Indoor Beach Party

Even the hardiest Midwesterner can get a little tired of the winter by January, which made it the perfect time for an indoor beach party! We did a short beach-themed storytime followed by a rotation of stations.

Beach pudding cups- I think I originally saw the idea here but there are a ton of versions out there.

Crepe paper hula skirts

Paper leis

Beachy books to check out

Hula hooping with beachy music

Shark feeding game- we made fish out of some stray Easter eggs and kids tried to get them into the shark's mouth

Happy Birthday, Elephant and Piggie!

In April 2016 a coworker and I threw a birthday party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the beginning of Mo Willems' Elephant & Piggie series. We read a story, sang happy birthday, and rotated through stations of snacks and party games. We had a ton of fun!

Singing Happy Birthday

Pin-the-hat on Piggie

Gerald-themed party blowers

A birthday card

Fun Fact about our Elephant and Piggie collection

Goodie bags with take-home activities (we had the bags left over from last year's Summer Reading Club)

A book display to check out or read at the party

Our final birthday card. We sent it to Mo Willem's fan mail address, so we hope it made its way to him!

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

Welcome to the Neighborhood was a very fun Daniel Tiger-themed program. We started with a short story and then families were free to visit a variety of stations.

We knew this would be a popular program so we split it between our two storytime rooms. Patrons who registered were welcome to visit both rooms while patrons who did not could still play the games which did not require materials.

A fun "goody bag" found here with a copy of the puzzle game from one of the stations

Making a watch craft

Trolly photobooth opportunity

Mix and match game found here

O's Reading Corner with plenty of Daniel Tiger books to read at the program or take home

I made this game by printing large images of each character, cutting them out, then using them as stencils to cut out the same image from black construction paper. I also put velcro dots on each character so the game could be played on the side of a cabinet.

Semi-recycled from a pokemon-themed tossing game, but kids still had fun

This program was a ton of fun. We're fortunate enough to have an outdoor space just outside our storytime rooms and it's great for being able to spread out during nice weather. Ugga mugga!

Terrific Twos Storytime- Kids Choice Spring 2017

If You’re Ready For a Story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

This Is Big Big Big

This is big big big, this is small small small

This is short short short, this is tall tall tall

This is fast fast fast, this is slow slow slow

This is yes yes yes, this is no no no

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap clap clap

Open shut them, open shut them

Put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth—but do not let them in!

How Do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets? by Jane Yolen

Flipping Pancakes

*for this song, everybody had their own felt pancake that they tossed up at the end to try catching

Mixing pancakes, stirring pancakes, pop them in the pan

Frying pancakes, flipping pancakes, catch them if you can!

Big Stack of Pancakes

(to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus")

A big stack of pancakes needs lots of syrup, lots of syrup, lots of syrup

A big stack of pancakes needs lots of syrup to make the perfect breakfast

[We sang several more verses, starting with berries and continuing on to things like apples, snow, hot dogs, and ants]

Tooty Ta

(from Dr. Jean's CD "Dr. Jean & Friends)

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Hippopotamus on a City Bus

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus

Got on, got on, got on a city bus

And all, and all, and all the people said

You’re squishing us!

A cow, a cow, a cow got on the bus

and all, and all, and all the people said

Mooove over!

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on the bus

And all, and all, and all the people said

Move baaaack!

Slippery Fish

Slippery fish, slippery fish, swimming through the water

Slippery fish, slippery fish- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Tuna fish, tuna fish, swimming through the water

Tuna fish, tuna fish- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Octopus, octopus, swimming through the water

Octopus, octopus- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Great white shark, great white shark, swimming through the water

Great white shark, great white shark- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Great big whale, great big whale, swimming through the water

Great big whale, great big whale- chomp! chomp! BURP!

Peanut Butter Song

First you spread the peanut butter, then you spread the jam

You put a slice of bread on top and eat up all you can

Then you take your sticky fingers and you wipe them on your pants

And you do a little wiggle for a peanut butter dance!

The Mixed-Up Truck by Stephen Savage

Bubbles in the Air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high in the sky

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, and they tickle on your toes

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Storytime is over now, over now, over now

Storytime is over now—see you next time!

Big Kids Storytime- Kid's Choice Spring 2017

I swear kids this week knew it was the last week of storytime- everyone was so nutty that I was having flashbacks to teaching middle school at the end of the school year! The idea of the Kids Choice storytimes is to let kids choose their favorite stories and songs from storytime or home to make a storytime together. We had a ton of fun this, but we didn't quite get to everything in the plan. Here's everything we tried to do-

Hello Friends

Hello friends, hello friends

Hello friends- it's time to say hello!

Letter of the Week: R

The letter of the week is r r r, r r r, r r r

The letter of the week is r r r and it makes the sound rrrr

Words we came up with: rabbit, rooster, run, rocket

ABCs

The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle

Flipping Pancakes

*for this song, everybody had their own felt pancake that they tossed up at the end to try catching

Mixing pancakes, stirring pancakes, pop them in the pan

Frying pancakes, flipping pancakes, catch them if you can!

