Welcome

Welcome, Welcome and How are You Today?

All great storytimes begin with a welcoming smile and a fun song. What better way to signal that you are ready for storytime or laptime and that it's now time to gather together, sit down and be still.

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The More We Get Together
(Bob McGrath's Sing Along with Bob, Vol. 1 or Eye Winker, Tim Tinker, Chin Chopper by Tom Glazer - as suggested in I'm a Little Teapot by Jane Cobb)

The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together, the happier we'll be
For your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends,
The more we get together the happier we'll be.
(now change to these additional verses)


The more we read together...
The more we sing together...
The more we play together...
(end by repeating the first verse)


Howdi Do by Woody Guthrie - Book / Woody's 20 Grow Big Songs Vol 1


Roly Poly
another great idea I learned from Alison

Roly poly, roly poly, up, up up!
~roll forearms, mid body and then up, up

Roly poly, roly poly, out, out out!
~ roll hands out to sides

Roly poly, roly poly, clap, clap, clap
~clap

Roly poly, roly poly, fold them in your lap
~fold arms and we are ready to begin!

Hickety Pickety
Amy's version
(Let's Play Music uses this opening song along with some bells /Sol-Mi/ , but you can keep the beat with rythm sticks or just by clapping)

Hickety pickety
LMN OP

Can you say your name for me?
~ have child say their name
Hello, ___ ____
~ break up the name into syllables


Willoughby Wallaby Wee
(This is not the original, I don't remember how the original one goes, this is just how I do it in my laptimes)
Before you start tell the parents that when you point to them, that you want them to tell you their child's name.

Willoughby, wallaby we
An elephant sat on me,~ I point to me

Willoughby, wallaby woo,
An elephant sat on you
~point to group of kids

Willoughby, wallaby wandy,
An elephant sat on Andy!
~move from child to child through the whole song...)

Willoughby, wallaby wed,
An elephant sat on Ed
Willoughby, wallaby walendy,
An elephant sat on wendy
Willoughby, wallaby wus
An elephant sat on US!

~I hold up a card that says 'US' so that everyone can know it's coming if they have never heard me do it.
(And fall backwards flat! if you can, it's a fun and 'obvious' ending ;))


Ding Dong

Ding Dong
Ding Dong
~stand with a partner, facing each other, holding each other's hands
Someone's at the door

Ding Dong
Ding Dong
Now who can it be?

Hello
~have kids echo you - Hello
~raise one set of arms to 'open gate'

Who's there?
~have kids echo you - Who's there

Come in
~have kids echo you - Come in
~child enters the gate and you lower your arms

Please come and play with me
~lift other side and let child 'enter'
(repeat for each child - obviously this is for a small group ;))


Hello

Hello!
~say name
Hello!
~say name

Hello and how are you?
I'm fine!
I'm fine!
And I hope that you are too


Open Them Shut Them

Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them
~ open and shut fingers-in fists

Give a little clap
~ clap

Open them, shut them,
Open them, shut them
~open and shut fingers-in fists

Fold them in your lap
~ fold hands in lap

Creep them Creep them,
All the way to your chin...
~ fingers crawl up baby's tummy

Now open your mouth wide
~open mouth

But do not let them in!
~hands behind back!




The Raffi Books and CD's are always a great source, check out

One Light, One Sun - found in the Second Raffi Songbook
OPL CD Link
OPL Book Link

I'm in the Mood ... (for storytime) - found in Raffi's Rise and Shine
OPL CD Link
OPL Book Link

Farm Day Fun

Yahoo!!!
Gather up your muckin' boots and roll up those overalls! It's time to giddy-up my Kiddie-roos, we're gonna have a gallopin' great day at the farm today!


There are so many horse, pig, cow, duck, chicken, cat, dog and mouse fingerplays and songs! I really suggest having a 'pick from the bucket' activity where you have toy animals that the kids reach in the bucket (or apron) to pick from - then do the fingerplay that matches


Down on Grandpa's Farm

We're on our way, We're on our way, on our way to Grandpa's Farm
We're on our way, We're on our way, on our way to Grandpa's Farm

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a big brown cow
Down on Grandpa's farm there is a big brown cow
That cow, she makes a sound like this - Mooooo
That cow, she makes a sound like this - Mooooo

Repeat - with more animals (take suggestions)...little white kitten
...little yellow duck
...big blue dog
...big red rooster
...little black sheep


Old McDonald's Farm

Old McDonald had a farm
EiEi O
And on that farm he had a cow
EiEi O

With a moo moo here
A moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo

Old McDonald had a farm
EiEi O

Repeat with more farm animals...
Horse, Pig, Chicken, Mouse, Cat, Dog, Sheep - RABBIT (no sound! - follow with the next book)

Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say Moo by Jonathan Allen
(play off the Old MacDonald Song - Rabbits have no sound!)







