Chicken-Hearted: A Storytime for National Chicken Month

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

At our libraries, we just learned that September is National Chicken Month, which has led to some adorable “book book book” displays. It made for a fun storytime theme this week too.

Here is what we did:

Books:

Chicken Story Time by Sandy Asher; illustrated by Mark Fearing

Just like the title says, this book is about chickens coming to storytime at the library. At first there is only one, but then more and more chickens come every week, until there is too much clucking and noise for the librarian to be heard. But she finds a solution that works for everyone: having the children each read to a small group of chickens. The kids loved making chicken noises.

Chicken in Space by Adam Lehrhaupt; illustrated by Shahar Kober

Very cute story about a chicken who wants to go into space with her friends, but only Pig will go with her. The two fly in a basket carried by balloons, and encounter an asteroid (a baseball), a comet (kite), and birds (alien space ships).

Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman

Cute, simple story about a flock of chickens who rushes to the rescue each time a member of the Greenstalk family runs into trouble: dropping a watch in well, feeling too tired to make dinner, or needing help with a last minute book report. The kids enjoyed joining in on the “Chickens to the Rescue!” line.

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

This is a great book for storytime because the kids can join in on the actions. Three cows declare that it is time to jump up and down on Chicken’s sofa. When Chicken objects, they decide it’s time to dance, and then wiggle on his sofa instead, and eventually, to nap.

Songs:

I Bought Me a Rooster

I love this cumulative traditional song because the kids can suggest a new animal and animal sound for each verse, and it gets longer and longer each time. For Outdoor Musical Storytime, they suggested a dog, a cow, a crocodile, a goat, and a duck.

[C] I bought me a rooster and the rooster pleased me
I fed my rooster on the [G7] bayberry tree
[C] My little rooster goes, [F] “Cock-a-doodle doo!
Dee [C] Doodle, Dee [F] Doodle, Dee [G7] Doodle, Dee [C] Doo!”

[C] I bought me a dog and the dog pleased me
I fed my dog on the [G7] bayberry tree
[C] My little dog goes, [F] “Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!”
[C] My little rooster goes, [F] “Cock-a-doodle doo!
Dee [C] Doodle, Dee [F] Doodle, Dee [G7] Doodle, Dee [C] Doo!”

I bought me a cow and the cow pleased me…etc.

The Chicken Dance by Werner Thomas

I’ve never done this before, but for this song, I brought a bluetooth speaker and connected it to my phone to play a recording. The kids loved doing the motions in the main part of the song (as seen in the YouTube video below), and then doing their own dance in the parts in between. We danced with play scarves at Family Storytime.

Zoom Zoom Zoom

We do this song with the parachute every week in Outdoor Musical Storytime, but this week it fit perfectly with the book Chicken in Space. I put a chicken puppet on the parachute so the kids could make it fly in the air. We sang it with play scarves at Family Storytime.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the Moon.
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the Moon.
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,
We’re going to the Moon.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Blast-off!

Shaky Egg Song by Laurie Berkner

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end.

[C7] I know a chicken, (I know a chicken)
And she laid an egg. (And she laid an egg)
Oh [F7] I know a chicken, (I know a chicken)
And she [C7] laid an egg. (And she laid an egg)
[G7] Oh my goodness! (Oh, my goodness)
It’s a [C7] shaky egg! (It’s a shaky egg!)

Now shake them [C7] fast!
Shake them [F7] fast!
Shake them [C7] fast!
[G7] Shake your eggs!
[C7] Shake them [G7] fast!

Now shake them [C7] slow!
You know how it [F7] goes.
Shake them [C7] slow,
[G7] Because you know how it goes.
[C7] Shake them [G7] fast! Oh, shake those eggs!

Now shake them [C7] in a circle.
Shake them [F7] round and round.
Don’t let them touch the [C7] ground.
[G7] Now shake them up and down.
[C7] You’ve got to shake them up and [G7] down.

Stay & Play: Paper Plate Chickens

I got this idea from AllFreeKidsCrafts.Com , although I used paper plates instead of paper circles. I mostly wanted it to be an opportunity for kids to practice cutting, so I brought a variety of scissors, including different sizes of loop scissors, which can be easier for little hands.

Before the storytime, I had cut out paper hearts and triangles for the crown and beak. For the Stay & Play, I put out the scissors, glue sticks, paper plates, googly eyes, and paper shapes. The kids enjoyed exploring the scissors, and also putting a variety of googly eyes on their chickens.

Do you have any favorite books or songs about chickens? Please share them in the comments below.

5Sep2024

The Cat’s Meow: A Storytime About Cats

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

I just learned that September is Happy Cat Month, so it seemed like the perfect time to share some of my favorite cat books and songs at our storytimes this week.

I started by teaching the kids the ASL signs for Happy and Cat. Here’s are the books and songs we used:

Books:

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin; illustrated by James Dean

This is the original Pete the Cat story, which is still my favorite. The kids got excited as soon as I held up the book. Pete loves his white shoes so much, he sings a song about them, and still loves them even when he steps in things that make them change color. Always a hit!

Kat Writes a Song by Greg Foley

I love this sweet story about a cat who writes an “Amazing Song to Make Things Better.” At first, singing the song seems to make magical things happen (the sun comes out, Dog doesn’t bark at her, and Turtle finds his missing sock), but it doesn’t solve every problem, and she begins to doubt her song. But then her friend Bird shows her that the song really does make everything better. The kids loved singing the little song (all “meow’s”) along with the story.

Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman

Adorable story about a dog who just can’t keep herself from howling with excitement and frightening the three new kittens her owner just brought home. Finally, she feels so badly that she lies down in her bed and goes to sleep. When she wakes up, she finds the kittens curled up on top of her. The kids had a great time joining in on all the howling parts.

No Fuzzball! by Isabella Kung

Hilarious story about a cat who is convinced her name is “NoFuzzball!” because that’s what her family always calls her. The kids enjoyed joining in on the “NoFuzzball!” parts.

