Bears Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
• Stand-up Activity – Great Big Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The great big bear,
(sing language for bear)
Gives a warning with a soft little growl.
(growl)
Waves its paws in the air.
(move hands like claws)
Shakes its great big head
(shake head)
Rubs its furry little ears
(rub ears)
Gives a great big roar
(loud roar)
Then goes to sleep in its lair.
(hands to side of face for sleep)

• 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 – My Bear and Me by Barbara Maitland, pictures by Lisa Flather
• Activity – Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around (traditional action rhyme)

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear dance on your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear jump to the sky
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your feet
Teddy bear, teddy bear find your seat

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Bear coloring sheet with crayons

Counting Storytime

Storytime for 1-1/2 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – The Ants Go Marching edited by Ann Owen, illustrated by Sandra D'Antonio
• Activity – Hickory Dickory Dock (fingerplay)

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
(run fingers up arm to high overhead)
The clock struck one.
(clap once)
The mouse ran down.
(run fingers down arm and down body)
Hickory dickory dock.

Repeat with:
...the clock struck two, the mouse said boo!
...the clock struck three, the mouse said whee!
...the clock struck four, there is no more.

• Book #2 – Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang
• Activity – Two Little Hands (action rhyme)

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.
Two little feet go tap, tap, tap.
Two little fists go thump, thump, thump.
Two little legs go jump, jump, jump.
One little body turns around.
And everyone sits quietly down.

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve
• Craft – Make a count to 5 book with stapled pieces of paper

Artsy Toddler Storytime at the Sumner Public Library

Here is a special storytime I did at a local library.  It started off with a short storytime in which I told the parents about the different skills their children will be practicing at the four art tables.

Short storytime:

Opening - "Clap your Hands" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

Book #1 - The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Activity - Clippity Clippity Clop (action rhyme I adjusted from another rhyme I found many years ago)

Clippity, clippity clop,
The horses go clip clop.
They gallop to the right.
They gallop to the left.
They gallop all around...
And they come to a stop.
Clippity, clippity clop.

Transition - Open, Shut Them (well known fingerplay)

Book #2 - Charlie Chick: A Pop-up Book by Nick Denchfield and Ant Parker

Ending - "Very, Very Tall" from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

Art tables:

a) Glue feathers on a baby chick.  Skill: Impulse control

b) Apply dot stickers to a cow picture.  Skill: Exercise small muscles in hands

c) Color a sheep with crayons.  Skill: Coloring, holding a pencil/crayon

d) Paint brown "mud" paint onto a pig.  Skill: Following directions

Mom 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 – Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino, illustrated by Steve Kellogg
• Stand-up Activity - Do It for Your Mother (action song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

Roll, roll, roll your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your mother

Clap, clap, clap your hands
As fast as fast can be
Do it now let me see
Do it for your mother

(use other body motions such as stomp your feet, jump your legs, etc.)

• 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 - That's My Mommy! by Ann Hodgman, illustrated by Laura Logan (board book)
• Activity – Come A'Look A' See (fingerplay found on The Baby Record by Bob McGrath and Katharine Smithrim)

• Closing - Use scarves to the song "Water, Wind and World" from The Second Line: Scarf Activity Songs by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Glue together a paper daisy with a pink circle center and white paper strips for petals

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)