Monthly Archives: July 2023

This Land Is Your Land: A Storytime About Parks

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July is Park and Recreation Month, and since I have been holding my weekly Outdoor Musical Storytime in a local park for the past couple of years (originally because of the pandemic, but also because the library branch closest to the park doesn’t have any open hours in the mornings), it seemed like the perfect time to celebrate the parks in our area.

Like other libraries in California, we offer free passes to many of the state parks for patrons to check out, so I brought one of our park backpacks along to show it to the storytime families. We have similar passes for our County Parks, but those were all checked out.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

The Hike by Allison Farrell

This book was new to me, but it ended up being perfect for the theme. Three kids and a dog hike to the top of the mountain to read a poem, plant a flag, and release some feathers into the wind. Along the way they get lost, but find their way again, and see lots of animals and birds, which one of them draws in her sketchbook. The kids enjoyed calling out things they saw in the pictures.

Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough

This is a long-time favorite of mine: a rhyming story about a boy named Eddie who finds a giant teddy bear while he is searching for his own lost teddy in the woods. He runs into a bear, who is looking for his own lost teddy, and the two are so frightened that they both run back home. This is the first book in a trilogy about Eddie and the Bear, with the two eventually becoming close friends.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Jane Cabrera

This version of the classic children’s song is perfect for storytime. When a baby bear goes over the mountain, he gets stuck in a tree. Luckily, his friend Hare comes to rescue him, and her friend Fox brings them tea. The last verse shows a boy climbing the stairs to his bedroom, where all of the animals are revealed to be his toys, cuddled up in bed. The ending got lots of “Awws.”

Songs & Rhymes:

Two Little Ravens

Since I was trying to focus on animals commonly found in the park, I changed the traditional Two Little Blackbirds rhyme to Two Little Ravens, and held up a picture of a raven for the kids to see. Click on the triangle for the tune:

Two little ravens sitting on a hill, (Hold up both thumbs)
One named Jack, and the other named Jill.
Fly away, Jack! (Put one thumb behind your back)
Fly away, Jill! (Put the other thumb behind your back)
Come back, Jack! (Bring the first thumb out in front).
Come back, Jill! (Bring the second thumb out in the front).

Two little ravens sitting on a cloud,
One was quiet, and the other was loud (I make my voice as loud and obnoxious as possible each time I sing the word “Loud!”)
Fly away, Quiet!
Fly away, Loud!
Come back, Quiet!
Come back, Loud!

Two little ravens sitting in the snow.
One flew fast!
And the other flew slow!…

Two little ravens sitting on a gate.
One was early,
And the other was…late!…  (I like to drag the pauses out as long as possible before saying “Late!” until the kids are all yelling it out.)

I’m a California Quail

The California Quail is the state bird, and it happens to be a common sight in the park where we have our storytime. I held up a picture of the bird for the kids to see and played a clip of its call before we sang this song, which is to the tune of I’m a Nut. We ended by making sounds like the quail, which makes a cawing sound in a rhythm similar to the word “Chicago.”

I’m a California Quail,
See me walking on the trail.
Got six feathers called a crown (put the back of your hand on your forehead and wiggle your fingers),
See it bobbing up and down (bob your head up and down).

Caw-CAW-Caw! Caw-CAW-Caw!

Going on a Bear Hunt

This was one of my favorite activities when I was a kid, and I love to throw it into a storytime.  The kids echo most of the lines (the ones in parentheses).  I like to play up wiping grass off my pants, and the mud off my feet, and shaking off the water from the lake.  It’s always a hit:

We’re going on a bear hunt!
(We’re going on a bear hunt!)
It’s a beautiful day!
(It’s a beautiful day!)
We’re not scared!
(We’re not scared!)

We’re coming to some grass.
(We’re coming to some grass).
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go through it.
(Have to go through it.)
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! (Rubbing hands together)

We’re coming to some mud.
(We’re coming to some mud.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go through it.
(Have to go through it).
Squilch! Squelch! Squilch! Squelch! (Clapping hands together).

We’re coming to a lake.
(We’re coming to a lake.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to swim across it.
(Have to swim across it.)
Splish! Splash! Splish! Splash!

We’re coming to a cave.
(We’re coming to a cave.)
Can’t go over it.
(Can’t go over it.)
Can’t go under it.
(Can’t go under it.)
Have to go inside.
(Have to go inside.)
Tiptoe…tiptoe…tiptoe…tiptoe…
It’s dark in here…
(It’s dark in here…)
It’s cold in here…
(It’s cold in here…)
Two yellow eyes…it’s a bear!

Run!
Swim across the lake!
Run through the mud!
Run through the grass!
Into the house!
Slam the door!
Lock it!
We’re never going on a bear hunt again!

The Bears Go Marching In

Fun variation of When The Saints Go Marching In. The kids loved it!