Big Stack of Pancakes

(to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus")

A big stack of pancakes needs lots of syrup, lots of syrup, lots of syrup

A big stack of pancakes needs lots of syrup to make the perfect breakfast

[We sang several more verses, starting with berries and continuing on to things like apples, snow, hot dogs, and ants]

Knife/Fork/Spoon/Spatula

I'm a knife, fork, spoon, spatula- cha cha cha!

I'm a knife, fork, spoon, spatula- cha cha cha!

I'm a knife, fork spoon, I'm a knife, fork, spoon

I'm a knife, fork, spoon, spatula- cha cha cha!

*We did this three times, getting faster each time

An Amazing Snowman by Barbara Jean Hicks

Slippery Fish

Slippery fish, slippery fish, swimming through the water

Slippery fish, slippery fish- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Tuna fish, tuna fish, swimming through the water

Tuna fish, tuna fish- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Octopus, octopus, swimming through the water

Octopus, octopus- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Great white shark, great white shark, swimming through the water

Great white shark, great white shark- chomp! chomp! chomp!

Great big whale, great big whale, swimming through the water

Great big whale, great big whale- chomp! chomp! BURP!

Peanut Butter Song

First you spread the peanut butter, then you spread the jam

You put a slice of bread on top and eat up all you can

Then you take your sticky fingers and you wipe them on your pants

And you do a little wiggle for a peanut butter dance!

Tooty Ta

from Dr. Jean's CD "Dr. Jean & Friends"

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Family Goodbye

from Jim Gill's CD "Moving Rhymes for Modern Times"

Goodbye Friends

Goodbye friends, goodbye friends

Goodbye friends- it's time to say goodbye!

Lap Sit Week of 5/8/2017

Seventeen weeks flew by and it's already the end of our storytime session! I'm always a little sad to see storytime end- it means fewer kids each day and bunches of kids moving on to the next age group. This was a great week, though, and the kids graduating to the next group will definitely have a ton of fun! A crew of toddlers who are going through a hugging phase also took the sting out of the end of the session. Here's what we were up to this week-

If You’re Ready For a Story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

This Is Big Big Big

This is big big big, this is small small small

This is short short short, this is tall tall tall

This is fast fast fast, this is slow slow slow

This is yes yes yes, this is no no no

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap clap clap

Open shut them, open shut them

Put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth—but do not let them in!

Noodle Loves the Park by Marion Billet

Hippopotamus on a City Bus

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus

Got on, got on, got on a city bus

And all, and all, and all the people said

You’re squishing us!

A cow, a cow, a cow got on the bus

and all, and all, and all the people said

Mooove over!

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on the bus

And all, and all, and all the people said

Move baaaack!

The Elevator Song

The city is great and the city is grand

There's a whole lot of people on a little piece of land

And we live way up on the 57th floor

So here's what we do when we go out the door

We take the elevator up, take the elevator down

We take the elevator up, take the elevator down

We take the elevator up, take the elevator down

And we turn around!

Grr Grr Went the Big Brown Bear

Grr grr went the big brown bear one day

Grr grr went the big brown bear

Grr grr went the big brown bear one day

And the bear went grr grr grr

But- we know bears go huggy huggy hug

Huggy huggy hug, huggy huggy hug

We know bears go huggy huggy hug

They don't go grr grr grr

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish one day

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish

Bloop bloop went the little blue fish one day

And the fish went bloop bloop bloop

But- we know fish go kissy kissy kiss

Kissy kissy kiss, kissy kissy kiss

We know fish go kissy kissy kiss

They don't go bloop bloop bloop

Roly Poly

Roly poly, roly poly

Out out out, out out out

Roly roly poly, roly roly poly

In in in, in in in

Roly poly, roly poly

Fast fast fast, fast fast fast

Roly roly poly, roly roly poly

Slow slow slow, slow slow slow

Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round

Round and round, round and round

The wheels on the bus go round and round

All through the town

(Repeat with kids on the bus go up and down, grown-ups on the bus go shh shh shh, etc.)

Slowly, Slowly

Slowly, slowly very slowly creeps the garden snail

Slowly, slowly very slowly up the garden rail

Quickly, quickly very quickly runs the little mouse

Quickly, quickly very quickly to his little house

Shaking Like a Leafy Tree + Egg Shakers

*from The Wiggles CD "Racing to the Rainbow"

Bubbles in the Air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high in the sky

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, and they tickle on your toes

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Storytime is over now, over now, over now

Storytime is over now—see you next time!

Terrific Twos Storytime- Blast Off!

If You’re Ready For a Story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

This Is Big Big Big

This is big big big, this is small small small

This is short short short, this is tall tall tall

This is fast fast fast, this is slow slow slow

This is yes yes yes, this is no no no

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap clap clap

Open shut them, open shut them

Put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth—but do not let them in!