I Went Walking by Sue Williams
~ This makes a great Felt story too!
OPL Link



Five Friendly Farmers

Five friendly farmers
Wake up the sun
For it is early morning
And the chores must be done

The first friendly farmer
Goes to milk the cow

The second friendly farmer
Thought he'd better plow

The third friendly farmer
Feeds the hungry hens

The fourth friendly farmer
Puts the piggies in their pen

The fifth friendly farmer
Picks the nice ripe corn
And waves to the neighbor
As he blows his horn

When the work is finished
And the evening sky is red
Five tired farmers
Tumble into bed!


Barnyard Boogie from Let's Play Music
(slow down for laptime and omit the clapping parts)

Fifteen Animals sung by John Stey from Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton
OPL Link

Whoa Nelly! Oh, I mean Bob.

or a FABULOUS Laptime option from Sandra Boynton is also:



Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton
OPL Link


What animals do you find in a barn or on a farm?
(now is the time to take suggestion or pick toy animals from the milk pail)


Where can I find a horse? I want to ride!


This is the Way the Farmer Rides

This is the way the farmer rides, the farmer rides, the farmer rides
-bounce baby on your knee
 
This is the way 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...
-soft side saddle trot
 
This is the way the Baby rides...
-silly giggly, tickly rolllicking bounce
 
And Old Dobbin, well he just goes gallopy trot, gallopy trot
insert slow and goofy voice here ;)
-work both knees opposite, one up, the other down, baby straddling both and rocking all over.


Horsey Horsey 
This works well as a round or with rthym sticks
- although... only if you are telling to the older children.
p.s. I would NOT combine a round with the rhythm sticks 
- that would be asking just a bit much of adults, let alone little kids! ;)

Horsey horsey on your way
We've been together for many a day,
So let your tail go swish,
And your wheels go 'round.
Giddy'up we're homeward bound.

I like to take the horse and the buggy
As we go traveling through the town
I like to hear old Dobbin's Clip Clop
As I watch the wheels go 'round.


Creeping Cat

Creeping, creeping, creeping
-creep fingers up other arm
Comes the little cat

But the bunny with his long ears-hop fingers of one hand up other arm
Hops like that!


There was a Little Bunny
sing to the 'Sing a Song of Sixpence'

There was a little bunny,-make rabbit ears with hands
He lived in a stump-draw a three-sided box for a stump

He was so small and furry
 - crouch down
He couldn't even jump
-make a feeble effort to jump

Carrot after carrot 
-pretend to chomp on carrots

Made him grow so big 
-slowly rise to standing

He hopped around in circles
And did the bunny jig
-dance/hop around in a circle


I've got Piggies!
Have you got piggies?
Where are your piggies?
See my piggies?
Have you got your piggies ready...

Piggies by Audrey Wood
I like to tell this as a fingerplay, but it's great to have the book ready to check out and take home
OPL Link










Ten Fluffy Chickens

Five Eggs-hold up 5 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, what do I see-clap hands

Ten fluffy chicks as yellow as can be-hold up all ten wriggling fingers


Chicken by Meish Goldish

Known for it's feathers and wings and legs,
The chicken lays eggs and eggs and eggs!

Known for the comb atop it's crown,
The chicken lays eggs of white and brown.

Known for it's strut when taking a walk,
The chicken lays eggs! Ba-a-awk! Ba-a-awk!


Little Baby Mousey
check out the music in What Will we do with the Baby-O by Theo Heras

Little baby mousey,-walk your fingers up baby's arm
Runs from the barn-ey to the house-y,

In the pantry,
-peek under baby's shirt (or tickle belly)
Under the shelf-lift baby's chin and tickle

Found some cheese
-point to a big grin on your face

And helped him self!
-tickle all over


Soft Kitty

Soft Kitty, warm kitty
Little ball of fur
-make a fist of left hand

Lazy kitty, pretty kitty
Purr, purr, purr.
-pet 'kitty' with right hand

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker
OPL Link 


Hickety Pickety
Hickety Pickety my black hen
She lays eggs for gentlemen

Sometimes 9, sometimes 10
Hickety pickety, my black hen!


