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By the Book: A Storytime About Interactive Picture Books

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Early Literacy Tip: Engage children in the books you read together by inviting them to mimic sounds and actions from the story, and asking them questions about the pictures and what they think will happen next. Interactive picture books are a fun and easy way to get kids involved in the story.

Interactive picture books (the kind that asks the reader to do different actions) are so much fun to share at storytime. They are also a great way to model the kinds of interactions that caregivers can use to encourage kids to engage with the books they read aloud. For this week’s storytimes, I decided to feature several of these types of books, and briefly explain to caregivers that they provide an easy way to give kids a way to participate in the books they read together, even before they learn how to read for themselves.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

Jan Thomas is one of my favorite storytime authors. In this one, a trio of enthusiastic cows announce that it’s time to bounce on Chicken’s sofa. When Chicken tells them there will be no bouncing on his sofa, the cows dance, wiggle, and eventually nap on the sofa instead. The kids enjoyed doing the actions along with the cows. This is a great book for restless toddlers.

Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda

One of a series of Bunny Interactive books, this one asks the reader to help Bunny go skiing by shaking the book (or your arms) to make it snow, tilting the book (or your body) to make a ski slope, and more. The kids enjoyed following the bunny’s instructions.

Don’t Wake the Dragon by Bianca Schulze; illustrated by Samara Hardy

This was my first time reading this book, but it worked really well. A naughty dragon is finally asleep, and the narrator asks you to help keep her that way by saying “Shhh!” three times, rocking the book (or your body), and quieting a noisy group of knights by participating in their birthday party celebration until you can finally get their attention. The illustrations are bright and eye-catching, and the kids really seemed to enjoy all of the actions.

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Kevin Cornell

I read this one for Family Storytime. It’s time to count the monkeys! There’s just one problem: a bunch of other animals (and people) keep showing up and scaring the monkeys away. You can help by giving high fives to the lumberjacks, moving your hand in a Z to confuse the crocodiles, saying thank you to the beekeepers, and more. This book got lots of laughs from both kids and grownups.

I Say Ooh, You Say Aah! by John Kane

I didn’t actually end up reading this at storytime, because it seemed a bit too complicated for the toddlers and preschoolers to follow. But I read it to a group of Kindergartners and T/K (Transitional Kindergartners), and they loved it so much, I ended up reading it twice (they even begged me to read it a third time!). The book asks the reader to follow a series of silly instructions: say “Aah” when the narrator says, “Ooh;” say “Underpants” when you see a picture of an ant; pat your head when you see the color red, etc. It then introduces a donkey named, “Ooh” with an ant on his nose, and things get very silly.

Songs:

We Bounce and We Bounce and We Stop

We sang this to go with the book Is Everyone Ready for Fun? This is one of my all-time favorite storytime songs, because it’s so versatile. It works for almost any age (as a lapsit song for babies, and an action song for toddlers on up). You can add in age-appropriate actions like clapping, jumping, spinning, etc., and ask the kids for suggestions. You can sing it fast or slow, or add in long pauses to make them wait for the action (“We…bounce and we bounce and we stop!”). Or repeat the third line to keep them guessing when the “stop” will come. It’s always a hit!

[C] We bounce and we bounce and we stop!
[C] We bounce and we bounce and we stop!
[C] We bounce and we bounce and we bounce and we bounce,
[C] And we bounce and [G7] we bounce and we [C} stop!

The Sleepy Bunny Song

We sang this after reading Bunny Slopes. This is another long-time favorite, which I learned from a daycare provider. The kids LOVE pretending to sleep on the floor, and then jumping up at the end.

For Outdoor Musical Storytime, we sang it twice, doing the actions with our bodies. Then I brought out the big parachute and put cotton balls on top to look like little bunnies. The kids loved watching them fly in the air.

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!

Monkey See and Monkey Do

I wish I could remember who taught me this song, because it’s one I’ve used for my whole career. It’s another really versatile song with a catchy tune, and you can ask the kids to suggest other actions for the monkey to do.

When you clap, clap, clap your hands,
The monkey clap, clap, claps his hands,
Monkey see, and monkey do,
The monkey does the same as you!

Repeat with other motions: when you jump up and down; make a funny face; turn yourself around; and sit back on the ground.

Down By the Bay

We sang this as our instrument play-along at the end. Each time we sang it through, I asked the kids to suggest different things that the mother might ask. Some kids were familiar with the original song, and suggested, “Did you ever see a llama wearing pajamas?” but another kid suggested, “Did you ever see a whale wearing pajamas?” which everyone thought was really funny.

[C] Down by the bay, where the watermelons [G7] grow,
Back to my home, I dare not [C] go,
For if I [F] do, my mother will [C] say,
“Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail
[G7] Down by the [C] bay?”

Stay & Play: Marble Painting

This was really messy, and had nothing to do with the theme, but I had been wanting to try this process art activity ever since one of my coworkers found a big box of marbles in our craft closet. Before storytime, I traced the bottom of a pie tin onto white paper, and cut out a circle for each child.

For the Stay & Play, I gave each child a pie tin with a paper circle inside, and put a few dollops of different colors of tempera paint on the paper. I let them choose a marble (or two or three), and then they tilted the pie tin back and forth to roll the marble through the paint. One little girl discovered that she could make a more understated painting by taking the paint-covered marble from her first attempt, and rolling it across another white paper. You can see both paintings in the photo above.

Do you have any favorite interactive picture books? Please share them in the comments below.

The Big Picture: A Storytime About the Word “Big”

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Early Literacy Tip: Point out common words in books to help young kids build their sight word vocabulary and print awareness.

I’ve been continuing my new approach of building my storytimes around an early literacy tip. This past week, I focused on the word “BIG,” which appears in a lot of picture books.

I started by explaining that a great way to help children become strong readers later on is to point out common words in books. This not only helps build their sight word vocabulary (the words that they can read automatically, without having to sound them out), but can also become a kind of game to make them excited to start paying attention to the words on the pages of books. For each of the books I shared in the storytime, I pointed out the word “BIG.”

