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.

26Jun2024

Purple Prose: A Storytime About the Color Purple (and Indigo)

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

I actually did this storytime a couple of weeks ago, but haven’t had a chance to post about it until now.

I’ve enjoyed doing this series of storytimes about the colors of the rainbow, but I admit I had a hard time deciding what to do about indigo. From everything I’ve read, indigo was included in the colors of the rainbow by Sir Isaac Newton because he attributed mystical significance to the number seven, and wanted there to be seven colors. But there are very few books (at least books that are simple enough for my storytime audience) about the color indigo. In the end, I talked a bit about the color at the beginning of my purple storytime, and then read the book Big Choo, which features a train with an indigo engine and a purple car.

Books:

Big Choo by Stephen Shaskan

Cute story about a little train who is determined to climb a big hill, with the encouragement of his father. The kids loved joining in on the train noises. As I mentioned in the intro, the engine of the train is indigo, but the book also features a purple train car, so it was provided a good way to show the difference between the two colors.

Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley

Adorable story about a little bird who paints everything purple, but isn’t completely happy with his house, so he goes on a journey to find the perfect home. The ending got a lot of laughs.

Sally and the Purple Socks by Lisze Bechtold

Funny story about a goose whose new purple socks keep growing, and growing, becoming a scarf, then curtains, then a blanket, and more. The kids were really engaged by this one.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

I didn’t actually end up reading this because I had done it fairly recently, but I wanted to include it in my list since it’s such a classic (there’s also a movie adaptation coming out this fall). It was a favorite of my own kids when they were little, an imaginative story about a little boy whose drawings come to life. I especially love the part about the nine different kinds of pie.

Songs:

Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten

We sang this after reading Big Choo. I sing the adapted kids version by Elizabeth Mitchell, which is the one in the video below, although the original version is beautiful and has a fascinating back story. I usually ask the families to suggest places where they would like to go, and we sing a verse about each of those places.

[C] Freight train, freight train, [G7] going so fast.
[G7] Freight train, freight train, [C] going so fast.
[E7]Please don’t tell what [F] train I’m on,
So they [C] won’t know [G7] where I’ve [C] gone.

Going to Mexico, going so fast!
Going to Mexico, going so fast!
Please don’t tell what train I’m on,
So they won’t know where I’ve gone.

Two Little Purple Birds

We sang this after reading The Little Purple Bird, although it works well for any color (the original version is “Two Little Blackbirds”). We sang it with play scarves for Family Storytime.

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

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

The Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley

We did this as our instrument play-along, and it was a big hit! The original song features several key changes, but I sang the whole thing in C. I actually only sang the first couple of verses, and then repeated the chorus several times, but I included the full version below.

[C] Well, I saw the thing comin’ out of the sky,
It had [G] one long horn, [C] one big eye.
I commenced to shakin’ and I [F] said “ooh-eee!”,
It [G] looks like a purple people eater to [C] me.

CHORUS:
[C] It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin’ purple people eater.
[G] One-eyed, one-horned, flyin’ purple people eater.
A [C] one-eyed, one-horned, flyin’ purple people eater.
[G] Sure looks strange to [C] me.

[C] Well, he came down to earth, and he lit in a tree.
I said, [G] “Mr. Purple People Eater, [C] don’t eat me.”
I heard him say in a [F] voice so gruff:
“I [G] wouldn’t eat you cause you’re so [C] tough!”

CHORUS

I said, “Mr. Purple People Eater, what’s your line?”
He said, “It’s eatin’ purple people and it sure is fine.
But that’s not the reason that I came to land..
I wanna get a job in a rock and roll band.”

Well, bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater.
Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater.
(We wear short shorts) Flyin’ purple people eater..
Sure looks strange to me.

And then he swung from the tree and he lit on the ground,
He started to rock, really rockin’ around.
It was a crazy ditty with a swingin’ tune..
Sing A bop bop-A-boppa-loppa-lim-bam-boom.

Well, bless my soul, rock and roll, flyin’ purple people eater.
Pigeon-toed, undergrowed, flyin’ purple people eater.
I like short shorts!..Flyin’ little people eater.
Sure looks strange to me.

And then he went on his way, and then what do ya know?
I saw him last night on a TV show.
He was blowing it out, a’really knockin’ ’em dead..
Playin’ rock and roll music through the horn in his head.

Stay & Play: Flower Petal Collage

I love doing activities with flowers. For Outdoor Storytime, I gathered a variety of flowers from my yard (lavender, nasturtiums, geraniums, etc.) and them out on the tables with some white cardstock and glue sticks. The kids had a great time exploring the different colors and textures, as they arranged them on their paper and glued them down.

