Snacks on the Farm Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Spreckle’s Snack Surprise by Sandra Salsbury

Flannel: “Five Little Kernels”
(Put up the five kernel shapes on the board, as spread out as you can. When you say “POP!” slap a white popcorn shape right on top of one of the kernels.)
Five little kernels sizzling in the pot.
All of a sudden, one went POP!

Repeat, counting down until all the kernels have popped.
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Song: “Dragon Pokey”
You put your claws in, you take your claws out,
You put your claws in, and you scratch them all about!
You do the Dragon Pokey and you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!

Additional verses:
Feet in/stomp them all about
Teeth in/chomp them all about
Tail in/swing it all about

Book: Croc-a-doodle-doo! by Huw Lewis Jones, illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Song: “DONUT” (Tune: “BINGO”)
I know a treat that’s round and sweet,
It’s fancy, fried, and tasty!
D-O-N-U-T
D-O-N-U-T
D-O-N-U-T
Please save a bite for me, hey!

Count down just as in “BINGO,” clapping for each letter as it’s replaced.

Puppet Rhyme: “Mmm, Donuts!”
Down around the corner, at the bakery shop,
There were [number] little donuts with frosting on top.
Along came [name], hungry for a treat,
And s/he picked the [color] one to take home and eat!
(Credit: The Lion is a Bookworm)

Song: “Jump Up, Turn Around” – Jim Gill: Moving Rhymes for Modern Times

Book: The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall

Closing Rhyme

Monster Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin

Song: “Monstermixmerge” – Scholastic
(Actions: snort & growl, smack claws, stomp paws, twitch tail, wiggle warts, roar)

Book: Some Monsters Are Different by David Milgrim
Some Monsters Are Different book cover

Song: “Horns, Fangs, Knees and Claws” (Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”)
Horns, fangs, knees and claws, knees and claws,
Horns, fangs, knees and claws, knees and claws,
Eyes and ears and tail and paws,
Horns, fangs, knees and claws, knees and claws.
(Credit: King County Library System)

Fingerplay: “Five Little Monsters”
Five little monsters sitting on the floor.
The red one said, “Let’s knock on someone’s door.”
The green one said, “Let’s act a little scary.”
The white one said, “Why are we so hairy?”
The blue one said, “I hear a funny sound.”
The pink one said, “There’s no one else around.”
Then, “Whoosh!” went the wind and “Eek!” someone said,
So five little monsters ran under the bed.

Song: “Monster Boogie” – Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz

Flannel Story: Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

Rhyme: “Monster, Monster”
Monster, Monster, turn around! (turn around)
Monster, Monster, touch the ground! (touch ground)
Monster, Monster, reach up high! (stretch up high)
Monster, Monster, squint your eyes! (squint eyes)
Monster, Monster, show your teeth! (bare teeth and make claws)
Monster, Monster, stomp your feet! (stomp)
Monster, Monster, slap your knees! (slap knees)
Monster, Monster, sit down, please! (sit down)
(Credit: King County Library System)

Book: Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Closing Rhyme

Apple Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: What’s an Apple? by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
What's an Apple? book cover

Song: “Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down” – Junior Jukebox: Four Seasons

Rhyme: “Way Up High in the Apple Tree”
Way up high in the apple tree, (stretch arms in air)
Two little apples smiled at me. (make two fists)
I shook that tree as hard as I could, (shake arms in air)
And down came the apples. (drop fists to floor)
Mmmmm, they were good! (rub tummy)

Book/Flannel: Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

Rhyme: “Wiggle Worms”
Here are some worms who are, oh, so sad.
They’ve lost all the wiggles that they once had.
They wonder if you, just for today,
Would lend them your wiggles so they can play.

Wiggle them up and wiggle them down,
Wiggle the worms around and around.
Wiggle them high and wiggle them low,
Wiggle them fast and wiggle them slow.
Wiggle them over your shoes and your socks,
Then wiggle them back into their box.

