Springtime 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 – In the Spring by Craig Brown
• Stand-up Activity - "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

• 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 - Hurray for Spring! by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Taia Morley
• Activity – Five Spring Flowers (fingerplay adpated by Carol Hopkins)

Flowers tall, flowers small

Flowers planted by the wall

Blowing in the springtime breezes

Not for little children sneezes

Let us count the flowers alive

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Five little flowers thrive in the springtime sun

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue crepe paper streamers to a toilet paper tube windsock

Bugs 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 Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (big book)
• Stand-up Activity - I Saw a Butterfly (action song to the tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" written by Carol Hopkins

I saw a pretty butterfly flying through my garden

It landed on my shoe

And then it fluttered to my head

It flew to the right

And it flew to the left

Now the pretty butterfly is dancing round and round

• 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 - I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern
• Activity – "Baby Bumblebee" action song 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 – Crayon coloring on honey bee coloring sheet

Lego My Library - Royalty

A fun Lego building block storytime intended for children 4 to 9 years old.

Book: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene

Lego challenge: Create something Priscilla (the royal pig) might use

Royal 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 Missing Tarts by B.G. Hennessy, illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson
• Stand-up Activity - Not Much Different (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

A prince has a crown, and he bows to say, "Hello."
A princess has a crown and she curtseys to say, "How do you do."
They can run
They can dance
They can jump
They can sit
They are not much different from you or me

• 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 - Princess Baby by Karen Katz
• Activity – Lord and Ladies In a Row (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

Five ladies in waiting, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the queen
Five noble lords, standing in a row
They bow their heads to honor the king
They stand in two straight lines and politely applaud
Then they come together and dance at the ball

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glitter glue onto a royal shield

Opposites Storytimes

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 – Snappy Opposites by Dugald Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews (pop-up)
• Stand-up Activity - "Very, Very, Tall" action song from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

• 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 - This Train by Paul Collicutt
• Activity – "Grand Old Duke of York" action song from More Tickles & Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman (Personal note: This song and the "Very, Very, Tall" song were too similar.  I should use a different song here next time.)

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue small and large squares in a fun design

Bird 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 – Birds by Kevin Henkes
• Stand-up Activity - "See the Birdie Flying" action/sign language song from Pick Me Up! Fun Songs for Learning Signs by Roger Treece and Nancy Stewart

• 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 - Little Green by Keith Baker
• Activity – Little Bird (action rhyme I have seen in many places, I got this one from Toddle On Over by Robin Works Davis)

I saw a little bird go hop, hop, hop

I told the little bird to stop, stop, stop

I went to the window to say, "How do you do?"

He wagged his little tail and away he flew

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Paint with a feather

Boats 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'm Mighty by Kate and Jim McMullan
• Stand-up Activity - Here Is the Sea (fingerplay I found somewhere)

Here is the sea, the wavy sea

Here is my boat

And here is me

All of the fishes

Down below

Wiggle their tails

And away they go

• 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 - Boats for Bedtime by Olga Litowinsky, illustrated by Melanie Hope Greenberg
• Activity – "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" action song from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

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