Category: Preschool Story time

Tree Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Apple and Magnolia by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Patricia Metola

Action Rhyme: “Once I Was a Seed”
Once I was a seed and I was small, small, small.
I grew into a tree and now I’m tall, tall, tall!
My branches sway in the breeze so soft.
And when it’s autumn, all my leaves fall off!
(Credit: Storytime in the Stacks)

Flannel: “The Green Grass Grew All Around”

Book: The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Lisa Falkenstern

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

Shaker Eggs: “Shake Your Shakers”
Shake your shaker up.
Shake your shaker down.
Shake it side to side.
Shake it all around.
Shake it on your shoulders.
Shake it on your head.
Shake it on your knees,
And shake it right to bed!

Closing Rhyme

Firefighter Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Firefighter Flo! by Andrea Zimmerman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

Flannel: “5 Big Fire Engines”
Five big fire engines
Racing down the road.
One finds a hydrant and hooks up its hose.
The rest call the station and the fire chief says,
“There are more fires farther ahead!”

Repeat with 4, 3, and 2 fire engines.

One big fire engine
Racing down the road.
It finds a hydrant and hooks up its hose.
All the fire engines put out those fires.
See any more?
Turn those tires.
Sirens roar!

Rhyme: “Firefighter, Firefighter”
Firefighter, firefighter, turn around.
Firefighter, firefighter, touch the ground.
Firefighter, firefighter, drive the truck.
Firefighter, firefighter, don’t get stuck!
Firefighter, firefighter, hurry to the fire.
Firefighter, firefighter, spray the water higher.
Firefighter, firefighter, turn off the spout.
Firefighter, firefighter, you put the fire out! Hooray!
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime Blog)

Book: Firefighter Duckies! by Frank W. Dormer

Song: “Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck”
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck! (x 3)
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Additional verses: Turn the corner, climb the ladder, spray the fire hose
(Credit: Jbrary)

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

Closing Rhyme

Chicken Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Catch that Chicken! by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

Song: “If You’re a Chicken and You Know It” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a chicken and you know it, flap your wings. FLAP! FLAP! (put hands near armpits to make your arms into “wings” and move your elbows up and down to flap)
If you’re a chicken and you know it, flap your wings. FLAP! FLAP!
If you’re a chicken and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re a chicken and you know it, flap your wings. FLAP! FLAP!

Additional verses:
Run around
Scratch your feet (slide one foot back, then the other to “dig”)
Say, “Bok, bok!” (make chicken noises)
(Credit: Pasadena Public Library)

Flannel: “Ten Fluffy Chickens”
012
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Five eggs and five eggs, (add a clutch of eggs each time you say “five eggs”)
And that makes ten.
Sitting on top
Is Mother Hen. (add the hen)
Cackle, cackle, cackle! (clap hands each time you say “cackle”)
What do I see?
Ten fluffy chickens, (flip over each clutch of eggs)
Yellow as can be.
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Book: Chickens on the Loose by Jane Kurtz, illustrated by John Joseph (Write the refrain “the chickens will not stop” on the board so everyone can join in repeating it.)

Shaker Eggs: “I Know a Chicken” – Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think of That?

Shaker Eggs (if time): “Shake Your Shakers”
Shake your shaker up.
Shake your shaker down.
Shake it side to side.
Shake it all around.
Shake it on your shoulders.
Shake it on your head.
Shake it on your knees,
And shake it right to bed!

Book (if time): Chicken Story Time by Sandy Asher, illustrated by Mark Fearing

Closing Rhyme

Underwear Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Monster’s New Undies by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Tad Carpenter

Song: “Monster Boogie” – Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz

Book: Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera
Polar Bear's Underwear

Action Song: “Now You’re Getting Dressed” (Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
(Mime the actions throughout the song.)
First put on your underwear, underwear, underwear.
First put on your underwear. Now you’re getting dressed.

Stick your arms up in your shirt, in your shirt, in your shirt.
Stick your arms up in your shirt. Now you’re getting dressed.

Pull your pants up to your waist, to your waist, to your waist.
Pull your pants up to your waist. Now you’re getting dressed.

Wiggle your toes down in your socks, in your socks, in your socks.
Wiggle your toes down in your socks. Now you’re getting dressed.

Slip your shoes on, tie them tight, tie them tight, tie them tight.
Slip your shoes on, tie them tight. Now you’re getting dressed.

Now you can go out and play, out and play, out and play.
Now you can go out and play. You got yourself all dressed. YES!
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Underpants”
Head, shoulders, knees and underpants, knees and underpants.
Head, shoulders, knees and underpants, knees and underpants.
Eyes and ears and mouth and underpants.
Head, shoulders, knees and underpants, knees and underpants!
(Credit: Miss Sarah’s Storytime)

Flannel: What Color Is Your Underwear? by Sam Lloyd

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

Puppets: Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, illustrated by Lydia Monks
falling-for-rapunzel cover image

Closing Rhyme

Waiting Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Song: “We Wiggle and Wiggle and Stop”
We wiggle and wiggle and stop.
We wiggle and wiggle and stop.
We wiggle and wiggle and wiggle and wiggle
And wiggle and wiggle and stop.

