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

Bedtime Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Pajamas Anytime by Marsha Hayles, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata

Flannel Song: “Hey Diddle Diddle”
Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

Action Rhyme: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your knees.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, sit down please.

Book: Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? by Barney Saltzberg

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.

Fingerplay: “Five Little Monkeys”

Book: Race You to Bed by Bob Shea

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!

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

Closing Rhyme

Butterfly Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert

Song: “The Butterflies in the Yard” (Tune: “The Wheels On the Bus”)
The caterpillars are wriggling around, (Wriggle around)
Wriggling around, wriggling around.
The caterpillars are wriggling around,
All around the yard.

Additional verses:
The caterpillars are building a cocoon… (Roll into a ball)
The butterflies are flying around… (Fly around)

Book: Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horáček

Song: “There’s a Tiny Caterpillar On a Leaf” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle, wiggle, (Wiggling action)
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle, wiggle,
There’s a tiny caterpillar, there’s a tiny caterpillar,
There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle, wiggle.

Additional verses:
There’s a big, fat caterpillar on a leaf, munch, munch… (Munching action)
There’s a pretty butterfly on a leaf, flutter, flutter… (Fluttering action)

Song: “Butterfly Song” – David Landau: Rocket to the Moon

Puppet Show: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

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

Closing Rhyme

Whale Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Puffin Peter by Petr Horáček

Song: “The Ocean Song” (Tune: “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”)
Oh, the ocean is great and the ocean is grand. (put your arms out wide)
There are lots of tall ships and very little land. (hands together up, and then down)
And we sleep down deep in a hammock near the floor (snuggle into your hammock)
And this is what we do when we go out the door: (open up a door)

We ride the waves up, we ride the waves down (rollercoaster arms up and down)
We ride the waves up, we ride the waves down (or stand up and down)
We ride the waves up, we ride the waves down (or lift your baby up and down)
And we turn around. (roll your hands around each other)
(Credit: Jbrary)

Book: I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Song: “An Orca Whale” (Tune: “Ram Sam Sam”)
An orca whale, an orca whale, (arm waves across body like whale in waves)
Little sea scallops, (hands open and close like a shell)
And an orca whale.
An orca whale, an orca whale,
Little sea scallops,
And an orca whale.
Sea otter, sea otter, (fists beat on chest)
Little sea scallops, and an orca whale.
Sea otter, sea otter,
Little sea scallops, and an orca whale.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Flannel: “Five Whales in the Bathtub”
One whale in a bathtub, going for a swim.
Knock, knock, splash, splash, come on in!

Repeat, counting up to five whales:
Five whales in a bathtub, going for a swim.
Knock, knock, splash, splash, they all fell in!

Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” – Joanie Bartels: Bathtime Magic

Book with Puppets: Tanka Tanka Skunk! by Steve Webb

Closing Rhyme

Pizza Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Jean Jullien

Song: “Make a Pizza” (Tune: “Shortnin’ Bread”)
I can make a pizza! You can, too!
Listen and you’ll know just what to do.

Every little baker loves mixing, mixing
Every little baker loves mixing dough!

Chorus:
Flour to the left, flour to the right
Now tie your apron nice and tight

Every little baker loves kneading, kneading
Every little baker loves kneading dough!

Every little baker loves tossing, tossing
Every little baker loves tossing dough!
(Credit: Abby the Librarian – modified with added chorus)

Flannel: “Build a pizza” (give children felt ingredients for board)

Book with Puppets:“Hi, Pizza Man!” by Virginia Walter, illustrated by Ponder Goembel
Hi, Pizza Man! book cover

Song: “If You Wanna Eat Some Pizza” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
If you like bubbly cheese then just say, “Pizza please!”
If you want to eat some pizza, clap your hands!
(Credit: Awesome Storytime)

Rhyme: “Pizza Man, Pizza Man”
Pizza man, pizza man turn around.
Pizza man, pizza man touch the ground.
Pizza man, pizza man reach up high.
Pizza man, pizza man touch the sky.
Pizza man, pizza man find your nose.
Pizza man, pizza man touch your toes.
Pizza man, pizza man find your knees.
Pizza man, pizza man sit down, please!
(Credit: Modified from childhood; idea from Awesome Storytime)