[C] Oh, when the bears go marching in,

Oh, when the bears go marching [G7] in,

Oh, [C7] how I want to be in that [F] number,

When the [C] bears go [G7] marching [C] in!

Repeat with other actions, like:

Oh, when the bears go clapping in…

Oh, when the bears go stomping in… etc.

This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie

We did this one for our instrument play-along (where we hand out shakers for the kids). Here’s an old recording of Guthrie himself.

CHORUS

[C] This land is [F] your land, this land is [C] my land.
From [G7] California to the New York [C] island.
From the redwood [F] forest to the Gulf Stream [C] waters
[G7] This land was made for you and [C] me

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway.
I saw below me that golden valley,
This land was made for you and me.

CHORUS

I’ve roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps,
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts.
And all around me a voice was sounding
“This land was made for you and me.”

CHORUS

Stay & Play: California Quail Coloring Sheet & Scavenger Hunt

For the Stay & Play, we put out crayons, along with these coloring sheets from coloringhome.com, featuring our state bird, the California Quail.

My main goal for the Stay & Play this week, other than introducing the state bird, was to encourage families to explore the park and learn about some of the major plants and animals. So I created a simple Scavenger Hunt, featuring nine common animals, birds, and plants. Before I handed it out, I held up a large picture of Poison Oak, and talked about the old “leaves of three, let them be” rhyme. The park does try to keep the poison oak trimmed back, but there’s usually some growing around the edges of the picnic areas that I want the families to be aware of.

We also all signed a big handmade thank you card to give to the park employees.

Do you have favorite picture books about parks or outdoor activities? Please share them in the comments below.

scavenger-hunt-for-san-pedro-valley-parkDownload

Moo-ving Experiences: A Storytime About Cows

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July 10 was Cow Appreciation Day, so we had a lot of fun celebrating cows at this week’s Outdoor Musical Storytime. Here’s what we did:

Books:

A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas

Pig and Mouse are busy making a birthday cake for cow, but Duck keeps trying to get them to include a turnip in the recipe. The surprise ending got lots of laughs! I love Jan Thomas’ funny, short, colorful picture books, which are usually perfect for younger kids.

Peek-a-Moo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti

This simple, lift-the-flap book was a big hit! Each page features a different animal playing peek-a-boo. The kids loved calling out the names of the animals and their sounds.

Cowlick by Christin Ditchfield; illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Funny, rhyming story about a mischievous cow who sneaks into a house to leave sleeping children with an untameable cowlick.

Songs & Rhymes:

Ten Candles on a Birthday Cake

We did this fingerplay as a follow-up to A Birthday for Cow. After we did the rhyme with ten candles, I asked if there were any one year-olds in the group, and we did it again with one candle, then two, then three, then four, etc. I usually make a joke about how I don’t have enough fingers to do my age, which gets laughs from the grown-ups.

Ten candles on a birthday cake (hold up ten fingers)
All lit up for me (point to yourself)
I make a wish and blow them out.
Watch and you will see! (blow on fingers and quickly close hands into fists)

This is the Way I Blow My Balloon

This is the way I blow my balloon: (mime holding a balloon in both hands)

Blow! (blow air out while spreading your hands apart)

Blow! (blow air out while spreading hands even wider)

Blow! (blow air out while spreading your hands as wide apart as you can)

This is the way I POP my balloon. Oh! Oh! No! (clap hands together)

Wiggle Till the Cows Come Home by Susan Salidor

This was my first time singing this song, but it was a big hit, and is definitely one I will use again.

Here’s a link to the video by Susan Salidor:

[C] I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and clap my hands.
[G7] I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and clap my hands.
I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and clap my hands.
And wiggle till the cows come [C] home.

CHORUS
‘Cause when the [F] cows come home,
We say, “Moo, Moo, Moo!”
And when the [C] cows come home,
We go, “Doodle-i-doo.”
And when the [F] cows come home,
It’s time to cele[G7]brate,
Moo! Moo! Moo! Moo!

I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and stomp my feet…

CHORUS

I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and turn around once…

CHORUS

[C] I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and clap my hands.
[G7] I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and stomp my feet.
I’m gonna’ jump, twist, and turn around once.
And wiggle till the cows come [C] home.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

We sang one while holding up the Old MacDonald Monkey Mitt, adding a new animal for each verse:

C] Old MacDonald [F] had a [C] farm,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

And on that farm he [F] had a [C] cow,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

With an moo-moo here, and an moo-moo there,

Here a moo, there a moo,

Everywhere a moo-moo.

[C] Old MacDonald [F] had a [C] farm,

E-I- [G7] E-I- [C] O!

Cows in the Kitchen

Cute, versatile animal song to the tune of Skip to My Lou. We did it as our instrument play-along at the end. I asked the kids for suggestions of animals and rooms in a house for the other verses. We had a pig in the pantry, a duck in the bathtub, and a dog in the dining room.

