Tag: autumn

Fall Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
in the middle of fall cover

Song: “Leaves are Falling” (Tune: “Jingle Bells”)
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, falling on my nose,
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, falling on my toes,
On my head, on my ears, even my elbows,
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, when the brisk wind blows.

Repeat the song, faster.

Book: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
The Busy Little Squirrel book cover

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “tree”

Social Story: “Listening in Class” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren

Closing Song

Craft: Torn paper fall tree

Leaves Story Time – Family

Opening Song

Book: My Leaf Book by Monica Wellington

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

Book: Leaves by David Ezra Stein
Leaves book cover

Flannel: “The Green Grass Grew All Around”

Book: One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Clive McFarland

Song: “Orange, Yellow, Red and Brown” (Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”) (with colored felt leaves)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Autumn leaves are twirling all around, (hold your arms out to your sides and spin them around and around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Autumn leaves are dancing in the breeze, (hold your arms up and dance them all around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown,
Autumn leaves are falling to the ground, (go down to the floor and lay down)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
(Credit: From the CD, “Children’s Favorite Autumn Songs & Fingerplays” by The Learning Station)

Closing Rhyme

Fall Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Clive McFarland

Song: “Roly Poly” (Tune: “Frère Jacques”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down

Repeat with: out/in, fast/slow
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Autumn Leaves are Falling” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees,
In the trees, in the trees.
Autumn leaves are in the trees
All over town.

Additional verses:
Autumn leaves are falling down…
Autumn leaves are whirling round…
Everybody rake them up…
Jump into the pile we made…

Book: Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara

Song: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”

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

Book: Turkey Gobble by Allison Black

Scarf Song: “We Wave Our Scarves Together”
We wave our scarves together,
We wave our scarves together,
We wave our scarves together
Because it’s fun to do.

Wave them up high,
Wave them down low,
Wave them in the middle
Because it’s fun to do.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Scarf Rhyme: “I’m Toast in the Toaster”
I’m toast in the toaster, (hold scarf)
And I’m getting very hot.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, (wave scarf side to side)
Up I POP! (throw scarf in the air)
(Credit: King County Library System)

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

Closing Rhyme

Fall Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Song: “When Ducks Get Up in the Morning”
When ducks get up in the morning, they always say good day.
When ducks get up in the morning, they always say good day.
Quack, quack, quack, quack, this is what they say.
Quack, quack, quack, quack, this is what they say.

Repeat with other animals/sounds
(Credit: King County Library System)

Sign Language: Tree, leaves, squirrel

Book: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
The Busy Little Squirrel book cover

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.

Rhyme: “Autumn”
Autumn winds begin to blow. (blow gently on baby’s cheek)
Colored leaves fall fast and slow. (wiggle fingers downward)
Twirling, whirling all around, (roll hands)
Until, at last, they touch the ground. (lower baby between legs)
(Credit: Library Village)

Book: Leaves: An Autumn Pop-Up Book by Janet Lawler, illustrated by Lindsay Dale-Scott, paper engineered by Yoojin Kim

Lap Song: “Bumpity Bumpity Goes the Dump Truck”
Bumpity bumpity goes the dump truck.
Bumpity bumpity goes the dump truck.
Bumpity bumpity goes the dump truck.
Dump out the load. (tip baby to the side)
(Credit: Jbrary)

Lap Song: “Way Up High in the Apple Tree”
Way up high in the apple tree, (lift baby)
I saw a little baby smiling at me.
I shook that tree as gently as I could, (shake gently)
Down came the baby, (bring down)
Mmm, was she good! (kiss)
(Credit: King County Library System)

Lap Song: “A Bouncing We Will Go” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
A bouncing we will go, a bouncing we will go,
High-ho the dairy oh, a bouncing we will go.

Repeat with rocking and tickling
(Credit: King County Library System)

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

Scarf Song: “Autumn Leaves are Falling Down” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
Autumn leaves are falling down
All around the town.

The wind will blow them round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wind will blow them round and round
All around the town.
(Credit: King County Library System)

Closing Rhyme

Fall Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek

Song: “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees,
In the trees, in the trees.
Autumn leaves are in the trees
All over town.

Additional verses:
Autumn leaves are falling down…
Autumn leaves are whirling round…
Everybody rake them up…
Jump into the pile we made…

Song: “Leaves are Falling” (Tune: “Jingle Bells”)
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, falling on my nose,
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, falling on my toes,
On my head, on my ears, even my elbows,
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling, when the brisk wind blows.

Book: That Pup! by Lindsay Barrett George

Song: “Walk Old Squirrel” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: When It’s Autumn

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

Book: It’s Fall! by Renée Kurilla

Song: “(Silly) Wheels on the Bus” – Miss Nina and the Jumping Jacks: Every Day’s Your Birthday!