Songs & Rhymes:

Do You See the Color Red

We sang this song to go along with Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. This song always gets the kids excited, as they look around the room pointing to things that match each color. It’s to the tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Do you [C] see the color red,
The [F] color red, the [G7] color red?
Do you [C] see the color red,
[F] Right here [G7] in this [C] room?

Do you see the color blue… etc.

I Have a Cat

I usually have the kids echo each line of this rhyme as I say it. They especially like the part where they get to pretend to catch a rat.

I have a cat (pet imaginary cat).
My cat lies flat (put one hand flat on top of the other).
I have a cat (pet imaginary cat).
She wears a hat (pat the top of your head).
I have a cat (pet imaginary cat).
She caught a rat (grab imaginary rat).
I have a cat (pet imaginary cat).
Purr, Purr, MEOW!

You Sing a Song

We sang this song after reading Kat Writes a Song. We did it with the parachute and a cat stuffed animal for Outdoor Musical Storytime, and with the play scarves for Family Storytime.

[C] You’ll sing a song, and [Am] I’ll sing a song,
And [C] we’ll sing a [Dm] song toge-[G]ther.
[C] You’ll sing a song, and [Am] I’ll sing a song,
In [G] warm or [C] wintry [G] wea-[C]ther.

For Play Scarves

You’ll wave a scarf, and I’ll wave a scarf, and we’ll wave our scarves together…

You’ll peek-a-boo, and I’ll peek-a-boo… (put the scarf over your face, then pull it away)

You’ll throw a scarf, and I’ll throw a scarf…

For Parachutes

You shake the chute, and I’ll shake the chute, and we’ll shake the chute together…

You shake it fast, and I’ll shake it fast…

You lift it high, and I’ll lift it high…

The Cat Went Fiddle-I-Fee

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end. I love the Sam Hinton version of this song (see below). It’s perfect for storytime, because you can ask the kids to suggest animals and sounds for each verse.

[G] I had a cat and the cat pleased me,
And I fed my cat under [D] yonder [G] tree.
And the cat went [D] fiddle-i-[G] fee.

I had a wolf and the wolf pleased me,
And I fed my wolf under yonder tree.
And the wolf went “Arrrrroooo!”
And the cat went fiddle-i-fee.

Stay & Play: Paper Cats

Before storytime, I printed and cut out blank cat templates from clipartbest.com and cut some small triangles out of pink adhesive foam to make noses (some kids used them for the ears, as in the picture above). For the Stay & Play, I put out the cat templates, markers, googly eyes, the pink foam triangles, markers, and crayons. The kids had fun sticking the eyes and noses on their cats, and decorating them with the markers and crayons.

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

31Aug2024

Making Sense: A Storytime About the Five Senses

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

This week I decided to do a storytime about the five senses, using a mix of books about all five, as well as a couple of titles featuring specific senses. At the beginning of both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime, I asked the kids to name the five senses. Most of the kids who raised their hands pointed to their eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or hands, so we talked about the sense that was associated with each body part: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch.

In the future, I think it would be fun to do a series of storytimes focusing on a different sense each week. For now though, here’s what we did:

Books:

Hooray for Hoppy! by Tim Hopgood

Cute story about a rabbit who sets out to discover if Spring has begun, based on his five senses. He hears the birds, smells the blooming flowers, and tastes the newly grown grass. Some of the kids in Outdoor Musical Storytime enjoyed hopping along each time the rabbit hops in the story. In the end, when Hoppy thumps his foot to tell all of the other rabbits that Spring has sprung, I had the kids thump their feet on the ground (I like to tell them about my own pet rabbit, who thumps her foot whenever she’s scared or angry. The thump is incredibly loud!)

Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang

Fun story that’s reminiscent of In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. A little girl is excited to hear that her family will be going to the Dim Sum Palace the next day. That night she dreams that she wanders into an enormous kitchen, falls into a bowl of dumpling mix, and gets put into a dumpling. She is almost eaten by an Empress, but luckily is able to get her attention, and instead gets to enjoy a delicious feast. In the morning, when her family goes to the real Dim Sum Palace, she learns that it isn’t a real palace at all, but she still loves all of the amazing food. Many of the kids were familiar with dim sum, and they were excited to see foods that they had enjoyed.

Mama in the Moon by Doreen Cronin & Brian Cronin

This is such a sweet book, about a baby sloth who falls out of a tree. Frightened and alone, he calls to his mother, who slowly climbs down the tree to find him, while pointing out nearby things that he can sense: the sight of the moon, the smell of the flowers, the wriggling of the worms, the flutter of butterflies. The note at the end of the book says that sloths fall out of trees at least once a week for their entire lives, which the storytime crowd thought was very funny.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

I used a big book version of this book, which worked really well. Each page shows a white shape resembling an animal or an object, with the phrase “It looked like a [rabbit, tree, flower, etc.]. But it wasn’t a [rabbit, tree, flower, etc.]. In the end, the white shape is revealed to be a cloud in the sky. The kids LOVED calling out what they thought the shape was, and they usually got pretty close.

Songs:

The Sleeping Bunnies

I learned this from a preschool teacher years ago, and it’s become one of my go-to songs. It even pulls in some of the elementary school-aged kids who don’t always want to participate in songs and fingerplays. They all love pretending to be asleep and then jumping up and hopping up and down.

See the little bunnies sleeping
‘Till it’s nearly noon.
Come, let us wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still.
Are they ill?
NO! Wake up little bunnies!
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop little bunnies, hop and stop!

Apples and Bananas

Another favorite song of mine, and a great way to emphasize different vowel sounds. The kids always laugh every time I sing a new verse.

I like to [C] eat, eat, eat, apples and ba-[G]nanas.
I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and ba-[C]nanas.
I like to [C] eat, eat, eat, apples and ba-[G]nanas.
I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and ba-[C]nanas.