Books:

Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

I chose this book, not only because it is a classic, but because we have rented a Clifford, the Big Red Dog costume for our upcoming Noon Year’s Eve program, and I wanted to let the families know that they would have a chance to meet Clifford in December. This was also one of my favorite childhood books, and it was fun to see the humor in the illustrations still holds up for kids today: Clifford taking a bath in the swimming pool, catching a car, or trying unsuccessfully to play hide and seek.

Bulldozer’s Big Day by Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann

Cute story about a Bulldozer who is disappointed that none of his construction vehicle friends seem to care that it’s his birthday, until they surprise him with a giant cake. It was funny to see some of my most distractible toddlers latch on to the pictures of big machines. One boy came right up to me to point to and “talk” about the bulldozer.

You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang; illustrated by Christopher Weyant

This one doesn’t have the word BIG in the title, but it shows up several times in the text. Two bears argue over whether they are each “big” or “small,” until the arrival of much bigger and smaller bears make it clear that size is relative. The kids really enjoyed the illustrations.

A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems

One of my favorite Elephant and Piggie books! Just before I read this one for Family Storytime, our town mayor happened by. She’s a school librarian and we used to do storytime together, so I asked her to read this one with me (she read Gerald’s parts and I read Piggie’s). The kids were surprised to find themselves being read to by the mayor, and it made me think that I should bring in more guest readers. Anyway, in the book, Piggie complains to Gerald that a “big guy” has taken the big ball that she found. When Gerald promises to get the ball back, he finds that the big guy is a whale, who is grateful that they found his “little ball.” The part where Gerald talks about how big the “big guy” always gets a laugh.

Songs:

B-I-N-G-O

I sang this to go along with Clifford, the Big Red Dog. This is an old standby, but here’s a video from Super Simple Songs, just in case you’re not familiar with it. Traditionally, you leave out a letter each time you sing it, and clap instead. To go along with our theme, I had the kids bark the missing letters instead, and alternated between barking like a big dog, and barking like a small one.

[C] There was a farmer [F] had a [C] dog,
And Bingo [G] was his [C] name-o.
[C] B-I- [F] N-G-O
[G] B-I- [C] N-G-O
[Am] B-I- [F] N-G-O
And [G] Bingo was his [C] name-o.

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(Clap!)-I-N-G-O!… etc.

Elephants Have Wrinkles

We sang this one at Family Storytime to go with the book A Big Guy Took My Ball. I asked the kids to suggest new places where elephants have wrinkles (on their foreheads, on their neck, etc.) for each verse, and we sang it a little faster 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!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

We sang this with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime. The first time through, I put a tiny plastic spider on the parachute and we bounced it up and down, which the kids found quite exciting. The second time through, I put a large plastic spider on the parachute and we sang, “The great big hairy spider” instead.

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

The great big hairy spider went up the water spout…

Baby Shark

We ended with the Pink Fong version of Baby Shark (which features different sizes of shark) as our instrument play-along.

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

Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo…

Daddy shark…

Grandma shark…

Grandpa shark…

Let’s go hunt…

Run away!…

That’s the end…

Stay & Play: Pom-Pom Painting

This was a really simple, if messy Stay & Play craft. I just put out white paper, pom-poms of various sizes, and pie tins with different colors of tempera paint. The kids had a great time exploring the colors and imprints of the different pom-poms, and the way they blended together on the page.

Do you have any favorite books or songs featuring the word “Big,” or any favorite literacy tips you like to share? Please let me know in the comments.

Music to My Ears: A Storytime About Songs

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I’ve been trying to incorporate more early literacy tips into my storytimes lately, so I thought I would try to actually build each of my storytimes around a literacy tip. Last week, I focused on the idea of pointing out common sight words that kids are likely to see out in the world, by doing a storytime around the word “STOP!” This week, I decided to talk about the importance of using songs and rhymes to build pre-reading skills.

I started by talking about how sharing songs and rhymes with young children is one of the easiest ways to help them become strong readers later on. And a fun way to incorporate music into daily life is to make up your own versions of popular songs. To demonstrate this idea, I shared books that were all based on traditional rhymes and children’s songs.

Here’s what we did for Outdoor Musical Storytime (I’m also including a book we read in Family Storytime that fit the theme):

Books:

Hush, Little Trucker by Kim Norman; illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura

I love this picture book because it combines a traditional lullaby with construction vehicles. Based on the song Hush, Little Baby, this book features a mother describing how she will search for her son’s lost toy truck using a wide variety of other machines. The kids enjoyed calling out the names of the different vehicles.

I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont; illustrated by David Catrow

This is one of my all-time favorite storytime books: a parody of It Ain’t Gonna’ Rain No More about a little boy who defies his mother by painting different parts of his body. I gave out the play scarves before we read it, and I had the kids pretend they were paintbrushes. They loved trying to guess which body part we were painting next, based on the rhyme.

Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird; illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

I actually did this book last week for Family Storytime, and I enjoyed it so much that I used it for Outdoor Musical Storytime this week (I also read it to two T/K classes, who both kept singing “Pop, Goes to Weasel” long after I stopped reading). It features several famous nursery rhymes (Jack and Jill, Pat-a-Cake, Twinkle, Twinkle) that all get interrupted by a weasel popping out to sing, “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” The kids still had the play scarves from the previous book, so I had them throw their scarves in the air every time we got to the word, “Pop!”

Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth; illustrated Bob Kolar

Cute, informative picture book based on the song Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, all about excavating dinosaur bones. I had the kids act out the motions: digging the bones, brushing them off, wrapping them up, and assembling them. Each page has additional facts about paleontology.

Songs:

We Are Scary Ghosts

I was originally going to do The Wheels on the Bus to go with the book Hush, Little Trucker (I love to have the kids suggest animals, Pokemon, or superheroes to go on the bus, like “The Pikachu on the bus goes, “Pika! Pika!”). But since we had the play scarves, and it was close to Halloween, I decided to do one of my favorite Halloween storytime songs instead. I had the kids put the scarves on their heads, and pull them off on the “BOO!”

