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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.

Rhyme Time: A Storytime About Rhyming

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Early Literacy Tip: Pointing out rhyming words and playing rhyming games with kids is a great way to develop their phonemic awareness (their understanding of the different sounds that make up words), which will make it easier for them to learn to read in elementary school.

I’ve been continuing my series of storytimes based on early literacy tips, which has been helping me get more comfortable sharing early literacy strategies with caregivers. It’s also been a fun challenge to select picture books that support each strategy.

This week, we focused on the idea of rhyming words. I started out by talking about rhymes, and asking the kids to think of words that rhymed with “cat.” They suggested “hat” and “bat.” I then explained that playing with rhymes is a great way to practice the skills that will help them become strong readers later on.

Books:

Dinosaur Roar by Paul Stickland & Henrietta Stickland

This was a favorite of my own kids, and several of the storytime families were excited to see it. It’s basically a rhyming book of opposites, featuring large, colorful dinosaurs, and it’s great for having the kids try to guess the rhyming word at the end of each couplet.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

Jan Thomas is one of my favorite storytime authors, and I have especially enjoyed sharing this book, which fit the theme perfectly. I had to explain what dust bunnies were, since most of the kids didn’t know (I explained that in real life, they are not as cute or colorful as the ones in the book). In this story, four dust bunnies play a game to come up with rhyming words, but the blue one (named Bob) keeps saying things that don’t rhyme, like “Look out!” The rest of the dust bunnies soon discover that Bob is trying to warn them about a monster with a broom. The kids love the last page, when the dust bunnies end up inside a vacuum cleaner. This is a fun book to read aloud, especially if you like doing different voices.

The Firefighter’s Thanksgiving by Maribeth Boelts; illustrated by Terry Widener

I chose this book more because it’s close to Thanksgiving, although it is also a rhyming book. It’s one of the few Thanksgiving books that I actually like, about a group of firefighters who are too busy putting out fires to cook and eat their Thanksgiving dinner. In the end, people in the community bring them a Thanksgiving feast, which they share with an injured firefighter who had to go to the hospital. Often when I read this book, the kids get into a discussion about different ways a firefighter might get hurt on the job: climbing through broken glass, breathing in smoke, getting hit by something falling. I’ve been really impressed by how they think through the different things a firefighter might have to do, and the risks they would entail.

See You Later, Alligator by Sally Hopgood; illustrated by Emma Levey

This is a cute book about a tortoise who is leaving the zoo, but wants to say goodbye to all of his animal friends first, each time using a rhyme like “Toodaloo, Kangaroo.” The kids enjoyed calling out the names of each animal.

Songs:

We Are the Dinosaurs

We sang this to go along with Dinosaur, Roar. 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!

A Hunting We Will Go

We sang this with the parachute at Outdoor Musical Storytime. I brought some small stuffed animals (a pig, a dog, and a mouse) and each time we sang it, I asked the kids to suggest rhymes for each one. Then I threw it on the parachute, and we sang the song, shaking the parachute to the beat. We had “we’ll catch a pig and give it a twig,” “we’ll catch a dog and let him meet a hog,” and “we’ll catch a mouse and put it in a house.”

Oh, [C] a-hunting we will go!
A-[F]hunting we will go!
We’ll [G7] catch a fox and put it in a box,
And then we’ll let it [C] go!

Hurry, Hurry, Drive The Firetruck

We sang this to go along with The Firefighter’s Thanksgiving for Family Storytime. We sang the whole thing three times. I always put out puppets for the kids to sit with, so when we got to the “Hurry, Hurry, Save the kitty cat” line, I substituted one of the puppets (a porcupine, a unicorn, etc.) for the cat.

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…

Slowly, Slowly, Back to the station…

I’ll See You Later, Alligator

We sang this song for our instrument play-along at the end, after reading See You Later, Alligator. It’s one I wrote a few years ago, after a storytime discussion about the differences between crocodiles and alligators.

[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, (wave)
With your [G7] mouth shaped like a [C] U, (make a u-shape with your hands)
But [F] Crocodile, with the V-shaped [G7] smile, (make a v-shape with your hands)
It’ll be a while
‘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: Coffee Filter Dust Bunnies

This Stay & Play was based on Rhyming Dust Bunnies. Before the storytime, I cut out small strips of colored paper for the arms and legs. For the Stay & Play, I put out glue sticks, markers, the colored paper strips, googly eyes, and small coffee filters (the kind you use for an Aeropress, although you could also use regular sized ones). The kids really enjoyed assembling and decorating their dust bunnies.

