Garbage and Recycling Trucks Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds: 

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash! by Barbara Odanaka, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
• Stand-up Activity - I'm a Little Garbage Truck (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" written by Carol Hopkins)

I'm a little garbage truck, watch me go
Here is my hopper
Here is my cab
When I get all filled up, to the dump I go
Just tip me over and dump the garbage out

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

• Book #2 - Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
• Activity – Morning at the Dump (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

(show ten fingers)
Early in the morning, down at the dump
See the dump trucks standing all in a row
See them dump their garbage
(bend fingers)
Dump, dump, dump
Now watch them rolling away
(roll hands over each other)
To go gather more
(sign language for "more")

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue shredded paper pieces to a drawing of a recycle truck (see page 121 of my book Artsy Toddler Storytimes)

Cats Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds: 

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – I Don't Want a Cool Cat! by Emma Dodd
• Stand-up Activity - Can You Walk on Tiptoe? (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins from a rhyme I found in I'm a Little Teapot! by Jane Cobb)

Can you Meow?

Can you Purr?

Can you walk on tiptoe as softly as a cat?

And can you stamp along the road, stamp, stamp just like that?

Can you take a really fast pace as if you are running a race?

Or can you walk so slowly?

As if you are a cat ready to curl up for a nap.

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap

• Book #2 - Kitty's Cuddles by Jane Cabrera
• Activity – "There's a Tiger Walking" from Pick Me Up! Fun Songs for Learning Signs by Roger Treece and Nancy Stewart

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue yarn whiskers to cat face

Garden Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds: 

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall, illustrated by Shari Halpern (big book)
• Stand-up Activity - Little Flower Open Up (action song to the of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Little flower begin to grow
Open up your petals bright
Swaying in the sunshine light
Come and let the bees buzz right
Little flowers in the night
Closing up your petals tight

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

• Book #2 - Jasper's Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
• Activity – "Baby Bumblebee" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Stamp flower looking shapes onto paper using the bottom of small soda bottles and paint  (Note: Thicker paint worked better than watery paint)

Under Water Creatures Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds: 

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins
• Stand-up Activity - "The Goldfish" from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner

• Bridge - Open Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

• Book #2 - Fish Wish by Bob Barner
• Activity – I'm a Little Fishy (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" that I found many, many, many years ago)

I'm a little fishy

I can swim

Here is my tail and here is my fin

When I want to have fun with my friends

I wiggle my tail and dive right in

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Star stickers onto a sea star drawing