Curious Crazy Creatures and their Custodial Caretakers

Curious Crazy Creatures and their Custodial Caretakers
A wacky, zany and totally funny 30 minute Story time for 1st-6th graders as presented by our fabulous storyteller and fellow librarian Julie E.!

Resources:

Books:

My Little Sister Ate One Hair by Bill Grossman
OPL Link

Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox

OPL Link

Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles
OPL Link








Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
OPL Link










Wait! No Paint by Bruce Whatley
OPL Link







Visuals:

Goose
Pig
Sheep
Horse
Cow
Hen
Fox
Doll clothes

Program:

1) Welcome, favorite animals, going to the zoo

2) Edward the Emu

3) Assign 7 children to be the animals

4) Hattie and the Fox

5) Practice, “but she didn’t!”

6) My Little Sister Ate One Hair

7) Song: Chicken Lips (For Our Children CD)
OPL Link


8) What kinds of clothes do animals wear? Why? Have some children try to put clothes on one of the animals

9) Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing

10) If there is still time left, Wait! No Paint

__________________

Additional titles that come to mind:

Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
OPL Link

My Little Sister Hugged an Ape by Bill Grossman
OPL Link


 




Hildegard Sings by Thomas Wharton
Out of print title, not available at the library





 
Sarah's Story by Bill Harley
OPL Link





 


 

Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? by Shel Silverstein
OPL Link

Philadelphia Chickens: a too-illogical zoological musical revue by Sandra Boynton
OPL Link


 



Blue Moo: 17  Jukebox hits from way back never by Sandra Boynton
OPL Link

Amazing Cows: A book of bovinely inspired misinformation by Sandra Boynton
OPL Link






 

Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
OPL Link

 
Chicken Butt by Erica Perl
OPL Link









 

Interrupting Chicken by David Stein
OPL Link

Check out an amazing example of telling Interrupting Chicken by one of Orem Library's volunteer storytellers, Mary D

 

Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin
OPL Link









Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
OPL Link

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

BLUE MOO!!

Hi everyone!

Guess what I just found...
(I can't believe it, it's been out since November and I missed it somehow?!)

Yep, you guessed it, there is a

NEW SANDRA BOYNTON book & CD!

BLUE MOO

Here, take this link, have a listen and you too will be HOOKED ;)

Make sure you listen to these, my favs!

Gorilla Song by Sha Na Na
~Perfect to go along with Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann, Bananas of the World Unite!, and Hungry Monster by Phyllis Root

Your Nose by Neil Sedaka
~Add it to the 'Move it Baby' list

LOUD!/Quiet by Michael Ford
~Can you say LAPTIME? Great learning song for the little ones - maybe make signs that you hold up to go along with the song, as it does go a bit fast for the little ones.

Rabbit Tango by Patti LuPone
~Team this one up with Emily Gravett's Wolves and you've got the start of a great Elementary (and older) story set.

Oh, and I have to add that I love Your Personal Penguin by Davy Jones, Blue Moo '62 by the Sparklets, When a Hippo Can Dance by Keith Boynton, Speed Turtle by Brian Wilson, oh Heavens! Just add them all! And I thought Philadelphia Chickens was unbeatable!

Just in case you've missed Sandra Boynton & Crew's other titles ...

...make sure you click these titles, some of my particular favorites:

Philadelphia Chickens
Cows sung by The Seldom Herd
Snuggle Puppy sung by Eric Stoltz
Fifteen Animals sung by John Stey
Be Like a Duck sung by Keith Boynton
Belly Button (Round) sung by The Heath Sisters
Pig Island sung by Scott Bakula

Rhinoceros Tap
Horns to Toes sung by Adam Bryant
Perfect Piggies sung by Adam Bryant
Tropical Island sung by Adam Bryant
Horns to Toes sung by Adam Bryant

p.s. I really need to re-listen to Dog Train, I do know that there is quite a following among the little boy crowd for this one.

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.


________________________________

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