Slow and Fast Story Time – Toddler

Opening Song

Book: Hi, Harry! by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth
The cover of the book Hi, Harry!: The moving story of how one slow tortoise slowly made a friend. The illustration is of a tortoise who is smiling and tipping a red baseball cap to the reader.

Rhyme: “Roly Poly”
Roly poly, ever so slowly, roly poly, faster, faster, faster! (roll arms)

Rhyme: “Green, Yellow, Red”
Green says, “Go!” (march quickly) Go! Go! Go!
Yellow says, “Slow!” (march slowly) Slow…slow…slow…
And red says, “Stop!” (stop and freeze)
Go! Go! Go! (march fast)
Slow…slow…slow… (march slowly)
And STOP! (stop)
(Credit: Toddler Storytime)

Book: Slow Snail by Mary Murphy
The cover of the book Slow Snail. The illustration is of a smiling snail crawling over a large rock, leaving a curvy trail behind it.

Rhyme: “Garden Snail and Little Mouse”
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, creeps the garden snail, (move hands down legs)
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, up the wooden rail. (move hands up legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, runs the little mouse, (down legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, in his little house. Squeak! (up legs and body, make ears)

Rhyme: “This Is Big”
This is big, big, big. (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small. (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short. (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall. (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast. (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow. (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes. (nod head)
This is no, no, no. (shake head)
(Credit: Mel’s Desk)

Song: “Slow and Fast” – Hap Palmer: Rhythms on Parade

Book: Quick Duck! by Mary Murphy
The cover of the book Quick Duck! The illustration is of a small yellow duck running down a grassy hill, leaving footprints behind.

Song: “Hurry, Hurry! Drive the Fire Truck” (Tune: “Bumping Up and Down”)
Hurry, hurry! Drive the fire truck!
Hurry, hurry! Drive the fire truck!
Hurry, hurry! Drive the fire truck!
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Additional verses:
Hurry, hurry! Climb the ladder…
Hurry, hurry! Squirt the water…
Hurry, hurry! Save the people…
Hurry, hurry! Put the fire out…
(Credit: King County Library System)

Song: “Wave Your Scarf” (Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Wave, wave, wave your scarf as slowly as you can,
Wave your scarf, wave your scarf, as slowly as you can.

Additional verses:
Wave, wave, wave your scarf as quickly as you can…
Swing your arms (slowly, quickly)
Stomp your feet (slowly, quickly)

Song: “Shake Your Scarves” – Johnette Downing: The Second Line

Song: “When I Woke Up Today” – Laurie Berkner: Superhero

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

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

Slow and Fast Story Time – Everybody

Opening Song: “Bread and Butter”

Book: Fast and Slow: An Animal Opposites Book by Lisa Bullard

Rhyme: “Slowly, Slowly”
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
creeps the garden snail. (move hands down legs)
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
up the garden rail. (move hands up legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
runs the little mouse. (down legs)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
In his little house. Squeak! (up legs and body, then make ears)
(Credit: Jbrary)

Rhyme: “Roly Poly, Ever So Slowly”
Roly poly, ever so slowly,
Roly poly, faster, faster, faster! (roll arms)

Book: Hurry Up! by Kate Dopirak, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

Rhyme: “This Is Big”
This is big, big, big. (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small. (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short. (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall. (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast. (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow. (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes. (nod head)
This is no, no, no. (shake head)

Rhyme: “Green Says Go”
Green says, “Go!” (march quickly)
Go! Go! Go!
Yellow says, “Slow!” (march slowly)
Slow…slow…slow.
And red says, “Stop!” (stop and freeze)
Go! Go! Go! (march fast)
Slow…slow…slow. (march slowly)
And STOP! (stop)
(Credit: Toddler Storytime)

Song: “Slow and Fast” – Hap Palmer: Rhythms on Parade

Book: Hi, Harry! by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth

Song: “Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck”

Scarf Song: “Wave Your Scarf” (Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Wave, wave, wave your scarf,
As slowly as you can.
Wave your scarf, wave your scarf,
As slowly as you can.

Additional verses:
Wave, wave, wave your scarf, as quickly as you can…
Swing your arms (slowly, quickly)
Stomp your feet (slowly, quickly)

Scarf Song: “Shake Your Scarves” – Johnette Downing: The Second Line

Song: “When I Woke Up Today” – Laurie Berkner: Superhero

Closing Rhyme