Busy in the Barnyard

Moo, Neigh, Gallopy-Trot and Away we Go!

Let's go visit the barnyard!
~I like to play some warm-up music, my favorite is Cows from Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton
...cows, we're remarkable cows...


Barnyard, Barnyard
- this is a song I learned from Let's Play Music
- I cannot recommend taking these classes enough, if you have preshool-aged kids it's the best!
This song works great with a hand clapping beat.

Barnyard Barnyard
All around the barnyard
Here the cows say
Moo Moo
~clap clap


(repeat)

All around the barnyard
Moo Moo
~clap clap

Animals are talking
Moo Moo
~clap clap

Even though it sounds like
Moo Moo
~clap clap

Just a lot of squawking!
~shrug shoulders, hands up

Bababababababa ba
~pat your legs fast, then move back into clapping beat 'Barnyard, Barnyard'
________________________

Now do it again, but with each of the other animals and their sounds

- oh, in the music classes you use different rhythms for the sounds, like...

Squeaky squeaky squeak squeak (mouse)
~clappy, clappy, clap clap
Hee Haw, Hee Haw (donkey)
~clap clap clap clap
Ba Ba Ba-ba-ba (lamb)
~clap clap clappy clap


Oh, there is Mr. Farmer! He's on his horse and headed out to do the field work,
on his way often he meets other people who are out enjoying a ride...


This is the Way the Farmer Rides

This is the way the farmer rides
~bounce baby in a trot on your knees

The farmer rides, the farmer rides. So early in the morning.
This is the way the farmer rides, the farmer rides, the farmer rides.
So early in the morning.

This is the way the gentleman rides
~bounce baby in an English trot

This is the way the lady rides
~bounce baby in a soft trot

This is the way the baby rides
~bounce baby in a silly, tickly jiggly trot

My goodness, that Mr. Farmer, he sure meets a lot of people out and about.
Well, while he is off gallavanting around the fields,
The Mrs is doing some cleaning!

Time to get the washing started...


We Are Clothes in the Washing Machine
- thanks Allison S!

We are clothes in the washing machine
-make a circle with your arms and wiggle the child inside

We wiggle and giggle until we are clean
Then our mama hangs us up to dry
-lift child's arms up

On a clothesline way up high!


You never knew laundry could be so much fun!
Now, Let's go out in the barnyard with the Mrs; better known as Mrs. Wishy Washy -
It's time to water the garden and feed the chicks - can you turn on the water?


Slowly, Slowly

Slowly, slowly, very slowly,
~ slowly creep fingers from childs feet to the top of their head
creeps the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly,
~make sure you pause on the sides of child's neck here - VERY ticklish!
Up the wooden rail

Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly
~and tickle the child all around their tummy!
Goes the little mouse,
Quickly, quickly, very, quickly
All around the house.


Oh, no! Look by the garden!
Cow! Pig! Not you too Duck! What are you doing?


Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley
OPL catalog link
~ Get the book. Memorize the book. Get a puppet cow, pig and duck. Get a washbucket and a brown blanket for a 'mud puddle'. Now have some fun!


Those animals! Well, we don't have time for thier hi-jinks.
A barnyard is always busy.
Let's go feed the pigs and the poultry now.

Suuuuey! Come Pig!


I Had a Little Piggie

I had a little piggie
~hands apart to show a little pig
And I fed him from a trough
He grew so big and fat
~ move hands apart to show he got big
That his tail popped off!
~pop finger out of cheek!

So I got me a hammer
~hold up one hand holding a 'hammer'
And I got me a nail
~hold up other hand holding a 'nail'
And I gave that piggie a wooden tail.
~'hammer' the 'nail' - look of surprise!


Those piggies, they aren't named pigs for nothing!
Time for the chickens now, here chicky, chicky, chick!