Sheep Blast Off by Margot Apple

*This one was fun, but not as big a hit as it was at the Big Kids storytime. I think this group liked the rhyming, but they didn't quite get the humor of the story. It would definitely worth trying the other ones in this series with this age group, though.

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

If you want to take a trip, climb aboard my rocket ship

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLASTOFF!

Bumping Up and Down

Bumping up and down in my little space shuttle

Bumping up and down in my little space shuttle

Bumping up and down in my little space shuttle

Won't you fly to the moon with me?

My space suit's on and my boots are too

My space suit's on and my boots are too

My space suit's on and my boots are too

Won't you fly to the moon with me?

We're Flying Off in Space

*for this, I printed a few space-y pictures like planets, aliens, rockets, etc. and sang the following song to guess them-

We're flying off in space, we're flying off in space

I think we'll see a [rocket ship] there, we're flying off in space

Astronaut Piggy Wiggy by Christyan and Diane Fox

If You're Going to the Moon

(to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It)

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon, if you're going to the moon

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

If you're going to the moon, if you;re going to the moon

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

[we also came up with wear your helmet (pat your head) and wear your gloves (clap hands)]

Moon Jump

(from Aaron Nigel Smith's CD Let's Pretend)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Cabrera

Bubbles in the Air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high in the sky

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, and they tickle on your toes

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Storytime is over now, over now, over now

Storytime is over now—see you next time!

Big Kids Storytime- Blast Off!

Hello Friends

Hello friends, hello friends

Hello friends- it's time to say hello!

Letter of the Week

The letter of the week is o o o, o o o, o o o

The letter of the week is o o o and it makes the sound ooooo

ABCs

Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

If you want to take a trip, climb aboard my rocket ship

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLASTOFF!

We're Flying Off in Space

*for this, I printed a few space-y pictures like planets, aliens, rockets, etc. and sang the following song to guess them-

We're flying off in space, we're flying off in space

I think we'll see a [rocket ship] there, we're flying off in space

There Was a Bold Lady Who Wanted a Star by Charise Mericle Harper

*This was a great story for practicing retelling skills. We had a good time remembering all the items to lady tried using to reach the star.

If You're Going to the Moon

(to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It)

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon, if you're going to the moon

If you're going to the moon wear your boots (stomp stomp)

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

If you're going to the moon, if you;re going to the moon

If you're going to the moon wear your suit (ziiiip!)

[we also came up with wear your helmet (pat your head) and wear your gloves (clap hands)]

Moon Jump

(from Aaron Nigel Smith's CD Let's Pretend)

Sheep Blast Off by Margot Apple

*This group of kids is really sharp- they noticed the alien hiding pretty quickly and we had a lot of fun finding it on each page. We also spent a solid 5-10 minutes talking about why sheep would not make good astronauts.

Goodbye Friends

Goodbye friends, goodbye friends

Goodbye friends- it's time to say goodbye!

Lap Sit Week of 5/1/2017

If You’re Ready For a Story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story clap your hands (clap clap)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story stomp your feet (stomp stomp)

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

If you’re ready for a story, if you’re ready for a story

If you’re ready for a story wave hello

This Is Big Big Big

This is big big big, this is small small small

This is short short short, this is tall tall tall

This is fast fast fast, this is slow slow slow

This is yes yes yes, this is no no no

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap clap clap

Open shut them, open shut them

Put them in your lap lap lap

Creep them crawl them, creep them crawl them

Right up to your chinny chin chin

Open wide your little mouth—but do not let them in!

Peek-a Who? by Nina Laden

She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes (yee-haw!)

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes (yee-haw!)

She'll be coming 'round the mountain, she'll be coming 'round the mountain

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes (yee-haw!)

She'll be riding six white horses when she comes (woah there!)

She'll be riding six white horses when she comes (woah there!)

She'll be riding six white gorses, she'll be riding six white horses

She'll be riding six white horses when she comes (woah there!)

We'll all come out to greet her when she comes (kiss kiss)

We'll all come out to greet her when she comes (kiss kiss)

We'll all come out and greet her, we'll all come out and greet her

We'll all come out to greet her when she comes (kiss kiss)

Lift One Foot

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift one foot and then the other

Lift them both together

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift one arm and then the other

Lift them both together

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

If you want to take a trip, climb aboard my rocket ship

Zoom zoom zoom, we’re going to the moon

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLASTOFF!

Bumping Up and Down

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Bumping up and down in my little red wagon

Won’t you be my darling?

One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken

One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken

One wheel’s off and the axel’s broken

Won’t you be my darling?

Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round

Round and round, round and round

The wheels on the bus go round and round

All through the town

(Repeat with kids on the bus go up and down, grown-ups on the bus go shh shh shh, etc.)

Bubbles in the Air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles in the air, there are bubbles in the air

There are bubbles in the air, in the air

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way up high, way up high in the sky

There are bubbles way up high, way up high

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

There are bubbles way down low, and they tickle on your toes

There are bubbles way down low, way down low

Bubbles

Goodbye Song

Storytime is over now, over now, over now

Storytime is over now—see you next time!