Category: Story Times

This snowy storytime was a very successful virtual program! I tried to really pump up the levels of interaction so that the children who attended remained engaged the whole time.

Book 1: I Love Snow! By Zeta Elliott

A simple, excellent read aloud book for that snowy time of year. Children of all backgrounds and abilities play in the snow in different ways, but also experience the gray slushy side of a snowy winter. Despite this, they still continue to love snow in the end!

Felt Board Theme Game: Snowman Mitten Hunt

In this interactive felt board game, the children helped the snowmen find the missing mitten. Each snowman was a different color, and each snowman was hiding a different colored mitten. We shouted “Snow man, snow man where is your mitten???” and revealed each one until we found the missing yellow mitten.

Transition Song

Book 2: Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda

A super interactive book in which children help the bunny ski down the mountain until she eventually falls into her own burrow, where mom has hot chocolate waiting for her.

Favorite Songs (with Peter the bunny puppet) and Goodbye!

This was such a special story time. Many of my story times have been outdoors this summer (Summer 2021), so as a fun treat I invited our local mounted park rangers to crash story time! The kids just loved it!

 

Hello songs

Book 1: Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel

Theme Song:

This might be the easiest theme song ever as it only has one phrase. With baby on your lap you sing the William Tell Overture using the phrase “Giddy-up.” It’s super simple but you can get so silly with it!

Re-focus song

Book 2:  Giddy Up! Let’s Ride! by Flora McDonnell

Favorite songs and goodbye!

 

Hello songs

Book 1: Meeow and the Little Chairs by Sebastien Braun

Theme Song:

This was a great theme song because while it’s about playing pretend, it’s also about cats. The end also leads nicely into the second book.

I’m A Little Kitty Cat

I’m a little kitty cat
Nice and sweet
Here are my whiskers, here are my feet
When I go out hunting mice beware
Because you might just have a scare!

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: Can You Make A Scary Face? by Jan Thomas

Favorite songs and goodbye!

Hello song

Book 1: I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

A wonderful modern alternative to Dr. Seuss if you’re not into that right now.

 

Theme Song:

Shake My Sillies Out

I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies (or kookies) out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away (on the last wiggle my waggles I always turn around and wiggle my butt, the kids love it!)

Re-focus song

Book 2: Why The Face? by Jean Jullien

Favorite songs and goodbye!

 

Hello songs

Book 1: Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter

Theme Song: 

I’ve done a couple different theme songs for this story time. My latest one was playing Laurie Berkner’s We Are The Dinosaurs on a loud speaker and doing big fun movements along with the song.

I’ve also done this song:

Dino-Pokey

Hello songs

Book 1: It’s A Tiger by David LaRochelle

Theme Song: 

Bear Song

Grizzly bears are big and brown, big and brown, big and brown
Grizzly bears are big and brown
And live in the woods
Polar bears are soft and white, soft and white, soft and white
Polar bears are soft and white
And live in the cold
Teddy bears are just my size, just my size, just my size
Teddy bears are just my size
To cuddle with at night

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: If you”re Happy and You Know It: Jungle Edition by James Warhola

Favorite songs and goodbye!

 

Hello songs

Book 1: Wet by Carey Sookocheff

Theme Songs:

Umbrella Song 

Down come the rain drops SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH! (stamp feet on the splashes)
Let’s run for cover, DASH, DASH, DASH! (run on the spot)
Pitter patter, pitter patter, DRIP, DRIP, DROP! (clap hands in rhythm)
I’m under my umbrella till the raindrops STOP! (put up pretend umbrella)

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: Little Cloud by Eric Carle

Bonus song: At the end of story time I usually just do our favorite songs but I adore this song so I included it as a bonus.

If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh what a world it would be
I’d stand outside with my mouth open wide going
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh what a world it would be

If all the snowflakes
Were candy bars and milkshakes
Oh what a world it would be
I’d stand outside with my mouth open wide going
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
If all the snowflakes
Were candy bars and milkshakes
Oh what a world it would be

If all the sunbeams
Were bubble gum and ice cream
Oh what a world it would be
I’d stand outside with my mouth open wide going
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
If all the sunbeams
Were bubble gum and ice cream
Oh what a world it would be

Favorite songs and goodbye

A story time full of oldies but goodies!

Hello songs

Book 1: Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker

Theme Song:

5 Little Monkeys

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping onthe bed
Continue with 4, 3, 2, 1 monkeys

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

Favorite songs and goodbye!

Hello songs

Book 1: Barnyard Boogie by Tim McCanna

Transition/re-focus song

Theme Song:

Note: For this story time I actually just used two transition songs as Barnyard Boogie has a tendency to get us all riled up, so I wanted to bring us back to calm for the second book before getting all riled up again with shaker songs at the end!

Wiggle & Stop & These Are My Glasses re-focus/transition songs

Book 2: 88 Instruments by Chris Barton

Shaker Songs:

Note: Instead of our normal favorite songs at the end for this satory time we finished with shaker songs! Over the years I have collected many shakers of various shapes and sizes, not just eggs. I love using all different ones for the kids to enjoy.

Song 1: Shake Your Shakers

Shake your shakers just like me, just like me, just like me
Shake your shakers just like me
Shake your shakers
Shakers your shakers fast and slow, fast and slow, fast and slow
Shake your shakers fast and slow
Shake your shakers
Shake your shakers high and low, high and low, high and low
Shake your shakers high and low
Shake your shakers
Shake your shakers round and round, round and round, round and round
Shake your shakers round and round
Shake your shakers

Song 2: Shake My Sillies Out

I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
And wiggle my waggles away

I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away (on the last wiggle my waggles I always turn around and wiggle my butt, the kids love it!)

Song 3: We’re Going to Kentucky (I think there are many versions of this song, but this is the song my grandmother used to sing to me)

We’re going to Kentucky
We’re going to the fair
To see a señorita with flowers in her hair
Oh shake it shake it shake it
Shake it if you can
Shake it like a milkshake
And do the best you can
Oh rumble to the bottom
Rumble to the top
Then turn around and turn around
Until you make a stop
S-T-O-P
Spells STOP

Goodbye song while collecting shakers

 

 

 

Hello songs

Book 1: Little Miss, Big Sis by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Theme Song:

Note: This song is mostly made up as far as I can remember but you may recognize a big part of it from the old Toys ‘R’ Us commercials!

I’m A Big Kid Now

I’m a big kid now
I can climb the stairs
I’m a big kid now
I can brush my hair
I’m a big kid now
I can pick my clothes
I’m a big kid now
I can touch my toes
I can do so many things I couldn’t do before!
And when I get much bigger I’ll do even more!
Cuz I’m a big kid now
Yes I’m a big kid now

Re-focus/transition song

Book 2: I am Just Right by David McPhail

Favorite songs and goodbye!