Ten Fluffy Chicks

Five eggs
~hold up five fingers
and five eggs
~hold up second hand

That makes ten
Sitting on top is mother hen
~lock fingers together, knuckles up

Crackle, crackle, crackle
~clap hands

What do I see?
Ten fluffy chicks as yellow as can be!
~hold all 10 wriggling fingers


Five Little Chicks Went Out To Play
by Amy White

Five little chicks went out to play,
over the hills and far away.
When the mama hen said,
bawk, bawk, bawk
Four little chicks came waddling back.

Four little chicks went out to play...
(repeat until 'no little chicks' - do NOT do the daddy part yet...)


Oh, no! Where are all the little chicks! Let's see if we can find them...


Where Are My Chicks? by Sally Grindley
OPL catalog link


Well, I can tell you that the next day Mama Duck just called on the Daddy and....

When the daddy rooster said
Cock a DOODLE DOO!
Five little chicks came waddling back.

Whew, Mama Goose and Mama Hen should keep better track of those little goslings and chicks!
Well, after all that hullabaloo it's Lulu's Mama's job to put little ones to bed at night...


Goodnight Lulu by Paulette Bogan


and a goodnight to you too my chickadees!
______________________

More...

Barnyard Song by Rhonda Greene
OPL catalog link

Bedtime

Please can I go back to bed? Pretty please with sugar on top?

Whatever do you do if you wake up in the morning and all you want to do is go back to bed!


Well?
What do you do?


You go to bed of course!
But first, we need to have a bedtime bath...


Bath Time by Eileen Spinelli
OPL link


Oh dear, that was one FULL bathtub! Good thing mom know just what to do.
Ooooo - what cute little piggie toes you have my dear, what cute little piggie fingers you have too!


Piggies by Audrey Wood
(I do this as a fingerplay - it works wonderfully)
OPL link


Okay, time to get out and dry off.
Now what is it that we do?
You got it - we brush our teeth!


Brush Your Teeth
(I used a shark puppet to show some good teeth here!)
- check out the Raffi cd!
OPL link

When you wakeup in the mornin' at a quarter to one
and you want to have a little fun
You brush your teeth
chh, chh, chh, chh, cha, cha, cha, cha!

...two, and you just don't know what to do
...three, and want the biggest smile for me
...four, and someone's knockin' upon your door
...five, and you're so happy to be alive

Let me see those shiney clean teeth! Open wide!
Wow, I'm blinded! You all did a superb job brushing those teeth.
Now it's off to bed with some snuggy fuzzy pj's and a bedtime story.


Wide-Mouthed Frog by Faulkner
OPL link


Are you all snuggled in bed now?
Good.
You want more? How about a little song?


Slippery Fish

Slippery fish, slippery fish
- Slide palms backwards and forwards - slipping
Swimming through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
-hands to face, dismay, surprise, shock

Oh, NO! I've been eaten by an...
Octopus, Octopus,
- arms out and slowly waving up and down like an octopus

Swimming in the water,
Oh, Octopus, Octopus...
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
-hands to face, dismay, surprise, shock

Oh, NO! I've been eaten by a...
Great big shark, great big shark
-arms open and shut from the elbow to the hands, fingers interlock when they meet for sharp teeth.

Swimming in the water
Great big shark, great big shark
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
-hands to face, dismay, surprise, shock

Oh, NO! I've been eaten by a ...
Humongous whale, humongous whale
-arms open and shut in a huge 'whale-mouth' motion

Swimming in the water,
Humongous whale, humongous whale
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
-hands to face, dismay, surprise, shock

Oh, NO!!! Oh ..
-look around, look...who ate it...

YOU ate it!
-look of utter surpise on your face as you gesture to a child


Speaking of Fish - I'm wanna kiss that little fish-fish face of yours!
Uh-oh, no kissing? Are you sure?


Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
OPL link


Five in the Bed
(I used a penguin, a shark, a frog, a pig, and for the little one - a hedgehog)

Five in the bed and the little one said,
Roll over, roll over
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
(puppets roll over and OFF the table/bed)


Hmmm.
Are you asleep yet?
No?
Me either.

(wait)

How about now?
Phoowy.
How long does it take to fall asleep?