Additional verses:
We twirl…
We clap…
We wave…
We jump…
We bounce…
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: Waiting Together by Danielle Dufayet, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani

Action Rhyme: “Green Says Go”
Green says, “Go!” (march quickly)
Go! Go! Go!
Yellow says, “Slow!” (march slowly)
Slow…slow…slow.
And red says, “Stop!” (stop and freeze)
Go! Go! Go! (march fast)
Slow…slow…slow. (march slowly)
And STOP! (stop)
(Credit: Toddler Storytime)

Song: “Candle Breath” – Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids

Book: I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony

Closing Rhyme

Breakfast Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Little Mouse’s Big Breakfast by Christine Pym

Fingerplay: “Five Fat Sausages”
Five fat sausages frying in a pan. (hold up 5 fingers)
All of a sudden, one went BANG! (clap hands)

Repeat, counting down until there are no sausages left.

Last line:
Now there are no fat sausages frying in the pan.

Song: “I’m Toast in the Toaster” (Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m toast in the toaster, (like holding a loaf of bread)
And I’m getting very hot! (fan yourself)
Tick, tock, tick, tock, (move hands back and forth)
Up I pop! (jump in the air and raise hands)

Repeat with: waffles, Pop-tarts, English muffins, bagels

Book: Hey, Pancakes! by Tamson Weston, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Movement: “Pancakes”
Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in a pan.
Fry a pancake,
Toss a pancake,
Catch it if you can!

Flannel: “Eggs for Breakfast”

Song: “If You Like Your Eggs Scrambled” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands.
If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands.
Yes, they’re yummy and they’re yellow,
So you’ll be a happy fellow.
If you like your eggs scrambled, clap your hands.

Additional verses:
If you like your eggs fried, jump up high…
If you want bacon with your eggs, wiggle your legs…
If you want toast instead, nod your head… (nod and say “mmm-hmmm”)
(Credit: King County Library System)

Puppets/Book: Ellie’s Breakfast by Sarah Garland

Closing Rhyme

Love Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: That’s Love by Sam Williams, illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Rhyme: “Little Heart” (sign: middle finger taps over heart)
I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump. (pat chest three times)
It keeps right on beating,
When I jump, jump, jump. (jump three times)
I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)
It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug yourself)
(Credit: The Best Kids Book Site)

Song: “Heartbeat” – Laura Doherty: In a Heartbeat

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

Closing Rhyme

Penguin Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon
Penguin on Vacation book cover

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

Song: “Waddling Penguins” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
Penguins, penguins, having fun,
Waddling in the shining sun.
Waddling fast and waddling slow,
Waddling to and waddling fro.
Penguins, penguins, having fun,
Waddling in the shining sun.
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

Book: Penguin Journey by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Catherine Odell

Puppet: “The Penguin Went Over the Iceberg” (Tune: “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”)
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg,
The penguin went over the iceberg
To see what he could see.

But all that he could see,
But all that he could see was
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg,
The other side of the iceberg
Was all that he could see.
(Credit: Storytime Katie)

Fingerplay: “Two Little Penguins”
Two little penguins sitting on the ice, (hold up two fingers)
One bows once, the other bows twice. (made index fingers bow)
Waddle, little penguins, waddle away. (put fingers behind back)
Come back penguins, time to play! (bring fingers to the front)
(Credit: King County Library System)

Flannel: “Five Perky Penguins”
Five perky penguins
Stood on the shore.
One went for a swim, (swimming motions)
And then there were four.

Four perky penguins,
Looked out to sea. (look around)
One went swimming, (swimming motions)
And then there were three.

Three perky penguins said,
“What can we do?” (shrug shoulders)
One went swimming, (swimming motions)
And then there were two.

Two perky penguins
Sat in the sun. (fan self)
One went swimming, (swimming motions)
And then there was one.

One perky penguin said,
“This is no fun!” (grumpy look)
They went swimming, (swimming motions)
And then there were none.
5 Little Penguins

Rhyme:
I’m a little penguin.
Aren’t I cute? (raise arms as if questioning)

I’m a bird
In a penguin suit. (flap arms at sides)

My suit has thick feathers,
Black and white. (turn around, show off outfit)

I can’t fly,
But I swim all right. (swimming motions)

I can waddle ’round
On my webbed feet. (waddle)

Fresh fish are what
I like to eat! (eating motions)
(Credit: Abby the Librarian)

Book: Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos

Closing Rhyme

Hockey Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: I’m Cool! by Kate and Jim McMullan
I'm Cool! book cover

Song: “Hockey Pokey”
You put your right glove in,
You put your right glove out,
You put your right glove in,
And you shake it all about.

You do the hockey pokey,
And you skate yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

Additional verses:
2) left glove
3) right skate
4) left skate
5) helmet
6) stick
(Credit: Leah Portz, Verona Story Time)

Book: Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott
Dino-Hockey book cover

Song: “Hockey Game” (Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Pat, pat, pat your gloves
Quickly on your knees.
Hurry now, hurry now, hurry now, hurry now,
Your fingers mustn’t freeze.

Bend, bend, bend your legs
Quickly, it’s your role.
Hurry now, hurry now, hurry now, hurry now,
You must defend the goal.

Pass, pass, pass the puck
Quickly, with your stick
Hurry now, hurry now, hurry now, hurry now,
To score you must be quick.

Skate, skate toward the net
Quickly win the game.
Happy now, happy now, happy now, happy now,
Fans will shout your name, hooray!
(Credit: Leah Portz, Verona Story Time)

Book/Flannel: Hockey Shapes by Mark Weakland (abridged – with felt shapes)
Hockey Shapes book cover

Closing Rhyme