Ay lake to ate, ate, ate, ayples and baynaynays…

Ee leek to eat, eat, eat, eeples and beeneenees…

I like to īte, īte, īte, īpples, and bīnīnīs… (the ī symbol is for the long “i” sound, which sounds like “eye”)

Oh, loke to oh-te, oh-te, ohte, oh-pples and boh-noh-nohs…

Ū lūk to ūte, ūte, ūte, ūpples and būnūnūs… (the ū symbol is for the long “u” sound, which sounds like “ooh)

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

We sang this with the play scarves in Family Storytime to go along with Mama in the Moon (I sing it with the parachute every week for Outdoor Musical Storytime). The kids loved throwing the scarves in the air at the end.

If All the Raindrops

We sang this as our instrument play-along for Outdoor Musical Storytime. I asked the kids to suggest different foods they would like to fall from the sky for each verse. We had “If all the raindrops were vegetables and ice cream,” and “If all the raindrops were watermelon and fruit.”

[C] If all the raindrops were [G7] lemon drops and [C] gum drops,
Oh, what a rain it would [G7] be.
[C] I’d stand out- [G7] side with my [C] mouth open [G7] wide,
[C] “Ah, Ah, Ah, [G7] Ah, Ah, Ah, [C] Ah, Ah, Ah, [G7] Ah!”
[C] If all the raindrops were [G7] lemon drops and [C] gum drops,
Oh, what a [G7] rain it would [C] be

Rainbow ‘Round Me by Ruth Pelham

We sang this as the instrument play-along for Family Storytime. I asked the kids to suggest colorful things they would like to see outside the window for each verse. They suggested a yellow and orange bee, a rainbow ladybug, and a brown bat.

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] butterfly outside my [G7] window,
Is as purple as purple can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window
It’s as [G7] purple as purple 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] cat outside my [G7] window,
Is as yellow as yellow can [C] be.
Fiddle-dee-dee, [F] outside my [C] window
It’s as [G7] yellow as yellow can [C] be.
And the butterfly is [G7] purple as purple can [C] be.

Stay & Play: Cotton Ball Vanilla Clouds

This was a really simple activity inspired by It Looked Like Spilt Milk. For the Stay & Play, I put out blue paper, glue sticks, and cotton balls, and showed the kids how they could glue the cotton balls onto the paper as they were, or stretch the cotton, or tear it into smaller pieces. When they were done, I sprayed their cotton ball clouds with a small spray bottle full of diluted vanilla extract to add the element of smell to the tactile experience of the cotton. I also gave out the handout below showing different types of clouds.

cloud-viewer Download

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

18Aug2024

Keeping Fit: A Storytime About Exercise

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Last week was National Exercise with Your Child Week, so I thought it would be fun to do a storytime about different types of exercise families could do together (yoga, dancing, playing catch, etc.). Here is what we did.

Books:

You Are a Lion: And Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo

There are a number of Yoga-themed picture books, but this one is my favorite. It asks the kids to try different poses, and then tells them which animal the pose is based on: lion, butterfly, dog, cat, etc. It’s a little tricky to demonstrate the pose while holding the book, but the kids loved calling out their guesses about the name of the pose.

Watch Me Throw the Ball by Mo Willems

Funny Elephant and Piggie story where Piggie tries to throw a ball. When it lands behind her, she thinks that she has thrown it all the way around the world, until Gerald tells her what really happened. My coworker Claire read the part of Piggie, and I read the part of Gerald.

Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig; illustrated by Marc Brown

Simple rhyming book that asks kids to guess what kind of animal has a particular kind of foot. My Family Storytime group was WILD because for many of them it was the evening after their first day of school, but this one caught their interest and helped them refocus.

The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants by Eric Litwin; illustrated by Scott Magoon

Catchy musical story about Hazel Nut, whose family members are too busy to dance to her new song. Luckily, Grandma shows up to save the day. I gave out egg shakers before I read it, and the kids played along.

Songs:

Shoo, Fly!

We sang this one after reading You Are a Lion, and I had the kids suggest different animals they would like to be. For Family Storytime, I handed out the play scarves before we sang it, and we waved them in the air for the “Shoo Fly” parts. There are lots of different versions of this song, but the one I use is closest to the one in this video by Greg and Steve.

CHORUS:

Shoo, Fly, don’t bother me! (Wave hands or scarf as if shooing a fly)
Shoo, Fly, don’t bother me!
Shoo, Fly, don’t bother me,
I’ll tell you what I want to be.

I hop, I hop,
I hop like a kangaroo.
I hop, I hop,
I hop like a kangaroo.

CHORUS

I roar, I roar, I roar like a lion…

Elephants Have Wrinkles

We sang this after reading Dancing Feet. I asked the kids to suggest different body parts where elephants have wrinkles (on their foreheads, on their bottoms, etc.), and we added a new one each time.

Elephants have (pat legs on each syllable)
Wrinkles, Wrinkles, Wrinkles (clap hands on each syllable)
Elephants have (pat legs on each syllable)
Wrinkles (clap hands on each syllable)
Everywhere! (stomp feet on each syllable)
On their nose! Oh-oh! (touch your nose, and mime a trunk)

Repeat

Elephants have wrinkles…

On their legs! On their nose! Oh-oh!

Throw the Bean Bag and Catch!

For Family Storytime, I handed out bean bags before we sang this song. The kids had fun tossing and catching them, and then trying to balance them on their heads.

Chorus:
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp

Put it on your head and walk around the room
Put it on your head and walk around the room

Chorus:
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp
Throw the bean bag and catch
Turn around, turn around, stamp, stamp, stamp

When the Dogs Come Bouncing In

Fun variation of When The Saints Go Marching In. We sang it with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime, and I put three small dog stuffed animals on the parachute. The kids loved watching the dogs bounce up and down.

Oh, when the dogs go bouncing in,
Oh, when the dog go bouncing in,
Oh, how I want to be in that number,
When the dogs go bouncing in!

The Hokey Pokey

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end.