Do you have favorite rhyming 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.

Let’s Pretend: A Storytime About Imaginative Play

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I’ve gotten behind on my blog posts this summer, and we’ve also had a number of performers in place of storytime, but this was a fun theme I did a few weeks ago about pretending and imaginative play.

Books:

I’m a Frog by Mo Willems

In this Elephant and Piggie book, Gerald is shocked when Piggie announces that she is a frog. At first, he worries that he might turn into a frog too, until Piggie explains that she is just pretending.

Alphabreaths Too by Christopher Willard & Daniel Rechtschaffen

I used this book more as an activity between books than a read-aloud. It’s a collection of mindful breathing exercises that are fun to do together. I did the first three at storytime: the Astronaut breath, the Bunny breath, and the Chocolate breath. The kids especially loved the Chocolate breath, where you pretend to breathe in the smell of hot chocolate and then breathe out like you are blowing on it to cool it down. I’ve been sharing this book at my preschool outreach storytimes too.

Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig

This is an old favorite of mine, about a father who decides to cheer up his son Pete by imagining he is a pizza: putting him on the kitchen table, kneading the dough, whirling and twirling it in the air, and adding toppings. Always a hit! The dedication at the end suggests that this is a game William Steig used to play with his own daughter.

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

Adorable, simple picture book featuring a conversation between a rabbit and an invisible narrator, who keeps asking what he is doing with a cardboard box. The rabbit insists that it’s not a box, while the illustrations show what the box is in his imagination: a rocket ship, a mountain, a burning building. The kids enjoyed guessing what the rabbit was imagining the box to be each time.

Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis

After I read, Not a Box, the kids were eager to hear this companion book, which features a pig pretending to do a variety of activities with a stick.

Songs:

The Silly Pizza Song

This song by Rachel de Azevedo Coleman from her Signing Time series is one of my absolute favorites. See the YouTube video below for the tune and the signs. I usually just teach the kids the sign for pizza and the sign for cheese, and we do those signs together each time we sing those words. I ask the kids for topping ideas, and we add a new topping each time we sing it. It’s fun to choose silly toppings, like cookies or ice cream.

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

Down By the Banks of the Hanky Panky

This is a lapsit rhyme I used to use for baby storytime, where you bounce the baby from knee to knee. For Outdoor Musical Storytime, I put some frog stuffed animals on the parachute, and we lifted the parachute up and down in time with the rhyme to make them “jump” around.

Down by the banks of the hanky panky,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky,
With a hip, a hop,
A hippity-hop,
Jump off the lilypad and kerplop!

Wishy Washy Washer Woman

We did this song with play scarves for Family Storytime. 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 (we blow on the scarves), folding her clothes, and wearing her clothes.

Abracadabra

This was one of the first songs that I ever wrote. Click on the triangle for the tune.

One day [C] 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: Magic Wands

For the Stay & Play, I gave the kids two different options for making magic wands: adding pony beads to a pipe cleaner, or decorating a stick with a piece of star wire garland. Some kids combined the two, wrapping their beaded pipe cleaners around a stick, or attacking the wire garland to the pipe cleaners. It was fun to see them waving their wands around at the end.

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

Going Out on a Limb: A Storytime About Trees

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Last week, we enjoyed celebrating trees in both Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Hilariously over-the-top story about a boy whose kite gets stuck in a tree, so he tries to get it down by throwing increasingly large objects at it: his shoes, a ladder, a firetruck, the house across the street, etc. This one always gets laughs.

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

One of my favorite interactive picture books, which asks readers to tap an apple tree to make leaves appear, rub the leaves to make buds, etc., as it follows the cycle of growth throughout the course of a year. With my larger groups, I have the kids tap an imaginary tree in the air, but with smaller ones, I bring the book around and let each child interact with a page.

Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein

Ol’ Mama Squirrel guards her babies fiercely by chanting “Chook! Chook! Chook!” at any potential predators. But when a big bear threatens her family, she gathers all of the Mama squirrels in the park to scare him away. The kids enjoyed joining in on the “Chook, Chook! Chooks!”

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell; illustrated by Patrick Benson

This is one of my all-time favorite picture books: the story of three baby owls waiting for their mother to return to the nest. It’s such a sweet, relatable story, and the part where the mother owl returns always gets big smiles from both kids and grown-ups.

