Tag: outdoors

Outdoors Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival

Song: “We Go Outside to Plant Our Seeds” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
We go outside to plant our seeds.
We go outside to plant our seeds.
High ho the derry oh,
We go outside to plant our seeds.

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

Book: Let’s Go Outside! by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Marina Ruiz

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

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “reach for the sun”

Social Story: Thank You, Bees by Toni Yuly

Closing Song

Craft: Forest of colored trees on green paper

Camping Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song

Book: Night Animals by Gianna Marino

Puppet Rhyme: “Sleeping Bag Rhyme”
(Do an animal noise and have the kids guess the animal, then reveal the puppet.)
I was lying in my sleeping bag – I couldn’t go to sleep.
I looked at my watch, and wanted to weep!
So I rolled to the left and I rolled to the right,
But all I could hear were noises in the night!
Whoo whoo whoo! I hear…an owl!

Repeat with bear, squirrel, wolf/coyote, goose, frog, etc.

Movement: “Camp Counselor Says”
Play “Simon Says,” replacing “Simon” with “camp counselor.” Do night animal noises/movements (whoo like an owl, hop like a rabbit, etc.) and camping motions (sit by the campfire, set up a tent, and go to sleep).

Book: One-Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt
One-Dog Canoe book cover

Action Song: “Bear Hunt”
(Have kids repeat your words and movements.)
We’re going on a bear hunt.
We’re going to catch a big one!
I’m not scared.
It’s a beautiful day!

Look over there!
It’s a tall field of grass.
Can’t go over it,
Can’t go under it,
Can’t go around it,
We’ve got to go through it. (pretend to go through obstacle)

Repeat for mud swamp, rushing river, and cave.

(Cave verse)
Get out your flashlight,
Look around.
I see something flutter up high. (bats)
WHAT’S THAT?
I see one shiny wet nose,
Two big furry ears,
Two big googly eyes!
IT’S A BEAR!
Quick! Quietly!
Back through the cave!
Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe!

Go back through the other 3 obstacles.

Go home! (open door, shut & lock the door, hop into bed)

We went on a Bear Hunt,
And we weren’t afraid!

Book: Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty, illustrated by Chip Wass

Song: “Campfire Pokey” (Tune: “Hokey Pokey”)
You put your marshmallow in,
You take your marshmallow out.
You put your marshmallow in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the campfire pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

Repeat with hot dog, potato, popcorn
(Credit: What Happens In Storytime…)

Action Song: “I’m Going Camping” (Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I am going camping, (point thumbs proudly to chest)
Time to pack (point to wrist)
My tent, my bedroll, and a snack. (make tent with hands, fold hands to cheek, pretend to eat)
I’ll sit by the campfire, (warm hands over fire)
Its glow so bright, (wiggle fingers like a fire)
Then snooze in my tent (pretend to snore)
‘Til the morning light! (arms circle over head)
(Credit: Lady Librarian’s Literacy, Lifestyle, and Lookbook Log)

Closing Rhyme

Adventure Story Time – Baby

Opening Song

Puppet Song: “When Ducks Go on an Adventure”
When ducks go on an adventure, they always say good day.
When ducks go on an adventure, 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: Let’s go, outside, play

Book: Let’s Go, Ted! by Sophy Henn

Song: “The Wheels on the Bus”
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round,
Round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town!

Additional verses:
Horn/beep-beep-beep
Wipers/swish-swish-swish
Doors/open and shut
Babies/up & down
Parents/I love you

Song: “I’m an Airplane” (Tune: “Frère Jacques”)
I’m an airplane, I’m an airplane,
Flying high, flying high,
I can tilt this way, I can tilt that way,
In the sky, in the sky.

I’m an airplane, I’m an airplane,
Flying high, flying high,
I can make a landing, I can make a landing,
From the sky, from the sky.
(Credit: Jbrary)

Puppet Song: “Adventure We Will Go”
Adventure, we will go,
Adventure, we will go,
We’ll find a fox standing on a box,
And then we’ll watch it go.

Additional verses:
Bear/have a scare
Goat/pet its coat
Frog/cross the bog
Mouse/scurry round its house

Book: Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli
Higher! Higher! book cover

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: “Giddyap Giddyap”
Giddyap, giddyap ride to town (bounce)
Giddyap, giddyap up and down (lift)
Giddyap fast, giddyap slow
Giddyap, giddyap WHOA! (lean baby back)
(Credit: Read Sing Play)

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)

Shaker Eggs: “Drive My Car” – Laurie Berkner: Under a Shady Tree

Closing Rhyme

Fun Outdoors Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: We Love Fishing! by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

Puppet Rhyme: “Sleeping Bag Rhyme”
I was lying in my sleeping bag – I couldn’t go to sleep.
I looked at my watch, and wanted to weep!
So, I rolled to the left and I rolled to the right,
But all I could hear were noises in the night!
I hear an owl! Whoo whoo whoo
(Repeat with mouse, cat, wolf, etc.)

Book: Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Song: “The Cool Bear Hunt” – Dr. Jean: Sings Silly Songs

Book (if time): Sheep Take a Hike by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margot Apple

Closing Rhyme

Outdoors Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Welcome song (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
We Say Hello Like This (wave)
We Say Hello Like this (wave)
We’re all here for story time!
We Say Hello Like this (wave)

We say Hello to [insert kids name]
We say Hello to [insert kids name]
We’re all here for storytime!
So say hello to [insert kids name]

Book: Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond (stop after ducks) by Mary Quattlebaum, illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

jo macdonald saw a pond

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

Book: Into the Outdoors by Susan Gal

into the outdoors

Song: “Tap, Tap, Tap” by Handwriting without Tears: Get Set for School Sing Along

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “mountain”

Play video “Dance for the Sun” by Kira Willey

Social Story: “Greeting your Teacher”

Closing Song: “Good-bye, Good-bye we’ll see you soon”

Craft: M is for Mountain

mountain