Garden Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: How to Say Hello to a Worm by Kari Percival

Song: “The Gardener Plants the Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener digs the soil.
The gardener digs the soil.
Hi-ho, the derry-oh,
The gardener digs the soil. (pretend to dig)

The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
Hi-ho, the derry-oh,
The gardener plants the seeds. (pretend to plant seeds)

Additional verses:
The rain falls on the ground… (flutter fingers down to the ground)
The sun shines bright and warm… (hold hands in a circle overhead)
The seeds/plants begin to grow… (slowly raise hands from ground)
Flowers grow everywhere… (hold hands outstretched)
Fresh vegetables to eat… (pretend to eat)

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
Flower Garden book cover

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

Yoga: Flower pose

Social Story: Being Responsible by Rebecca Pettiford

Closing Song

Craft: Cupcake liner flowers

Garden Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Song: “Won’t You Plant Your Seeds With Care?” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: Say Hello to the Morning

Song: “The Gardener Plants the Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds.

Additional verses:
The rain falls on the ground…
The sun shines bright and warm…
The seeds begin to grow…
Flowers grow everywhere…

Book: What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Maggie Smith
What Does Bunny See? book cover

Rhyme: “A Little Brown Rabbit Popped Out of the Ground” (Tune: “There Was an Old Lady”)
A little brown rabbit popped out of the ground,
Wriggled his whiskers and looked around.
Another small rabbit who lived in the grass
Popped his head out and watched him pass.
Then both the small rabbits went hoppity hop,
Hoppity, hoppity, hop,
Till they came to a wall and had to stop.
Then both the small rabbits turned themselves round,
And hurried off home to their holes in the ground.
(Credit: Early Play Rhymes)

Flannel: “There’s Something In My Garden”

Song: “It is Springtime” (:12) – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Book/Puppets: Puddle Jumpers by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Nancy Cote

Closing Rhyme

Garden Story Time – Baby

Opening Song: “Hello Bubble”
Hello bubble, hello bubble,
Come and land, come and land,
Right in the middle, right in the middle,
Of my hand, of my hand.

Puppet 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: Garden, flower, bugs

Puppets: Who’s in the Garden? by Phillis Gershator, illustrated by Jill McDonald
Who's in the Garden? book cover

Fingerplay: “Round and Round the Garden”
Round and round the garden,
Like a teddy bear. (trace circles on baby’s hand)
One step, two steps,
A tickle under there! (crawl up their arm and tickle armpit)
(Credit: Storytime Katie)

Fingerplay: “Five Fat Peas”
Five fat peas in a peapod pressed,
One grew, two grew, so did all the rest.
They grew and they grew and they wouldn’t stop.
They grew and grew until they popped!
(Credit: Jbrary)

Song: “Ten Little Flowers”
One little, two little, three little flowers,
Four little, five little, six little flowers,
Seven little, eight little, nine little flowers,
Ten flowers in the spring.

Give them rain and lots of sunshine,
Give them rain and lots of sunshine,
Give them rain and lots of sunshine,
So they’ll grow up tall.
(Credit: Modified from The Holiday Zone)

Flannel: “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary”
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

Book: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Up, Down, and Around book cover

Lap Song: “Bunny Hop”
Hop, hop, hop along,
And bounce on someone’s knee,
Higher & higher & higher & higher,
Bunny-hop with me.

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)

Lap Rhyme: “I’m a Little Beetle”
I’m a little beetle (bounce baby)
And I wiggle all day. (wiggle baby)
If you get too close to me, (hug baby)
I’ll FLY away! (lift baby)

Additional verses:
I’m a little bumblebee…
I’m a little ladybug…
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Shaker Eggs: “The Valley of Vegetables” – Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz

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

Flowers Story Time – Everybody

Opening song

Book: My Garden by Kevin Henkes

Song: “The Seed” (Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
I’m a little planted seed (crouch into a ball)
Planted seed, planted seed.
I’m a little planted seed,
This is how I grow.

Additional verses:
See the rain come sprinkling down…
Sunshine comes down through the trees…
Now I am a growing bud…

Book: Flowers by Vijaya Khisty Bodach

Flannel: There’s Something in My Garden
There’s something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound….
Ribbit – Ribbit – Ribbit
A Frog is what I found!
Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Repeat with other animals, such as a crow (caw-caw-caw), mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak), rabbit (thump-thump-thump), bird (tweet-tweet-tweet) etc.
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime)

Song: “Rocks and Flowers” – Caspar Babypants: More Please!

Book: Grow by Cynthia Platt

Scarf Song: “Will Our Flowers Bloom?” (Tune: “Wheels on the Bus”)
The seeds from the pack go in the ground           (poke with finger)
In the ground, in the ground
The seeds from the pack go in the ground
Will our flowers bloom?

The rain from the sky goes drip drip drop            (flutter fingers down)
Drip drip drop, drip drip drop
The rain from the sky goes drip drip drop
Will our flowers bloom?

The sun above is bright and hot                          (arms make a circle over head)
Bright and hot, bright and hot
The sun above is bright and hot
Will our flowers bloom?

