Ten Friends Today
Credit: Fun With Friends at Storytime, Kathryn Roach

One friend, two friends, three friends, four
In they come right through the door.
Five friends, six friends, seven friends, eight
Nine friends, ten friends make it great!
Ready to listen, ready to play,
Ten little friends are here today!

Hooray!!

Making New Friends
Credit:  Madison Public Library
 
Good day, everybody. (Nod to others.)
Good day, everybody
Good day, good day, good day
Smile, everybody, (smile at others)
Smile, everybody,
Let’s chase the blues away.
Shake hands, everybody,
(shake hands with others)
Shake hands, everybody,
Let’s make new friends today.
​

Clap, Slap, Tap
Credit:  Fingerplays & Action Rhymes

Clap, clap, clap, clap   (clap hands)
Slap, slap, slap, slap  (slap legs)
Tap, tap, tap, tap (tap hands on head)

1,2,3 Good Friends/Uno, Dos, Tres Amigos
Credit: Madison Public Library

1, 2, 3 good friends,
4, 5, 6 good friends,
7, 8, 9 good friends,
10 good friends are we!
​
Uno, dos, tres amigos,
Cuatro, cinco, seis amigos
Siete, ocho, nueve amigos
Diez amigos son!
​

Two Little Friends
Credit: Storytime Katie

Two little friends are better than one,
And three are better than two
And four are much better still
Just think! What four little friends can do!

We Wave Hello/Goodbye Like This
Credit: Jbrary
To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"

Friends Go Marching
Credit:  Madison Public Library
To the tune of “The Ants Go Marching”
​
My friends are marching ‘round and round,
hurrah, hurrah.
My friends are marching ‘round and ‘round,
hurrah, hurrah.
My friends are marching ‘round and ‘round,
It’s time for a story, so let’s sit down.
And we all will sit on down
on the ground to get our next story
Book, book, book, book,
Book, book, book, book.

Let’s Be Friends
Credit:  Storytime Katie
To the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”

Let’s be friends with one another
One another, one another
Let’s be friends with one another
Let’s be friends today.

You can sing with a friend,
With a friend, with a friend
You can sing with a friend
Sing with friends today.

You can clap with a friend,
With a friend, with a friend
You can clap with a friend
Clap with friends today.

You can hop with a friend,
With a friend, with a friend
You can hop with a friend.
Hop with friends today.
​
Let’s be friends with one another
One another, one another
Let’s be friends with one another
Let’s be friends today.

I found a really neat school themed I-Spy activity on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I-Spy books are very popular at my library so I thought a pre-storytime I-Spy activity would be just the ticket!

I like to use the collage to talk about different objects that begin with the letter of the week.  We sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".  We talked about grilled cheese vs. peanut butter and jellly sandwiches. 

from Let’s Do It Again! by Mary Helen Richards  an ETM Song
To the tune of "Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow"

Come along and hop with me
Come along and hop with me
We’ll hop and hop
and hop and hop
so come along and hop with me

Come along and march with me
come along and march with me
We’ll march and march
and march and march
so come along and march with me

Come along and twirl with me
come along and twirl with me
We’ll twirl and twirl
and twirl and twirl
so come along and twirl with me

​Credit:  Nicole Lawton

Everybody stomp, stomp, stomp
Everybody jump, jump, jump
Everybody slap, slap, slap (slap knees)
Everybody tap, tap, tap (tap head)
Everybody twist, twist, twist
Everybody bend, bend, bend
Everybody clap, clap, clap
Everybody sit, sit, sit

Original version from Laptime Songs
Adapted by:  Nicole Lawton

Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
And tickle your nose
Tickle your shoulders
Tickle your knees
Let’s read another story
Sit down please

Credit Storytime Katie

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 you head
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed

​These are the songs that we listened to before storytime began.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, the album cover images are linked to Amazon so you can listen to a sample and/or purchase these great songs!

The storytime theme for this week has #KidPresident vibes so I had to include some Kid President wisdom into storytime. 

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the awesome human being that is Kid President - here is one of my favorite KP YouTube videos:

There is a book called Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome that is a fabulous read for grown-ups and kids!  The ideas for today's pre-storytime activity hails from KP's Guide.

When I introduce the letter of the week we talk about the initial sound that the letter makes.  I also like to have the caregivers draw the letter on their child and the kiddos (if they are old enough) "draw" the letter in the carpet or in the air. 