Fingerplay: “Five Little Apples”

Song: “Put Your Finger in the Air” – Bob McGrath: Sing Along with Bob #2

Flannel/Puppet Story: Little Mouse’s Big Secret by Éric Battut

Song: “A Little Apple Seed” (Tune: “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”)
Once a little apple seed
Was planted in the ground.
Down came the raindrops falling all around.
Out came the big sun,
Bright as bright could be,
And that little apple seed grew up
To be an apple tree.

Closing Rhyme

Celebrating Spanish Speakers Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: A Song of Frutas by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Sara Palacios

Shaker Eggs: “Fruit Salad Salsa” – Laurie Berkner: Victor Vito

Book/Flannel: Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Thong, illustrated by John Parra
Green is a Chile Pepper cover image

Song: “Mi Cuerpo” – Hot Peas ‘n Butter: Best of the Bowl

Flannel: Numbers in Spanish

Song: “Uno Dos Tres” – Laura Doherty: Kids in the City

Book with Puppets: Animal Talk: Mexican Folk Art Animal Sounds in English and Spanish by Cynthia Weill, illustrated by Rubí Fuentes and Efraín Broa

Closing Rhyme

Moose Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Moose by Aaron Carr

Song: “In the Woods” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The moose in the woods go trot trot trot,
Trot trot trot, trot trot trot.
The moose in the woods go trot trot trot
All day long.

Additional verses:
The wolves . . . go aw-ooo
The rabbits . . . go hop
The badgers . . . go dig
The owls . . . go flap

Book/Puppets: Elusive Moose by Joan Gannij, illustrated by Clare Beaton
Elusive Moose Book Cover

Song: “Sleeping Bag Chant” – Carole Peterson: H.U.M. All Year Long

Flannel: “Where is the Moose?” (hide a moose behind shapes of different colors)

Song: “There Was a Great Big Moose!” (repeat-after-me)
There was a great big moose!
He liked to drink a lot of juice.

Chorus:
Singin’ oh way oh
Way oh way oh way oh way oh
Way oh way oh
Way oh way oh way oh way oh

(Repeat each verse, then chorus.)

The moose’s name was Fred.
He liked to drink his juice in bed.

He drank his juice with care,
but he spilled some in his hair.

Now he’s a sticky moose
Because he’s all covered in juice!

Rhyme: “Mr. Moose”
Mr. Moose is very tall, (put hands to head for antlers)
His antlers touch the sky. (hand high up in the air)
They make a real good resting place (put hands out to sides)
For birdies passing by. (flap arms like wings)
(Credit: Harford County Public Library)

Book: Duck, Duck, Moose! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
Duck, Duck, Moose! book cover

Closing Rhyme

Bedtime Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Everyone Sleeps by Marcellus Hall

Action Song: “This Is the Way We Yawn & Stretch” (Tune: “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we yawn and stretch,
Yawn and stretch, yawn and stretch.
This is the way we yawn and stretch
On our way to bed.

Additional verses:
This is the way we take a bath . . .
This is the way we read a book . . .
This is the way we hug and kiss . . .
This is the way we close our eyes . . .
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Book: Goodnight World by Debi Gliori

Scarf Rhyme: “I Once Had a Blanket”
I once had a blanket. It was fluffy and new.
I once had a blanket, and its color was __________ (blue).
I once had a blanket, the prettiest I’ve seen.
I once had a blanket, and its color was ________ (green).
I once had a blanket, soft as a pillow.
I once had a blanket, and its color was _______ (yellow).
I once had a blanket at the foot of my bed.
I once had a blanket, and its color was ________ (red).
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

Song: “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” – David Landau: Kids and Kitties

Finger Puppets: “A Window Light”
A window light,
So bright at night.
The shade goes up. (open shade)
Who do I see?
________ is there,
Waiting for me!
Goodnight, ________. (close shade)
(Credit: Leah Portz)

Book: Baa, Baa, Tap Sheep by Kenda Henthorn, illustrated by Lauren Gallegos

Closing Rhyme

Owl Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Burrowing Owls by Melissa Hill
Burrowing Owls book cover

Song: “Nocturnal Animals” – Banana Slug String Band: Dirt Made My Lunch

Flannel: “There Was One Night Owl in the Tree” (Tune: “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”)
There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo! Hoo!
There was one night owl in the tree:
Hoo! Hoo!
Oh, he called up to the sky to an owl flying by,
And the owl came and joined him happily:
Hoo! Hoo!
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

