Terrific Twos Storytime: Birds

Can't Wait to Celebrate

from Jim Gill's CD The Irrational Anthem

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Count to 10

Balance the Birds

Where's Little Duck? felt game

Little duck is hidden behind one of several colored eggs- can we find him?

If I Was a Bird

By Old Town School of Folk Music in the CD Wiggleworms Love You

Breathing Ball

Ducks Away

Got a Feather

(to the tune of Clementine)

Got a feather, got a feather, got a feather on my [nose, toe, etc.]

First I lost it, then I found it

Got a feather on my [nose, toe, etc.]

5 Little Birds + felt board

(to the tune of 5 Little Ducks, learned from my coworker)

One little bird with feathers of blue

Flew beside a green one and then there were two.

Two little birds came singing in the tree

The red bird came and then there were three.

Three little birds wishing there were more

Along came the purple bird and then there were four.

Four little birds, happy to be alive

Found a little yellow one and then there were five.

Five little birds as happy as can be

Singing a beautiful song just for you and me!

Splish Splash Ducky

I Know a Chicken + egg shakers

From Laurie Berkner's CD Whaddaya Think of That?

Bubbles in the Air + Bubbles

Goodbye Train

Stamp

Terrific Twos Storytime: Frogs & Toads

Can't Wait to Celebrate

from Jim Gill's CD The Irrational Anthem

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Count to 10

Spotted Singers

by Kelly Calhoun

1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Froggies

1 little, 2 little, 3 little froggies

4 little, 5 little, 6 little froggies

7 little, 8 little, 9 little froggies

10 little froggies say...ribbit!

Walking, Walking

*We used Anne-Marie Akin's version from the CD Songs for Wiggleworms, but a similar version can be found on Youtube:

Breathing Ball

(really called a Hoberman Sphere)

Jump!

Jumping and Counting

From Jim Gill's CD The Irrational Anthem

5 Green and Speckled Frogs

5 green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log

eating the most delicious bugs- yum, yum!

One jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool

Now there are 4 green speckled frogs

(repeat until no frogs are left)

Where Is Mama?

Bubbles in the Air

Bubbles

The Goodbye Train + Stamps

February and March Storytimes- My Experiment with No Themes

I haven't posted in a while, but I thought the return to storytime after our library's spring break was a good time to re-start. I absolutely love storytimes (they're one of my favorite parts of my job) but doing 5-7 a week for a 17 week session sometimes feels like a lot. I found myself only ok with a lot of my themes and finding songs that my very young 2 year old group would like felt like such a chore. Plus, my preschool group right now is preferring longer books and activities over most songs, so it was tough catering to that group and staying on theme. Instead, I've been playing around with the idea of not doing themes at all.

I don't know if no themes would work for everybody. I know I have at least one coworker who really finds her inspiration in themes and enjoys the detective work that comes from finding that one book about mustaches that really does work for two year olds. I felt, however, that families were leaving my storytimes a little unsatisfied and I could find a way to make them have a little more fun.

An post on Jbrary's website (which you can find here) came at the perfect time for me. If you haven't read it yet (and you should), it's all about the flow from activity to activity in storytime, rather than focusing on a theme. This has been working fantastically for me and even though I do have a few themes in my pocket to round out my spring, I feel so much more confident just throwing away my theme if it isn't working for me.

After all of that, we have had a lot of fun in February and March! Here are some books (some older, some newer) that my groups especially enjoyed, along with which group read them:

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Twos, but I suspect my older kids would love it, too)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(Big Kids, Threes, mixed-age preschool outreach)

(Twos)

(Big Kids- 4 & up)

(3s, Big Kids, mixed-age preschool outreach)

(Twos)

(Big Kids, but I plan to test it out on my twos group as well)

What do you think about no-theme storytimes? Have they worked for you? Leave a comment and share!

Terrific Twos Storytime: Valentine's Day

Clap Your Hands

(From the Old Town School of Folk Music CD “Songs for Wiggleworms”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

Guess Who? by Lola Schaefer

One Little, Two Little

One little, two little, three little hearts

Four little, five little, six little hearts

Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts

Ten little hearts and a kiss!

Skidamarink

from the CD "Wiggleworms Love You"

A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy

Got a Heart

*Everyone got a felt heart in a different color for this song. After the song we made a rainbow with all of our hearts.

Got a heart, got a heart, got a heart on my nose

First I lost it, then I found it

Got a heart on my nose 

[repeat with as many body parts as you would like]

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?

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

Terrific Twos Storytime: Bedtime

Clap Your Hands

(From the Old Town School of Folk Music CD “Songs for Wiggleworms”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

A Number Slumber by Suzanne Bloom

Dance Your Fingers Up

Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down

Dance your fingers to the side, dance them all around

Dance them on your shoulders, dance them on your head

Dance them on your tummies, and put the all to bed

From Best Kids Book Site

My Thumbs Are Starting to Wiggle

Tune: The Bear Went Over the Mountain

My thumbs are starting to wiggle,

My thumbs are starting to wiggle,

My thumbs are starting to wiggle,

Body is starting to wiggle: around and around and around!

And now so are my hands/arms/toes/feet...

(Sing about other body parts as wiggles spread!)

From Jbrary

Breathing Ball

Tuck Me In by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

* This was a HUGE hit with the two year old! I highly recommend it for storytimes

Five Monkeys Jumping on the Bed + Ukulele

This Is the Way We Wash + Scarves

This is the way we wash our arms, wash our arms, wash our arms

This is the way we wash our arms, when we get ready for bed

[continue with as many body parts as you like]

Get Out Of My Bath! by Britta Teckentrup

* I don't usually read a third book for my two year old group, but this one worked out really well. It's pretty short, and kids loved using their scarves to follow along with the motions of the book.

