Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your shoe
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, peek-a-boo
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the light
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say goodnight
To Market, To Market
To market, to market to buy a fat pig;Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your shoe
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, peek-a-boo
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the light
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say goodnight
To Market, To Market
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;
Home again, home again, jiggety-jog.
To market, to market, to buy a plum cake;
Home again, home again, market is late.
To market, to market, to buy a plum bun;Home again, home again, market is done
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds
Sitting on a hill, (pointer fingers up)
One named Jack (other hand forward)
And one named Jill (other hand forward)
Fly away, Jack. (one goes behind back)
Flay away, Jill. (other hand behind back)
Come back, Jack. (return hand)
Come back, Jill. (return other hand)
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Rain rain, go away
_____ (puppet) wants to go and play!
Itsy-Bitsy Spider
The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again.
Games
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Rain rain, go away
_____ (puppet) wants to go and play!
Itsy-Bitsy Spider
The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again.
Deep Down in Africa (chant)
Also: Down in the Jungle, Down on the Farm...
Begin by having children slap their hands on their knees and then clap them together to set the rhythm of the chant.
Down in the jungle With the beat in your feet, Think of an animal That you'd like to meet. That you'd like to meet ________! (Call out a child's name and have them name a jungle animal)
A (Monkey), A (Monkey) She wants to see a (Monkey)!
Make animal noises and movements!
Let's Find a Friend
(tune of: Hi Ho the Derry-Oh)
Let's find a friend
Let's find a friend
Hi! Ho! the Derry-Oh!
Let's find a friend!
Lead a child into the center of the room.
________find a friend
________find a friend
Hi! Ho! the Derry-Oh!
________found a friend
Have the child in the center choose another child to join her. Continue until all children are in center.
We all found a friend
We all found a friend
Hi! Ho! the Derry-Oh!
We all found a friend!
The Mitten Mask Game (a companion sequencing game for Jan Brett's, The Mitten):
Create masks or cards by printing each of the eight animals from Jan Brett's website (http://www.janbrett.com/mitten_masks_main.htm) on cardstock. Distribute an animal face to each of the children in your group. (Make multiple masks for larger groups.)
Adapt 'Farmer in the Dell' lyrics to each of the animals:
The mole is in the mitten,
The mole is in the mitten,
Hi ho the Derr-i-o,
The mole is in the mitten!
(And so on... rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox, bear, mouse...)
As each verse identifies an animal, have children with the corresponding mask come to the center and crawl under a white sheet (the 'mitten'). Continue to sing each verse until all of the animals are under the sheet. Once the mouse (the last animal) has crawled under the sheet, have all of the children say, "AaaaaaaChoooooooo!" and tumble out from under the sheet!
Enjoy the squeals of delight!
Apple Color Activity
cut out apple shapes from different colors of card stock--yellow, green, red and attach a magnet or velcro dot on the back of each
pass out apples to each child and then chant the following:
Juicy, red apples
Hanging on the trees
Yummy in my tummy
Bring me some, please
(have all children with red apples place their apples on the felt or magnet board)
Sweet, yellow apples
Hanging on the trees
Yummy in my tummy
Bring me some, please
(have children with yellow apples place their apples on the felt or magnet board)
Tart, green apples
Hanging on the trees
Yummy in my tummy
Bring me some, please
(have children with green apples place their apples on the felt or magnet board)
Count up all the apples together...
The Blindfold Game
Blindfold a child and have him/her feel an object. Let the child guess what the object is.
Skizamaroo and Timbuktu
(works best with 3+ year olds)
Alternately clap hands and slap knees as you chant:
Skizamaroo and Timbuktu
We can to anything (name of child) can do!
I often make myself the first person chosen, to give the example of how the game works:
The whole group watches the action the chosen child comes up with and then copies it. Then, the chant begins again and a new child is chosen.
This game can be directed toward themes including mimicking animals, pointing to body parts, producing imaginative body movements, mimicking dressing themselves, morning routines, etc.
I Spy
I spy with my little eye...something red.
I spy with my little eye...something fluffy.
I spy with my little eye...something that says, "Woof!"
Repeat with other objects and clues.
Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
(Puppet) stole the cookies from the cookie jar!
Who me? Yes, you!
Couldn't be! Then who?
(let kids name the next puppet 'culprit.')
Finger Plays
Acorn/Oak Trees Fingerplay (from Little Acorn Learning)
This is an acorn so smooth and brown(Make small circle with fingers)Which from a great oak tree came rattling down.(tap fingers on desk or table)
Now it is hiding deep down in the grass,(hide head into hands)
Waiting for ice-time and snow-time to pass.