We are scary ghosts floating down the street,
Walking down the street,
Walking down the street.
We are scary ghosts walking down the street,
We’ll scare you…BOO!

Pop, Goes the Weasel

We did this song with the parachute. I put a few small stuffed animals on the parachute so we could make them pop up in the air (I just wish I had a toy weasel!) Here’s a Rock N Learn video with the tune, in case you aren’t familiar with it.

All around the cobbler’s bench,
The monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey thought ’twas all in fun,
“Pop!” Goes the weasel!

Down by the Bay

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end. I had the kids suggest ideas for what the mother says in each verse. We had “Did you ever see bananas wearing pajamas?” and “Did you ever see a cat wearing a hat?”

[C] Down by the bay, where the watermelons [G7] grow,
Back to my home, I dare not [C] go,
For if I [F] do, my mother will [C] say,
“Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail
[G7] Down by the [C] bay?”

Stay & Play: Paper Plate Maracas

For the Stay & Play, I put out paper plates, markers, & washi tape. Each of the kids decorated the bottoms of two plates. My coworker and I helped them put a small amount of rice on top of one of their plates, then we put the other plate on top and stapled them both together (we did all the stapling). I also showed them how to put washi tape around the outside of the plates to cover any gaps. NOTE: I know using food items as a craft supply can be problematic, but we had an old, open bag of rice in the supply closet, so I made an exception this time. You can also use beads or other small objects.

What are your favorite early literacy tips, or your favorite picture books based on songs? Please share them in the comments below.

Stop and Go: A Storytime

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In our library system, we’ve recently been discussing making more of an effort to incorporate literacy tips for caregivers into our storytimes. I’ll admit that I often struggle to find a natural way to include them. So, this week I decided to build my storytime around a common sight word (“Stop”) and encourage families to look for it together out in the world.

I began by holding up a paper stop sign, and talking about how a great way to prepare for learning to read is to look for words that you encounter a lot in your daily life. I then asked the kids what the sign said. A number of the older ones recognized it as a stop sign.

Here’s what I did for the rest of the storytime (a combination of the books I used for both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime). For Family Storytime, I also included the words “Go” and “Pop” (see below).

Books:

Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper

This is a great book for modeling pointing out prominent words in a picture book, and getting the kids to call them out. The story is about Little Green, who can only say the word “Go!” At first the construction vehicles find him very helpful, but things quickly become too chaotic. Luckily, Little Red rolls into town and says the word, “Stop!” and the two learn to work together to help the vehicles finish building the bridge. One of the toddlers in my Family Storytime kept pointing to the different construction vehicles on each page and expounding at length on each one. I had no idea what he was trying to say, but he was VERY excited!

Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

I had to include this one for Family Storytime, both because of the word “Go” and because it’s close to Halloween. I love how kids of all ages are mesmerized by the way the parts of the monster’s face disappear on each page. I usually have them make a “whoosh” noise and waive their hands after each “Go Away” page. I once saw a children’s performer use this book to teach the words for the parts of the face in Mandarin, which I thought was clever, although it was funny that the main Mandarin phrase the kids came away with was “Go away!”

Stop That Mop! by Jonathan Fenske

This rhyming easy reader feels like a Dr. Seuss version of The Gingerbread Man. A mop gets tired of mopping up a pig’s glop and slop, so he runs away. He is chased by a bunny, a horse, and is finally confronted by a Stop sign, who tries to save him from falling off of cliff (luckily he lands on top of a bird). A cute, simple story with fun illustrations.

Stop Snoring, Bernard! by Zachariah Ohora

Simple story about an otter who can’t find a place to sleep where his snoring won’t bother any of the other animals. But eventually his otter friends and families tell him that they miss him. Lots of fun opportunities for the kids to snore and yell, “Stop snoring, Bernard!”

Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird; illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

I read this at Family Storytime, even though it doesn’t include the word “Stop” at all. But it did provide an opportunity to talk about rhyming words. This is a really fun book featuring a series of popular nursery rhymes that all get interrupted by a weasel yelling, “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” I gave out the play scarves before we read it, and had the kids throw their scarves in the air each time we yelled “Pop!” I also read this at a preschool the next day, and one boy begged me to read it again.

Songs & Activities

Stop & Go

For this activity, I held up a paper Stop Sign and a paper Go sign. We all did different actions together (clapping, stomping, running in place, etc.) while I was holding up the Go sign, and then stopped when I held up the Stop sign.

Head and Shoulders, Knees & Toes

We sang this after reading Go Away, Big Green Monster in Family Storytime. I always start by having the kids point to the different body parts before we sing (I always say, “Did you bring your head today?”). But midway through this process, one little girl shouted, “Elbow!” So, the second time we sang it, I sang “elbow” instead of “nose.” They thought it was hilarious! I used this trick again yesterday at a couple of preschools, and threw in “eyebrow” instead of “nose” the third time we sang it. It’s so much fun to catch kids by surprise.

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.

We Bounce and We Bounce and We Stop

This is similar to the Stop & Go activity above, but in song form. It’s one of my all-time favorite storytime songs, because it’s so versatile. For Outdoor Musical Storytime, we sang it with the parachute as “We shake and we shake and we stop!”

[C] We bounce and we bounce and we stop!
[C] We bounce and we bounce and we stop!
[C] We bounce and we bounce and we bounce and we bounce,
[C] And we bounce and [G7] we bounce and we [C} stop!

Dance Like You’ve Got Ants in Your Pants by Eric Herman

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end. It’s such a fun song. Each time we spray our imaginary spray, I usually say, “And the ants (bees, bears) say, ‘Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!” and run away!

[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] ants in your pants.
[F] Dance like you’ve got [G7] ants in your pants.
[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] ants in your pants,
Now [F] STOP! And spray some ant spray!

[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] bees on your knees.
[F] Dance like you’ve got [G7] bees on your knees.
[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] bees on your knees,
Now [F] STOP! And spray some bee spray!