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

Terrific Twos Storytime: Wild Animals

To tie into our Winter Reading Club (Reading is Wild!) which started last week, I thought it would be fun to do a wild animals theme this week. Plus it was a good opportunity to use some songs and/or stories which are more familiar to kids- I like to do that for the first week or so, just to get kids used to me and being in the storytime routine. Here's what we were up to-

Clap Your Hands

(From the Old Town School of Folk Music CD “Songs for Wiggleworms”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

Have You Seen Elephant? by David Barrow

* This was a HUGE hit! Not all the kids really got the humor of an elephant playing hide and seek, but they absolutely loved trying to find the elephant on every page.

I Took a Walk

*I printed a few pictures of wild animals (lion, elephant, etc.) to play this guessing game

I took a walk to the zoo one day

and met a [lion] along the way

And what do you think that [lion] did say?

[Roar!]

Hippopotamus on a 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

Moooove over!

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

And all, and all, and all the people said

Move baaaack!

From Jbrary

(we tapped our knees instead of bouncing)

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)

Do Crocs Kiss? by Salina Yoon

If You're a Lion and You Know It

If you're a lion and you know it, roar out loud- ROAR!

If you're a lion and you know it, roar out loud- ROAR!

If you're a lion and you know it, and you really want to show it

If you're a lion and you know it, roar out loud- ROAR!

If you're an elephant and you know it, stomp your feet [stomp stomp]

If you're an elephant and you know it, stomp your feet [stomp stomp]

If you're an elephant and you know it and you really want to show it

If you're an elephant and you know it, stomp your feet [stomp stomp]

If you're a crocodile and you know, snap your jaws [snap snap]

If you're a crocodile and you know, snap your jaws [snap snap]

If you're a crocodile and you know it and you really want to show it

If you're a crocodile and you know, snap your jaws [snap snap]

The Wheels on the Bus by Jane Cabrera

*I don't usually read 3 books to my Terrific Twos, but sometimes I'll slip in a Jane Cabrera book (which is basically a song anyway)

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

Terrific Twos Storytime: Pets

Can’t Wait to Celebrate

(from Jim Gill’s CD “Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

I Spy Pets by Edward Gibbs

Good Pet/Bad Pet Game

Similar to the challenge for my Big Kids group, I showed pictures of several animals and we decided if they would make good pets or not.

If You're a Doggie and You Know It

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

If you're a doggie and you know it say woof woof (woof woof)

If you're a doggie and you know it say woof woof (woof woof)

If you're a doggie and you know it and you really want to show it

If you're a doggie and you know it say woof woof (woof woof)

[repeat with kitty/meow, fish/bloop, etc.]

from Storytime with Miss Mollie

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat

Kitty cat, kitty cat turn around

Kitty cat, kitty cat touch the ground

Kitty cat, kitty cat paws up high

Kitty cat, kitty cat wink one eye

Kitty cat, kitty cat touch your nose

Kitty cat, kitty cat touch your toes

Kitty cat, kitty cat tap your knees

Kitty cat, kitty cat sit down please

from Miss Sarah's Storytime

Breathing Ball

Found Dogs by Erica Sirotich

Ten Little Puppies

One little,  two little, three little puppies

Four little, five little, six little puppies

Seven little, eight little, nine little puppies

Ten little puppies bark like this- woof woof!

from Librarian Lisa's Storytimes

Ears, Whiskers, Tail & Paws

(to the tune of "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes")

Ears, whiskers, tail, and paws- tail and paws

Ears, whiskers, tail, and paws- tail and paws

Fur and eyes and mouth and claws

Ears, whiskers, tail, and paws- tail and paws

from Perry Public Library

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

Terrific Twos Storytime: Yoga & Dancing

Can’t Wait to Celebrate

(from Jim Gill’s CD “Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

We've All Got Bellybuttons! by David Martin

Can You Dance?

from the CD "Everyone Loves to Dance" by Aaron Nigel Smith

Shake My Sillies Out

from the CD "Raffi In Concert" by Raffi

Row Row Row Your Boat

from the CD "Songs for Wiggleworms"

Breathing Ball

You Are a Lion and Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo

Skip to My Lou

from the CD "Little Box of Happy" by Bari Koral

*This was a HUGE hit with 2 year olds. I highly recommend this one

Family Goodbyes

from the CD "Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern Times" by Jim Gill

*I cut a few verses out of  this one to make it a little more rowdy toddler-friendly

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

Terrific Twos Storytime: On the Farm

Can’t Wait to Celebrate

(from Jim Gill’s CD “Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense”)

ABCs

Open/Shut Them

Open shut them, open shut them

Give a little clap 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!

Count to 10 and Back

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean

Five pigs so squeaky clean, cleanest you've ever seen

Wanted to go outside and play- Oink! Oink!

One jumped into the mud, landed with a big thud

Now there are four clean squeaky pigs

[repeat until all pigs are messy]

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb

Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow

[repeat with different colors and things that are those colors. Ex. yellow as sun, green as grass, etc.]

Breathing Ball

Giant Pop-Up Farm

Put Your Hands Up High

(to the tune of "Do Your Ears Hang Low?")

Put your hands up high, put your hands down low

Put your hands in the middle and wave them just so

Put your elbows in the front, put your elbows to the back

Put your elbows to the sides and quack quack quack!

from Jbrary

Old MacDonald + puppets

*We used our collection of animal puppets to sing several verses of Old MacDonald. The kids guessed each animal and animal sound based on the puppet.

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

(to the tune of She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)

The goodbye train is leaving, the goodbye train is leaving

The goodbye train is leaving see you soon (toot toot)