Here’s a link to a version by The Tiny Boppers:

[C] Cows in the kitchen,
Moo, Moo, Moo!
[G7] Cows in the kitchen,
Moo, Moo, Moo!
[C] Cows in the kitchen,
Moo, Moo, Moo!
[G7] What shall we do, Tom [C] Farmer?

Stay & Play: Dot Marker Cows

This was a really simple activity. I just printed out cow templates from FreeStencilGallery.com ahead of time. Then, for the Stay & Play, I put out the printed templates, along with Dot Markers, glue sticks, and googly eyes. Most of the kids used the dot markers to cover their cows with multi-colored spots (although many gave them more than two eyes), but I liked this Mark Rothko-esque cow design that one girl made by using the dot markers to color in the whole cow.

Do you have any favorite cow books, songs, or activities? Please share them in the comments below.

Busy as a Bee: A Storytime about Bees

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Yesterday (July 10) was Don’t Step on a Bee Day, a day celebrated in the United Kingdom in honor of the important roles bees play in our ecosystems. It seemed like a fun excuse to do a storytime about bees, sot that’s what we did for our Outdoor Musical Storytime today.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson

This book asks the reader to help the bees by brushing away snow, blowing a kiss to the lilac trees, and other interactive activities focused on flowers that represent all the colors of the rainbow. The kids loved calling out the colors on each page, and some of them came up to the front to point to things in the illustrations.

Bear and Bee by Sergio Ruzzier

Funny story about a bear who wants some honey from a nearby hive, but is terrified of bees, who he has heard are big with sharp teeth and claws. Luckily a real bee sets him straight, and shares his honey.

beehive by John Hurley

Very simple book with only one word per page, showing how bees swarm, lay eggs, pollinate flowers, guard their hive, and make honey. I had the kids mimic the actions of the bees on each page.

Songs & Rhymes:

Rainbow ‘Round Me

We sang this one after reading The Hidden Rainbow. I asked the kids to suggest things they might see outside the window. We had a brown kitty, a blue and purple dinosaur, a white owl, and a black tree.

When I [C] look outside my [G7] window,
There’s a world of color I [C] see.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
There’s a [G7] world of color I [C] see.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] tree outside my [G7] window,
Is as green as green can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] green as green can [C] be.

CHORUS:
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 
[F] Rainbow, [C] rainbow, [G7] rainbow ’round [C] me. 

And the [C] bird outside my [G7] window,
Is as blue as blue can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window 
It’s as [G7] blue as blue can [C] be.
And the tree is [G7] green as green can [C] be.

Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee

I do a variation of the version in this video by Dr. Jean, which is considerably less violent than the old camp song. I asked the kids to suggest other animals they would like to bring home and we made up new verses for them: “I’m bringing home a baby elephant. Won’t my Mommy say, “Oh, no, we can’t!” etc.


I’m [C] bringing home a [F] baby [C]bumblebee.
[G7] Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
‘Cause I’m [C] bringing home a [F] baby [C] bumblebee.
[G7 ]Ouch! It stung me!

Here is a Beehive

One of my favorite rhymes for baby and toddler storytimes. We did it three times:

Here is the beehive (hold up fist)

Where are the bees?

Hiding away where nobody sees.

Watch, and they’ll all come out of their hive!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5! They’re alive! (fly fingers around).

You Are My Flower

This is a sweet, old song by The Carter Family. I especially love this version by Elizabeth Mitchell. It’s also very easy to play on the ukulele or guitar, with a two chord pattern that repeats all the way through. I actually played it on the autoharp today, which the kids found really fun to play at the end of storytime.

[C] The grass is just as green, the sky is just as [G7] blue.
The day is just as bright and the birds are singing [C] too.

You are my [C] flower, that’s blooming in the mountain for [G7] me.
You are my flower, that’s blooming there for [C] me.

The [C] air is just as pure, the sunlight just as [G7] free,
And nature seems to say, it’s all for you and [C] me.

You are my [C] flower, that’s blooming in the mountain for [G7] me.
You are my flower, that’s blooming there for [C] me.

So [C] wear a happy smile, and life will be worth-[G7]while.
Forget your tears, but don’t forget to [C]smile.

You are my [C] flower, that’s blooming in the mountain for [G7] me.
You are my flower, that’s blooming there for [C] me.

When [C] summertime is gone and snow begins to [G7] fall,
Just sing this song and say to one and [C] all.

You are my [C] flower, that’s blooming in the mountain for [G7] me.
You are my flower, that’s blooming there for [C] me.

Stay & Play: Craft Stick Bees

This was a variation of a similar craft from I Heart Crafty Things. Before the storytime, I cut out ovals and slightly smaller circles on yellow paper for the body and the head, and small ovals for the wings.

For the Stay & Play, we put out the paper shapes, glue sticks, googly eyes, craft sticks, and markers. The kids had fun making their own unique bees, some of which had many eyes!

What are your favorite books or songs about bees? Please share them in the comments below.