Author: sillylibrarian

Rhyme Time for Littles Videos

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Oh, wow, it’s been a while! How has everyone been?

I’m on another library/storytime hiatus… and I miss storytime sooooo much! I was able to work from home the first couple of months of the pandemic. I enjoyed making little videos for my library. Due to copyright, I’m no longer posting the links to most of my read-aloud videos on this website; but I am posting my Action Songs and Fingerplay Series links below! These are some of my favorites to share with littles and their families, so I hope you enjoy 🙂

Unfortunately, due to health reasons, I had to leave my library last summer… but I’m hoping new and fun and exciting and challenging opportunities will soon head my way. Best Wishes to all, and Happy Storytiming!

Rhyme Time for Littles: Action Songs and Fingerplays Series:

Brrr Second Grade Visits

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A near repeat of my “Snow Day” First Grade visit… but with a few tweaks…

Picture Book: Straight to the Pole by Kevin O’Malley
Discussion: If school was closed for a Snow Day, what would you do?
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from Snow Play by Birgitta Ralston, The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino, and Animal Antics by David Harvey
Picture Book: Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer
Storytell: The Magic Ice Cream Maker  (I adapted storyteller Priscilla Howe’s frosty fun story)

Cutest First Grade Visit!

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Book: AdoraBULL by Alison Donald
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from World’s Cutest Animals by Lonely Planet Kids, Animal Antics by David Harvey, How to Draw a Unicorn and Other Cute Animals by Lulu Mayo, and This Book is Cute! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Book: Rot by Ben Clanton

Sick and Sneezy Preschool Visits

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Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
Book: Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems or Barn Sneeze by Karen B. Winnick or Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson
Action Song: The Handwashing Song
Book: How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen or Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson or What a Cold Needs by Barbara Bottner
Flannel Song: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Book: Barn Sneeze by Karen B. Winnick or Spunky Little Monkey by Bill Martin Jr.
(Song: “The Sneezing Song” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song)
Dancing Song: “Coconut Soap” from Frank Leto’s Time for Music or “Jumping and Counting” from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

Oh, What Winter Fun! Preschool Visit

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Opening: If You Want to Hear a Story
Book: Snow! Snow! Snow! by Lee Harper
*Fingerplay: Snow Fell Softly
Book: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London
Song: Silly Hat Song
Storytell: The Mitten (You can use beautiful visuals as props from Jan Brett’s website here.) (I also used Heather Forest’s musical refrain from her version on her Tales Around the Hearth cd.)
Book: Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht
Dancing Song (with bells): “Jingle Bells” from Raffi’s Christmas Album
Closing: We Wave Goodbye

*The snow fell softly all the night.
It made a blanket soft and white.
It covered houses, flowers, and ground,
But did not make a single sound!

Snow Day First Grade Visit

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Winter is here, and Snow Days are sure to come…

Picture Book: Straight to the Pole by Kevin O’Malley
Discussion: If school was closed for a Snow Day, what would you do?
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from Snow Play by Birgitta Ralston and The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino
Picture Book: Pizza-Pie Snowman by Valeri Gorbachev
Picture Book: Red and Lulu by Matt Traveres (also printed out and showed pictures of current 2019 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree)

Birdie Second Grade Visits

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Turkeys weren’t the only birds featured in this visit! Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving next week 🙂

Poem: “Leftovers” from It’s Thanksgiving! by Jack Prelutsky
Fiction Book: Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Fiction Book Bite: read parts of Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? by Jon Agee and the rest of the coop (various illustrators)
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from DK Smithsonian’s Everything You Need to Know About Birds, Click with Your Chick by Giene Keyes (chickens can learn tricks!), and National Geographic Kids Ultimate Explorer: Birds by Julie Beer*
Storytell: “Chickens!” (I learned this “boo baby” story from storyteller Priscilla Howe)

*from which I got the joke: What kind of key doesn’t open a door? A turkey!

Thanksgiving First Grade Visit

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Picture Book: The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from Food Faces by Rudi Sodamin, Baby Food by Saxton Freymann, Zombie-Gut Chili and Other Horrifying Dinners by Ali Vega, and Cool Thanksgiving Dinner by Lisa Wagner
Picture Book: Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano

Crazy Soup Preschool Visits

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I sure do love some soup when the weather gets chilly. And it’s been pretty chilly here in Chicagoland! Luckily, I can warm up by jumping around and acting silly with preschoolers 🙂 We we especially enjoyed A Soup Opera!

Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
Book: The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza or Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them
Book: A Soup Opera by Jim Gill
*Flannel Song: Stir the Soup
Book: Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas
Dancing Song: “I Feel Crazy so I Jump in the Soup” from Laurie Berkner’s Victor Vito
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

*Stir, Stir, Stir the Soup (from the fantastic website Jen in the Library. Lots of good soup storytime suggestions–and other themes as well!)
(To tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Stir, stir, stir the soup
Stir it all day long.
Add some (insert food name here),
Take a taste (slurrrp!)
Soup will make us strong. (flex arm)