[C] You put your right hand in,
You put your right hand out.
You put your right hand in,
[G] And you shake it all about!
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all [C] about!

You put your left hand in…

Stay & Play: DIY Sock Bean Bags

There are lots of ways to make no-sew bean bags, both out of socks and even balloons. For our Stay & Play, I put out a variety of mini crew socks, along with a bowl of black beans, a paper cup for scooping, rubber bands for closing the socks, and washable markers for decorating.

The kids loved filling the toes of the socks with the beans! They needed a little help wrapping the rubber band around the sock when they were done, and then folding the top of the sock down over the filled part (you can also just tie the top of the sock closed). Then they decorated their socks with the markers. They all seemed really happy to have their own bean bags.

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

8Aug2024

Life Lessons: A Back to School Storytime

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Our local high schools started back this week, and the elementary and middle schools start next Wednesday, so I decided to do a school-theme for both Outdoor Musical and Family Storytime.

Here is what we did:

Books:

Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous by Keith Calabrese and Juana Medina

This was a favorite book of my coworker, Angela, who just retired, and it was a big hit with my storytime families too. Lena is excited to start Kindergarten, but her favorite pair of shoes is too nervous to go! After talking to her father about the best way to convince her shoes to go to school, she finally warns them that she’s going to have to wear her slippers instead, and they decide to be brave after all.

It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus! by Jody Jensen Shaffer; illustrated Claire Messer

Our local school district can’t afford school buses, but the kids here are fascinated by them anyway (perhaps even more than in other places!). This is a cute story about Busy Bus getting ready for the first day of school, and worrying that the children won’t like him. There are lots of opportunities for kids to make sound effects as Ben the driver checks the different parts of the bus.

Hurry Kate, Or You’ll Be Late! by Janice N. Harrington; illustrated by Tiffany Rose

This is such a beautiful, sweet story about a little girl named Kate who is late for preschool. The book describes every step of Kate’s morning routine, from drinking a glass of chocolate milk, to having her Daddy brush her hair into big puffs, to going to the bus stop, riding the bus, and waiting at the crosswalk. Along the way she is excited to see emergency vehicles and construction equipment and point them out to her Daddy, but none of things made her late. She is late because her Daddy gives her a big, long hug at the doorway into preschool (I had to take a deep breath before reading the last page, so I wouldn’t get choked up!).

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

I read this one for Family Storytime, which tends to have slightly older kids. It’s one of my very favorites to read to elementary school classes: a hilarious story about a dinosaur named Penelope who can’t stop herself from eating the children in her class, even though her teacher always makes her spit them out again. But when the class goldfish, Walter, bites her finger, she realizes that it’s no fun to be eaten, and finally learns to make friends with her classmates instead.

Songs:

If You’re Happy and You Know It

We sang this to go along with Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous.

[C] If you’re happy and you know it, clap your [G7] hands! (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your [C] hands! (clap, clap)
If you’re [F] happy and you know it, and you [C] really want to show it,
If you’re [G7] happy and you know it, clap your [C] hands! (clap, clap)

If you’re sad and you know it, cry, “Boo hoo!”…

If you’re angry and you know it, say, “I’m mad!”… (stomp feet while saying, “I’m mad!”)

If you’re shy and you know it, hide your face… (cover your eyes, and then uncover them and say, “Peek-a-boo!”

If you’re sleepy and you know it, yawn and stretch…

If you’re happy and you know it, shout, “Hooray!”

The Wheels on the Bus

We sang this to go along with It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus. We did all of the usual verses (wipers, driver, horn, door, babies, etc.). I also included a dinosaur on the bus “Roar, Roar, Roar!” and ended by singing the first verse again, making our wheels (and the song) go as fast as we could. At Outdoor Musical Storytime, we followed it up by singing the “people on the bus go bumpity bump” with the parachute. It’s really easy to play on ukulele with the chords below:

[C] The wheels on the bus go round and round.
[G7] Round and round, [C] Round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
[G7] All over [C] town.

This is the Way We Go to School

I adapted this from the Kiboomers version in the video below. We sang with play scarves in Family Storytime, using the scarves to mime the actions. It’s to the tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.

This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face, wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face,
Early in the morning.

This is the way we wash our hair…

This the way we wear our clothes…

This is the way we wave goodbye…

We Are Gonna Be Friends

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end.

[C] Fall is here, hear the yell,
[C] Back to school, ring the bell.
[F] Brand new shoes, walking blues,
[C] Climb the fence, books and pens.

[G7] I can tell that [F] we are gonna be [C]friends.
[G7] I can tell that [F] we are gonna be [C]friends.

[C] Walk with me, Suzy Lee,
[C] Through the park and by the tree.
[F] We will rest upon the ground,
[C] And look at all the bugs we found.
[G7] Safely walk to school [F] without a [C] sound.
[G7] Safely walk to school [F] without a [C] sound.

[C] Here we are, there’s no one else.
[C] We walk to school all by ourselves.
[F] There’s dirt on our uniforms,
[C] From chasing all the ants and worms.
[G7] We clean up and [F] now it’s time to [C] learn.
[G7] We clean up and [F] now it’s time to [C] learn.

[C] Numbers, letters, learn to spell,
[C] Nouns and books, and show and tell.
[F] At playtime, we will throw the ball.
[C] Back to class, through the hall.
[G7] Teacher marks our [F] height against the [C] wall.
[G7] Teacher marks our [F] height against the [C] wall.

[F] And we don’t notice any [C] time pass
[F] We don’t notice any [C] thing
[D] We sit side by side in every class.
[F] Teacher thinks that I sound funny,
[G7] But she likes the way you sing.

[C] Tonight I’ll dream while I’m in bed,
[C] When silly thoughts go through my head.
[F] About the bugs and alphabet,
[C] And when I wake tomorrow I’ll bet
That [G7] you and I will [F] walk together a-[C] gain.
Cause [G7] I can tell that [F] we are gonna be [C]friends.
[G7] I can tell that [F] we are gonna be [C]friends.

