Happy New Year!!! After a short story time break, we’re back in the swing of things and, of course, we had to start our season with a winter/snow theme!
Welcome Song: Hands Go Up and Hands Go Down
(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Hands go up and hands go down
I can turn around and round
I can hop upon two shoes
I can listen so can you
I can sit, I’ll show you how
Story time is starting now
Song: This Old Man
This old man,
He played one, (hold up one finger)
He played knick knack on my thumb.
With a knick knack (slap knees)
paddy wack (clap hands)
give a dog a bone, (hand jive)
This old man came rolling home. (roll hands)
Two … on my shoe // Three … on my knee // Four .. on the floor // Five … on the hive
Book: Winter is for Snow by Robert Neubecker
I was a little worried that the kids wouldn’t understand the two voices in this book but it worked very well. I tried to use a different voice for the little girl who doesn’t like the cold/snow so I think they got the idea.
Song: Baby Shark
Baby shark do do do do do do (shark mouth with two fingers)
Baby shark do do do do do do
Baby shark do do do do do do
Baby shark
Other verses:
Mama Shark (shark mouth with hands connected at the wrists)
Daddy Shark (shark mouth with whole arms)
Grandma Shark (shark mouth like mama shark but with fists)
Shark attack (snap arms overhead)
Swim away (swimming motion with arms)
Safe at last (jazz hands)
Source: Adapted from Kindergarten Nation
Another new song I’m doing for this story time season. Some versions I found online of Baby Shark are bizarre and very morbid! They involved being bitten by a shark and performing CPR and then dying! So I adapted my version from a couple different ones I found but it most closely resembles Kindergarten Nation’s.
Song: Song cube (The Wheels on the Bus)
Song: Song cube (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
I thought I’d try something new for story time in the new year with our song cube! (I take no credit for its creation. It was here when I started the job.) I’ve never used it during story time before so instead of doing the same two or three songs there’s a small variation. The songs on the cube are: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; Itsy, Bitsy Spider; Old MacDonald Had a Farm; Row, Row, Row Your Boat; I’m a Little Teapot; and The Wheels on the Bus.
Song: Snowflakes, Snowflakes Dance Around (to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Snowflakes, snowflakes dance around
Snowflakes, snowflakes touch the ground
Snowflakes, snowflakes in the air
Snowflakes, snowflakes everywhere
Snowflakes, snowflakes dance around
Snowflakes, snowflakes touch the ground
Source: Perry Public Library
Book: Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep by Maureen Wright; illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
I think my outreach kids liked this a bit more than the kids today but it did give me a chance to talk to them about bears and hibernation.
Flannel: Five Little Snowflakes
One little snowflake with nothing to do,
Along came another and then there were two.
Two little snowflakes laughing with me,
Along came another and then there were three.
Three little snowflakes looking for some more,
Along came another and then there were four.
Four little snowflakes dancing a jive,
Along came another and then there were five.
Five little snowflakes having so much fun,
Out came the sun and then there were none!
Source: Storytime Katie
Egg Shakers: Shake It by Sally’s Music Circle
Song: Dance Like Snowflakes (to the tune of Where is Thumbkin?)
Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes
In the air, in the air
Whirling, whirling, twirling
Whirling, whirling, twirling
To the ground, to the ground
Source: Laptime Songs
Book: Snow Happy! by Patricia Hubbell; illustrated by Hiroe Nakata
Honestly, I’m not a *huge* fan of this book. I don’t think kids get the pun that’s running through it, but I like the illustrations.
Song: Snow on the Rooftops (to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Snow on the rooftops (make pointed roof shape with arms)
Snow on the trees (hold arms out like tree branches)
Snow on the green grass (wave hands over the ground like you’re touching grass)
And snow on me! (point to self)
Snow on my mittens (hold up hands; wiggle fingers)
Snow on my nose (touch nose)
Snow on my head (touch head)
And snow on my toes (touch toes)
Twirling, swirling, whirling down (spin in circle)
Down and down and down and down (bring hands down and touch the ground)
Source: Sunflower Storytime
My outreach kids liked this song so much I decided to make it a regular selection for my winter story times. The kids today liked it so much we did it twice. Highly recommended!
Song: Song cube (Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This (to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We clap our hands for all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.
The Short Stack Librarian 