[C] Dance like you’ve got a [G7] bear in your hair.
[F] Dance like you’ve got a [G7] bear in your hair.
[C] Dance like you’ve got a [G7] bear in your hair,
Now [F] STOP! And spray some bear spray!

[G7] Bop! Bop! Bop! [F] Until you [C] drop!
[G7] Hula, Hula, Hula! [F] Until you [C] drool-a!
[C] Jump like you got [G7] bumped on your rump.
[F] Jump like you got [G7] bumped on your rump.

[C] Jump like you got [G7] bumped on your rump,
Now [F] STOP!
[G7] Dance anyway, [F] Dance any [C] how,
[G7] Dance any night and day.

[F] Keep on dancing [C] now.
[G7] Dance any way you want to.
[F] Dance any way you [C] can.
[G7] Dance like you got ants [F] in your pants a- [C] gain!

[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] ants in your pants.
[F] Dance like you’ve got [G7] ants in your pants.
[C] Dance like you’ve got [G7] bees on your knees.
[F] Dance like you’ve got [G7] bees on your knees.

[C] Dance like you’ve got a [G7] bear in your hair.
[F] Dance like you’ve got a [G7] bear in your hair.
[C] Jump like you got [G7] bumped on your rump.
[F] Jump like you got [G7] bumped on your rump.

[G7] Bop! Bop! Bop! [F] Until you [C]drop!
[G7] Dance, Dance, Dance, [F] don’t ever [C] STOP!

Stay & Play: Stop Sign Collages

Before storytime, I printed and cut out paper stop sign templates. I also cut red tissue paper and origami paper into small pieces. For the Stay & Play, I gave the kids the template, along with glue sticks, red washi tape with different patterns, a variety of colored sequins, the paper pieces, popsicle sticks and tape. Some of them got really into decorating their stop signs, and they all loved being able to hold them up and yell, “Stop!” when they were done.

What are your favorite literacy tips to share with families and caregivers, and how do you incorporate them into your programs? Please share in the comments below.

Get Your Ducks in a Row: A Storytime About Ducks (And Chickens!)

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I haven’t had as much time to write up my storytimes lately, but this was one I had fun with recently. I used the theme for both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime, so here’s a combined list of the books and songs that I did.

Books:

Guji Guji by Chih-Yuen Chen

This is an older title, and a bit too long for my Outdoor Musical Crowd, but my Family Storytime kids were mesmerized. When a strange egg rolls into a duck’s nest, it hatches into a crocodile named Guji Guji, who grows up believing he is just like the other ducks. When a trio of crocodiles tells him the truth, Guji Guji has to decide whether to join them or save his adoptive family.

Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach

Hilarious story about a company called Truck Full of Ducks, who sets out one day in search of a customer whose address was accidentally eaten by the ducks. Along the way, they meet a number of other odd truck-based businesses: a tow truck towing a flying saucer, a duck removal service, and a mail truck requested by a girl who wants to ship her brother far away. They finally find their customer deep in the forest: a fox who wants a few ducks for his evening bath. The book got laughs from both kids and grown-ups, especially the page showing a row of bathroom stalls, with a set of duck feet showing under each door.

Ducks Away! by Mem Fox, illustrated by Judy Horacek

Cute, simple story about a mother duck who is dismayed when each of her five babies slip off of a bridge into the water below. For Outdoor Musical Storytime, I used the ducks from the Monkee Mitt and tossed a duck into the crowd each time a duck in the story fell off of the bridge. For Family Storytime, I read this book after our play scarf songs, and had the kids toss their scarf in the air each time a duck fell.

The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog by Mo Willems

My coworker and I read this book together at Outdoor Musical Storytime. The first Mo Willems book featuring The Duckling, this story involves the Pigeon preparing to enjoy a hot dog he just found, but being repeatedly interrupted by the Duckling’s questions.

Chicken Butt! by Erica S. Perl; illustrated by Henry Cole

I couldn’t resist including this book for Family Storytime, even though it’s about chickens rather than ducks. I’ve been having a great time reading it at my preschool and Transitional Kindergarten outreach classes. It’s basically an extension of the old “Guess What?” “Chicken Butt!” joke, in the context of a young boy joking with his father. The line “Guess where?” “Chicken underwear!” got an even bigger laugh than “Chicken butt!”

Songs

Five Little Ducks

We sang this song with the five little duck set and the Monkee Mitt. Although the song always seems sad to me (at least until the last verse), the kids seem to enjoy singing the “Quack Quack Quack Quacks.”

Five little ducks went out one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mother Duck cried, “Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!”
But only four little ducks came back.

Four little ducks went out one day…

Three little ducks went out one day…

Two little ducks went out one day…

One little duck went out one day…

Sad Mother Duck went out one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mother Duck cried, “Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!”
And all of the five little ducks came back!

Six Little Ducks

We actually have two different Monkee Mitt sets for the Five Little Ducks, so for Outdoor Musical Storytime, I put six of the ducks on the parachute and we waved the chute up and down in time to the song.

[C] Six little ducks that I once [G7] knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, [C] fair ones too.But the one little duck with the [G7] feather on his back.
He led the others with his [C] “Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Chorus:
[G7] “Quack! Quack! Quack! [C] Quack! Quack! Quack!”
[G7] He led the others with his [C] “Quack! Quack! Quack!”

[C] Down to the river they would [G7] go,
Wibble-wobble, wibble-wobble, [C] to and fro.
But the one little duck with the [G7] feather on his back.
He led the others with his [C] “Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Chorus

[C] Home from the river they would [G7] come,
[C] Wibble-wobble, wibble-wobble, ho hum hum.
But the one little duck with the [G7] feather on his back.
He led the others with his [C] “Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Chorus

Two Little Duckies

We sang this with the play scarves at Family Storytime. I gave each child two scarves, so they could hold one in each hand to be the two duckies. Adapted from the traditional Two Little Blackbirds fingerplay.

