Farms and Gardens Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)

Theme: Farms and Gardens! 


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


(Same song used in all of my storytimes. Repetition is good for young children!) 

Book #1 - Farmer McFee by Pam Miller

We have the Big Book version of this story at the library where I am doing my internship at. I really love this story because it shows that women can be farmers too and they can get dirty in overalls just like men. I like a story that doesn't follow stereotypical gender roles. The book reads "Could it be... Farmer Mcfee? and the picture shows the back of someone. You can't tell whether the person is male or female from behind and then when you see the face, it's a woman and the story reads "No! That's Grandma Mcfee!"  then it goes through other people in the family and eventually it gets to Farmer Mcfee. 

Action Rhyme: African Planting Chant

Down to the earth and up to the sky. 

(repeat three times, bending to touch ground and stretching high)

Our shovels are sharp. 

(repeat three times, pretending to dig with a shovel)

We sow our seeds, we sow our seeds, we sow our seeds. 

(reach into left hand with right, and scatter seeds)

Down to the earth and up to the sky, 

down to the earth and up to the sky, 

down to the earth and up to the sky

Source: King County Library

Book # 2 
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

This is the perfect book to read during the springtime! I really love the colorful illustrations of all the plants and it's also perfect for teaching children about colors and gardening. 

The Farmer Plants the Seeds (Sung to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)


The farmer plants the seeds. 
(put seeds in the ground)
The farmer plants the seeds.

High ho the derry oh,

The farmer plants the seeds.

The sun comes out to shine. 
(make big circle with arms)

The sun comes out to shine.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The sun comes out to shine.

The rain begins to fall. 
(hands flutter to the ground) 
The rain begins to fall.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The rain begins to fall.

The seeds begin to grow.
(children begin to rise)
The seeds begin to grow.

Hi ho the derry oh,

The seeds begin to grow.

The farmer digs them up.
 (pretend to use a shovel)

The farmer digs them up.
Hi ho the derry oh,
The farmer digs them up.

Now we'll have some to eat.

(pretend to eat)

Now we'll have some to eat.

Hi ho the derry oh,Now we'll have some to eat.

Book #3 Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown

This is an excellent book for young children because of the way the book reads like a song with repetition! 

Song: Goofy Old Macdonald by Carole Peterson

This is a goofy version of the regular Old Mcdonald that everyone knows. With this song, Carole Peterson makes the wrong animal noises and all the kids shout out "No! That's not right!!" and then the children sing the correct animal sound. I played this for the children at storytime and kids were laughing and singing. It was a nice filler song because it let children get out some giggles in between a few books.  

Book: 5 Little Ducks by Penny Ives

This is a great book for any duck or farm storytime and it helps children practice their counting

Song with shakers: Ducks like Rain

This song is one of my favorites! I get it stuck in my head often and in the song, Carole Peterson sings out "Quack, quack quack quack!" over and over again and the kids really enjoy singing it out. 

Closing Song  (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
Goodbye until next time.

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

Theme:  Pets!

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 - Please Take Me For a Walk by Susan Gal

5 Happy Puppies (Flannel board)

Five happy puppies were playing in the sun.

This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run.

Four curious puppies were playing in the sun.

This one saw a butterfly, and he began to race.

Three excited puppies, playing in the sun.

This one saw an orange cat, and he began to chase.

Two bored puppies were lying in the sun.

This one tried to catch his tail, and he went round and round.

One lonely puppy, sitting all alone.

He was so quiet, he never made a sound.

Source: Johnson County Library

Book #2 Fur by Jan Mark

Kitty-cat, Kitty-cat

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, turn around

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, touch the ground

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, paws up high 

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, wink one eye

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, touch your nose

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, touch your toes

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, slap your knees

Kitty-cat, kitty-cat, sit down please

Song: Old Gray Cat -- Track #10 on  Start Smart Songs for 1's, 2's, and 3's

Book #3 Pet Shop Lullaby by Mary Ann Fraser

Song: Hop Like a Bunny by William Janiak

Book #4 I Am Running Away Today by Lisa Desimini

If You’re a Pet

If you’re a dog and you know it, give a bark – woof-woof! 

