I had planned a very rain-themed story time for today in the spirit of the weather, complete with all sorts of songs and stories about rain. Wouldn’t you know, about thirty minutes before story time started the heavens cleared and the sun shone through – so it was back to the drawing board! Here’s what we did:
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends
Book 1: Dear Zoo / Rod Campbell
Hand Rhymes
- I wake up my hands
- Wiggle your fingers
- Open-shut them
- Roly poly
Book 2: The Seals on the Bus / Lenny Hort
Action Songs
- Bend and stretch
- Zoom zoom
- The hokey pokey
- Toast in the toaster
- The elevator song
Cool-down songs:
- Mm-ahh went the little green frog (with puppet)
Goodbye Song: Goodbye, Friends!
Funnily enough, the hokey pokey was not an audience favourite this time around. The kids enjoyed shaking and turning around, but weren’t all that excited by the song, so I kept it brief – arms, legs, whole self.
What they really, really seem to love is jumping. Jumping, jumping, anything with jumping. So, toast in the toaster was received with much enthusiasm after the lackluster response to the hokey pokey!
Mm-ahh is a perennial favourite because I make sure that all the children practice really sticking their tongues out for an authentic froggy experience, which they just find absolutely hilarious. I also happen to have a freakishly long tongue (think Gene Simmons….), which typically leads to shrieks of laughter. I’m not above an easy sight gag 😉
Raincity Librarian 