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

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

Rubber Ducky by Jeff Moss

I couldn’t resist ending with Rubber Ducky as our instrument play-along song at the end. The song uses some less-known chords, so rather than including the lyrics and chords here, I’m just attaching the link to ukulele-tabs.com, which helpfully provides the chord charts: https://www.ukulele-tabs.com/uke-songs/sesame-street/rubber-ducky-uke-tab-67701.html

Stay & Play: Duck Collage

For the Stay & Play, I put out some paper duck templates (that I had pre-cut before storytime (I used this one from SimpleMomProject.com), along with glue sticks, dot markers, eye stickers and googly eyes, and craft feathers. The kids had a great time decorating their ducks.

What are your favorite books or songs about ducks? Please tell me in the comments below.

Getting Cozy: A Storytime About Hot Chocolate, Scarves, Socks & Other Winter Pleasures

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I got this idea from MyStorytimeCorner, and it happened to coincide with a Cozy Up at the Library campaign in our library system. It was fun to focus on books about warm Winter treats like hot chocolate and snuggling under blankets, especially now that the weather is getting colder.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate by Carol Diggory Shields; illustrated by Hiroe Nakata

Sweet story about a boy and his grandfather, and the things they enjoy doing together in the winter. It’s told in the first person, and the surprise at the end is that the grandfather is the narrator.

Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney

Very cute, simple story about a bunny who does everything with his blue blanket, until his mother decides it needs a wash. The page where Small Bunny is watching the washing machine for 107 minutes got a lot of laughs.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Colorful, award-winning story about a man whose overcoat becomes old and worn, so he turns it into a jacket, and then a vest, and then a handkerchief, and then a button, and when the button is lost, he makes a book about it. The kids enjoyed the cut-outs on each page that reveal the latest garment.

Sally and the Purple Socks by Lisze Bechtold

When Sally’s new socks arrive in the mail, they start out the perfect size, but then grow bigger and bigger until they are blocking the traffic in front of her house. This book was a big hit!

Cat Knit by Jacob Grant

Short, but adorable book about Cat and his friend, Yarn. When Girl transforms Yarn into a sweater, at first Cat doesn’t like it, but then he discovers that the snowy day doesn’t feel as cold anymore.

Songs:

¡CHOCOLATÉ!

We sang this after reading Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate. This is a wonderful, easy song in Spanish about making hot chocolate. I usually do it two or three times, and we take time to pour the hot chocolate, add whipped cream or marshmallows, and then blow on it to cool it down (I usually make a big show about accidentally blowing whipped cream on one of the kids, which they think it hilarious). Here’s a YouTube video from Babelzone with the tune:

Uno, dos, tres, cho-
uno, dos, tres, co-
uno, dos, tres, la-
uno, dos, tres, te.
¡Chocolate! ¡Chocolate!

¡Bate! ¡Bate! ¡El chocolate!

Let It Snow by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne

We sang this with the parachute, shaking it up and down to the rhythm of the song. I threw cotton balls on the parachute whenever we got to the “Let it snow” line. The kids loved watching them fly around.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful.
And since we’ve no place to go,
“Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!”

The Wishy Washy Washerwoman

We sang this with the play scarves after reading Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket. I use the version in this video from Imagine More Story Adventures:

Way down in the valley where nobody goes,
There’s a wishy washy washer woman washing her clothes.
She goes “Oooh! Ahhh! Oooh! Ahhh! Oooh! Ahhh!”
And that’s the way she washes her clothes.

Repeat with drying her clothes (blowing on the scarves), folding her clothes, and wearing her clothes.

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

This is such a sweet song. We sang it as our instrument play-along at the end. There is also a board book version.

Well, [G] I have a thing to tell you
And it [C] won’t take long.
The [D] way I feel about you
Is a [G] kind of a song.
[G] It starts with an ooh and [C] ends with a kiss,
And [A] all along the middle it goes [D] something like [D7] this:

CHORUS
We go, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G] especially fine.
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[A] Fuzzy little Snuggle Puppy, [D] I love [D7] you!

I say, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G7] especially fine,
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[D] Ooh, I love [G] you!

Well, I [G] wanted just to tell you
And it [C] didn’t take long,
The [D] way I feel about you
Is a [G] kind of a song.
[G] It started with ooh, [C] I gave you a kiss.
I [A] hope you like the middle now we’ll [D] end like [D7] this:

CHORUS

We go, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G] especially fine.
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[A] Fuzzy little snuggle puppy, [D] I love [D7] you!

I say, [G] ooh, Snuggle [C] Puppy of mine,
[D] Everything about you is [G7] especially fine,
[C] I love what you are, [G] I love what you do,
[D] Ooh, I love [G] you!

Stay & Play: Yarn & Cotton Ball Painting

To go along with the theme of soft and cozy things, I decided to offer both yarn and cotton painting as a process art activity.

Before the storytime, I cut pieces of yarn about 18 inches long. For the Stay & Play, I put out white construction paper, tempera paint, the yarn pieces, and cotton balls. I showed the kids how to fold their paper in half, and then helped them put small drops of tempera paint in different colors in the crease. I also demonstrated how they could lay the piece of yarn on top the paint with one end hanging off the paper, then fold the paper over, press down on the front, and slowly pull the yarn out to make a colorful symmetric pattern inside the paper. Or they could use cotton balls to dab the paint around the paper. They had a lot of fun!

Do you have any favorite “cozy” picture books? Please share them in the comments below.

Journey to the North Pole: A Storytime About Arctic Animals

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At last week’s storytimes, I decided to focus on the animals of the North Pole. It ended up being a lot of fun.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris

I have a special fondness for Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris, because they are both Bay Area authors, and have done a number of programs for us (Shawn Harris even provided the artwork for our My Summer Adventure program this summer). They were also childhood friends, and it’s fun to hear them talk about their collaborations as adults. This is a beautiful, simple story that follows a polar bear as he wakes up and goes for a swim. The kids were mesmerized by the illustrations.