If you’re a dog and you know it, give a bark – woof- woof! 

If you’re a dog and you know it, and you really want to show it, 

If you’re a dog and you know it, give a bark – woof-woof!

If you’re a kitty and you know it, say meow – meow-meow!

If you’re a kitty and you know it, say meow – meow-meow!

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, say meow, – meow-meow!

If you’re a fishy and you know it, swim around – glub-glub!

If you’re a fishy and you know it, swim around – glub-glub!

If you’re a fishy and you know it, and you really want to show it,

If you’re a fishy and you know it, swim around – glub-glub!

If you’re a birdy and you know it, fly around – tweet-tweet!

If you’re a birdy and you know it, fly around – tweet-tweet!

If you’re a birdy and you know it, and you really want to show it,

If you’re a birdy and you know it, fly around – tweet-tweet!

Source: Brighton Memorial Library

Song with Shakers: Jim Gill - Shakin' Everywhere

kids love this song! Jim Gill tells kids to start shaking from their head to their toes, starting with shaking their hair. It's a lot of fun and one I use often in storytime.

Closing Song  (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

Goodbye until next time.

Letters "S" and "U" -- Preschool Storytime for 4 & 5 year olds

Letters: S & U -- Preschool Storytime for 4 and 5 year olds

Display: Near the window I displayed sloth and unicorn stuffed animals with a yellow street sign that says "Sloth Crossing" 

The picture above shows two of my sloth stuffed animals and the "sloth crossing" sign that I own. 

Welcome Song (with actions)

Let's clap our hands for_____(child's name.)

Let's clap our hands for_____(next child in the circle.)

Let's clap our hands for_____(next child in the circle) 

You're welcome here today!

Song finishes when everyone has been welcomed. Other actions

may be: stamping feet,tapping knees,nodding head e.t.c. 

Book #1 - Slowly Slowly Slowly Says the Sloth by Eric Carle

Activity: Sammy the Star-Eating Sloth!

I introduced my puppet Sammy just as I previously mentioned in my last post.  Basically I told the children I asked the zoo to send me a pet and they sent me Sammy in a post office box. I opened the box in front of the children and they looked amazed by what they saw. I pulled the sloth out of the box and put him on my arm and said that he really liked stars. 

Then I had yellow stars laminated with images on the back of them that begin with the letter "s". I called the children one by one up to the front and they all had to give a clue away to the group of what the image was. If they didn't know what it was, I helped them out. 

Example: Star with an image of spagetti. I said "this is a noodle dish with tomato sauce! It rhymes with Magetti!" My supervisor says it is perfectly fine to make up a nonsense word to rhyme with it to give them a clue. I then had the children "feed" Sammy the stars by putting it in his mouth. They laughed so hard when I had the sloth make pretend eating sounds. "Om nom nom! Yummy!" I made the sloth say.  The kids laughed at this and thought it was very amusing. I discarded the stars into the box that the sloth came from with the puppet's mouth. 

Book #2 - I Wished for a Unicorn by Robert Heldbreder

Activity: Up the Stool or Under the Umbrella

After reading the unicorn story I brought Sammy the Sloth out again. I told the children to get into a circle and watch me. I'm going to have Sammy pick one child at a time (by tapping the kids on the head softly) and then the children will choose to go either under an umbrella (a Scooby Doo Umbrella to emphasize the letter "s") or up on a stool (stool also begins with the letter "s"! Would you look at that?!)

The children all closed their eyes and once I picked a child, that child would then go up on the stool or under the umbrella. The kids would then open their eyes and be surprised to see what the child chose to do. Then the kids and I (and Sammy the sloth!) would all sing 

"Under the umbrella, umbrella, umbrella" 

Then if the kids chose to be up on the stool we would sing:

"Up on the Stool, up up up! Up on the stool, up on it today!" 

Goodbye Song:Time to Say Goodbye

(tune: “Up on the House Top”)

Now is the time to say, “Goodbye”.

My how fast the time did fly.

Our day is done, so we must say,

“Goodbye, goodbye for today”.

Ho, Ho, Ho – Time to go.

He, He, He – Wave like me.