For Family Storytime, which gets a smaller crowd, I did the same basic activity, but taped squares of contact paper onto the table. The kids stuck the flowers onto the sticky part of the contact paper, and then we helped them seal them in with another piece of contact paper on top.

Do you have any favorite books or songs featuring the color purple (or indigo)? Please share them in the comments below.

3Jun2024

Green Means Go: A Storytime About the Color Green

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Last week in Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime, we enjoyed books, songs, and activities celebrating the color Green. As usual, I started out by asking the kids to name things that were Green. They suggested: trees, grass, snakes, and turtles.

Here’s a combination of everything I did for both storytimes.

Books:

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

A beautiful celebration of all of the different shades of green, with cut out shapes revealing colors on the next page. The kids enjoyed calling out things they saw in the illustrations: a lizard, a sea turtle, a tiger, etc.

There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer

This was one of my favorite books to read to my own kids when they were little: a story about a boy who finds a way to lure the alligator under his bed out into the garage, using a trail of food. The kids loved making munching noises.

Mama Don’t Allow by Thatcher Hurd

Cute, musical story about a band of animals who agree to perform on a riverboat full of alligators, with dangerous consequences. I gave out egg shakers before we read this one in Family Storytime, and the kids enjoyed playing them whenever the band played in the story.

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

Adorable rhyming book about different types of sheep, with the repeated line, “But where in the green sheep?” Several families said this was a favorite of theirs.

Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

Always a hit! This is such a simple, magical book. I had the kids at Family Storytime turn the pages to make the different parts of the monster’s face disappear.

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by Jen Corace

An old favorite of mine, by one of my favorite picture book authors. Little Pea dreads having to eat his candy for dinner every night, but is excited to have spinach for dessert.

Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan

Simple story about a group of turtles walking to a place to play in the snow. I had the kids walk in place as I read. They enjoyed calling out “No!” each time I read “Are we there yet?”

Songs & Rhymes:

Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

We sang this after reading Go Away, Big Green Monster in Family Storytime. I like to do it three times, getting faster each time.

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
And eyes and ears, and mouth and nose.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Red Light, Green Light

I did this as an activity after we read Green. I basically had the kids do different actions (running in place, jumping, clapping, stomping, etc.). I called out “Green Light” to have them start the action, and “Red Light” to make them stop. The kids loved it!

Down By the Banks of the Hanky Panky

This is one of my favorite lapsit rhymes for baby storytime, where caregivers bounce their babies from knee to knee. For Outdoor Musical Storytime, I did it with the parachute, and put a frog puppet on top. The kids got a kick out of watching the frog bounce around on the parachute, as we shook it time to the rhyme.

Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky,
With a hip, hop, a hippy hop,
Jump off the lily pad and
Ker-PLOP!

Little Bo Peep

We did this rhyme after reading Where is the Green Sheep? in Family Storytime. I handed out the play scarves, and we did the motions from this JBrary video:

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep (hide scarf behind your back)
And doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone and they’ll come home (wave scarf in front of you)
Wagging their tails behind them! (wag scarf behind you like a tail)

I Had a Little Turtle

Another fun song from JBrary:

I had a little turtle,
His name is Tiny Tim.
I put him in the bathtub,
To see if he could swim.

He drank up all the water,
He ate up all the soap,
And now he’s home sick in bed
With bubbles in his throat!

Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, POP!
Bubble, bubble, bubble,
Bubble, bubble, POP!

I’ll See You Later, Alligator

I wrote this song after a storytime discussion about the differences between alligators and crocodiles. We did it as our instrument play-along for Outdoor Musical Storytime. I made a video with photos of alligators and crocodiles to illustrate the differences described in the song:

[C] If you see something in the water
With [F] scales and lots of teeth,
[G7] Looking like a floating log
With [C] four legs underneath.
[C] You can tell that it must be a type
Of [F] dangerous reptile.
But is it an alli[C]-gator
Or a [G7] hungry croco[C]-dile?

I’ll see you [F] later, Alligator, (open and close your hands like an alligator mouth)
With your [G7] mouth shaped like a [C] U, (put the base of your hands together to make a U shape)
But [F] Crocodile, with the V-shaped [G7] smile, (straighter your hands to make a V shape)
It’ll be a while (tap your wrist)
‘Till I see [C] you. (point)

[C] Alligators like to live in swamps,
While [F] crocs prefer a river.
No [G7] matter where you find them,
They’re sure to make you [C] shiver.
On crocs you see their bottom teeth,
On [F] gators just the top.
If you’re able to see [C] either,
You’re [G7] way too close, so [C] STOP!

I’ll see you [F] later, Alligator,
With your [G7] mouth shaped like a [C] U,
But [F] Crocodile, with the V-shaped [G7] smile,
It’ll be a while
‘Till I see [C] you.