If It’s Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws by Kim Norman; illustrated by Liza Woodruff

Fun, Arctic-themed version of If You’re Happy and You Know It, featuring actions like tasting a snowflake, sipping hot chocolate, and building a snowman. The kids enjoyed miming the motions.

Polar Opposites by Erik Brooks

Very simple, cute story about a penguin and a polar bear who live on opposite poles, but meet once a year in the Galapagos Islands. They are opposites in lots of other ways too, but still manage to be very good friends.

Little Whale by Jo Weaver

This was a wonderful story for our community because we often get to see the gray whales as they migrate along the coast. It’s about a baby gray whale and her mother as they travel through the ocean to the feeding grounds in the North. Several parents commented that the baby whale reminded them of their kids asking “Are we there yet” on family road trips.

Songs:

If You’re Happy and You Know It

We sang this to accompany If It’s Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws. I always throw in other emotions.

[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!”

Two Little Black Birds

We sang this to accompany Polar Opposites, since it’s a song about opposites.

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!…

Snow Is Falling Down

We sang this with play scarves, waving them up and down for the rain, and throwing them in the air, then letting them fall for the snow.

Rain is falling down. SPLASH!
Rain is falling down. SPLASH!
Pitter patter, Pitter patter,
Rain is falling down. SPLASH!

Snow is falling down. SHHH!
Snow is falling down. SHHH!
Swirling, twirling, swirling, twirling,
Snow is falling down. SHHH!

Baby Beluga by Raffi

We sang this as our play-along song at the end, to accompany Little Whale.

C] Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea
Swim so wild and you [G7] swim so free
Heaven above and the sea below
And a little white whale [C] on the go

CHORUS
[F] Baby Beluga, [C] Baby Beluga, [D] is the water warm?
Is your mama home [G7] with you so happy?
[C] Way down yonder where the dolphins play
Where you dive and [G7] splash all day
Waves roll in and the waves roll out
[G] See the water squirting [C] out of your spout

CHORUS
[F] Baby Beluga, [C] Baby Beluga, [D] sing your little song,
Sing for all your friends. [G7] We love to hear you!
[C] When it’s dark you’re home and fed
Curl up snug in your [G7] water bed
Moon is shining and the stars are out
Good night, little whale, [C] goodnight

CHORUS
[F] Baby Beluga, [C] Baby Beluga, [D] with tomorrow’s sun,
Another day’s begun. [G7] You’ll soon be waking.
[C] Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea,
Swim so wild and you [G7] swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below,
And a little white whale [C] on the go.
[G7] You’re just a little white whale [C] on the go!

Stay & Play: Polar Bear in the Snow

This was a fun, if messy, painting activity. Before storytime, I cut out polar bear templates on white paper. For the Stay & Play, I put out blue construction paper, bowls of white tempera paint, repositionable glue sticks, and cotton swabs.

I told the kids they could glue their polar bear on the paper with the repositionable glue stick and then paint snowflakes all around with the cotton swabs. I gave them the option of either leaving the polar bear template on the paper, or painting around it with the white paint, and peeling it off to leave the outline.

What are your favorite books about Arctic animals? Please share them in the comments below.

Page Turners: A Storytime for Picture Book Month

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November is Picture Book Month, so I thought it would be fun to celebrate some of the classic picture books that have stood the test of time. Please share your favorites in the comments below.

Books:

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

This is such a fun book to read aloud, and is one of the earliest examples of a story that seems designed for audience participation. A cap seller wakes from a nap to discover that all of his caps have been stolen by monkeys, who copy everything he does. The kids loved pretending to be the monkeys and making, “Tsz! Tsz! Tsz!” noises.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

This was one of my very favorite childhood stories, about a bear searching for his lost button, after the mother of a little girl who wants to buy him points out that it is missing. I did preface the book by explaining that mattresses always used to have buttons sewn on the top, since a lot of modern mattresses aren’t made that way, but the kids clearly understood the humor of Corduroy mistaking an escalator for a mountain, and a department store for a palace. The ending got lots of “Awww’s!”

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

I still have a copy of this book that my grandmother gave me. She suffered from Parkinson’s disease for most of her life, causing her to lose the use of her right hand, so the message she inscribed to me on the title page is written in her shaky handwriting. Sharing it at storytime this week brought back a lot of memories of her, and it was gratifying when several of the kids asked if there were other books about Madeline, which they eagerly checked out before they went home. I think the book is kind of amazing for the way it manages to pack so much into a concise, but memorable little poem: a unique character, an emergency trip to the hospital, and the humor of a whole school full of girls envying the attention their classmate receives after what would ordinarily be seen as a traumatic event.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

I love reading this book aloud because the kids are always absolutely mesmerized by the magical story of Max, and his journey to the land of Wild Things. They also enjoyed pretending to be Wild Things: roaring and gnashing their teeth.

Songs:

Monkey See & Monkey Do

I don’t remember where I learned this song, but it’s one of my favorites, and it was the perfect follow-up to Caps for Sale.

When you clap, clap, clap your hands,
The monkey clap, clap, claps his hands,
Monkey see, and monkey do,
The monkey does the same as you!

Repeat with other motions: when you jump up and down; make a funny face; turn yourself around; and sit back on the ground.

When the Bears Go Marching In

Fun variation of When The Saints Go Marching In. We sang it with the parachute at Outdoor Musical Storytime, and I threw different stuffed animals onto the parachute for each verse. The kids loved watching them fly up and down.

[C] Oh, when the bears go bouncing in,
Oh, when the bears go bouncing [G7] in,
Oh, [C7] how I want to be in that [F] number,
When the [C] bears go [G7] bouncing [C] in!


Repeat with other actions, like:
Oh, when the bears go clapping in…
Oh, when the bears go stomping in… etc.

You Sing a Song by Ella Jenkins

Ella Jenkins just died at the age of 100, so it seemed appropriate to share this song as a tribute to her. We did it as our instrument play-along for Outdoor Musical Storytime, and with the play scarves for Family Storytime. I adapted the verses accordingly, doing “You shake them fast!” for the egg shakers, and “You throw a scarf” for the play scarves.

