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
Action Rhyme: Dressing for Winter
This is how we dress on a cold winter’s day.
We put on our snowsuit to go out to play. (button up snowsuit)
Then we put on our boots for walking in the snow. (put on boots)
Next, our hats and mittens (put on hat and mittens)
‘Cause the wind begins to blow. (move hands around to mimic wind)
And now we’re all ready to go out and play.
We’ll stay nice and warm on this cold winter’s day. (wrap arms around yourself)
Source: SurLaLune Storytime
Book: The Mitten by Jan Brett
I enjoy this book and I’ve read it twice for story time now with two different groups. My outreach group seemed to grasp the concept and enjoy it. They’d also read it before and gone through the little “side” story in the book. I read it today and I felt it was a little too slow and a little too “quiet” for my preschoolers. And I feel the side story is better explored in a lap reading setting. Not sure I’d read it again for story time but it’s still one of my favorite winter tales.
Flannel: Seven Warm Mittens
Seven warm mittens, which one do you pick?
I’ll pick the red one and now there are six.
Six warm mittens, put one on to try.
Then you take it from the line and that leaves five.
Five warm mittens, we had seven before!
A fluffy bunny needs one and that leaves four.
Four warm mittens, two for you and two for me,
I lost one on the ski slope and now there are three.
Three warm mittens looking very new,
One falls into the mud and now there are two.
Two warm mittens drying in the sun,
A bird comes down and snatches one and that leaves one.
One warm mitten, what good is one?
A little mouse can have a bed, and now there are none.
Adapted from Perry Public Library
My first instinct was to raid our other flannels and find a bunny, a bird and a little mouse. I think we even have a little mud puddle I could have used. I should have trusted my instincts. I think it would have been a cute addition and one I’ll do next time.
Song: Song cube (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Song: Song cube (I’m a Little Teapot)
Fingerplay: Here’s a Hill
Here’s a hill, (hold up right arm)
And here’s a hill, (hold up left arm)
All covered with snow. (flutter fingers down)
I’ll put on my coat, (button up coat)
And jump on my sled, (jump and hold onto sled)
And ZOOM down the hill I will go! (slide hand down)
Source: Storytime Katie
Action Song: Winter Hokey Pokey
You put your mitten in,
You take your mitten out,
You put your mitten in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
Boot // Hat // Coat // Snowsuit
Adapted from Storytime Katie
Book: One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George; illustrated by Maggie Smith
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
Egg Shakers: Shake It by Sally’s Music Circle
Song: Song cube (Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Book: A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
I loved this book and was really looking forward to reading it. However, the kids were rowdy by this time from the shakers and the Row, Row, Row Your Boat crocodile scream so I think a lot of it was lost on the kids actually listening because it was hard to hear. I’ll try again next year!
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
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 