Stay & Play: Decorated Paper Lunch Bags

The kids had a great time with this simple activity, which you can really do with any kinds of decorating materials (markers, stickers, stamps, etc.) and paper lunch bags. I happened across a set of Ooly Double-Sided Stampable Markers recently, so for the Stay & Play, I put those out, along with some regular markers, animal stamps, ink pads, and gem stickers.

Do you have any favorite Back to School picture books or songs? Please share them in the comments below.

1Aug2024

Rainbows and Unicorns: A Storytime About Unicorns

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Several years ago, I remember a little girl asking me if we had any picture books about unicorns. At the time, we had barely any on our shelves or even in the catalog. Thankfully, now we have dozens of fun books about unicorns, and since kids frequently talk about unicorns during my preschool visits and storytimes, I thought I’d dedicate a storytime to them.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

A Unicorn Named Sparkle by Amy Young

Funny, cute story about a little girl who asks for a unicorn for her birthday. She has a very specific idea of what her unicorn will look like, but the one she gets is nothing like she imagined. He eats her clothes and even eats the underpants hanging on the clothes line, he smells funny, and he has fleas. Disappointed, she asks the unicorn man to take him back, but when he gets loaded on the truck, she realizes that she loves him after all.

First Day of Unicorn School by Jess Hernandez; illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum

I stumbled across this book right before Family Storytime, and fell in love with it on the spot. Milly is so excited to get accepted to Unicorn School. There’s only one problem: she isn’t a unicorn, but a donkey in a party hat. When she arrives at unicorn school, she is worried that the other unicorns will discover her secret, but soon finds that they are also all other types of animals in disguise. The kids enjoyed guessing what all of the different animals were and what their “unicorn horns” were made of (toilet plungers, traffic cones, etc.).

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima

The kids really seemed to enjoy this adorable book about a unicorn who is raised by a pod of narwhals. He always assumes that he is a narwhal too, until he sees a unicorn on a hillside, and discovers his true identity. He is torn between his new unicorn friends and his narwhal ones, but is thrilled to find a way to bring them all together.

You Don’t Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Liz Climo

When a little boy visits a wishing well and wishes for a unicorn, the narrator tries to warn him that unicorns poke holes in the ceiling, poop cupcakes everywhere, and scratch the furniture. Worst of all, they invite their friends over for a unicorn party, which makes an even bigger mess. Finally, the boy decides to wish them all away…and wish for a dragon instead.

Songs:

Sparkle, Sparkle, Unicorn

This uses the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, minus the “Up above the world so high” part in the middle. I asked the kids to suggest things that the unicorn might shoot from her horn (they came up with lightning, bees, flowers, and arrows) and also places they would like to fly (the playground, the zoo, Unicorn Land, and the pool), and we sang it several times using their ideas.

[C] Sparkle, Sparkle, [F] Uni[C]-corn,
[G7] She shoots [C] rainbows [G7] from her [C]horn.
I’ll fly to Hawaii [G7] in the [C] morn,
[G7] On my [C] magic [G7] uni[C]-corn.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

We sang this after reading First Day of Unicorn School (I realized too late that it would have been fun to make it a school instead of a farm). I asked the kids to suggest different animals and the sounds they made 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!

The Waves on the Ocean

We sang this one after reading Not Quite Narwhal at Outdoor Musical Storytime, shaking the parachute, and singing it through three times, getting faster each time. It’s to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus:

The waves on the ocean go up and down,
Up and down, Up and down.
The waves on the ocean go up and down,
All day long!

Abracadabra

I wrote this song for a Magic Storytime theme years ago. We did it as our instrument play-along at the end, since it talks about getting a unicorn.

One day I found a magic wand (C G)
Out floating in a stream. (F C)
I waved it at my dinner plate, (C G)
And my beets became ice cream! (F G C)

I said, “Abracadabra! (C G)
Alakazaam! (F G)
Abracadabra!” (C G)
And my peas turned into jam. (F G C)

So then I took my magic wand
To school with me one day.
When Teacher said, “It’s time to work.”
I said, “I’d rather play.”

I said, “Abracadabra!
Hocus pocus!” too.
“Abracadabra!”
And my class was at the zoo!
Being taught by a kangaroo.

So if you find a magic wand
Out floating in a stream.
I hope that it will bring to you
Whatever you may dream.

You’ll say, “Abracadabra!
Presto chango!” too.
“Abracadabra!”
Many things will come to you.
Like a treehouse with a view,
And a unicorn or two,
And a chocolate mansion too.
May your every dream come true.

Stay & Play: Unicorn Collage

For this simple Stay & Play, I printed a unicorn coloring page from iHeartCraftyThings.com (they have a lot of options) on white cardstock. After storytime, I put out the coloring pages, markers, glue sticks, and a variety of fake gemstones, paper hearts, and other small decorations. Most of the kids spent a long time coloring and decorating their unicorns.

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

18Jul2024

Give and Take: A Storytime About Gifts

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Monday (July 15) was National Give Something Away Day, so this week we focused on gifts and giving at Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen

This is one of my favorite picture books, which was a bit too long for my Outdoor Musical Storytime kids, but perfect for Family Storytime, which brings in some early elementary school kids. It’s a magical story about a girl named Annabelle who finds a box full of yarn, which never gets depleted, no matter how many sweaters she makes and gives away. When the box is stolen by a greedy archduke though, he finds it empty.

Malina’s Jam by Svetla Radivoeva

Adorable book about a hedgehog who loves to grow raspberries, and make jars of raspberry jam. When other animals seem interested in the jam, she gives jars away to them, but then realizes she has none left for herself. But the animals surprise her with new treats for the winter, and help her grow her next crop of raspberries.

Thank You, Bear by Greg Foley

We have two high school students interning with us for the summer, and they read this book aloud together. It’s a sweet, simple story about a little bear who finds the perfect present for his friend Mouse, but all of the other animals make him doubt the gift. Luckily Mouse is thrilled to get the gift: a little box just the right size for her.

