Book: Polly’s Pink Pajamas by Vivian French, illustrated by Sue Heap
Song: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” – Jim Gill: Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem
Book: A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas
Song: “Tap, Tap, Tap” – Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer: Get Set for School Sing Along
Yoga/Breathing: Balloon breath
Social Story: Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Brian Biggs
Craft: Decorate party crowns with stickers
Book: Going Up! by Sherry J. Lee, illustrated by Charlene Chua
Song: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” – Jim Gill: Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem
Book: Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Song/Video: “Reach for the Sun”
Yoga: Happy birthday candle
Social Story: It Was Supposed to Be Sunny by Samantha Cotterill
Craft: Paper cupcake
Book: Guinea Pig Party by Holly Surplice
Rhyme: “Jello in the Bowl” (tune: A Hunting We Will Go)
Jello in the bowl, jello in the bowl,
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble,
Jello in the bowl.
Cookies in the jar, cookies in the jar,
Shake ‘em up, shake ‘em up,
cookies in the jar.
Candles on the cake, candles on the cake,
Blow ‘em out, blow ‘em out,
candles on the cake.
(Credit: King County Library System)
Song: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” – Jim Gill: The Irrational Anthem
Book: The Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Jonathan Langley
Flannel: “Five Candles”
Five candles on a birthday cake
Five, and not one more
You may blow one candle out,
Now there are four!
(There for all to see / three; Standing straight and true / two; Helping us have fun / one; We know its task is done / none)
(Credit: Addison Public Library)
Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands,
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap you’re hands
Repeat with:
Stomp your feet
Blow out the candles
Shout “Hooray”
Song: “10 Little Candles”
1 little, 2 little, 3 little candles
4 little, 5 little, 6 little candles,
7 little, 8 little, 9 little candles,
10 little candles on the cake
Count back down from 10
Book: A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas
Song: “Happy Birthday” to Cow
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Cow,
Happy Birthday to you
Song: “Icky Sticky Bubble Gum” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties
Book: Maisy Goes to the Movies by Lucy Cousins
Song: “Popcorn Kernels” (with scarves/towels/tissue/household objects)
Book: Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins
Song: “Camping Chant”
I was laying in my sleeping bag
I couldn’t go to sleep
I looked at my watch and wanted to weep
I rolled to my left
I rolled to my right
but all I could hear were animal noises in the night.
I heard a ‘Owl’, ‘Hoo, hoo, hoo’.
Rhyme with puppet: Where Are the Baby Mice?
Where are the baby mice? Squeak, squeak, squeak,
I cannot see them peek, peek, peek,
Here they come out of their hole,
One, two, three, and that is all!
Book: Maisy Gets a Pet by Lucy Cousins
Song: “She Loved to Clap”
Behind the tree * *
And under the house * *
There lived a teeny * *
Tiny mouse * *
She loved to sing * *
She loved to tap * *
But most of all * *
She loved to clap * *
She clapped all night * *
She clapped all day * *
She clapped to frighten * *
The cat away * * * * * * * * (lots of claps, meow)
Book: Happy Birthday, Maisy! by Lucy Cousins
Book: When’s My Birthday by Julie Fogliano (Roaring Brook Press-Macmillan)
Song: “These Are My Glasses” sung acapella, recording: Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think of That?
Book: Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant (Beach Lane Books-Simon & Schuster)
Flannel: Where’s the Owl?
Song: “Happy Birthday to You!” to Mr. Sloth
Book: A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas
Fingerplay: Make a Cake
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Shake some flour in (make a shaking motion with one arm/hand)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Place it in a tin (pretend to pour)
Sprinkle in some chocolate chips (pretend to sprinkle)
Put it in to bake (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Then open wide the oven door (pretend to open door)
And out comes the cake! (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Song: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” – Jim Gill: The Irrational Anthem
Book: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
Draw and Tell Story: Birthday Cake
(Credit: Linda Meuse, Notes from the Story Room)
Song: “Little Candles”
One little, two little, three little candles
four little, five little, six little candles
seven little, eight little, nine little candles
10 little candles on the cake.
Close your eyes, make a wish,
Ready, set, blow them out!
Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”– Laurie Berkner: Laurie Berkner’s Favorite Classic Kids Songs
Book: Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Brian Biggs
Song: “Clap your Hands” – They Might Be Giants: Here Come the ABCs
Craft: Decorate a paper cupcake with crayons and stickers
Sign language: Party, cake , gift
Book: Baby’s Firsts by Nancy Raines Day, illustrated by Michael Emberley
Rhyme: Ten Little Candles
Ten little candles on a birthday cake. (hold up ten fingers)
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are eight.