A [C] crocodile has lighter skin,
While [F] gator’s skin is dark,
To [G7] help them hide out in the mud
Waiting to [C] catch their mark.
Learning of their differences
Can [F] be a lot of fun,
But one thing they have in [C] common,
If you [G7] see one you should [C] run!

I’ll see you [F] later, Alligator,
With your [G7] mouth shaped like a [C] U,
But [F] Crocodile, with the V-shaped [G7] smile,
It’ll be a while
‘Till I see [C] you.

Stay & Play: Paper Plate Turtles

I found this craft idea on GluedtoMyCraftsBlog.com. Before the storytime, I cut out simple head, tail, and leg shapes from green construction paper. I happened to have some precut cellophane squares in different colors, left over from some other activity. For the Stay & Play, I put out white paper plates, the cut out shapes, the cellophane squares, glue sticks and markers. The kids had fun assembling and decorating their turtles.

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

19May2024

Orange You Glad? A Storytime About the Color Orange

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

This week, we continued our journey through the colors of the rainbow in Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime.

I started by asking the kids to call out things that could be Orange. They suggested oranges, carrots, flowers (we talked about the state flower, the California Poppy), butterflies, tigers, and clothes.

Here are the books and songs that I used (a combination of what I did in for both storytimes):

Books:

It’s a Tiger by David LaRochelle; illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

This is such a fun adventure story, featuring an adorable tiger who keeps showing up in unexpected places: in a cave, under a pile of leaves, on a ship, and in a treasure chest. The kids love calling out “A Tiger!”

Moth and Butterfly: Ta Da! by Dev Petty; illustrated by Ana Aranda

This book does a nice job of explaining the differences between moths and butterflies in the context of a sweet story about two caterpillar friends.

Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear by Emily Gravett

Before I read this book, I taught the kids the American Sign Language signs for Orange, Pear, Apple, and Bear, so that they could sign along with the story. These four words make up almost the entire text of the rhyming book, and the author plays with different combinations: Orange Bear, Orange Pear, etc. The illustrations are clever and fun. A parent told me afterwards that this is one of her family’s favorite books.

It’s An Orange Aardvark by Michael Hall

When a group of ants spies something orange outside of their stump, one of them worries that it is an orange aardvark, waiting to eat them. Another ant drills peepholes in the stump, looking out to see more colors outside, but the worried ant’s fears become more and more elaborate: It’s an orange aardvark wearing blue pajamas and carrying a bottle of ketchup! Eventually, the colors are revealed to be a rainbow, but maybe also an aardvark. The kids enjoyed pretending to drill with their fingers each time I read the “Whirrr” sound.

Songs & Rhymes:

Going on a Tiger Hunt

Instead of the usual bear hunt, we went on a tiger hunt to go along with It’s A Tiger! This is a great way to give the kids a chance to move around in between books. I like to ham it up by pretending to get a grasshopper stuck in my shirt, wiping the mud off my feet, and shaking myself dry from the lake. There are lots of variations, but this the script I use, with the kids repeating every line:

We’re going on a tiger hunt!
(We’re going on a tiger 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 tiger!

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 tiger hunt again!

The Butterfly Song

We gave out play scarves before I sang this one (as a follow up to Moth & Butterfly: Ta Da!). The kids LOVED it! We sang it through three times at both storytimes.

First comes a butterfly (Wave scarf)
Who lays an egg. (Make a circle with your thumb and index finger).
Out comes a caterpillar (Wiggle your finger like a caterpillar)
With lots of legs.
Now see the caterpillar spin and spin (Spin the scarf),
A little chrysalis to sleep in (Bundle scarf up in a ball in your hand).
Oh, oh, oh, wait and see…
Oh, oh, oh, wait and see…
Out of the chrysalis, my, oh, my!
Out comes a beautiful butterfly! (Open up hand and wave scarf).

Go Round and Round the Orange Tree

We sang this one with the parachute, and I put three oranges in the middle. Click on the triangle for the tune.

Go round and round the orange tree, (walk around in a circle with the parachute)
Go round and round the orange tree,
Go round and round the orange tree,
And pick some oranges just for me!
1 2 3! (shake the parachute so the oranges bounce up and down)

The Ants Go Marching

We sang this song as our instrument play-along at the end. It was adorable to see the kids marching along. Here’s a YouTube video from Super Simple Songs for the tune:

[Am] The ants go marching one by one, [C] Hurrah, Hurrah!
The [Am] ants go marching one by one, [C] Hurrah, Hurrah!
The [C] ants go marching [G7] one by one,
The [Am] little one stops to [E7] suck his thumb,
And they [C] all [G7] go marching [Am] down to the ground to get out of the rain,
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two…the little one stops to tie her shoe…

The ants go marching three by three…the little one stops to climb a tree…

The ants go marching four by four…the little one stops to shut the door…

Stay & Play: Paper Butterflies

There are lots of variations of this simple craft online. I decided to make the popsicle stick a kind of handle so the kids could “fly” their butterflies around the park when they were done.