Harold Loves His Woolly Hat by Vern Kousky

Harold loves his woolly hat, which shows everyone that he is a special bear. So, when a crow steals his hat, he tries to trade her worms and treasures in exchange. After climbing the tree to the crow’s nest, he discovers that his hat is keeping three baby crows warm, and decides that he can be a special bear even without a hat. This was a fun book to read in the park, because a crow in a tree overhead kept interjecting. The kids loved making the “ca caw!” sounds.

Songs:

Peanut Butter & Jelly

This is an old camp song that I remember learning as a kid. Somewhere along the way, our library acquired a toy set with peanuts, grapes, and bread, which I used as props. I do a slightly different version of the one in the Super Simple Songs video below, and have the kids mime picking the peanuts and grapes (or whatever other fruit they suggest), mash them, spread them, and eat the sandwich. I usually pretend to have peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth at the end, and then we all mime pouring and drinking a glass of milk.

First you take the peanuts, and you pick ’em,
You pick ’em, you pick ’em, pick ’em, pick ’em.
Then you smash them, you smash them,
You smash ’em, smash ’em, smash ’em.
Then you spread ’em, you spread ’em.
You spread ’em, spread ’em, spread ’em.
Singing, “Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!
Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!”

Then you take the grapes and you pick ’em,
You pick ’em, you pick ’em, pick ’em, pick ’em.
Then you smash them, you smash them,
You smash ’em, smash ’em, smash ’em.
Then you spread ’em, you spread ’em.
You spread ’em, spread ’em, spread ’em.
Singing, “Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!
Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!”

Then you take the sandwich and you bite it,
You bite it, you bite it, bite it, bite it.
Then you chew it, you chew it, you chew it,
Chew it, Chew it.
Then you swallow it, you swallow it,
You swallow it, swallow it, swallow it.
Singing, “Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!
Peanut, Peanut Butter…and Jelly!”

Two Little Blackbirds

We sang this with play scarves for Family Storytime after reading Harold Loves His Woolly Hat.

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

Two little blackbirds sitting on a gate.
One was early, and the other was…late!…

Hickory Dickory Dock

For Outdoor Musical Storytime, we sang this with the parachute, and put a mouse puppet on top. Here’s a video from The Learning Station with the tune.

Hickory Dickory Dock (clap hands in rhythm)
The mouse ran up the clock (run fingers up arm)
The clock struck one: BONG!
The mouse ran down (run fingers down arm)
Hickory Dickory Dock (clap hands)

This Little Light of Mine

We did this one as an instrument play-along at the end, and everyone was dancing along. Here’s a Raffi video for the tune:

[C] This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
[F] This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it [C] shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it [Am] shine,
Let it [C] shine, let it [G] shine, let it [C] shine.

Gonna spread some kindness ’round the world. I’m gonna let it shine…

Won’t let anyone (pff!) it out, I’m gonna let it shine…

Stay & Play: Beaded Bracelets

Beading projects are always a hit, and this one was SO sweet! Before we started, I told the kids that they could make a bracelet for themselves, and/or make one to give away. So many of them ended up making them for their parents or siblings, and they worked really hard on the patterns and designs.

I put out different types of pony beads in small paper bowls, along with a variety of colored pipe cleaners. Some kids needed a little help fastening their bracelets at the end, but otherwise they were pretty self sufficient.

Do you have any favorite books about gifts and giving? Please share them in the comments below.

11Jul2024

Here There Be Dragons: A Storytime About Dragons

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

This week, we celebrated Dragons in both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime. Here are the books and songs we did:

Books:

Roar-Choo! by Charlotte Cheng; illustrated by Dan Santat

A proud dragon brags about the strength and bravery of his kind, but every time he roars, he sneezes. Luckily, his friend Phoenix is there to help him feel better. The kids LOVED joining in on the repeated “ROAR-Choo’s!” This was my first time using this book for storytime, but it definitely won’t be the last.

Wishing for a Dragon by Becky Cameron

Sweet, imaginative story about three friends off on an adventure in a magical hot air balloon. They visit a pirate ship and a jungle before their balloon crashes. Luckily, they are rescued by a dragon, who carries them back home.

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

Such a beautiful and endearing book about a brave little owl who longs to be a knight. When a gigantic dragon threatens him while he is on Knight Night Watch, Owl saves the day with pizza, and makes a bunch of new friends.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin; illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

This one was a bit too long for my Outdoor Musical Storytime group, but I read it at Family Storytime, where many of the older kids were already familiar with it. It’s a funny book about the hazards of feeding spicy salsa to dragons. It was especially fitting for our town, which is famous for its Taco Bell on the beach.

Songs:

Silly Pizza Song

This song by Rachel de Azevedo Coleman from her Signing Time series is one of my absolute favorites. We sang this one after reading Knight Owl, since it talks a lot about pizza. I taught the kids the sign for pizza (there are a lot of different variations in ASL, but I use the one she demonstrates in the video with the double Z) and the sign for cheese, and then I ask them for topping suggestions. The kids suggested dough, sauce, pepperoni, herbs, and anchovies.

I like pepperoni on my pizza.
I like pepperoni pizza, please.
Put the pepperoni on my pizza,
Don’t forget the extra cheese.

I like olives on my pizza,
I like olive pizza, please.
Put the olives on the pepperoni,
Put the pepperoni on my pizza,
Don’t forget the extra cheese.

I’m a Little Dragon

I found this adaptation of I’m a Little Teapot on LaptimeSongs.com

I’m a little dragon, strong and stout.
Here is my tail and here is my snout.
If I get upset, you better watch out!
I’ll roar, and shout, and stomp about.

Flying Up and Down on My Little Green Dragon

For our parachute song at Outdoor Musical Storytime, I adapted the Raffi song Bumping Up and Down in My Little Red Wagon. We lifted the parachute up and down along with the words. For Family Storytime, we sang it with play scarves, which we waved around like flying dragons, and changed the words to “Flying All Around on My Magic Dragon.”