[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.

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…

Home Again

I wrote this song a while back as a tribute to Maurice Sendak, who wrote a lot of my favorite childhood books. We did it as our instrument play-along for Family Storytime.

[F] Darling, when you [C] feel afraid,
For [Bb] you can plainly [F] see,
The world is full of [C] monsters
Who look [Bb] just like you and [F] me.
Just [F] jump aboard your [C] tiny boat
Fol-[Bb]low the falling [F] star.
You’ll sail away through [C] night and day,
To [Bb] where the wild things [F] are.

And you will dance and [C] then
Let the [Bb] wild rumpus be-[F]gin.
But I will love you [C] best of all
When [Bb] you come home [F] again.

And darling, when the goblins come,
And no one seems to care,
Climb out your bedroom window
Into outside over there.
Bring your horn, and play a jig,
And charm them with a song.
They’ll set you free, and you will soon be
Home where you belong.

And you will dance and then,
Let the wild rumpus begin.
But I will love you best of all,
When you come home again.

[C] And if you fall into the [F] Night Kitchen,
[C] Just fly your plane up to the [F] Milky Way.
[C] Our world is full of dark and [F] strange visions,
But I [C] know that you will find a [A] way.

And when the moon is in a fit,
And you are in the dumps,
Lost in the rye with one black eye,
And diamonds are all trumps.
I will come and buy you bread,
One loaf or maybe two.
And I will bring you up
Cause happy endings can come true.

And we will dance and then,
Let the wild rumpus begin.
And I will love you best of all
Until the very end.

Stay & Play: Homemade Books

Super simple Stay & Play. Before storytime, I assembled the books by folding three pieces of white paper in half and stapling a folded piece of colored paper around them to make a cover. For the Stay & Play, we put out markers, stickers, and dot markers for the kids to create their own books.

What are your favorite classic picture books? Please share them in the comments below.

Dinosaur Days: A Storytime for DiNovember

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This storytime theme was so much fun, with lots of opportunities for roaring and stomping!

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur by Cirocco Dunlap; illustrated by Greg Pizzoli

Fun, interactive picture book about a shy dinosaur who is easily frightened. The narrator suggests different ways to make him feel comfortable: saying “Hello” in different ways, and singing, “Happy Birthday!” Even the older kids in my Family Storytime enjoyed doing the different actions.

Dino Duckling by Alison Murray

Sweet story about a dinosaur who belongs to a family of ducklings. Mama Duck always says that differences don’t matter, and everyone belongs, but when it comes time for the ducks to fly south for the winter Dino is sure that he will have to stay behind. Luckily, the ducks find a way to keep everyone together.

I’m Hungry! / ¡Tengo hambre! by Angela Dominguez

A lot of the caregivers at Outdoor Musical Storytime are native Spanish speakers, and they were very excited to see this bilingual book. A bilingual bird tries to help a Spanish-speaking dinosaur find food, but he doesn’t seem interested in eating anything but the bird himself. Luckily, the bird is able to persuade him to try cookies instead. This is a brilliant example of a bilingual book, because the bird is essentially translating the Spanish words for anyone who doesn’t already know them.

Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

We gave out egg shakers before I read this one, and the kids played them along with the repeated “Love My Doggy Ice Cream” song. Groovy Joe is excited to enjoy some ice cream, but keeps getting interrupted by hungry dinosaurs. But, as Joe says, “It’s awesome to share!”

Songs:

Can You Name the Dinosaur?

For this song, I printed out pictures of different types of dinosaurs (stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, and velociraptor) and put them in a bag. Each time I sang the song, I’d hold up a dinosaur and the kids would call out the name.

To the tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Can you name the dinosaur,
The dinosaur, the dinosaur?
Can you name the dinosaur
I have here in my hand?

I Found a Little Egg

For this one, I printed out small pictures of animals that hatch from eggs (a baby bird, a snake, and a dinosaur) and put them inside plastic eggs. I had the kids pretend to hold an egg in their hands. Each time we sang the song, I would ask them to guess what animal was inside, and then crack it open.

To the tune of I’m a Little Teapot.

I found a little egg out on the ground,
I kept it warm and safe and sound.
I waited and I watched my egg with pride.
Can you guess who was inside?

The Dinosaurs March Up and Down

We sang this one with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime. It’s to the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home.

The dinosaurs march up and down,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The dinosaurs march up and down,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The dinosaurs march up and down,
They stomp their feet upon the ground,
And we all roar loud
When the dinosaurs march around!

Two Little Blue Birds

We sang this with play scarves for Family Storytime after reading I’m Hungry! / ¡Tengo hambre!

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

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

We Are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner

We did this as our instrument play-along at the end. Always a hit!

[Dm] We are the [C] dinosaurs marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs. [A] Whaddaya think of that?
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs [C] marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the [A] dinosaurs. [Dm] We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.
We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.

[F] We stop and eat our [C] food, [F] when we’re in the [C] mood.
[F] Stop and eat our [C] food on the [Dm] ground.
[F] We stop and eat our [C] food, [F] when we’re in the [C] mood.
[F] Stop and eat our [C] food, and [Dm] then we march [A] around.

[Dm] We are the [C] dinosaurs marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs. [A] Whaddaya think of that?
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs [C] marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the [A] dinosaurs. [Dm] We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.
We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.

[F] We stop and take a [C] rest, [F] over in our [C] nest.
[F] Stop and take a [C] rest at the end of the [Dm] day.
[F] We stop and take a [C] rest, [F] over in our [C] nest.
[F] Stop and take a [C] rest, and [Dm] then you’ll hear us [A] say…

[Dm] We are the [C] dinosaurs marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs. [A] Whaddaya think of that?
[Dm] We are the dinosaurs [C] marching, marching.
[Dm] We are the [A] dinosaurs. [Dm] We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.
We make the [C] earth [Dm] flat.

[A] And then we RO-AR-OAR!
[A] Because [Dm] we [C] are the [Dm]dino-[D]saurs!

