Welcome Song: Clap and Sing Hello (to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at story time,
We clap and sing hello!
We tap and sing hello (tap knees) // We wave and sing hello (wave)
Source: Storytime Katie
Song: I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ!
I’m bringing home a baby dinosaur,
Won’t my mommy hide behind the door? (hide behind hands)
I’m bringing home a baby dinosaur,
CLOMP, CLOMP, CLOMP, CLOMP, CLOMP! (hit knees)
I’m bringing home a baby crocodile,
Won’t my mommy wear a great big smile? (point to face)
I’m bringing home a baby crocodile,
SNAP, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP! (snap arms)
I’m bringing home a baby grizzly bear,
Won’t my mommy pull out all her hair? (pretend to pull out hair)
I’m bringing home a baby grizzly bear,
GROWL, GROWL, GROWL, GROWL, GROWL! (hold up paws)
Source: King County Library System
Book: Elmer by David McKee
I love this book about a little elephant who just wants to fit in and look like everyone else but then realizes it’s nice to be special.
Flannel: Five Elephants in the Bathtub
One elephant in the bathtub going for a swim, (paddle arms)
Knock, knock, (tap knees)
Splash, splash, (clap hands)
Come on in!
Two // Three // Four
Five elephants in the bathtub going for a swim,
Knock, knock,
Splash, splash,
They all fall in!
Source: Storytime Katie
Song/Puppet: Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys swinging from the tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “You can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be and …
SNAPS that monkey right out of that tree!
Four // Three // Two // One
But those monkeys are clever you see,
And they all found their way back to that tree!
Book: Ellie by Mike Wu
The animals are so sad to hear that the zoo is going to close. Can they save it? Giraffe is helping to clean up the trees. Gorilla is moving big boulders to straighten up. What can Ellie do to help?
Egg Shakers: Shake It by Sally’s Music Circle
Somehow, I forgot to bring the shakers from the office to the story time area! So I had the group sing Itsy, Bitsy Spider while I dashed to the office to retrieve them. Crisis averted!
Book: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
A little boy has a tiny elephant for a pet. But when they go to join the Pet Club the sign on the door says, “Strictly No Elephants.” What can they do? I’m certain not one person, child or adult, was listening at this point. But I read it through anyway. They all came back to attention when it came time for Baby Shark.
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)
Grandpa Shark (shark mouth like daddy 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
Closing Song: It’s Time to Say Goodbye to All Our Friends (to the tune of She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes)
It’s time to say goodbye to all our friends, “Goodbye!” (tap knees)
It’s time to say goodbye to all our friends, “Goodbye!”
It’s time to say goodbye,
Wave your hands and wink your eye, (wave, wink)
Now it’s time to say goodbye to all our friends, “Goodbye!”
Source: Sunflower Storytime