Here are some baby oaks trying to grow,(raise head up – point pointers up straight)
Here are young saplings all placed in a row,(raise other fingers and arms up straight)
These are tall oak trees in red leaves and brown,(stand up straight and extend arms like tree)
Hear how their acorns come rattling down.(sit down and tap fingers briskly on desk or table)
Apple Share (from Story Time Source Page)
Look at the apple I have found
So round and rosy on the ground
We will wash it and cut it in two
Half for me and half for you...
Dig a Little HoleDig a little hole (dig)
Plant a little seed (drop seed)
Pour a little water (pour)
Pull a little weed (pull up and throw away)
Chase a little bug (chasing motion)
Heigh-ho, there he goes! (shade eyes)
Give a little sunshine (make sun)
Grow a little rose (smell flower, eyes closed)
Credit: SurLaLune Storytime
Here's a Little Crocodile
He'll give you smiles for free
But if he gets too close to you
He'll gobble up your knee!
Here's a Little Crocodile
He's moving through the sand
But if he gets too close to you
He'll gobble up your hand!
(first verse by Janice Dawe)
Mr. Alligator
Here's Mr. Alligator
sittin' on a log
down by the pool
he sees a little frog
in jumps the alligator,
around goes the log
Splash goes the water!
and away goes the log
Teddy Bear version of “Shortening Bread”
Teddy put your jammies on, jammies on, jammies on.
Teddy put your jammies on just like this.
First we do one foot, one foot, one foot.
First we do one foot just like this.
Then we do the other foot, other foot, other foot.
Then we do the other foot just like this.
Then we pull the bottoms up, bottoms up, bottoms up.
Then we pull the bottoms up just like this.
Teddy put your jammies on, jammies on, jammies on.
Tedddy put your jammies on just like this.
First we do one arm, one arm, one arm
First we do one arm just like this.
Then we do the other arm, other arm, other arm.
Then we do the other arm, just like this.
Now we do the snaps up, snaps up, snaps up.
Now we do the snaps up just like this.
Now you have your jammies on, jammies on, jammies on.
Now you have your jammies on, you look so sweet.
Two Red Apples
Way up high in the apple tree
Two red apples smiled at me. (hold two fists above head)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (shake tree trunk)
Down came the apples, (let two fists fall to your lap)
Mmmmm, they were good! (take a bite, rub belly)
A Sailor went to Sea song/rhyme
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what s/he could see, see, see
To see what s/he could see, see, see
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea
Variation on Rub-a-dub-dub (use this as storytime opening activity)
Rub-a-dub-dub, (rub tummy)
Three friends in a tub! (hold up 3 fingers)
And who do you think they be?
There's (child's name), and (child's name), and (child's name), too!
All of them have gone to sea!
Here Is the Sea
Here is the sea the wavy sea. (Make wave motions with arm)
Here is my boat. (Cup hands)
And here is me. (Point to self)
All of the fishes. (wiggle index and middle finger of one or both hands)
Down below.
Wiggle their tails. And awaaaay they go! (Hide wiggling fingers behind back)
Five Little Monsters
5 little monsters sleeping in my bed5 little monsters sleeping in my bed
1 crawled out from under my spread
I called to Mama and Mama said
"no more monsters sleeping in your bed"
continue until there are no little monsters and say
no little monsters sleeping in my bed
none crawling out from under my spread
I called to Mama and Mama said
"there are no more monsters, go to bed!"
Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on the ground
The first one said, "I'm big, orange and round!"
The second one said, "I'm fresh off the vine!"
The third one said, "I taste divine!"
The fourth one said, "I'm ready to be tasted!"
The fifth one said, "Bake my seeds so they're not wasted!"
Someone from the kitchen picked them up and we know why....The five little pumpkins all became Pumpkin Pie.
Four Little Leaves
Four little leaves (hold up 4 fingers)
Sitting on a tree. (rest 4 fingers on back of other hand)
One fell off, (hold up one finger and tumble it downward)
Then there were three.
Three little leaves (hold up 3 fingers)
All yellow and brown.
One danced away (dance one finger away)
Then there were two.
Two little leaves (hold up 2 fingers)
Waving in the breeze. (wave two fingers about)
One flew off (make one fly away)
Away from the trees.
One little leave (hold up 1 finger)
Left on the tree.