Puppet Story: Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Little Owl Lost book cover

Song: “Be Like an Owl” (Tune: “London Bridge is Falling Down”)
Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl.
Open your eyes big and wide, big and wide, big and wide.
Open your eyes big and wide, just like and owl.
Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl.
Turn your head and say who, who, say who, who, say who, who.
Turn your head and say who, who, just like an owl.
(Credit: Jen in the Library)

Puppet Story: Adapted from Good-night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins

Closing Rhyme

Sloth Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: If I Had a Sleepy Sloth by Gabby Dawnay, illustrated by Alex Barrow

Song: “Fast And Slow” – Laurie Berkner: Rocketship Run

Book: “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth by Eric Carle
slowlyslowly-slowly

Puppet/Flannel Song: “Five Little Sloths Went Climbing One Day” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
Five little sloths went climbing one day,
High in the canopies, where they like to play.
The mama sloth called, “Aahh-eeeee!”
But only four little sloths came back.

Count down until no sloths come back.

A worried mama sloth went climbing one day,
High in the canopies, where they like to play.
The mama sloth called, “Aahh-eeeee!”
And all the little sloths came back!
(Credit: Storytime Solidarity)

Book: Happy Sloth Day! by April Pulley Sayre and Jeff Sayre

Song (if time): “S-L-O-T-H”
The rainforest has many friends.
My favorite is the sloth.
S-L-O-T-H
S-L-O-T-H
S-L-O-T-H
I really love the sloth!

Count down just as in “BINGO,” clapping for each letter as it’s replaced.
(Credit: Cockburn Libraries)

Closing Rhyme

Angry Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: I Was So Mad by Mercer Mayer

Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” (make faces to go with each emotion)
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, then your face will surely show it. (point to your smile)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!

If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet!
If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet!
If you’re angry and you know it, then your face will surely show it. (point to your angry face)
If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet!

If you’re sad and you know it, say “boo hoo!” (pretend to cry)
If you’re sad and you know it, say “boo hoo!”
If you’re sad and you know it, then your face will surely show it. (point to your sad face)
If you’re sad and you know it, say “boo hoo!”

If you’re silly and you know it, dance around! (do a silly dance)
If you’re silly and you know it, dance around!
If you’re silly and you know it, then your face will surely show it. (point to silly face)
If you’re silly and you know it, dance around!

Book: When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang

Meditation: “Candle Breath” – Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids

Book: Grump Groan Growl by bell hooks, illustrated by Chris Raschka

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

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

Closing Rhyme

Mail Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Bunny Mail by Rosemary Wells

Song: “Mailing Letters” (Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we write a letter,
Write a letter, write a letter.
This is the way we write a letter
So early in the morning.

Additional verses:
Stamp a Letter
Mail a Letter
Wait for a Letter
Shout “Hooray!”…when we receive a letter
(Credit: Out of the Box Programming)

Book: A Mail Carrier’s Job by Miguel Rosario

Puppets: “Letters to Animals”
Read each letter and have everyone guess the animal the letter is for. Reveal the animal using the matching puppet and “deliver” the letter to that animal.

There are letters in the mailbox. Can we help the letters get to the correct animal?

“Dear friend, how are you? I’m feeling awkward and shy at my new school. Sometimes I wish I had a shell to hide away in – like you.” – Turtle

“Dear NEIGHbor, thank you for teaching me to braid. Your mane and tail always look fabulous!” – Horse

“Dear Little Brother, I have enclosed some bits of cheese. Don’t forget to clean your whiskers SQUEAKY-clean, and look out for the cat!” – Mouse

“Dear Mommy, I feel safe and loved wrapped up in your trunk. I miss your big floppy ears! Someday I will trumpet as loud as you!” – Elephant

“Dear Friend, I’m so happy you’re nocturnal and like to sleep during the day, just like me! Thank you for teaching me to hiss and growl. I wish I could ‘play dead’ like you, too. Next time I see you, I will bring you some ticks to eat!” – Possum

Book: Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier
millie waits for the mail cover image

Closing Rhyme