Our full-time children’s librarian is at a conference this week so I covered her Monday story time today. 54 PEOPLE!!!!! I don’t know how she does that first thing every Monday morning! I’m exhausted already … 😀

A lot of these rhymes/songs were already established my coworker as story time regulars so I learned them and used them for consistency. I don’t know her sources.

Song: 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 chin, chin, chin.
Open up your mouth …
But do not let them in!

Action Rhyme: I Had a Little Turtle
I had a little turtle, (hands on top of each other, wiggle thumbs)
He lived in a box. (make a box with hands)
He swam in the puddle, (paddle with hands)
He climbed on the rocks. (climbing motions)
He snapped at a mosquito, (pinch fingers in air)
He snapped at a flea, (pinch fingers in air)
He snapped at a minnow, (pinch fingers in air)
And he snapped at me! (pinch fingers toward self)
He caught the mosquito, (clap)
He caught the flea, (clap)
He caught the minnow, (clap)
But he didn’t catch me! (shake head and point at self)
Adapted from Perry Public Library Storytime

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands
Stomp your feet // Shout hurray

Book: Waking Dragons by Jane Yolen; paintings by Derek Anderson

A little boy is in charge of waking the dragons before school. I love the illustrations and it was short enough to hold toddler attention!

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider
I do three verses:
Itsy Bitsy Spider (sung normally)
Teeny Weeny Spider (sung in falsetto)
Great Big Hairy Spider (sung deeply)

Flannel: Five Little Dragons
One little dragon with scales of blue;
Ran to meet the green one,
And then there were two.
Two little dragons sitting under a tree;
The red dragon joined them,
And then there were three.
Three little dragons, wishing there were more;
Along came the purple dragon,
And then there were four.
Four little dragons, happy to be alive;
Found a orange dragon,
And then there were five.
Five little dragons all out to play;
“Watch out, they breathe fire,” is all I have to say.
Source: Verona Story Time

Poem: The Dragons are Singing Tonight by Jack Prelutsky; pictures by Peter Sis

I read “I Have a Secret Dragon” to the kids. I love reading poetry and rhymes to little ones. I think it really helps them hear the language.

Egg Shakers: Shake It by Sally’s Music Circle

Song: London Bridge Is Falling Down
London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down,
London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

Build the bridge up stone by stone, stone by stone, stone by stone,
Build the bridge up stone by stone, my fair lady

Book: How to Draw a Dragon by Douglas Florian

Kids draw dragons and at the end they appear in an art show. Not my favorite book ever but it was short and bright and a good size for story time. By this time they’re barely listening anyway. 😀

Song: Row Row Row Your Boat
I do three verses of this classic:
Row row row your boat (the traditional way) //
Rock rock rock your boat, sway from side to side
Merrily merrily merrily merrily what a bumpy ride (bump hands on lap) //
Row row row your boat, gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile (crocodile snap with arms)
Don’t forget to scream (*AH*)

Fingerplay: Furry, Furry Squirrel
Furry, furry squirrel,
Hurry, hurry hop, (hop hand up opposite arm)
Scurry up the tree trunk to the very top. (run hand up to top of head)
When you reach the branches, hurry turn around, (turn hand around on head)
Furry, furry squirrel, scurry to the ground. (scurry hand down arm)

The first time we run it through we use our arms. The second time through we’re the squirrels.

Furry, furry squirrel,
Hurry, hurry hop, (run in place; hop)
Scurry up the tree trunk to the very top. (run in place; reach arms up)
When you reach the branches, hurry turn around, (stretch arms out; turn around)
Furry, furry squirrel, scurry to the ground. (run in place; touch the ground)

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

Goodbye Song: Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together
Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together

Tap, tap, tap your feet // Wave, wave, wave goodbye