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

Closing Rhyme

Leaves Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall, illustrated by Shari Halpern

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

Book: Leaves by David Ezra Stein
Leaves book cover

Flannel: “The Green Grass Grew All Around”

Book: One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count With Me! by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Clive McFarland

Song: “Orange, Yellow, Red and Brown” (Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”) (use colored felt leaves)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are twirling all around. (hold your arms out to your sides and spin them around and around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are dancing in the breeze. (hold your arms up and dance them all around)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.

Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
And autumn leaves are falling to the ground. (lay down on the floor)
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown.
(Credit: From the CD Children’s Favorite Autumn Songs & Fingerplays by The Learning Station)

Closing Rhyme

Fall Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre

Song: “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees,
In the trees, in the trees.
Autumn leaves are in the trees
All over town.

Additional verses:
Autumn leaves are falling down…
Autumn leaves are whirling round…
Everybody rake them up…
Jump into the pile we made…

Book/Flannel: That Pup! by Lindsay Barrett George

Song: “Gray Squirrel” – Learning Station: Where is Thumbkin?

Book/Flannel: Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, illustrated by Susan Swan

Song: “Pumpkin, Pumpkin” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Once you were a seed so small, (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball! (make a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
(Credit: Step by Step Childcare)

Puppet Show: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
The Busy Little Squirrel book cover

Puppet Song: “So Many Leaves are Falling on the Ground”
So many leaves are falling on the ground,
Orange ones, yellow ones, and even brown.
But the one little leaf that rhymes with…
Is my favorite color, it’s the color…

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

Closing Rhyme

Harvest Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Harvest in Fall by Mari Schuh

Song: “Pumkpin, Pumpkin” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle”)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Once you were a seed so small, (pinch fingers together)
Now you are a great big ball! (make a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
(Source: Step by Step Childcare)

Book: Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Song: “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees . . . All over town.
Autumn leaves are falling down . . . All over town.
Autumn leaves are whirling round . . .
Everybody rake them up . . .
Jump into the piles we made . . .

Flannel/Book: Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, illustrated by Susan Swan


Song: “The Dance Along Gong Song” – Jim Gill: The Irrational Anthem

Puppets/Book: Tops and Bottoms adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens


Closing Rhyme

Activity: Garden growing and harvesting, imaginary play

Fall Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Sign Language: orange, brown, yellow, not, mine, yours, tree, apple, pumpkin, leaves

Book: Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! by Anne Sibley O’Brien

Song: “Did You Ever See a Baby?”
Did you ever see a baby, a baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean side to side)
Go this way and that way and this way and that way (lean front to back, side to side)
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that? (lean front to back)

Rhyme: Great A, little a
Bouncing B,
The cat’s in the cupboard,
But she can’t see me.

Book: Let It Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Song: “Over in the Barnyard” (Tune: “Down by the Station”)
Over in the barnyard,
Early in the morning,
See the little baby chicks,
all in a row, (hold up five fingers of one hand and wiggle them)
See the busy farmer,
Scattering their breakfast, (scatter chicken feed with other hand)
Peck, peck, (hold your four fingers together and place your thumb below to form a beak and make pecking motions)
Cheep, cheep (open and close your beak)
Off they go!

Song (with scarves): “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees, in the trees, in the trees.
Autumn leaves are in the trees all over town.

Additional verses:
Autumn leaves are falling down…All over town.
Autumn leaves are whirling round…All over town.
Everybody rake them up… All over town.
Jump into the pile we made . . .All over town.

Book: Baby Loves Fall by Karen Katz
Baby Loves Fall book cover

Song (with shaky eggs): “Shakin’ Like a Leafy Tree” – The Wiggles: Racing to the Rainbow

Closing rhyme

Fall Story Time – Everyone

Opening Song

Book: Amazing Autumn by Jennifer Marino Walters

Rhyme: Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away, Jack! And fly away, Jill!
Come back, Jack! And come back, Jill!
Two little blackbirds sitting on a cloud
One named Soft and one named LOUD . . .
Two little blackbirds flying in the sky
One named Low and one named High. . .
Two little blackbirds sitting on a stick
One named Slow and one named Quick. . .

Book: Fall by Julie Murray

Puppet Song: “So Many Leaves Are Falling on the Ground” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
So many leaves are falling on the ground,
Orange ones, yellow ones, and even brown,
But the one little leaf that rhymes with ____________.
Is my favorite color, it’s the color ___________.
tree puppet image

Song: “Autumn Leaves” (Tune: “London Bridge”)
Autumn leaves are in the trees . . . All over town.
Autumn leaves are falling down . . .
Autumn leaves are whirling round . . .
Everybody rake them up . . .
Jump into the piles we made . . .

Book:  Fall is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
Fall is not easy

Song with scarves: “Pumpkin, Pumpkin” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle”)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
Once you were a seed so small, (hold hands together)
Now you are a great big ball! (make a big circle)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground, (touch the ground)
How’d you get so big and round? (make a big circle)
(Credit: Step by Step Childcare)

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

Closing Song

Craft: Paper Plate Pumpkin