Flying up and down on my little green dragon,
Flying up and down on my little green dragon,
Flying up and down on my little green dragon,
Up…Up…Up…Up…DOWN!

Puff, the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end. I skipped final verse because it is so sad.

Chorus
[C] Puff, the magic [Em] dragon [F] lived by the [C] sea,
And [F] frolicked in the [C] autumn [Am] mist in a [D7] land called Honah-[G7]Lee.
[C] Little Jackie [Em] Paper [F] loved that rascal [C] Puff.
And [F] brought him [C] strings and [Am] sealing wave and [D7] other [G7] fancy [C] stuff.

Chorus
[C] Puff, the magic [Em] dragon [F] lived by the [C] sea,
And [F] frolicked in the [C] autumn [Am] mist in a [D7] land called Honah-[G7]Lee.
[C] Puff, the magic [Em] dragon [F] lived by the [C] sea.
And [F] frolicked in the [C] autumn [Am] mist in a [D7] land called [G7]Honah-[C]Lee.

[C] Puff, the magic [Em] dragon [F] lived by the [C] sea,
And [F] frolicked in the [C] autumn [Am] mist in a [D7] land called Honah-[G7]Lee.
[C] Puff, the magic [Em] dragon [F] lived by the [C] sea.
And [F] frolicked in the [C] autumn [Am] mist in a [D7] land called [G7]Honah-[C]Lee.

Chorus
[C] Together they would [Em] travel, [F] on a boat with billowed [C] sails.
[F] Jackie kept a [C] lookout[Am] perched on [D7] Puff’s gigantic [G7] tail.
[C] Noble kings and [Em]princes [F] would bow where ere they [C] came.
[F] Pirate ships would [C] lower their [Am] flags when [D7] Puff roared [G7]out his [C] name.

Stay & Play: Dragon Masks

This was a really simple Stay & Play, but a big hit with the kids. Before storytime, I printed out these paper mask templates from Ruffles and Rain Boots, and cut them out (with a lot of help from my coworkers!). For the Stay & Play, I put out the paper masks, along with Scotch tape, markers, and popsicle sticks (the wide kind). The kids enjoyed coloring their masks, then taping them to the popsicle sticks, and pretending to be dragons.

Do you have any favorite books or songs about dragons? Please share them in the comments below.

2Jul2024

This Land Is Your Land: A Storytime for the Fourth of July

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

The Fourth of July is this Thursday, but since there aren’t very many Fourth of July picture books that work well for my storytime audience, I decided to focus on the theme of birthdays instead.

I started by asking the kids what happens on the Fourth of July. Several kids shouted “fireworks!” which is definitely the most memorable part of the holiday in our town. I also asked what the Fourth of July means, and talked about how it is the birthday of our country. Then I asked the kids which country we live in. Most of them shouted out Pacifica (our town), or California, but we got there eventually.

Here are the books and songs that we did:

Books:

A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas

This is one of my favorite birthday-themed books, because it always gets big laughs. Mouse and Pig are making a birthday cake for Cow, but Duck wants to add a turnip to the recipe. They are surprised and dismayed when Cow arrives, and is very excited to see the turnip. We all sang Happy Birthday to Cow at the end.

Don’t Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

Fun, interactive story about a group of animals trying to avoid waking up a sleeping tiger. The text asks the reader to help by petting the tiger’s nose (I had the kids mime this in the air), blowing air to move a balloon, and singing a lullaby (we sang Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star). In the end, the stork accidentally pops a balloon (I had the kids clap their hands), and the tiger wakes up just in time for her surprise birthday party.

Shy Willow by Cat Min

Sweet story about a shy rabbit who goes on an adventure to deliver a letter to the moon from a boy who has a special request for his mother’s birthday. It’s a longer book than I usually read, but it worked perfectly for the older kiddos who came to Family Storytime.

Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer

Not a birthday book, but a good one for the Fourth of July, because it talks about fireworks, and the color scheme throughout the book is red, white, and blue. Olivia the Pig wants to have a band for the fireworks show, but no one in her family wants to help, so she makes her own band. The book is full of funny moments, and features a beautiful fireworks display at the end. I gave out egg shakers and other instruments before I read it, and had the kids make lots of noise on the pages where Olivia is performing. The parents got a kick out the ending, when Olivia dreams she is a member of the Supreme Court.

Songs & Rhymes:

Ten Candles on a Birthday Cake

We did this fingerplay rhyme after reading 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, all the way up to seven. I usually make a joke about doing my age, but then say I don’t have enough fingers.

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)

Boom, Boom, Boom!

I was struggling to come up with a parachute song for my Outdoor Musical Storytime to fit with the Fourth of July, but then had the idea of adapting our usual Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon song (here’s a YouTube video from JingleJam with the tune, in case you aren’t familiar with it). We sang it through once, and then I threw several small pom-poms on the parachute, so they would dance around on the parachute as we waved it up and down. For Family Storytime, we did the same song with play scarves, and threw them into the air.

Boom, Boom, Boom!
The fireworks go Boom!
Boom, Boom, Boom!
The fireworks go Boom!
Green and yellow, blue and red,
Colors bursting over head!
Boom, Boom, Boom!
The fireworks go Boom!

This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie

We did this one for our instrument play-along at the end. 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: Colored Sand Fireworks

I was originally going to do this craft with glitter, but I was worried about leaving a lot of glitter behind at the park. I considered using biodegradable glitter, but then realized I could get a similar effect from colored sand. So, before the storytime, I mixed some white play sand with different colors of food coloring in large Ziploc bags. For the Stay & Play, I put out black construction paper, glue sticks, and the different colored sand in paper bowls. The kids had a great time making patterns on the paper with glue, and then sprinkling the sand on top.

What are your favorite books or songs for the Fourth of July? Please share them in the comments below.

