Category: Sensory Friendly Story time

Earth Day Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: What Can You Do with a Rock? by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Katie Kath

Song: “Tree Song” (Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”)
Movements: Hands and fingers are the leaves – wiggle high in the air. Move arms straight out for the branches. Touch upper body with hands when saying “trunk.” Touch legs when saying “roots.”
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots, trunk and roots,
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots, trunk and roots,
Trees are important to me and to you,
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots, trunk and roots.
(Credit: KinderNature)

Book: The Earth is Good by Michael DeMunn, illustrated by Jim McMullan

Song: “Tap, Tap, Tap” – Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer: Get Set for School Sing Along

Movement/Yoga: Tree pose

Social Story: Big Earth, Little Me by Thom Wiley, illustrated by Kate Endle

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Earth suncatchers

Dragon Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light

Song: “Dragon Pokey”
You put your claws in, you take your claws out,
You put your claws in, and you scratch them all about!
You do the Dragon Pokey and you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!

Additional verses:
Feet in/stomp them all about
Teeth in/chomp them all about
Tail in/swing it all about

Book: Waking Dragons by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Derek Anderson
waking dragons cover image

Song/Video: “Reach for the Sun”

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “dragon”

Social Story: Now by Antoinette Portis

Closing Song

Craft: Dragon cups
crepe paper dragon story time craft

Shapes Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: A Starfish: A Shapes Book by Britta Teckentrup

Song: “Make a Circle, Draw a Square” (Tune: “Oh My Darling Clementine”)
Make a circle, make a circle, draw it in the sky.
Use your finger, use your finger, make it round as pie.

Make a square, make a square, make the lines so straight.
Draw a square, draw a square, draw one or draw eight.

Draw a triangle, draw a triangle, always start at the top.
Make a tent, make a tent, use three lines and then stop!
(Credit: Best Kids Book Site)

Book: Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Rhyme: “Star Chant” (pass out star cutouts to each of the children)
Put your star shape in the air, (hold in the air)
Hold it high and keep it there.
Put your star shape on your back, (reach back and put star on back)
Now lay it on your lap. (put star on lap)
Put your star shape on your toes, (touch star to toes)
Now hold it by your nose. (touch star to nose)
Hold your star shape in your hand, (stretch hand out in front of you)
Now everyone please stand. (have children stand up)
Wave your star shape at the door, (face door and shake star)
Now touch your star to the floor. (touch star to floor in front of you)
Hold your star in your hand and jump, jump, jump, (hold star and jump up and down)
Now toss your star shape way, way, up! (toss star up in front of you)

Yoga/Breathing: Learn the yoga pose “triangle”

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

Social Story: “Asking for Help” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren
Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting and Responding - A Book for ...

Closing Song

Craft: Pictures made from different shapes

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

Farm Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: My Farm Friends by Wendell Minor

Song: “Old McDonald Had a Farm” (show a picture or puppet for each animal)

Book: Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? book cover

Song: “Tap, Tap, Tap” – Handwriting Without Tears: Get Set for School Sing Along

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “cow”

Social Story: “Greeting My Teacher” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Paper plate cow

Fairy Tales Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya

Song: “Fairies in the Yard” (Tune: “Wheels on the Bus”)
Fairies in the yard are flying around, flying around, flying around.
Fairies in the yard are flying around.
All around the yard.

Additional verses:
Use as many variations as you can think of – e.g. twirling, skipping, running, hopping, leaping…

Book: The Foggy Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt

Song: “There’s a Crown” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
There’s a crown on my foot, on my foot.
There’s a crown on my foot, on my foot.
It just won’t stay put; does it really go on my foot?
There’s a crown on my foot, on my foot.

There’s a crown on my knee, on my knee.
There’s a crown on my knee, on my knee.
Goodness, gracious me, does it belong on my knee?
There’s a crown on my knee, on my knee.

There’s a crown on my arm, on my arm.
There’s a crown on my arm, on my arm.
It’s not doing any harm, but does it go on my arm?
There’s a crown on my arm, on my arm.

There’s a crown on my head, on my head.
There’s a crown on my head, on my head.
Did you hear what I said? I think it goes up here instead!
There’s a crown on my head, on my head!

Song: “Wake Up Your Face” – Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids

Yoga/breathing:

Social Story: Most People by Michael Leannah

Closing rhyme

Clothes Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla

Song: ”Let’s All Put Our Pants On” (Tune: “Mama’s Little Baby Loves Shortnin’ Bread”)
Let’s all put our pants on, pants on, pants on,
Let’s all put our pants on, 1, 2, 3.

Additional verses:
Let’s all put our shirt on…
Let’s all put our socks on…
Let’s all put our skirt on…
Let’s all put our shoes on…
Let’s all put our sweater on…

Now that you’re all dressed, all dressed, all dressed,
Now that you’re all dressed, let’s go out to play!

Book: Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Song: “Magic Hat” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
Put on your magic hat. (Pretend to put on hat.)
Put on your magic hat. (Pretend to put on hat.)
Oh, you can do most anything (Spread hands wide.)
In your magic hat!

Additional verses:
You can hop and hop and hop…
You can make a face…

Song: “My Silly Hat” (Tune: “This Old Man”)
On my head, I wear my hat
It is such a silly hat
That my head wiggle waggles to and fro
Where else can my silly hat go?

(foot, knee, hands)

Additional verses:
Place hat on other body parts and sing the song again.

Song: “Kindness” – Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids

Yoga/breathing: Butterfly

Social Story: Except When They Don’t by Laura Gehl

Closing rhyme