I Had a Little Piggie

I had a little piggie-hands apart to show a little piggieAnd I fed him from a trough
He grew so big and fat-move hand apart a bit moreThat his tail popped off
-pop finger in cheek
So I got me a hammer-hold one hand up with 'hammer' in it
And I got me a nail
-other hand up with a pretend nail

And I made that piggie a wooden tail!-'hammer' the 'nail'


Get those toes, oh, I mean get your PIGGIES out
Wait! Do your piggies have tails? No? Did they pop off too?
No worries kids, I'm just foolin' with ya ;)

- biggest to smallest and here we go...


This Little Piggie

This little piggie went to market
This little piggie stayed home
This little piggie had roast beef
This little piggie had none
And this little piggie cried
'wee wee wee' all the way home


Little Puppies and Kittens

One little, two little, three little kittens-hold up three fingers
Were napping in the sun
-bend fingers down
One little, two little, three little puppies said-three fingers up on other hand, it helps if you have a mischievous look on your face
Come let us all have fun
-shhhhhh
Up to the kittens the puppies went creeping-move puppies slowly closer to the kittensAs quiet as quiet can be

One little, two little, three little kittens
Scampered up the nearest tree!-move kittens quickly into the air
Naughty, naughty, naughty!
-shake a no-no finger / tsk, tsk, tsk


Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill-place hands on shoulders
One named Jack and one named Jill
-look to one, then the other

Fly away Jack, fly away Jill
-hands fly away in turn
Come back Jack, come back Jill
-hands come back one by one

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill
One named Jack and one named Jill
-nod to one, then the other.


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Ideas for converting to a Storytime....


Cows, we're remarkable cows...from Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton

Barnyard Song by Rhonda Greene
OPL Link

Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
OPL Link

















Big Sneeze by Ruth Brown
don't give ME that cold!
OPL Link


Cover your Mouth if you Sneeze
~ thanks Brenda for teaching this one to me


Cover your mouth when you cough
~cough into elbow
Cover your mouth when you sneeze
~sneeze (achew) into elbow
If you cough, or if you sneeze
Cover your mouth if you please
~'thank you' in sign language

Animal Music by Harriet Ziefert (storytime)
OPL Link









Goodnight Lulu by Paulette Bogan
OPL Link (no longer available at the library)



Every farm has to have a good cat. Do you have a cat? Is it an inside cat or an outside cat? Well, this particular cat was supposed to be an INSIDE cat, but he got out!

Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert
OPL Link














Goodbye Old Paint

Goodbye Old Paint, I'm leavin' Cheyenne
Goodbye Old Paint, I'm leavin' Cheyenne
I'm a-leavin' Cheyenne, I'm off to Montan'
Goodbye, old Paint, I'm a-leavin' Cheyenne


Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse: A Prepositional Tale by Rick Walton
Over, Under, Through!
OPL Link 



 


Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
OPL Link








Betty Botter Bought Some Better Butter
(this tongue twister is probably better in a storytime instead of a laptime)

Betty Botter bought some butter,
But she said, this butter's bitter.
If I put it in my batter
It will make my batter bitter

But a bit of better butter
Will make my batter better.
So she bought some better butter
Better than the bitter butter

And she put it in her batter
Now her batter was not bitter
So 'twas better Betty Botter
Bought a bit of better butter.


Piggie Wig and Piggie Wee

Piggie Wig and Piggie Wee
-hold up two thumbs

Hungry pigs as pigs could be,
For their dinner had to wait
Down behind the barnyard gate
-make a gate with your hands/fingers

Piggie Wig and Piggie Wee
-wiggle thumbs again

Climbed the barnyard gate to see
-poke thumbs through fingers

Peeping thorugh the gate so high,
But no dinner could they spy
-wiggle thumbs

Piggie Wig an Piggie Wee got down
-back thumbs out of 'gate'

Sad as pigs could be
But the gate soon opened wide
-hands swing apart

Now they scampered forth outside
-thumbs run out

Piggie Wi and Piggie Wee
Greedy as pigs could be
For their dinner ran pell mell
And into the trough both piggies fell
-make a trough with hands, thumbs fall in