Fabulous Frogs - Family Storytime

A Wednesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Did You Ever See a Frog?  (flannelboard pattern and shape song to the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie?” created by Carol Hopkins)

Did you ever see a frog, a frog, a frog?
Did you ever see a frog, with {_spots_} on its back?

(continue with other shapes and patterns on the back of the frog: Stripes, stars, arrows, etc.)

  

  
 

Book #1: Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan 

Theme activity #1: “Jumping and Counting” action song from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem And More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill

Theme activity #2: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (action rhyme written by Carol Hopkins)

Frog be nimble, frog be quick, 
Frog jump over the great big stick
Frog be nimble, frog be slick
Frog swim under the great big stick
Frog be nimble, frog go click
Frog run around the great big stick
Frog be nimble, frog be fine
Frog sit down for storytime

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

 

***Parent literacy tip: Singing to your child is very important in any language! It helps trigger speech development and childdren love being sung to by their parents/caregivers.  

Book #2: The Wide-Mouthed Frog: A Pop-up Book by Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonahtan Lambert (pop-up) 

Book #3: Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Tim Hopgood 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

  

 

Art activity:  Paper frog headband to cut and color

Optional other books:
Maisy Loves Frogs by Lucy Cousins (board book) 
Frogs (National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Board Book series) by Ruth A. Musgrave 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Playtime Arts & Crafts Activities

Doing arts and crafts with young children helps to build fine motor skills like cutting, gluing, and hand-eye coordination.  It also boosts confidence through completed projects.  It provides an outlet for emotional self-expression while naturally teaching children how to follow instructions.

The arts and crafts activities that the children who attend my Playtimes like to do the most:

-          Playdough with cookie cutters and playdough toys

-          Watercolor paints

-          Rubber stamps

Summer Reading presentations, 2026 edition

This was another light year on elementary school summer reading presentations.  Instead, we concentrted on tabling at end-of-school-year parties at our area elementary schools.  

I did go out to a couple of Early Learning Centers to talk about summer reading and then share a storytime book.  I tried out one new book while bringing along two other favorites.  The kindergarten and preschool classes loved these books!  

  

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer 

Crash, Splash, or Moo! by Bob Shea 

Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka 

Board Game Table at Playtime

 

Playing board games with young children is a powerful learning tool disguised as fun. They help to build foundational social-emotional skills like turn-taking, sharing, and emotional regulation.  They reaffirm every day skills such as counting, color recognition, and pattern matching.  Board games also encourage screen free play with family and friends. 

I love bringing out board games for the children to experiment with.  There are a great many available, old classics along with some entertaining new games.  Even if a child is not ready to play the game according to the written rules, it is fun to watch them interact with the game pieces in imaginative ways. 

 

Some board games available at my library:

-          Pengoloo

-          Chickyboom

-          Dinosaur dominoes

-          Candy Land

Pretend Play at Playtime

 

Pretend play allows children to safely practice social interactions, experiment with language, and develop creative problem-solving skills.  It doesn’t take much for children to start pretending!  My pretend play (a.k.a. dramatic play) corner consists of a box with the lines of a stove top on the lid, a cash register, some toy pots and pans, plus some plastic fruit and other foods. 

Fishing Wishing Scarf Song

 I learned this fun scarf song from a PCLS Sharing Music with Young Children STARS class.  The caregivers at storytime really enjoyed acting it out with the children.  

I'm going fishing, fishing, fishing;
And I'm wishing, wishing, wishing;
For some jumpy fish!
(toss scarves into the air)

I'm going fishing, fishing, fishing;
And I'm wishing, wishing, wishing;
For some spinny fish!
(spin scarves in a large circle)

I'm going fishing, fishing, fishing;
And I'm wishing, wishing, wishing;
For some hiding fish!
(hide scarf in your hand behind your back)

Silly Wriggles - Family Storytime

A Wednesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

See my fingers,
(wiggle fingers)

See my thumbs.
(wiggle thumbs)

Fee fi fo fum,
(clap for each syllable)

Good bye fingers,
(hide one hand behind back)

Good bye thumbs.
(hide the other hand behind back)

(Repeat several times moving and saying the words faster and faster)

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: “The Ants Go Marching” (traditional children’s counting song)

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  

  

 

Book #1: Silly Sally by Audrey Wood 

Theme activity #1: “Jumping and Counting” action song from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem by Jim Gill

Theme activity #2: I Can Dance My Hands (action song to the tune of "The Farmer In the Dell" written by Carol Hopkins)

I can dance my hands, I can dance my hands, 

Dance them high, dance them low,

I can dance my hands.

I can wiggle my hands, I can wiggle my hands,

Wiggle them out, wiggle them in,

I can wiggle my hands.

 

Transition: Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Come a' look a' see, here's my mama, 
(point to thumb)
Come a' look a' see, here's my papa, 
(point to index finger)
Come a' look a' see, my brother tall, 
(point to tall finger)
Sister, baby, 
(point to ring, then baby finger) 
I love them all. 
(Kiss the fingertips of your finger family)

  

***Parent literacy tip: Predictable books help children learn about patterns in spoken and written language.  

Book #2: I am Wriggly by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Robert Starling 

Book #3: Duck & Goose: Let's Dance! by Tad Hills (board book) 

Closing music with scarves: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song & Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill    

        

 

Art activity:  Paper plate ribbon dancers

Cut a handle in a paper plate.  Decorate the plate with crayons.  Glue ribbons to the paper plate.  

Optional other books:
Roll, Roll Little Pea by Cécile Bergame, illustrated by Magali Attiogbé, translated by Angus Yuen-Killick
The Croaky Pokey! by Ethan Long