Swimming Fish - Family Storytime

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

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs forWiggleworms 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 (clapping chant)

Fee, fi, fo, fum,
(clapping)
See my fingers,
(wave fingers)
See my thumbs.
(wave thumbs)
Fee, fi, fo, fum,
(clapping)
Good bye fingers,
(one hand behind back)
Good by thumbs.
(other hand behind back)

(Repeat going faster)

 

Literacy flannelboard: Little Fish Swimming in the Sea (animal recognition chant)

Hand every child a fish with one animal sticker on it.  Each child will bring their fish up to the board when their animal is called out in the rhyme.

 

Little ________ fish are swimming in the sea,
Swimming in the sea,
Swimming in the sea.
Little ________ fish are swimming in the sea,
Swimming up right now!

(Call out an animal for the blank)

 

  

 

Book #1: Chomp:A Shark Romp by Michel Paul

***Parent literacy tip: Sharing informational books (non-fiction) builds background knowledge. Children with strong background knowledge are more likely to understand what they read.  

Stand-up activity: “The Goldfish" from Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner 

Sit-down activity: Slippery Fish (action song as seen done by Jbrary at https://youtu.be/0C9HSOlb4qI) 

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) 

 

Book #2: I'm the Biggest Thing In the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Book #3: Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins 

Closing music with scarves: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Art activity: Giant kelp cut and weave (not a process art project but it used up something I found in my desk)  

 

 

 

The Mayor at Storytime - Family Storytime

A Saturday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old, with a special guest reader!  

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

Opening #2: Roly Poly Opposites (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, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other opposites)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast again!
Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

Opening #3: Fee Fi Fo Fum (clapping chant)

Fee, fi, fo, fum,
(clapping)
See my fingers,
(wave fingers)
See my thumbs.
(wave thumbs)
Fee, fi, fo, fum,
(clapping)
Goodbye fingers,
(one hand behind back)
Good by thumbs.
(other hand behind back)

(Repeat going faster)

Literacy activity: Camping Chant (from https://madelynslibraryprogramming.com/2016/08/10/toddler-storytime-camping/)

I was laying in my sleeping bag

I couldn’t go to sleep

I looked at my watch and wanted to weep

 

I rolled to my left

I rolled to my right

but all I could hear were animal noises in the night.

 

I heard a {Owl} go {Hoo, hoo, hoo}.

 

(continue with other night noise animals like cricket, frog, dog, bear, etc.)

 

  

Mayor’s choice book #1: Hooray for Hat by Brian Won

Stand-up activity: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Sit-down activity: “Baby Bumblebee” from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

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) 

 

Mayor’s choice book #2: The Mixed-Up Truck by Stephen Savage

Mayor’s choice book #3: Bark, George! By Jules Feiffer

***Parent literacy tip: Our action songs and craft activities encourage your child to use finger and arm motions of various kinds. These motions help them later when they are learning to write.   

Closing music with bean bags: “Bean Bag Rock” from Bean Bag Activities & Coordination Skills by Georgiana Stewart

Art activity: Paper cup lanterns

Punch two holes in a paper cup.  Use a pipe cleaner to connect the two holes to create a handle.  Decorate the outside of the paper cup with color pens, stickers, and ribbon glued on with glue sticks.  Finish up by adding a battery operated tea light candle inside the cup.   

 

 

 

Fishy - Baby Toddler Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-2 years. 

Opening #1: “Skinnamarink” action song from Car Songs by Dennis Buck (Kimbo)

Opening #2: Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(Repeat with more body parts)

  

Book #1: Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert

Stand-up activity: Did You Ever See a Fishy? (action song to the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie?” adapted from a song I found at https://www.adventuresofabookworm.com/2014/02/03/storytime-fish/) 

(Teach sign language for “fish”)

Did you ever see a fishy, a fishy, a fishy,
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way (lean forward)
And that (lean backwards)?
Swimming forwards and backwards.
Swimming forwards and backwards.
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way and that. 

Did you ever see a fishy, a fishy, a fishy,
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way (move to the right)
And that (move to the left)?
Swimming right-way and left-way.
Swimming right-way and left-way.
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way and that. 

Did you ever see a fishy, a fishy, a fishy,
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way (arms move up)
And that (arms move down)?
Swimming u-up and down.
Swimming u-up and down.
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way and that. 

Did you ever see a fishy, a fishy, a fishy,
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way (hands rolling)
And that?
Swimming around and around.
Swimming around and around.
Did you ever see a fishy, swim this way and that. 

 

Sit-down activity: Crabs Are Crawling (my notes do not say where I found this fingerplay to the tune of “Frere Jacques”)

Crabs are crawling, crabs are crawling
On the rocks, on the rocks
Watch out for their pinchers, watch out for their pinchers
Snap, snap, snap!
Snap, snap, snap!

 

Lap rhyme #1: Roly Poly (hand rolling fingerplay)

Roly poly, roly poly up, up, up.
Roly poly, roly poly down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly clap, clap, clap.
Roly poly, roly poly tap, tap, tap.
(tap top of head)
Roly poly, roly poly fast, fast, fast.
Roly poly, roly poly slow, slow, slow.
Roly poly, roly poly I love you!

 

Lap rhyme #2: Tick Tock (lap bounce)

(Bounce baby from leg to leg)
Tick tock, tick tock, I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick tock, now it is one o’clock… Cuckoo!
(raise baby up for each cuckoo)

(Repeat for other times of day)
Now it is two o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Now it is three o’clock… Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

 

Lap rhyme #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (traditional body parts action song)

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

 

Lap rhyme #4: Frog Jump Over the Great Big Stick (lap bounce action rhyme 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 almost falls off the great big stick.

Frog be nimble, frog be fine,
Frog gets a kiss (blows a kiss) at 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) 

 

Letter of the day: “F” is for fish

Flannelboard: Fishies (color fish song from Nancy Stewart at https://nancymusic.com/Fishiesplay.htm)

Parent literacy tip:  Helping your child learn color names in a playful way, like in a rhyme or song, helps them learn more about their world. This can be done in any language! 

Closing song: “Popcorn Calling Me” action song from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner

Optional extra book: Hooray for Fish! By Lucy Cousins

 

 

 

Summer Camp Storytime Week 1

 I held a storytime session at the local summer day camp for 5 and 6 year olds.  

Opening Song:

When Animals Get Up in the Morning (adaptation of a traditional song)

When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
When pigs get up in the morning,
They always say “Good Day!”
They say, "Oink!, Oink!, Oink!, Oink!,"
that is what they say.
They say, "Oink!, Oink!, Oink!, Oink!,"
that is what they say.

(Repeat with other animals that I randomly pull out of a cloth bag.)

  

Books:

Hooray for Hat by Brian Won 

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (big book edition) 

Bark George by Jules Feiffer 

Craft activity: 

Color and cut out pig hats. I found these activity sheets in my desk when I started my new job.  This was a perfect place to use them up!