Let's Dance! Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)

Theme: Let's Dance! 

*Note: I will add personal descriptions of the books once Storytime is over to provide details on how the children responded to the stories. 

Introduction Song: Open Shut Them

Open, shut them,

Open, shut them

Give a little clap, clap, clap

Open, shut them, open, shut them

Lay them in your lap, lap, lap

Creepy crawly, creepy crawly,

Right up to your chin, chin, chin

Open up your little mouth

But do not let them in, in in

Book #1 - Dance with Me by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Dancing Fingers

We’re going to dance our fingers up 
And dance our fingers down
We’ll dance them to the side
Let’s dance them all around
And we’ll dance them on our shoulders
And we’ll dance them on our head
Let’s dance them on our tummy
And we’ll put them all to bed!

It’s Time for Music by William Janiak

It’s time for music and lots of fun 
So, let’s stand up and now we run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run

Run, run. NOW STOP!

It’s time to slow down so we’ll walk

So let’s start moving but don’t talk

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk walk

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. NOW STOP!

So now we’re tired and now we’ll stop

By sitting down and being quiet

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh

Shh, shh, shh, shh. NOW STOP!

Book #2 - Dance! by Ward Schumaker

Let's Get Fit by Billy Reid

I seriously love this song so much! It makes me want to work out and break a sweat. I also think the parents will appreciate that this song is a little more upbeat and interesting than your typical kids songs.

Book #3 - Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown

Clap Your Hands! (To the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat)

Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap your hands together

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers, wiggle your fingers like spiders

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers like spiders

Shake, shake, shake your shoulders, shake your shoulders now

Shake, shake shake, shake, shake, shake, shake your shoulders now

Move, move, move your hips, move your hips around

Move, move, move, move, move your hips together

Bend, bend, bend your knees, bend your knees right now

Bend, bend, bend, bend, bend your knees right now

Slide, slide, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown

Slide your feet, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown

Dance, dance, dance around, dance around together 

Dance around, dance around, dance around together

Michigan and Smiley - The Reggae Rock

I plan to play this song after I pass out the shakers to everyone! I want to give the children a unique and fun song to dance to that is unlike anything they had heard. We have a very diverse group at Storytime so I figured it would be more than appropriate to start featuring music from around the world when possible. 

Closing Song: Saying Good-bye 

(to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say goodbye

With a clap clap-clap

Clap, clap-clap.

This is the way our hands say goodbye

With a clap, clap-clap ,clap-clap.

This is the way our knees say goodbye

With a tap tap-tap.

Tap tap-tap.

This is the way our knees say goodbye

With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap.

This is the way we wave goodbye

Wave goodbye, wave goodbye

This is the way we wave goodbye

Until you’re here next time