Tick Tock

Tick tock
Tick tock
Tick tock
Goes my daddy's big clock.
(repeat)

But my mommy's little clock goes
tick tick tick tick tick!
(and TICKLE those kids!)

...repeat this one again, particularly if you see that it's new for a lot of the kids/parents

Are you out of bed little one?
You need a kiss?
Oh, how could we have forgotten a goodnight kiss!?


Kissy Kissy Baby

Kissy, Kissy, fingers,
Kissy, Kissy, toes,
Kissy, Kissy, baby,
On your kissy nose

I Love to kiss your fingers,
I Love to kiss your toes,
I Love to kiss my baby,
On your kissy nose!


Are you ready to go to sleep now?
No?
Why not?
Ah, you are afraid there is a monster.


Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Edward Emberley
(flannel board story or book)
OPL link


Now no more monsters!
Let's rub your back and sing a quiet song


Sleep My Treasure
Let's Play Music - a MUST musical program for your 4 to 5 year olds, IMHO
- now rock slowly back and forth, if mama or daddy are near, have them come rock their children...

Sleep my treasure,
Close to mother.
Hush my baby do,
To your cradle comes a moonbeam.
Shining just for you.

...repeat for a father verse


Good night now, sleep tight.

_____________

More:

If Animals Kissed Good Night by Ann Paul
OPL link

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime

Just a little note on a wonderfully imaginative storytime I was able to witness...

Lori, storyteller extraordinaire, did a FABULOUS storytime with:

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
OPL link

First, you get the kids to be Dinosaurs, they roar and roar and roar, just like any good dinosaur would do.

Next they have 'adversaries' say...

Leaves!
(...now here is where Lori just shines, she had the kids pretend to be leaves and she was a leaf blower! Kids were rolling and tumbling around as she made leaf blower noises and 'blew' them around.)


But of course, Dinosaur WINS! Roar, roar, roar!

A slide? How big should it be? 10 feet? No problem.
Just count the steps up, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10


WHOOSH! Wow, that was a big slide!
(Now you can try a swirly slide - tip back and forth like you're going down it. And maybe an itty bitty slide -oops, got stuck on that one!)

A bowl of spaghetti?
(sing On top of Spaghetti, all covered with cheese...)


Toothbrushing?(sing Brush Your Teeth...when you wake up in the morning and you don't know just what to do, you brush your teeth...)

 And, oh no, no - BEDTIME???!? Roar, roar, roar, roar.
___________________

Like I said, very very fun! Get this book, you'll have a fantastic storytime with it - and if you ever see Lori, tell her she is terrific!

My Day

Are your ready for Storytime? Wake up, Wake up little Sleepy head.

This is MORE than you will need for a little 15-20 minute Laptime, but use what you know, add a bit from what you learn here and have some fun!

Time to wake up, you better watch out, if you don't get up the tickle monster might have to drop by for a visit ~


Are you sleeping
This is a good one to use bells with or just rock back and forth to the rythm.

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John.
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,
Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong

 What's that I hear? I hear a clock! A little Cuckoo Clock!


I'm a Little Cuckoo Clock

Tick-tock, tick tock,
I'm a little cuckoo clock.
Tick-tock, tick tock,
Now I'm striking one o-clock.
Cuckoo!
- at each cuckoo you lift your child up. Older children stand for each one.
Continue to a count of 5.


Arms getting tired? Hey, it's great mom exercise too!


You know, my favorite way to wake my daughter is to rub her back, then start with a little song...


Skidamarink

Skidamarink -adink -a dink
Skidamarink - a doo
I love you!
(repeat)

I love you in the morning
and in the afternoon.
I love you in the evening
and underneath the moon!

Oh, Skidamarink - adink - a dink,
Skidamarink - a doo!
I LOVE YOU!


Now, what is the first thing you do in the morning, practically before the sleepy bugs are out of your eyes? You brush your teeth!


Brush Your Teeth

When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to one,   and you want to have a little fun,
   you brush your teeth, cha ch ch ch-cha ch ch
   you brush your teeth, cha ch ch ch-cha ch ch

When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to two,
    and you don't know just what to do,

When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to three,
   and you want the biggest smile for me,
 
When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to four,
and you hear a knock on the door,yeahhhh!