​Then we talk about the collage.  I will ask the kids questions about each of the objects pictured in the collage.  For example: I pointed to the nose and I asked "Do you have one?  What is it? Where is it?"

These are the songs that we danced to during storytime.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, the album cover images are linked to Amazon so you can listen to a sample and/or purchase these great songs!

Busy Hands
Credit:  Fingerplays & Action Rhymes
​
Hands on shoulders, hands on knees
Put them behind you if you please
Raise them up high in the air
Down at your sides, now touch your hair
Hands at the side now you may place
Touch your elbows, now your face
Raise hands high up as before
Now you may clap 1,2,3,4

Clap, Slap, Tap
Credit:  Fingerplays & Action Rhymes

Clap, clap, clap, clap   (clap hands)
Slap, slap, slap, slap  (slap legs)
Tap, tap, tap, tap (tap hands on head)

We Can Jump
from Storytime Katie Blog

We can jump, jump, jump
We can hop, hop, hop
We can clap, clap, clap
We can stop, stop, stop
We can nod our heads for yes
We can shake our heads for no
We can bend our knees a little bit
And we can sit down really slow

Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle
Credit:  Fingerplays & Action Rhymes
​
A wiggle, wiggle here, 
A wiggle, wiggle there,
Wiggle your hands,
Up in the air.
Wiggle your shoulders,
Wiggle your hips,
Wiggle your knees,
and move your lips.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
And wiggle and bend,
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
And that is the end!

​by  Cherise Mericle Harper
To the tune of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

There was a bold lady who wanted a star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.

There was a bold lady who bought some shoes.
She ran for miles and then stopped for a snooze.
She bought the shoes to catch the star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.

There was a bold lady who bought some skates.
She slid and slipped down hills and through gates.
She bought the skates to replace the shoes.
She bought the shoes to catch the star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.

There was a bold lady who bought a bike.
What’s not to like about riding a bike?
She bought the bike to replace the skates.
She bought the skates to replaces the shoes.
She bought the shoes to catch the star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.

There was a bold lady who bought a car.
She drove for a while but she couldn’t go far.
She bought the car to replace the bike.
She bought the bike to replace the skates.
She bought the skates to replace the shoes.
She bought the shoes to catch the star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.
There was a bold lady who bought a plane.
She flew through the snow and she flew through the rain.
She bought the plane to replace the car.
She bought the car to replace the bike.
She bought the bike to replace the skates.
She bought the skates to replace the shoes.
She bought the shoes to catch the star.
I don’t know why she wanted a star - it seemed too far.

There was a bold lady who bought a big rocket.
Then zoomed up and caught the star in her pocket.
She rode the rocket back to the plane.
She flew the plane back to the car.
She drove the car back to the bike.
She pedaled the bike back to the skates.
She skated on skates back to the shoes.
She ran for miles and didn’t stop for a snooze.

There was a bold lady who wanted a star.
Now I know why she wanted the star.
To put in a jar (so, it wasn’t so far).

Sung to the tune of "Jolly Good Fellow"

​The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
To see what they could see.
And all that they could see,
And all that they could see,
Was the other side of the mountain
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
Was all that they could see.

​These are the songs that we listened to after storytime.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, the album cover images are linked to Amazon so you can listen to a sample and/or purchase these great songs!

Hello Song: We'll Wave Hello Together
Credit: Verona Storytime

To the tune of: Are You Sleeping?

I am special,
I am special,
Yes I am.
Yes I am.
I'm a really neat kid
And a very sweet kid,
Yes I am,
Yes I am.

This is my fourth social justice storytime basket. For lists of my other social justice storytimes, click here.  I received some positive feedback from a couple of caregivers, so I think that it is safe to say that the theme of "Be Yourself" resonated with several of my storytime attendees. 

If you are interested in seeing the materials I selected for this week's storytime basket - click here.

For my Saturday Family Storytime outline and plan - click here.

Happy in Our Skin celebrates what makes each and everyone of us unique - from freckles to fingerprints, there is no one that is exactly like you!

Be Brave Little One is a very gentle and loving read.  The sentiments expressed in this book are what every caregiver wishes for the children in their care.

My Heart Fills with Happiness features a young girl and the daily activities that bring her joy.
​
April is National Poetry month so I wanted to include a poem in storytime today.  I read "Beautiful Bird" from My Village: Rhymes from Around the World.  I selected this poem because it is very vibrant and evokes a feeling of spring, which we could certainly use with the continuation of winter weather.

