Tag: sensory friendly story time

Outdoors Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Let’s Go Outside! by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Marina Ruiz
The cover of the book Let's Go Outside! The illustration is of children hiking, running, and exploring outside.

Song: “Goin’ on a Bear Hunt” – Greg & Steve: Kids in Action

Book: How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival
The cover of the book How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside. The illustration is of a child with a pink polka-dotted hood peering into a garden bed with sprouting plants and a worm.

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

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “tree”

Social Story: Thank You, Bees by Toni Yuly
The cover of the book Thank You, Bees. The illustration is of three bees flying towards a purple flower.

Closing Song

Craft: Binoculars made from toilet paper rolls & washi tape
Binoculars made out of two toilet paper rolls held together by colorful washi tape.

Turtle Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Sign Language: Turtle

Book: Turtles by Emily Green
The cover of the nonfiction book Turtles. The cover has a photograph of a turtle on a green background.

Song: “Turtle, Turtle” (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
Turtle, turtle, moves so slow,
Crawling, crawling, watch him go.
At the pond he looks around,
See his head move up and down.
Turtle, turtle, wants to swim,
Now he slides and dives right in!
(Credit: PreschoolExpress)

Book: Scoot! by Cathryn Falwell
The cover of the book Scoot! The illustration is of a turtle on the ground looking up at a tree where a squirrel is leaping. A bird, a dragonfly, and a frog are also nearby.

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

Yoga: Turtle pose

Social Story: “Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think” by Rochelle Lentini, Lindsay N. Giroux,
and Mary Louise Hemmeter
The cover of the story Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think: A scripted story to assist with teaching the "Turtle Technique." The illustration is of a happy turtle standing on two legs next to a pond.
(Credit: From the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations)

Closing Song

Craft: Paper turtle
A photograph of a paper turtle craft. The turtles are made out of paper cutouts, with googly eyes and square paper pieces glued onto their shells for decoration.

Frog Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni
The cover of the book It's Mine! The illustration is of three frogs, one of which is jumping up to catch a flying bug.

Puppet Song: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log,
Eating the most delicious bugs. Yum, yum!
One jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool.
Now there are four green and speckled frogs.

Repeat, taking a frog away each time until there are no green and speckled frogs.
The prop used while singing the song "Five Green and Speckled Frogs." A photograph of a stuffed log prop with five stuffed frogs sitting on it. Each frog is a different green and has a number 1 to 5 on its back.

Book: Frogs by Julie Murray
The cover of the nonfiction book Frogs. The photograph is of a red-eyed tree frog on a white background.

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

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “frog squat”

Social Story: Can I Tell You A Secret? by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant
The cover of the book Can I Tell You a Secret? The illustration is of a worried looking frog in front of some reeds.

Closing Song

Craft: Frog coloring sheet with tissue paper squares
A coloring sheet of a frog that says "F is for Frog." The frog is colored in with green tissue paper.

Jungle Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Sloth Slept On by Frann Preston-Gannon
The cover of the book Sloth Slept On. The illustration is of a sloth sleeping on its back in a tree next to a bird and a birdhouse.

Song: “The Monkey Dance” – The Wiggles: Yummy Yummy

Book: Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Kevin Waldron
The cover of the book Tiny Little Fly. The illustration is of a tiger laying down with one eye open and watching a fly on its paw.

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

Yoga: Tarzan’s thymus tap

Social Story: How to Be by Lisa Brown
The cover of the book How to Be. The design has colorful watercolor-style boxes arranged in a rectangle around the title and author with line sketches of several animals on top.

Closing Song

Craft: Tiger coloring pages with yarn

Star Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Star in the Jar by Sam Hay, illustrated by Sarah Massini
The cover of the book Star in the Jar. The illustration shows two children looking at a jar that has a star inside.

Rhyme: “Star Chant” (pass out star cutouts to each of the children)
Put your star shape in the air, (hold in the air)
Hold it high and keep it there.
Put your star shape on your back, (reach back and put star on back)
Now lay it on your lap. (put star on lap)
Put your star shape on your toes, (touch star to toes)
Now hold it by your nose. (touch star to nose)
Hold your star shape in your hand, (stretch hand out in front of you)
Now everyone please stand. (have children stand up)
Wave your star shape at the door, (face door and shake star)
Now touch your star to the floor. (touch star to floor in front of you)
Hold your star in your hand and jump, jump, jump, (hold star and jump up and down)
Now toss your star shape way, way, up! (toss star up in front of you)

Book: Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson
The cover of the book Touch the Brightest Star. The illustration is of a night sky with a big bright star and several woodland creatures.

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

Movement/Yoga: Star

Social Story: Twinkle, Twinkle, You’re a Star! by John John Bajet
The cover of the Baby Shark and Friends book Twinkle, Twinkle, You're a Star! The illustration shows a smiling yellow star in the middle with sea creatures surrounding it.

Closing Song

Craft: Pipe cleaner and bead star
Colorful beads are strung onto a pipe cleaner, which is bent into a star shape.

Cat Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Floof by Heidi McKinnon
The cover of the book Floof. The illustration is of a fluffy gray cat.

Song: “If You’re a Kitty and You Know It” (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a kitty and you know it, lick your paws. (pretend to lick paws)
If you’re a kitty and you know it, lick your paws. (pretend to lick paws)
If you’re a kitty and you know it, and you really want to show it.
If you’re a kitty and you know it, lick your paws. (pretend to lick paws)

Additional verses:
Show your claws (show claws)
Swish your tail (wiggle bottom)
Chase some yarn (swat high)
Say “Meow!”

Book: No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons
The cover of the book No Cats In the Library. The illustration is of a librarian pushing a book cart and frowning at a cat sitting outside the library doors, looking in.

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

Yoga/Breathing: Cat

Social Story: I’m Sorry by Janet Riehecky
The cover of the book I'm Sorry. The cover art is a photograph of a boy looking concerned and saying, "I'm sorry."

Closing Song

Craft: Cats in sweaters
A photograph of cardboard cut into cat shapes viewed from the front. Colorful yarn is wrapped around each cat's torso like a sweater.
(Credit: Krokotak)

Bird Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Little Robin’s Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer
The cover of the book Little Robin's Book of Birds.

Song: “If I Was a Bird” – Old Town School of Folk Music: Wiggleworms Love You

Book: Early Bird by Toni Yuly
The cover of the book Early Bird.

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

Movement: Learn the yoga pose “eagle”

Social Story: Excuse Me by Janet Riehecky
The cover of the book Excuse Me.

Closing Song

Craft: Bird nest craft
Colorful bird nest pictures made by drawing a swirly nest with crayons and then gluing paper birds, leaves, and eggs on top.
(Credit: Krokotak)

Airplane Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: Airplanes by Byron Barton

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

Book: Little Plane Learns to Write by Stephen Savage

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

Yoga: Airplane pose

Social Story: “Saying Goodbye” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren
The cover of the book Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School, A Book for Children Ages 3-7. The illustration is of a child getting on a school bus full of happy children.

Closing Song

Craft: Airplane coloring sheet with cotton ball clouds

Snow Story Time – Sensory Friendly

Opening Song

Book: I’m Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan

Song: “Let’s Play in the Snow” – Rachel Buchman: Sing a Song of Seasons

Book: Just One Flake by Travis Jonker

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

Yoga: Snow angel pose
(Credit: Kid Minds)

Social Story: “Waiting Your Turn” from Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting, and Responding at School by Rick H. Warren
Quinn at School: Relating, Connecting and Responding - A Book for ...

Closing Song

Craft: Snow painting with Q-tips and white paint