The Starry Giraffe by Andy Bergmann

The hungry Starry Giraffe picks apples from a tree, but ends up giving each one to a hungrier animal, until they are all gone. I love the twist at the end.

Songs & Rhymes:

I Bought Me a Rooster

I love this traditional cumulative song, because it gives the kids a chance to suggest their favorite animals for each verse.

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

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

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

I’m a Wide Eyed Owl

You can sing this to the tune of Turkey in the Straw, or just chant it as a rhyme:


I’m a wide-eyed owl (make circles with your fingers to look like eyes)
With a pointed nose (make a V with your index fingers and hold it up to your nose),
I have pointed tufts (hold your index fingers up on either side of your head),
And claws for toes (wiggle your fingers like claws).
I live in a tree,
And I’m looking at you (point your finger).
When I flap my wings (flap arms),
I say, “Whoooo! Whooo!”

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, and we lifted it up and down. For Family Storytime, I gave each child two play scarves to bundle up in their hands like apples. Then I asked them to suggest other foods they would like to pick from a tree. They suggested mangos, oranges, and sandwiches.

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!

Under a Shady Tree

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

[C] Under a shady tree, you and me.
Under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.
Under a shady tree you and me.
Lying under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.

Can you [G7] feel the breeze blow by?
Can you [C] feel it on your face?
This is our [F] special [G7] place.

[C] Under a shady tree, you and me.
Under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.
Under a shady tree you and me.
Lying under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.

Can you [G7] feel the soft cool grass?
Can you [C] feel it with your toes?
We can [F] sit here while it [G7] grows.

[C] Under a shady tree, you and me.
Under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.
Under a shady tree you and me.
Lying under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.

If you want to [G7] close your eyes,
And [C] sleep beneath the tree,
You can [F] rest your head on [G7] me.

[C] Under a shady tree, you and me.
Under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.
Under a shady tree you and me.
Lying under a [G7] shady tree you and [C] me.

Stay & Play: Mixed Media Trees

This was a really simple Stay & Play. Before storytime, I printed out tree templates from CraftsOnSea, and picked a variety of leaves from trees and plants. For the Stay & Play, I put out the templates, leaves, glue sticks and markers. The kids really enjoyed gluing the leaves on their tree, and decorating it with the markers.

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

Butterfly Effect: A Storytime About Butterflies

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Sorry for the long delay between posts! I missed several weeks of storytime because my Mom was having knee surgery and then I got the flu, but we had a great time this week celebrating butterflies at Outdoor Musical Storytime and Family Storytime.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Bianca and the Butterfly by Sergio Ruzzier

Sweet story about a polar bear who is amazed to find a butterfly with colors she has never seen before. The butterfly leads her on an unexpected adventure when the ice floe she is standing on breaks away, and she discovers a land of new smells and foods before finding her way back home.

Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel; pictures by Nick Bruel

I love this story about the friendship between a caterpillar named Bob, and a worm named Otto, who are separated when Bob decides to climb up into the branches of a tall tree. When they meet again, Bob has transformed into a butterfly, and Otto is sad that he didn’t follow his friend so he could grow wings too. But Bob assures him that by digging in the dirt under the tree, he helped the tree grow the leaves he needed.

Are You a Butterfly? by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries

This is one of my favorite nonfiction series. This one follows the life cycle of the butterfly, in very kid-friendly language.

Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer; illustrated by Marcos Almado Rivero

Bilingual song in English and Spanish about the migration of monarch butterflies. Our community is within driving distance of Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, which is an amazing place to see the monarchs clustered in the winter. I gave out egg shakers before I sang this one, and used a tune roughly based on Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.

Songs:

The Butterfly Song

I learned this song from my coworker, Angela, and it’s become one of my favorites, especially because somewhere along the way our library acquired a really cool Life Cycle of the Monarch puppet from Folkmanis, which allows you to switch between the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly. I flew the butterfly around at the end to give “kisses” to the kids.

First comes a butterfly (Wave scarf or move your hands like a butterfly)
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 or make a fist).
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).

Parachute Song: Butterflies Fly Up and Down

For our parachute song, I put a handful of pompoms on the parachute, and we watched them bounce up and down as we sang. It’s to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus.

Butterflies fly up and down
Up and down,
Up and down,
They fly around all over town,
All day long.

Scarf Song: A Butterfly Is Landing on My Nose

For my play scarf song at Family Storytime, I had the kids pretend their scarves were butterflies landing on different body parts. This song is to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot.

