Sing-a-Song Storytime: Sweet, Sweet Alligators

    Despite the library reopening, the world-wide pandemic is still closing down all large gatherings at my library.  Therefore, I continue with my summer offering of virtual storytimes.  I created this video storytime series along with a coworker, who is a talented musician, to get young children moving around and singing.  It is filled with lots of favorite storytime songs and rhymes.  For the summer series, we changed things up a bit!  Instead of a book we are bringing in puppets and a flannelboard story or rhyme.  I really wanted the grown-ups watching along with the kiddos to learn the songs, so I used a split screen technique on the videos to display the words to the songs/rhymes while I am singing and acting them out.  

Opening song – When Animals Get Up in the Morning

When gators get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
When gators get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, that is what they say.
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, that is what they say.

When gators get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
When gators get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
Snap, snap, snap, snap, that is what they say.
Snap, snap, snap, snap, that is what they say.

(Gators can be replaced with a variety of other animals and animal sounds/action words)

  

 

Flannelboard activity – Five Ice Cream Scoops (a poem I found on the First Grade W.O.W. blog)

 

Action rhyme – Put Your Ice Cream Up High (adaptation of a rhyme I found on the One Little Librarian blog)

(Hold a stick or pen as a pretend ice cream cone. Suite actions to words.)

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Hold your ice cream and turn around
Lick!  Lick!  Lick!

Put your ice cream up high
Put your ice cream down low
Put your ice cream on the ground
Eeewww! Don’t do that!

Action rhyme - Alligator Pie (an action rhyme I found many years ago that I have seen on many websites)

Alligator, alligator, alligator pie, 
(Open and close arms like the jaws of an alligator)

If I don't get some I think I'm gonna cry.
(Rub eyes like you are crying)

You can take away the grass,
(Point to the ground)

You can take away the sky,
(Point to the sky above)

But don't take away my alligator pie!
(Open and close arms like an alligator)

 

Action song - If You're Happy and You Know It (traditional action song)

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it then your face will truly show it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it then your face will truly show it,
If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet.

If you're happy and you know it, shout hooray!
If you're happy and you know it, shout hooray!
If you're happy and you know it then your face will truly show it,
If you're happy and you know it, shout hooray!

If you're happy and you know it, do all three.
If you're happy and you know it, do all three.
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will truly show it,
If you're happy and you know it, do all three.

 

 

Closing song - Skinnamarink (https://youtu.be/95JkQfANW9M) 

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

I love you in the morning,
And in the afternoon
I love you in the evening,
Underneath the moon…

Skinnamarinky dinky dink
Skinnamarinky do,
I love you!

 

***The video for this storytime can be found on my library's YouTube channel.