tools to record and remember,
A notebook and pencil.
Let’s use them together!

Rings/Movement: “I Spy with my Scientist Eye”
I Spy with my Scientist Eye . . . Something . . . (move ring/microscope to focus on things in room)

Examples:
Fuzzy (carpet)
Hairy (head)
Smooth (skin)
Colors (mix in colors you see in the room in-between the aforementioned descriptors)

Book: Mary Had a Little Lab by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Petros Bouloubasis

Closing Rhyme

Extra Mention: Suggested watching a video of Serena Auñón-Chancellor for Story Time from Space reading Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts in space!

(Credit: Story Time from Space)