When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to five,
and your so glad to be alive,



Guess what we are going to do today? We are going for a haircut! First, we need some scissors, can you kids show me how we can make pretend scissors?


Johnny get your Haircut

Johnny get your haircut, haircut, haircut
Johnny get your haircut, just like me!

Repeat. Each time use a different child's suggestion for how to make scissors with hands, arms, whole body.


Time to play, are you ready to play kids?


Oh, Mr. Sun

Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. golden sun,
~arms up in a big circle over your head
Please shine down on me.
~palms pat yourself, or ASL sign for 'me'

Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. golden sun,
Please shine down on me.

These little children are asking you,
~point out to children sitting around you
to please come out so they can play with you,
~ASL sign for play

Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. golden sun,
~arms up in a big circle over your head
Please shine down on me.
~palms pat yourself, or ASL sign for 'me'


Oh, wow, this sun feels so good, the sky is blue - what a wonderful day it is!


May There Always be Sunshine

May there always be sunshine,
May there always be blue skies,
May there always be momma,
May there always be me.

May there always be sunshine,
May there always be blue skies,
May there always be daddy,
May there always be me.


My, oh, my, the time is going so fast!


Tick Tock Goes my Daddy's Big Clock

Tick Tock, Tick Tock
~rock back and forth -slowly - in time to the 'clock'
Goes my daddy's big clock.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock
~keep rocking
Goes my daddy's big clock.
But my mommy's little clock
~get a mischievious glint in your eye...

Goes...tick tick tick tick tick tick
~rock your head (ear to shoulder) back and forth fast and TICKLE!!!


Oh, dear what a mess we have made, toys, animals, books, time to clean up!


A Helper I Will Be
tune: The Farmer in the Dell

A helper I will be.
A helper I will be.
I'll pick up toys and put'em away
A helper I will be.


What great helpers you are!
Will you come help me do some washing? Bring me the clothes!




We are clothes in the Washing Machine
This one is from a wonderful volunteer, Alison.


We are clothes in the washing machine
~put your arms in a large circle around your child
We wiggle and giggle until we are clean
~move your circle back and forth with child inside

Then mama shakes us out to dry
~hold child's sides and gently shake their middle
Then hangs us on a clothes line high!
~lift child up high!




My goodness, all that work, I think I'm hungry now, let's eat!


I'm So Hungry

I'm so hungry, I'm so hungry
- rub tummy
Yes I am, yes I am
I could eat a Lion
...without even tryin'
- shrug shoulders
Yum Yum Yum.

Now you can pick kids to tell you an animal and just make up silly nonsense rhyming words. Or, I like to use 5 animal puppets and have them pop out of my box as I sing, include a monkey (he tastes a little funky) for later.


Sitting Down to Eat by Bill Harley
OPL catalog link


I'm Awake
I love the Signing Time music CD's by Rachel Coleman - this whole CD works well for this theme. I particularly like to add the 'My Job' and 'Silly Pizza' songs!


Dear, oh dear, I think you've gotten a little messy. It's right to the tub with you!


Baby's Bath

Baby's ready for his bath. Here is baby's tub
- make a circle with arms
Here's the baby's washcloth
- hand up, palm flat
See how he can rub
- pretend to rub face
Here's the baby's cake of soap
- make a fist
And here's the towel to dry
- hands flat, thumbs touching
And here's the baby's cradle. Rock-a-baby-bye
- make imaginary cradle and rock it.


Look, look there, what's that you left there in the tub?


I Had a Little Turtle

I had a little Turtle
- one hand on top of other, thumbs out and wiggling for legs
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
- hand turtle swims up and down
To see if he could swim

He drank up all the water
- ASL sign for water / 3 fingers tap chin
He ate up all the soap
- head to hand, testing forehead for temperature
and now he's sick in bed with a bubble in his throat!
- point to throat

hiccup!
- oops, surprised look

Big
- hands form a bubble in front of mouth
Bigger
- bubble grows
Biggest....
- bubble is HUGE now.... anticipate it, turn your head, eyes dart to the bubble, it's gonna...
POP!
- clap hands together


Do I hear that clock again? Do you know what time it is? It's bedtime...


Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around

Teddy bear, teddy bear, climb the stairs
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight


Shall we read a bedtime book now?


Please Baby Please by Spike Lee


Pull up the covers, tuck you in tight, got all your animals? Okay, let's get all your stuffed animals in bed with you. Who do we have here...
- for young crowds, have stuffed animals or puppets in a box. For older groups have the kids name their favorite stuffed animals until we get to TEN (or 5 - see later)


Rock-a-bye Baby

Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top.
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.


Shhh, do you think I can sneak out? Here I go, tip toe, tip toe, close the door. I think I'll check back in just a minute...
'Open' the door, peek in...



WHAT!! You silly child you! Jumping on the bed of all things!
Great book to use, short text and large pictures, perfect for sharing:Ten Naughty Little Monkeys by Suzanne Williams

or just sing!


Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
~pull that monkey out now and get jumping!
One fell out and bonked his head.
Momma called the Dr. and the Dr. said,
No more Monkeys jumping on the bed!

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell out and bonked his head.
Momma called the Dr. and the Dr. said,
No more Monkeys jumping on the bed!

...continue to 'no (zero) more monkeys!'


You are a silly monkey aren't you! Back in bed now, all of you... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
count as you put the animals back in bed, cover them with a little blanket and as you say '5' start off into 'Five in the bed...'


Five in the Bed
or 10 if you want to go that long!

- - - Board Book Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale is one among MANY published versions - - -
note: there is a darn cute English version of this! Go to the bottom of this post for the additional chorus!

Ten in the bed and the little one said,
- hold up 10 fingers
Roll over, roll over
- roll hands
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
- sound effects are perfect here - BOINK!

Nine in the bed and the little one said,
- now it's 9 fingers

...continue to...

One in the bed and the little one said, I'm lonely, come back here.
Deep breath...(or a humongous parental sigh!)

Five in the bed and the little one said
- and from there it can be a bit like the never-ending John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!


Okay, enough playing. It really IS time for bed. I think I'm going to have to sing you asleep.


Sleep My Treasure
chords for autoharp

dm A7 dm A7
Sleep my treasure, close to mother
dm gm A7
Hush my baby, do
dm gm dm gmTo your cradle comes a moonbeamdm A7 DM Shining just for you.


Shhhh, nighty night.
______________________________


Now for that additional English version chorus to


Ten in the Bed

... after 'One fell out'
change of tune here, suddenly you are singing in a very British Monarchy way, I wish I knew the name of it

Please remember to
Tie a knot in your pajamas
Single beds are only made for ONE,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8,9!

Nine in the bed and the little one said,
Roll over, roll over
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Please remember to
Tie a knot in your pajamas
Single beds are only made for ONE,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8!

Eight in the bed...

___________________________

Just in case you need more:



This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes
to the tune Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush

This is the way we wash our clothes
Rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub

See them getting clean and white
Rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub

This is the way we hang them out
Flippity-flap, flippity-flap

See them blowing in the wind
Flippity-flap, flippity-flap

This is the way we iron them flat
Smooth as can be, smooth as can be

Soon our wash day will be done
And nice clean clothes for you and me


Alternate sleepy songs and poems

Day is Done

Day is done,
Gone the sun.
From lake, from hills, from sky.
All is well,
Safely rest
God is nigh.


Sleep Baby Sleep

Sleep baby sleep
Your father tends the sheep
Your mother shakes the dreamland tree
And from it fall sweet dreems for thee

Sleep baby sleep
Sleep baby sleep

Sleep baby sleep
Our cottage vale is deep
The little lamb is on the green
With snowy fleece so soft and clean

Sleep baby sleep
Sleep baby sleep


Alternate Books:

Sheep Asleep by Gloria Rothstein
Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest
Little Quack's Bedtime by Lauren Thompson