(blow twice and bend down two fingers)
Eight little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are six.
Six little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are four.
Four little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are two.
Two little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are none!
Make a wish!
Song: “This is the Way”
This is the way we drink our milk
Drink our milk, drink our milk.
This is the way we drink our milk,
Early in the morning.
Additional verses: Milk, Juice, Water
Book: Guinea Pig Party by Holly Surplice
Song: “Did you ever see a baby, a baby, 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: “Icky bicky soda cracker”
Icky, bicky, soda cracker (bounce to rhythm)
Icky, bicky, boo! (lean forward on ‘boo‘)
Icky, bicky, soda cracker (bounce to rhythm)
Up goes you! (lift baby up)
Icky, bicky, soda cracker (bounce to rhythm)
Icky, bicky, boo! (lean forward on ‘boo‘)
Icky, bicky, soda cracker (bounce to rhythm)
I love you! (hug baby)
(Credit: King County Library System)
Rhyme: “Round About”
Round about, round about, goes the wee mouse (draw circle)
Up a bit, up a bit, in a wee house (tickle chin)
Book (choral): Don’t Spill the Beans! by Ian Schoenherr
Song (with shaky eggs): “Milkshake Song” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms
Book: Birthdays by Brenda Haugen, illustrated by Todd Ouren
Flannel: Queen Elsa’s Crowns (Tune: “Mary Wore Her Red Dress”)
Queen Elsa wore her purple crown, purple crown, purple crown.
Queen Elsa wore her purple crown every Sunday!
(repeat with different crowns and days)
(Source: Miss Sarah Storytime blog)
Song: “Jumping and Counting” – Jim Gill: The Irrational Anthem
Book: Boa’s Bad Birthday by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross
Song: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” – Jim Gill: The Irrational Anthem
Rhyme: Ten Little Candles
Ten little candles on a birthday cake.
(hold up ten fingers)
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are eight.
(blow twice and bend down two fingers)
Eight little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are six.
Six little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are four.
Four little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are two.
Two little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are none!
Make a wish!
Book: Wolf’s Coming by Joe Kulka
Closing song
Craft: Birthday crowns
Sign language: party
Book: Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Brian Biggs
Rhyme: Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Shake some flour in (make a shaking motion with one arm/hand)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Place it in a tin (pretend to pour)
Sprinkle in some chocolate chips (pretend to sprinkle)
Put it in to bake (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Then open wide the oven door (pretend to open door)
And out comes the cake! (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime)
Song: “Put your Finger in the Air” – Bob McGrath: Bob’s Favorite Sing Along Songs
Song: “Roll your hands” – Carol Totsky Hammett: Toddlers on Parade
Draw and Tell Story: Birthday Cake
(Credit: Linda Meuse, Notes from the Story Room)
Rhyme: Make a Wish
Big birthday cake (make huge circle with arms)
Ice cream in a dish (cup hands)
Here are the candles (wiggle fingers on one hand)
Now make a wish! (blow and make fingers into a fist)
(Credit: Upper Arlington Public Library)
Song: “Five Days Old” – Laurie Berkner: Rocketship Run
Book: Where is Baby’s Birthday Cake? by Karen Katz
Song: “Icky-Sticky Bubble Gum” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties
Craft: cupcakes
Sign Language: party, cake, gift
Book: The Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Jonathan Langley
Rhyme: Ten Little Candles
Ten little candles on a birthday cake.
(hold up ten fingers)
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are eight.
(blow twice and bend down two fingers)
Eight little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are six.
Six little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are four.
Four little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are two.
Two little candles on a birthday cake.
“Wh! Wh!” Now there are none!
Make a wish!
Song: Hop, hop, hop along (Tune: “Row Your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (hop)
Or bounce on someone’s knee (bounce)
Higher and higher and higher and higher (lift)
Bunny hop with me. (hop)
Book: A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas
Rhyme: Pitty, patty, polt
Pitty, patty, polt, (tap feet together)
Shoe the little colt.
Here a nail, (tap one foot)
There a nail, (tap other foot)
Pitty, patty, polt. (tap feet together)
Song: Forgot a bag to carry (Tune: “Ring around the Rosie”)
Forgot a bag to carry (sign for bag)
Our books at the library (sign for book)
Stack’em, stack’em (lift baby, or stack hands)
They all fall down (baby to lap, or hands open)
Credit: Leah Portz
Book: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli
Song (shaky eggs): “Milkshake Song” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Songs for Wiggleworms
