Boat Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Boats by Byron Barton

Nursery Rhyme (with poster): “Rub a dub dub”

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

Book: Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
Little Boat book cover

Flannel: “Five Little Boats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
Five little boats went out one day (Hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away (Move hand up and down)
With the wind, they begin to rock (Lean side to side)
One little boat returns to the dock.

Repeat until there are no sailboats left.
(Credit: Adapted from Storytime Katie and Adventures of a Bookworm)

Rhyme: “Motorboat, Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas! (Use foot and pretend to step on gas)
VROOOOOM!
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

Song: “My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean” (sway kids back and forth)

Book: Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban

Song: “My Big Green Boat” (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
Big green boat, big green boat.
I love to row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big green boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave gently)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big green boat has two white sails
Out on the deep blue sea.

So come for a row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
My big green boat, my big green boat.
So come for a row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.
(Credit: Upstart Promotions)

Song: “All the Fish” – Sue Schnitzer: Wiggle and Whirl, Clap and Nap

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

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Baby

Opening Song: “My Bubble Floats Over the Ocean”
My bubble floats over the ocean,
My bubble floats over the sea,
My bubble floats over the ocean,
Oh, bubbles make me so happy!
(Credit: CSLP 2022)

Sign Language: Boat, water, ocean

Book: Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jane Cabrera
row row row your boat cover image

Song: “Motorboat”
Motorboat, motorboat, go so sloooow (roll hands slowly)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast (roll hands quickly)
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas (lift baby up)
(Credit: Adventures of a Bookworm)

Song: “Have You Ever Seen a Sailboat?” (Tune: “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?”)
Have you ever seen a sailboat, a sailboat, a sailboat (hand on forehead, looking)
Have you ever seen a sailboat that’s waving its sail? (wave arms high)
Wave this way and that way and that way and this way (wave arms side to side)
Have you ever seen a sailboat that’s waving its sail?

Flannel Rhyme: “Five Sailboats” (Tune: “Five Little Ducks”)
5 sailboats went out one day (hold up 5 fingers)
Over the waves and far away (move hand up and down)
With the wind they begin to rock (lean side to side)
And 1 little sailboat returns to dock.

Repeat until there are no little sailboats left.
(Credit: Adventures of a Bookworm)

Book: Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
Little Boat 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

Action Song: “Splashin’ Up and Down”
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat (bounce up and down)
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat
Splashin’ up and down in my little red rowboat
Won’t you be my darling?

Additional verses:
Lookin’ out to sea (shade eyes)
Wavin’ to a whale (wave)
Don’t stand up or you might tip over (lean to right or left)
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Lap Song: “We’re Sailing on the Sea” (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
We’re sailing on the sea (rock side to side)
We’re sailing on the sea
I hope we see some fish out there (make visor with hand)
We’re sailing on the sea.

Additional verses: dolphins, whales, seals
(Credit: Adapted from Mel’s Desk)

Book: Blue Boat by Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Valeria Petrone

Shaker Eggs: “Big Red Boat” – The Wiggles: Splish, Splash, Big Red Boat!

Shaker Eggs: “Shake it High”
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Round and round is how we go.
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Can you reach and touch your toes?
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Touch your shaker to your nose.
Shake it high,
Shake it low,
Round and round is how we go.
(Credit: Harford County Public Library)

Closing Rhyme

Boat Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Loren Long

Toy Boat book cover

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

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

One-Dog Canoe book cover

Rhyme: Motorboat, Motorboat
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow, (Move arms in a circle slowly or lie on back and bicycle legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, go so fast, (Move arms in a circle fast or move legs)
Motorboat, motorboat, push on the gas!
VROOOOOM!
(Repeat rhyme)
(Source: Adapted from Upstart Promotions)

Song: “My Big Green Boat” (tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
I love to row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
Big green boat, big green boat.
I love to row in my big green boat
Out on the deep blue sea.

My big green boat has two white sails, (Raise arms above head and wave gently)
Two white sails, two white sails.
My big green boat has two white sails,
Out on the deep blue sea.

So come for a row in my big green boat, (Pretend to row)
My big green boat, my big green boat.
So come for a row in my big green boat,
Out on the deep blue sea.
(Source: Upstart Promotions)

Book: Busy Boats by Susan Steggall

Busy Boats book cover

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Folded paper boat

boat story time craft

Travel Story Time – Preschool

Opening Song

Book: Pigs Ahoy! By David McPhail

Pigs Ahoy! book cover

Song: “Take a Trip Out on the Sea” – Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies: Born to Wiggle

Book: Charlie’s Superhero Underpants by Paul Bright, illustrated by Lee Wildish

Charlie's Superhero Underpants book cover

Song: “Blow Up Your Balloon” – The Wiggles: Splish, Splash, The Big Red Boat!

Book: Making the Moose out of Life by Nicholas Oldland (abridged)

Making the Moose Out of Life book cover

Song: “The Airplane Song” – Laurie Berkner: Whaddaya Think of That?

Closing Rhyme

Craft: Cork rafts with time for creative play

creative play story time raftcork raft preschool story time craft