Said, "Good-bye, Wind"
And flew down to me. (fly last finger down and catch with other hand)
Five Little Spiders
(October book)
(October book)
(Children could wear spider rings to act out
Five little spiders crawling all around.
The first one said, “See the bug I found?”
The second one said, “My web is neat.”
The third one said, “I have eight feet.”
The fourth one said, “We’re all so small.”
The fifth one said, “Time for autumn leaves to fall.”
Then whoosh went the wind and out went the light
And the five little spiders crawled out of sight!
Great Big BallFive little spiders crawling all around.
The first one said, “See the bug I found?”
The second one said, “My web is neat.”
The third one said, “I have eight feet.”
The fourth one said, “We’re all so small.”
The fifth one said, “Time for autumn leaves to fall.”
Then whoosh went the wind and out went the light
And the five little spiders crawled out of sight!
A little ball (form little ball with two hands)
A medium ball (form larger ball)
A great big ball I see. (make circle with arms for huge ball)
Let's count them all together.
One, (form small ball)
Two, (form larger ball)
Three! (form large circle)
Substitutes:
Great Big Bunch of Fruit (choose type of fruit and replace "ball" with the name of the fruit, pretending to hold small, med., and large versions of the fruit.)
Finish with: Let's munch them all together (take small, medium, and large 'bites' after saying, "one, two, three!")
Rub happy tummies after you munch!
Pat-A-Cake Pizza Man
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Pizza Man
Make me a pizza as fast as you can
Roll it roll and toss it
And sprinkle it with cheese
Put it in the oven - and bake it fast, please!
Prickly Little Porcupine (Tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)
Prickly little porcupine
Please don't poke me with your spine.
Ouch!
The Little Skunk
I stuck my head in a little skunk's hole.
And the skunk said, "Well, bless my soul!"
Take it out clap-clapPrickly little porcupine
Please don't poke me with your spine.
Ouch!
The Little Skunk
I stuck my head in a little skunk's hole.
And the skunk said, "Well, bless my soul!"
Take it out clap-clap
Re-move it!
Well, I didn't take it out, and the little skunk said,
"If you don't take it out, you'll wish you had!"
Take it out clap-clap
Take it out clap-clapPsss-ssst!
Where is Thumbkin?
(tune: Frere Jacques)
Where is thumbkin, where is thumbkin, (hands behind back)
Here I am, Here I am! (bring one then, the other hand to front, thumbs extended only)
How are you today, sir? (make one thumb 'bow.')
Very well, I thank you. (make other thumb 'bow.')
Run away. Run away. (return one, then other hand behind back)
Repeat exchanging first line for:
Where is pointer finger?
Where is middle finger?
Where is ring finger?
Where is pinky finger?
Substitute:
Where is Blue Truck (tune of Where is Thumbkin?)
Where is Blue Truck
Where is Blue Truck
Here I am
Here I am
How are you today, sir
Very well, I thank you!
Drive away, (transfer truck to other hand and keep there as each new truck joins it)
Drive away.
Where is Green Truck
Where is Red Truck
Where is Orange Truck
Where is Yellow Truck
I give different voices to each truck and have put small pictures of the different colored trucks on popsicle sticks as a visual aid. Kids really enjoy it.
Scarecrow, Scarecrow, What Do You Know?
Scarecrow, Scarecrow,
What do you know?
I guard the seeds so they can grow.
Repeat with:
I see the farmer with his hoe
I keep my eyes out for the crow
I stand up straight as the wind blows
Deep in the night, the white moon glows
I know that soon will come the snow
Ten Little Fingers
I have ten little fingers, (hold up all ten--wiggle them)
and they all belong to me.
I can make them do things.
Would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight (clench into fists)
Or open them wide. (open again)
I can put them together (clap)
Or make them all hide. (hide behind back)
I can make them jump high (swoop hands up above head)
Or make them go low. (drop to sides)
I can fold them up quietly (bring to rest in lap)
And sit just so.
Turkey puppet
(Tune of "I'm A Little Teapot")
I'm a little turkey, my name is Ted
Here are my feathers; here is my head
Gobble, gobble, gobble, is what I say
I run and hide on Thanksgiving Day!
Watch It Bloom
Here is a green leaf (hold out one palm)
And here is a green leaf (hold out other palm)
That, you see, makes two (hold up two fingers)
Here is a bud (cup hand together)
That makes it a flower (slowly open hands)
Watch it bloom for you (slowly open hands)
Credit: Perry Public Library