2Jul2024

Fish Tales: A Storytime about Fish

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Last week, we did a Fish-themed storytime for both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime. Here are the books and songs that we did.

Books:

The Blobfish Book by Jessica Olien

This is such a great book for kids who love deep-sea fish. It reads like a nonfiction guide to creepy, toothy creatures like the anglerfish and viperfish (with real photographs), but the adorable cartoon blobfish keeps interrupting. When the book finally gets to the blobfish, it says it is considered the “ugliest animal.” The blobfish is devastated, until the other fish reassure him. It was a bit too long for my Outdoor Musical Storytime crowd, so I didn’t try it there, but my Family Storytime group loved it.

I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Technically, this book only has a few fish in it, but it’s always such a big hit that I included it anyway. A giant squid is bragging about being the biggest thing in the ocean, until he gets eaten by a whale. But he manages to find the bright side. The kids enjoyed calling out the names of the different fish and other animals on each page.

Fidgety Fish by Ruth Galloway

Adorable, colorful story about a fidgety fish whose mother tells him to go out and swim until he gets tired, but to stay away from the big fish. Unfortunately, on his adventures, he stumbles across a dark cave that turns out to be the mouth of the big fish. The kids loved the part where the big fish burps him out.

Swallow the Leader by Danna Smith; illustrated by Kevin Sherry

A counting book, featuring a variety of different kinds of fish, who all get eaten one by one, and then burped out (again, the kids love anything with bodily functions!)

I Spy Under the Sea by Edward Gibbs

This book challenges readers to guess which sea creature is being depicted in this small circle on each page. It’s a simple book, but both the older and younger kids in both storytimes enjoyed calling out the answers.

Songs:

Slippery Fish

We sang this one with a fish, octopus, shark, and whale puppet. Lots of swimming schools around here use this song, and it’s always a big hit.

Slippery Fish, Slippery Fish,
Swimming in the water.
Slippery Fish, Slippery Fish,
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

She was eaten by an octopus, octopus,
Swimming in the water.
Octopus, Octopus,
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

He was eaten by a great white shark,
Great white shark,
Swimming in the water,
Great white shark, Great white shark.
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

She was eaten by a humongous whale,
Humongous whale,
Swimming in the water,
Humongous whale,
Humongous whale,
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
BURP!! Pardon me!

The Goldfish Song by Laurie Berkner

We sang this one in Family Storytime. I gave out play scarves for the kids to swish around like fish.

[C] Lots of little fish were sleeping on a rock
In the [G] bottom of the [C] ocean.
They lifted up their heads,
And they shook out their tails,
And they [G] said let’s go [C] swimming.

CHORUS
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming,
[G] Yeah, let’s go [C] swimming.
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming in the [G] bottom of the [C] ocean.

[C] Then the little fish got so very, very tired
That they [G] swam back to the [C] rock.
And they [C] put down their heads,
And they put down their tails,
And they [G] took a little [C] nap.
And when they woke up, they were a little bit dirty,
So they took a shower.
And they washed their [C] hair,
And they washed their [G] ears,
And they washed their tummies,
And they washed their very long fishy beards.
And they washed their [F] noses,
And they washed their [C] toeses,
And then they [G] said,
“Wait a minute, we’re fish!
We don’t take showers!”

CHORUS:
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming,
[G] Yeah, let’s go [C] swimming.
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming in the [G] bottom of the [C] ocean.

[C] Then the little fish got so very, very tired,
That they [G] came back to the [C] rock.
They [C] put down their heads,
And they put down their tails,
And they [G] took a little [C] nap.
And [C] when they woke up,
They decided to ride their bicycles.

So they rode to the [C] left,
And they rode to the [G] right,
And they rode all day,
And they rode all [C] night-night-night-night-night.
They rode down the [F] hill,
And then faster [C] still,
And then they said,
“Wait a minute, [G] we’re [C] fish!
We don’t ride bicycles!”

[C] Then the little fish got so very, very tired
That they [G] swam back to the [C] rock.
And they [C] put down their heads,
And they put down their tails,
And they [G] took a little [C] nap.
And when they woke up,
They decided to brush their teeth.

So they got out their tooth [C] brush
And their [G] toothpaste.
And they squeezed a little on,
They really liked the [C] taste.
Then they put it in their [F] mouth,
They brushed north and [C] south.
Ch-ka-ch! Ch-ka-ch! Ch-ka-ch!
And then [G] they said,
“Wait a minute, we’re fish!
We don’t brush our teeth!

CHORUS
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming
[G] Yeah, let’s go [C] swimming
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming in the [G] bottom of the [C] ocean.
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming
[G] Yeah, let’s go [C] swimming
Let’s go [C] swimming, let’s go swimming in the [G] bottom of the [F] o-[C]cean

1-2-3-4-5

Simple counting song that’s always fun.

1,2,3,4,5,
Once I caught a fish alive.
6,7,8,9,10,
Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so!
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on the right.

The Waves on the Ocean

We did this one with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime, and put a fish puppet on top to go up and down with the waves. It’s to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus:

The waves on the ocean go up and down,
Up and down, Up and down.
The waves on the ocean go up and down,
All day long!

Baby Shark

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end of both storytimes.

[C] Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo do
[F] Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
[Am] Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
[G] Baby shark!

Mommy shark…

Daddy shark…

Grandma Shark…

Grandpa Shark…

Let’s go hunt!…

Run Away…

Safe at last…

That’s the end…

Stay & Play: Tissue Paper Painted Fish

This Stay & Play was a little messy, but the kids really enjoyed it. Before the storytime, I printed some blank fish templates on white paper, and cut out small pieces of colored tissue paper. For the Stay & Play, I put out the printed fish templates, the tissue paper pieces, paint brushes, and small cups of water. The kids had a good time decorating their fish with the tissue paper, and then painting over it with the water to make the colors bleed onto the paper.

Do you have any favorite books or songs about fish? Please share them in the comments below.