Stay & Play: Duplo-Painted Dinosaurs

I found this fun process-art activity on stayathomeeducator.com. Before storytime, I printed a couple of different dinosaur templates and cut them out. For the Stay & Play, I put out the paper templates, some blank paper to put underneath the templates while the kids were stamping, small paper plates with different colors of tempera paint, and duplo blocks. The kids had a great time dipping the duplos into the paint and stamping them onto the dinosaurs.

We also put out two Snap Dino sets for kids to play with, and they were a big hit!

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

Going Batty: A Storytime for Bat Appreciation Month

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October is Bat Appreciation Month, so I was excited to devote a couple of storytimes to celebrating bats.

I started by sharing photos of three different kinds of bats: two that are common in the Bay Area (the Mexican free-tailed bat and the large brown bat), and one that families can visit at the Oakland Zoo (the Malayan flying fox, a large fruit bat). I talked a little bit about how bats eat a lot of the bugs that we don’t like, including lots of mosquitoes, but that some of them eat fruit, and some even drink blood (although they are small, and rarely target people).

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Superbat by Matt Carr

Funny story about a bat who makes himself a costume in order to become Superbat. The problem is that all of the superpowers he has (amazing hearing, the ability to fly, and echolocation) are things that all of his other bat friends can do too. He is about to give up his dream, when his bravery helps him save a family of mice. The kids enjoyed yelling, “Superbat!”

Mr. Bat Wants a Hat by Kitty Black; illustrated by Laura Wood

A cute, colorful picture book about a bat who decides he would like a hat. He takes an especially nice one from a baby, who gets understandably upset. Eventually he feels bad and returns the hat, and is thrilled to receive a pair of socks in return. I had the kids make “Wah!” sounds along with the baby.

I Am Bat by Morag Hood

This is such a simple book, but I really enjoy reading it aloud in my super squeaky “bat voice.” Bat talks about his love for cherries, and is greatly upset when some of them disappear. Luckily, a pear appears in their place. The kids enjoyed naming the different types of animals who are stealing the cherries.

Kit and Caboodle by Anna Pignataro

Sweet story about a witch named Kit, who rescues an injured bat named Caboodle. Her attempts to fix his wing with magic don’t work out, but she cares for him until he recovers, and eventually he ends up rescuing her in return.

Fiona, the Fruit Bat by Dan Riskin; illustrated by Rachel Quiqi

Full disclosure: I was planning to read this one for Family Storytime, but we ran out of time. I think it’s a great book for describing how echolocation works, through a simple story about a young bat flying alone in the dark for the first time.

Trick or Treat, Bugs to Eat by Tracy C. Gold, illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

Adorable rhyming Halloween book full of facts about bats. The kids enjoyed making “Eww!” sounds whenever the book described all the yummy bugs the bat is excited to eat.

Songs:

I’m A Bitty Bitty Bat by Stephanie Leavell

I really like this bat-themed movement song, and the kids enjoyed flying around like bats as we sang it. You can add in your own motions.

I’m a [Am] bitty, bitty bat,
A [Dm] bitty, bitty [Am] bat.
[Dm] Flying a-[Am]round,
I’m a [E7] bitty, bitty [Am] bat.

I’m a [Am] great big bat,
A [Dm] great big [Am] bat.
[Dm] Flying a-[Am]round,
I’m a [E7] great big [Am] bat.

Chorus:

I’m [Dm] flying, I’m [Am] flying.
I’m a [E7] bitty, bitty, bitty, bitty bat.
I’m [Dm] flying, I’m [Am] flying.
I’m a [E7] bitty, bitty, bitty, bitty [Am] bat.

I’m a balancing bat,
A balancing bat.
Flying around,
I’m a balancing bat.

Chorus:

I’m flying, I’m flying.
I’m a bitty, bitty, bitty, bitty bat.
I’m flying, I’m flying.
I’m a bitty, bitty, bitty, bitty bat.

I’m a bouncing bat…

The Bats in the Sky

We sang the first verse (below) with the parachute for Outdoor Musical Storytime, raising it up and down as we sang. For Family Storytime, I extended it into a longer song about Halloween, and asked the kids to suggest different things they might see on Halloween. It’s to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus.

The bats in the sky fly up and down,
Up and down, Up and down.
The bats in the sky fly up and down,
All night long.

Halloween version:

The [C] bats in the sky fly up and down,
[G7] Up and down, [C] Up and down.
The [C] bats in the sky fly [G7] up and down,
On Hallo-[C]ween.

The witches in the house go, “Hee, hee, hee!
Hee, hee, hee! Hee, hee, hee!”
The witches in the house go, “Hee, hee, hee!”
On Halloween.

The ghosts in the house go, “Boo! Boo! Boo!”…

The children at the door say, “Trick or Treat!”…

Soooky Bats

We sang this variation of Scary Skeletons with the play scarves for Family Storytime. I had the kids take two scarves each, and wave them like bat wings.

We are spooky bats
Flying down the street,
Flying down the street,
Flying down the street.
We are spooky bats
Flying down the street.
We’ll scare you…BOO!

Apples and Bananas

We sang this as our instrument play-along, after reading I Am Bat. It’s a silly traditional camp song, but the kids love it, and it’s a great way to focus on the different vowel sounds. I usually change all of the vowels in each line (including the “I like to eat” part), which is different from the way they sing it in this Super Simple Songs video:

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)

Stay & Play: Sponge Painted Bat Pictures

I based this one on a craft from Tiny Teaching Shack. This was messy, but a fun way to give the kids a chance to try relief art, which is always a bit magical.

Before storytime, I printed lots of bat templates on white cardstock and cut them out (there’s a great collection of them here on OneLittleProject.com). For the Stay & Play, I put out black construction paper, the bat templates, removable restickable glue sticks, paper bowls with different colors of tempera paint, and sponge brushes. I showed the kids how to glue a bat or two onto their black paper ,and then paint the whole paper (including the bat) with the sponge brushes. They loved peeling the bat off at the end to see the shape appear in black in the middle of their painting.

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