This Little Baby
credit: Storytime Secrets
The first little baby said, "I'm so big!"
The second little baby danced a jig.
The third little baby sat down on the floor.
The fourth little baby crawled to the door.
The fifth little baby learned to run.
All the little babies had so much fun!
​
I found the idea for this flannel on the blog, Storytime Secrets.  I used clipart from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips to create this flannel.  

10 Friends Today
Credit: Fun with Friends at Storytime Blog
​One friend, two friends, three friends, four
In they come right through the door.
Five friends, six friends, seven friends, eight
Nine friends, ten friends make it great!
Ready to listen, ready to play,
Ten little friends are here today!

Hooray!!
​
I found the idea for this flannel on the blog, Fun with Friends at Storytime. I used clipart from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips to create this flannel.

To protect Krista's wonderful work, I cannot share the files for the images that I used for these flannels.  If you like the images, you can purchase them from Krista's Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

These are the songs that we listened or danced to in storytime.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, the album cover images have links where you can listen to a sample and purchase these great songs!

We'll Wave Hello Together
credit: Verona Storytime

We’ll wave hello together,
We’ll wave hello together,
We’ll wave hello together,
Because it’s fun to do.

We’ll give a hug together,
We’ll give a hug together,
We’ll give a hug together,
Because it’s kind to do.
​
We’ll high five together,
We’ll high five together,
We’ll high five together,
Because it’s fun to do.

Come Along and Walk with Me
credit: The Richards Institute of Education & Research

Come along and walk with me
Come along and walk with me.
We'll walk and walk, 
and walk and walk.
So, come along and walk with me.

Come along and tiptoe with me
Come along and tiptoe with me.
We'll tiptoe and tiptoe,
and tiptoe and tiptoe.
So, come along and tiptoe with me.

Come along and bend with me,
Come along and bend with me.
We'll bend and bend,
and bend and bend.
So, come along and bend with me.
*note for bend: this is a great opportunity to cross the midline and have children invert themselves.

Come along and twirl with me,
Come along and twirl with me
We'll twirl and twirl,
and twirl and twirl.
So, come along and twirl with me.

Come along and sit for me,
Come along and sit for me.
We'll sit and sit,
and sit and sit.
So, come along and sit for me.

I adapted this song for my Baby Lapsit program.  The tune of this song is the same as the Lapsit version except the actions are different.  To hear the tune for this song -- click here.

I like to have a pre-storytime activity for caregivers and children to do while they wait for storytime to get started.  This week's activity asked children and caregivers to share what makes them special.

Each week, we feature a letter of the week.  This week's letter was the letter Yy.  We practiced making the sound of the letter Y then I went through the collage of items that begin with the letter Y.  I like to have participants shout out what they think the items are.  Yak was a bit tricky!

Before I read After the Fall by Dan Santat, we recited Humpty Dumpty.  I added a little line at the end to lead into After the Fall.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses
And all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again

...or could they?

Pre-storytime activity: I am Proud
As families walk into storytime, I like to have a passive activity that they can do as they get settled in their spots and wait for storytime to begin.  This week, I created a prompt that I projected onto the screen where children could share something that makes them feel proud.  

This week it was my turn to put together the Family Storytime basket.  In honor of Martin Luther King Jr, I decided to focus on peace and kindness this week.  

If you are interested in seeing what types of materials we put into our family storytime baskets, here is a PDF of the materials that I included in my basket for this week:​

The action rhyme that I used today came from one of my favorite Children's Librarian blogs, Jbrary. I typed up the words and projected them so that caregivers could say the action rhyme with me.  

I Have a Little Heart
​
I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest three times)
It keeps right on beating,
When I jump, jump, jump (jump three times)
I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)
It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug yourself)

Credit: Jbrary

I made two flannels for storytime this week. The first one is based on the book How Kind! by Mary Murphy. I found the idea on Totally Toddler!'s blog. The second one is an adaptation of Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond. I have included the files for the words below, but I did not include the file for the images.  If you like the clipart, I purchased it from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips and Whimsy Clips to create my flannels.  

Pre-storytime quote: I typed up the quote "have courage and be kind" and projected it as families walked into storytime.

Letter of the week:  The letter of the week this week is the letter L.  I created a collage of items that begin with the letter L.  I projected the collage and we talked about each picture in the collage.

Take home activity:  I created a flyer listing acts of kindness.  I printed them off for families to take home with them.