Now it is time to say, “Goodbye”.

Grab your things and off you fly! 

What I then did was I passed out out smiley-face or star stickers to re-emphasize the letter "s" but I wish I had been able to pass out unicorn stickers to remind them of both letters. 

Take Home Craft

I need to upload a picture of these letters to show an exaple but my supervisor has big letters that children color and decorate that coincide with an animal or object that begins with that letter. For this week the S was made to look like a sea-horse with seaweed surrounding it. 

Then as a take-home sensory activity the children are to use cotton balls to form the letter "s".  The cotton balls are supposed to resemble snowballs. Since it's February, this activity makes perfect sense! 

For the take-home craft for the letter "U" the children color an upside down umbrella with the letter U on it. The children are given instructions to splatter water down on blue paint for it to look like rain!

The take-home sensory activity for the letter "U" the children will simply write underneath something. For example, the children could write under the covers, under a table, under a chair, etc.

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. 

Valentines Day Themed Storytime for Early Talkers (Ages 0-3)

Theme: Valentines Day
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

Little Heart

I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)

And it goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest three times)

It keeps right on beating,

When I jump, jump, jump (jump three times)

I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)

It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug yourself)

Book #1 Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

Lovebird Fingerpuppets

Two lit­tle love­birds sit­ting on a hill

One named Jack, one named Jill

Fly away Jack, fly away Jill

Come back Jack, come back Jill.

*kiss* muah!

Two little lovebirds sitting on a cloud

One named Soft, one named Loud

Fly away Soft

Fly away Loud

Come back Soft, come back Loud 

*kiss* muah!

I personally sewed these. They could have looked a little more bird-like but I think they turned out well :) The rhyme was short but with the hand motions, it made the children pay attention and was a nice transition to the next book.

Idea taken from the blog, Sunflower Storytime 

Book #2 All the Things I love About You by LeUyen Pham

5 Kisses Flannel Board Poem

For this one, I laminated pictures of family member's faces (Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, a dog, and a cat just for good measure) and I laminated 5 images of lips. It will work best with the family pictures that are just faces, rather than the ones with full bodies since the kisses will have to be big enough to be seen from the back of  the room. Each time I "kiss" someone, I'll add the laminated image of lips to the person and I will make a kiss sound! One thing I wish I did differently is have more of a multicultural family.

I have five kisses that I want to give away.

Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?

I’ll kiss Mommy!

*kiss* muah!

I have four kisses that I want to give away.

Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?

I’ll kiss Daddy!

*kiss* muah!

I have 3 kisses that I want to give away.

Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?

I’ll kiss Grandma!

*kiss* muah!

I have 2 kisses that I want to give away.

Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?

I’ll kiss Grandpa!

*kiss* muah!

I have 1 kiss that I want to give away.

Who should I kiss this Valentine’s Day?

I’ll kiss my doggy!

*kiss* muah!

Song: Skidamarink a Dinka Dink

Skidamarink a dinka dink. (Put right elbow in  left hand and wiggle  fingers)

Skidamarink a doo. (Put left elbow in right hand and wiggle fingers)

I love you. (Point to eyes, hug yourself, and point to others)

Skidamarink a dinka dink. (Repeat actions)

Skidamarink a doo.

I love you.

I love you in the morning. (Make a big circle over head  like the sun)

And in the afternoon. (Hold arms in circle out in front of you)

I love you in the evening. (Move arms in circle down)

And underneath the moon. (Release arms and make another big circle over head)

Skidamarink a dinka dink.

Skidamarink a doo.

I love you.

I chose the next book and poem because I really did not want to leave out Daddies! They are just as important as Mommies!

Daddy Loves Me
(To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Daddy loves me

Yes he does.

Yes he does.

Yes he does.

Daddy loves me

Yes he does.

He loves me every day.

He gives me hugs and kisses,

kisses, kisses.

He gives me hugs and kisses.

To tell me he loves me.

I love my daddy,

daddy, daddy.

I love my daddy and he loves me too.

 Book #3  I Love My Dad by Anna Walker

Song: It's a Very Simple Song

Songs to use with Shakers:

Closing Song  (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

Goodbye until next time.