Our little seeds are sprouting fast                      (fingers grow upward)
Sprouting fast, sprouting fast
Our little seeds are sprouting fast
Look! Our flowers bloomed!                             (cup hands, then spread open)
We did this with actions and scarves so we would have colorful “blooms.”

Book: Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry

Song: Lucy Knisley “Wash Your Hands”

Closing Song

 

Garden Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson

Song with scarves: “Rain on the flowers”
Rain on the flowers
Rain on the trees
Rain in the garden
But not on me.
(Repeat with snow, sun, wind)
(Adapted from: Jbrary)

Book: Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry

Song: “Tap, Tap” – Handwriting without Tears: Get Set for School

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “flower”

Social Story: Breathe by Scott Magoon

Closing Song

Craft: Cupcake liner flowers

Save

Flowers Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt

Flower Garden book cover

Flannel/Puppets: There’s something in my garden
There’s something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound….
Ribbit – Ribbit – Ribbit
A Frog is what I found!
Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Repeat with other animals, such as a crow (caw-caw-caw), mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak), rabbit (thump-thump-thump), bird (tweet-tweet-tweet) etc.
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime)

Song: “The Gardener Plants the Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds.

Additional verses:
The rain falls on the ground…
The sun shines bright and warm…
The seeds begin to grow…
Flowers grow everywhere…

Book: Bloom Boom! by April Pulley Sayre

Song: “Little Red Wagon” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Wiggleworms Love You

Book: Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson

Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson, book cover

Song: “Shake Your Sillies Out” – The Wiggles: Yummy Yummy

Song: “This is the way we clap our hands” – Kimbo Educational: Teach a Toddler 

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

Closing Song

Craft: Cupcake liner flower bouquet

Garden Story Time – Baby

Opening song

Sign language: vegetable, garden, flower

Book: Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Up, Down, and Around book cover

Rhyme: Five Fat Peas
Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed (hold hands in a fist)
One grew, two grew, so did the rest. (Put fingers up one by one.)
They grew and they grew and did not stop,
Until one day that pea pod POPPED! (clap hands together.)

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: Who’s in the Garden? By Phillis Gershator
Who's in the Garden? book cover

Song: “In My Garden” – Raffi: One Light, One Sun

Puppets: There’s something in my garden
There’s something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound….
Ribbit – Ribbit – Ribbit
A Frog is what I found!
Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Repeat with other animals, such as a crow (caw-caw-caw), mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak), rabbit (thump-thump-thump), bird (tweet-tweet-tweet) etc.
(Credit: Sunflower Storytime)

Rhyme: Little frog
A little frog in a pond am I, (lap)
Hippity, hippity, hop. (bounce)
And I can jump in the air so high, (lift)
Hippity, hippity, hop!

Song: “Let’s Tap Our Feet Together” (Tune: “The More We Get Together”)
Let’s tap our feet together, together, together
Let’s tap our feet together because it’s fun to do.

Additional verses:
Clap our hands
Touch our nose
Touch our ears 

Book (choral): Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
Growing Vegetable Soup book cover

Song (shaky eggs): “The Valley of Vegetables” – Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz

Closing Song

Spring Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! book cover

Rhyme: Little Brown Rabbit Popped Out of the Ground

Flannel: There’s something in my garden

Song: “Won’t you plant your seeds with care” – Kathy Reid-Naiman: Say Hello to the Morning

Book: What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Maggie Smith

What Does Bunny See? book cover

Song: “It Is Springtime” – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Puppet Show: Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand (abridged)

Spring is Here book cover

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Fork-painted tulips

fork paint tulip preschool spring story time craft

Flower Story Time – Baby

Opening song

Sign language for flower

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt

flower garden

Song: (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The gardener plants the seeds.
The gardener plants the seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
The gardener plants the seeds.

The rain falls on the ground…
The sun shines bright and warm…
The seeds begin to grow…
The flowers grow everywhere…

Rhyme: That’s Me Complete
I have ten little fingers and ten little toes (wiggle fingers and toes)
Two little arms and one little nose (wave arms, touch nose)
One little mouth and two little ears (touch mouth and ears)
Two little eyes for smiles and tears (touch your eyes)
One little head and two little feet (touch head, wiggle feet)
One little chin, that’s ME complete! (touch chin and pat chest)
(Source: Wadsworth Library)

Book: Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry

big yellow sunflower

Song: “Say, Say Oh Baby” – Priscilla Hegner: Baby Games

Song: “Hop, hop, hop along” (Tune: “Row, Row, Row your Boat”)
Hop, hop, hop along (bounce)
Or bounce on someone’s knee
Higher and higher and higher and higher
Bunny hop with me.

Book: Counting in the Garden by Kim Parker

counting in the garden

Song: “Here we go up, up, up” (Tune: “Here we go looby loo”)
Here we go up, up, up (lift baby)
Here we go down, down, down,
Here we go up, up, up
Here we go down, down, down.

Rhyme: Pizza, pickle, pumpernickel
My little baby deserves a tickle! [tickle baby]
One for her nose, and one for her toes
And one for her belly where the hot dog goes!

Song: “Little Red Wagon” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Wiggleworms Love You

Song (shaky eggs): “You Are My Flower” – Elizabeth Mitchell: You Are My Flower

Closing rhyme