A butterfly is landing on my nose,
On my head,
And on my toes.
Now the butterfly is landing on my knee,
She’ll fly away when I count to 3.
1…2…3…!
(Throw the scarf)

Shoo Fly

There are lots of different versions of this song, but the one I use is closest to the one in this video by Greg and Steve. I asked the kids for suggestions of what animals they would like to be.

CHORUS:

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

I fly, I fly,
I fly like a butterfly.
I fly, I fly,
I fly like a butterfly.

CHORUS

I roar, I roar, I roar like a lion…

Stay & Play: Coffee Filter Butterflies

One of the most familiar butterfly crafts I know, but the kids LOVED flying their butterflies around afterwards.

For the Stay & Play, I put out coffee filters, pipe cleaners, and dot markers. We recently got some Royal Shimmer Dot Markers that have been a big hit. The kids needed some help twisting the pipe cleaners around the middle, but they had a great time decorating the coffee filters.

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

Hug It Out: A Storytime for National Hug Day

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Last Tuesday (January 21) was National Hugging Day, which seemed like the perfect opportunity to do a storytime about Hugs.

Here’s what we did:

Books:

Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Nelson

Adorable story about a merboy named Kai, who learns that not all sea creatures like getting squishes (hugs) as much as he does. So, he sets out to find out what other types of squishes they might like instead: a fin bump, a tentacle shake, a claw pinch, etc.

Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison; illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

Funny, rhyming story, which describes all the different things and people you can and cannot hug, and how to find out which ones are which (Ask!). The last page reveals that Doug does like high fives, and offers kids the chance to high five the hand on the page. I brought the book around to any kids who wanted to try it, and they did it with great enthusiasm.

Tiny T-Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman; illustrated by Jay Fleck

Tiny T-Rex longs to give his friend a hug, but fears his arms are too short. But a surprise flight with a pterodactyl gives him just the boost he needs to make it work. This one was a big hit with my Family Storytime group.

I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey

A sad porcupine discovers that no one will hug him, until he meets a snake who desperately wants a kiss. Very cute, simple, rhyming story.

Songs:

Slippery Fish

I sang this one with puppets (a fish, an octopus, a shark, and a whale).

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!

We Wave Our Scarves Together

I handed out the play scarves for this one. It’s to the tune of The Bear Went Over the Mountain.

We wave our scarves together,
We wave our scarves together,
We wave our scarves together,
Because it’s fun to do.

We hug our scarves together…

We wear our scarves together…

We throw our scarves together…

We Are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner

We sang this after reading Tiny T-Rex and the Impossible Hug.

[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!

A Bushel and a Peck by Woody Guthrie

A love this sweet, old song by Woody Guthrie. We sang it as our instrument play-along at the end.

[F] I love you a bushel and a peck,
A [G] bushel and a [C] peck and a hug around the neck.
A hug around the neck and a [F] barrel and a heap,
A [G] barrel and a [C] heap and I’m talkin’ in my sleep

About [Bb] you, about [F] you.
[C] ‘Cause [F] I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet [C] your [F] purdy neck I do.
[C] Doodle oodle ooh doo,
[Bb] Doodle oodle ooh ooh doo,
[F] Doodle [C] oodle [F] doo doo doo.

[F] I love you a bushel and a peck,
A [G] bushel and a [C] peck though you make my heart a wreck.
Make my heart a wreck and you [F] make my life a mess,
Make [G] my life a [C] mess, yes, a mess of happiness.

About [Bb] you, about [F] you.
[C] ‘Cause [F] I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet [C] your [F] purdy neck I do.
[C] Doodle oodle ooh doo,
[Bb] Doodle oodle ooh ooh doo,
[F] Doodle [C] oodle [F] doo doo doo.

Stay & Play: Cuddly Sock Octopus

I based this super-cute no-sew stuffie on this project from CraftBits.com. For the Stay & Play, I put out fluffy socks (we had a bunch left over from our sock snowmen program in December), Poly-fil, rubber bands, markers, Googly eyes, and kids’ scissors.

I explained to the kids how to stuff the toe of the sock with a handful of Poly-fil, then wrap a rubber band around the stuffed part in order to make the head. Then they could cut the rest of the sock into eight strips for the tentacles, and decorate the face with markers and Googly eyes. Some of the younger kids needed help with cutting and stuffing, but they all had a great time, and they loved having their own octopus to cuddle at the end.

Do you have any favorite books about hugging? Please share them 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.