Before storytime, I printed out butterfly templates and cut them out. For the Stay & Play, I put out the cut-out paper butterflies, popsicle sticks, markers, glue sticks, and gem stickers. The kids spent a lot of time decorating them.

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

13May2024

Red Letter Day: A Storytime About the Color Red

Posted in Storytime themes by worldsloudestlibrarian

Recently, in the Storytime Solidarity Facebook group, someone posted about doing a series of storytimes based on the colors of the rainbow. Having just finished my series of storytimes based on letters of the alphabet, I thought that would be fun to try too. So last week I started with the color Red in both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime.

Here are the books and songs I used (a combination of both storytimes):

Books:

Firefighter Flo by Andrea Zimmerman; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

This simple story about a firefighter and her crew putting out a fire is full of great sound effects that the kids really enjoyed joining in on. It also starts and ends with a fun chant: Hey, Yo, Firefighter Flo! You’re a hero! You’re a pro!

I’m Brave by Kate & Jim McMullan

By the author/illustrator team behind I Stink, this book describes all of the parts and tools of a brave firetruck. It was a big hit with the older kids at my Family Storytime.

Lion and the Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven

This is a long-time favorite of mine, a story about a little red bird who wonders why a lion has a green tail. She follows him for the day as he plays in a field of orange flowers, then disappears into his cave. The next day, she is surprised to see that his tail has turned orange. One night, a big storm washes the bird’s nest away. The lion rescues her and carries her into his cave, where she discovers that he is using his tail to paint pictures of his daily adventures on the walls. It’s a longer story than I usually read, but it usually keeps the kids engaged.

Red, Red, Red by Valeri Gorbachev

Cute story about a series of animals who wonder why Turtle is rushing to see “Red, Red, Red.” They each try to guess what he is seeking, and follow him until he leads them to see the beautiful red sunset.

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

I had a big book version of this, which made it perfect for Outdoor Musical Storytime. An adorable little mouse worries that a big hungry bear will take his freshly picked strawberry, until he is convinced to share it with the book’s narrator. The illustrations are both beautiful and funny.

Songs & Rhymes

Do You See the Color Blue?

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.

Two Little Red Birds

I handed out two play scarves to each of the kids before we sang this one, and we pretended they were birds.

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

Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Firetruck!

We sang this one as a follow-up to Firefighter Flo for Outdoor Musical Storytime and I’m Brave for Family Storytime. I had the kids pretend to put on their fire fighter gear, and then we slid down the pole before climbing into the truck. We sang the whole thing through three times, getting faster each time. For Family Storytime, I sprayed the kids with water from the atomizer I had brought for our Stay & Play, which they LOVED!

There are lots of different versions, but these are the words I use. Here’s a video from Kiboomers with the tune.

Hurry, Hurry, Drive the fire truck!
Hurry, Hurry, Drive the fire truck!
Hurry, Hurry, Drive the fire truck!
Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!

Hurry, Hurry, Spray the water…

Hurry, Hurry, Climb the ladder…

Hurry, Hurry, Save the kitty cat…

Hurry, Hurry, Back to the station…

Way Up High in the Apple Tree

We did this rhyme with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime. I put two apple-shaker instruments on the parachute first, so the kids could see them bounce up and down.

Way up high in the apple tree,
Two little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could!
Down came the apples.
Mmmm! They were good!

Little Red Caboose

Before lockdown, I used to always end my Family Storytimes with this song. I would give the kids egg shakers and we would march around the children’s area in a train. I brought it back again this week, and it was a big hit. There are lots of versions of this song, but the one I do is closest to this version by Sweet Honey in the Rock.

[C] Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [G7] train.
Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [C] train.

[C] Get your tickets and get on board,
Riding behind the [G7] train.
Get your tickets and get on board,
Riding behind the [C] train.

[C] Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [G7] train.
Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [C] train.

I’ve got a brother on that train,
Riding behind the train.
You’ve got a sister on that train,
Riding behind the train.

[C] Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [G7] train.
Little red caboose,
Little red caboose,
Riding behind the [C] train.

Stay & Play: Coffee Filter Flowers

I found this idea on Little Bins for Little Hands. It’s a really easy and fun way to make paper flowers. I put out white coffee filters, markers, dot markers, and pipe cleaners, along with a couple of small plastic atomizers filled with water. After the kids decorated their coffee filters, they sprayed them with the atomizers to make the ink run a little. Then I helped them pinch the bottom of the coffee filter together, and wrap the pipe cleaner around them (we had to let some of them dry a little before adding the pipe cleaners).

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