Closing Rhyme

Pond Story Time – Baby

Opening Song: “My Bubble Floats Over the Ocean”
My bubble floats over the ocean,
My bubble floats over the sea,
My bubble floats over the ocean,
Oh, bubbles make me so happy!
(Credit: CSLP 2022)

Sign Language: Frog, turtle, drink, eat, bubble

Book: Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond by Mary Quattlebaum, illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

Rhyme: “I Had a Little Turtle”
I had a little turtle, his name was Tiny Tim, (sign for turtle)
I put him in the bathtub to see if he could swim. (sign for swim)
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap, (signs for drink and eat)
And now he’s sick in bed with bubbles in his throat. (sign for bubble)
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, pop,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, pop!
(Credit: WCLS Libraries)

Song: “Roly Poly” (Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down

Roly poly, roly poly
out, out, out
out, out, out
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
in, in, in
in, in, in

Roly poly, roly poly
fast, fast, fast
fast, fast, fast
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
slow, slow, slow
slow, slow, slow
(Credit: Jbrary)

Flannel: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious grubs (yum, yum!).
One jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool.
Now there are four green and speckled frogs.

Repeat, counting down until there are no green and speckled frogs.

Book: In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming

Lap Song: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

Repeat with: bounce, sway, tickle

Lap Song: “Little Frog”
A little frog in a pond am I,
Hippity, hippity, hop. (bounce)
And I can jump in the air so high, (lift)
Hippity, hippity, hop! (bounce)

Lap Song: “Oh I Wish I Was a Little Bar of Soap”
Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap. (lift baby)
Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap.
Oh, I’d slippy and I’d slidey over everybody’s hidey (tickle)
Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap!
(Credit: Jbrary)

Scarf Song: “Peek-a-boo” (Tune: “Frère Jacques”)
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo,
I see you, I see you
I see your button nose, I see your tiny toes,
Peek-a-boo, I see you.
(Credit: Sacramento Public Library)

Scarf Song: “My Scarf Goes Up”
My scarf goes up, (throw)
My scarf comes down, (catch)
My scarf waves around, around, around. (wave around)
My scarf goes in, (crumple inside hands)
My scarf comes out, (pull back out)
My scarf flies about, about, about. (wave around)
(Credit: Sacramento Public Library)

Closing Rhyme

Swimming Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

Action Rhyme: “Swimming”
Swimming in the water cool and bright, (pretend to swim)
I kick my feet with all my might, (kick feet)
And when I’m tired I turn and float, (spin and hold arms out)
Pretending that I’m a boat! (rock hands)
I like to hold my breath and dive, (take a breath and bend down)
I swim beneath the water and count to five. (count to five)
Wow! What a dive!
(Credit: Hummingbird Educational Resources)

Book: Froggy Learns to Swim by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

Song: “Swimming, Swimming”
Swimming, swimming (mime swimming)
In the swimming pool (outline rectangle with fingers)
When days are hot (fan yourself)
When days are cold (shiver)
In the swimming pool. (outline rectangle with fingers)
Breaststroke, sidestroke, (mime both strokes)
Fancy diving, too. (make diving hands)
Don’t you wish you never had anything else to do? (shrug)
(Credit: Miss Nina – Music & Movement for Preschool)

Book: Swim Swim Sink by Jenn Harney

Song (if time): “The Goldfish” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Boats by Byron Barton

Nursery Rhyme (with poster): “Rub a dub dub”

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

Book: Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
Little Boat book cover

Flannel: “Five Little Boats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
Five little boats went out one day (Hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away (Move hand up and down)
With the wind, they begin to rock (Lean side to side)
One little boat returns to the dock.

Repeat until there are no sailboats left.
(Credit: Adapted from Storytime Katie and Adventures of a Bookworm)

Rhyme: “Motorboat, Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas! (Use foot and pretend to step on gas)
VROOOOOM!
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

Song: “My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean” (sway kids back and forth)

Book: Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban

Song: “My Big Green Boat” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
Big green boat, big green boat.
I love to row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big green boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave gently)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big green boat has two white sails
Out on the deep blue sea.

So come for a row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
My big green boat, my big green boat.
So come for a row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

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

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

Closing Rhyme