Jungle Themed Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)

Theme: Safari and Jungle Animals

Introduction Song of your choice.

 I use "Open Shut Them" at the beginning of every storytime for the 0-3 age group. My supervisor says children like the repetition of it. 

Book #1: Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme by Marianne Collins 

Action Rhyme: Monkey, Monkey

Monkey, monkey turn around 
Monkey, monkey touch the ground 
Monkey, monkey dance on your toes 
Monkey, monkey touch your nose 
Monkey, monkey gives a little clap 
Monkey, monkey takes a nap.

Source: Vermont Libraries

Book # 2: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Song: Carole Peterson -  B-Banana/Monkey See, Monkey Do off of the CD Stinky Cake

"B-banana, B-B-banana, B-banana, B-B-banana

Peel banana, peel peel banana, peel banana, peel peel banana
Eat banana, eat eat banana, eat banana, eat eat
And go bananas, go go bananas!!  Go banana, go go bananas!"

Action Rhyme: I’m a Giraffe

I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up)

A big tall giraffe, I almost reach the sky (stand on tiptoes)

I eat the leaves from the tallest tress (pretend to eat)

And when I run, I move with ease (pretend to run)

I’m a big tall giraffe stretching way up high (reach arms up)

Way…up…high! (reach on tiptoes)

Credit: Perry Public Library

Book #3: If You're Happy and You Know It (Jungle Edition) by James Warhola

Action Rhyme Song: The Animals in the Jungle Say 

(sung to tune of “The Wheels on the Bus” --  also, doing the motions with the song sung will reinforce the words especially if the song is posted on the flannel board).

The parrots in the jungle say squawk, squawk, squawk, and repeat 6X  

The parrots in the jungle say squawk, squawk, squawk all day long.

Continue with Monkeys…eee,eee,eee 

Lions.. roar, roar, roar 

Tigers..grrr, grrr, grrr 

Snakes…sss,sss,ssss 

Source: Vermont Libraries

Book #4 Slowly Slowly Slowly Said the Sloth

Short Puppet Show/Dance with Shakers: Sammy the Storytime Sloth

This is an old picture of me but it shows me and my favorite sloth puppet, Sammy. Well technically I named him Douglas a long time ago but his alter ego is Sammy the Storytime Sloth. :) 

I'm going to tell the children I asked the zoo to send me a pet and they sent me Sammy in a box. I'll open the box in front of the children and they will all be amazed with what they see. He will be a sloth, just like from the book previously read!

I will then pass out shakers and have the children dance to music. I'll dance in front of everyone with my sloth. I have not yet decided what song it will be, but it will be some sort of action song.

I also decided to bring the sloth out at the end just so it would not distract children too much from the stories read. Sometimes children get so excited about things I bring that they will come up to the front of my table and grab things off.