Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Books That Can Be Retold With Flannels/Puppets

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein
Perfect Siesta by Pato Mena
Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice

Chants/Songs That Can Be Shared With Flannels/Puppets

Old McDonald Had A Zoo
Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

Song to Share

"Going to the Zoo" ~ Raffi's Singable Songs for the Very Young)
H-I-P-P-O (There was a creature at the zoo, and Hippo was his name-o)

Animals at the Zoo

(Tune: Wheels on the Bus)

The lions at the zoo go roar, roar roar… all day long
The snakes at the zoo go hiss, hiss, hiss… all day long
The monkeys at the zoo go ooh, ooh, ohh… all day long

Elephant

An elephant goes like this and that,
He's terribly big,
And he's terribly fat,
And he has no toes,
But goodness gracious, what a nose!

If I Were

(Tune " The Mulberry Bush")

Oh, if I were a tiny snake,
A tiny snake, a tiny snake.
Oh, if I were a tiny snake,
I'd slither around the zoo.

Oh, if I were an elephant,
an elephant, an elephant.
Oh, if I were an elephant,
I'd march around the zoo.

Oh, if I were a kangaroo,
A kangaroo, a kangaroo.
Oh, if I were a kangaroo,
I'd hop around the zoo.

Swing, Swing

(Have the children stand in a circle, hold hands, and swing their arms)

Little monkeys swinging in the tree,
All hold hands and swing with me.
Swing up high and swing down low,
Swing in the tree, now don't let go!
Swing, swing, like I do.
Swing like monkeys in the zoo.

Take Me Out to the Zoo

(Tune: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame")

Take me out for some good fun,
Take me out to the zoo.
Let me visit the tall giraffe,
I want to hear the hyenas laugh.
Now I love to visit the zoo,
I could stay there all day,
And watch birds, seals, rhinos, and hippos
As they play.

We Are Going to the Zoo

(Tune: "London Bridge")

We are going to zoo,
To the zoo, to the zoo.
We are going to the zoo,
Won't you join us too?

We'll see lions, tigers too,
Tigers too, tigers too.
We'll see lions, tigers too,
All at the zoo.

We will find some chimpanzees,
Chimpanzees, chimpanzees.
we will find some chimpanzees,
Swinging from the trees.

We will look for kangaroos,
Kangaroos, kangaroos.
We will look for kangaroos,
Hopping at the zoo.

What Would You Do If You Lived at the Zoo?  
(extend with puppets)
Would you prowl with the lion?
Would you growl with the bear?
Would you prance with the pony?
Would you hop with the hare?
Would you swing with the monkey?
Would you sing with the bird?
Would you romp with the tiger?
Would you chomp with the ape?
Would you stomp with the elephant?
Would you hiss with the snake?

The Zoo

(Tune: "Skip to My Lou")

Come along children, we're going to the zoo,
Come along children, we're going to the zoo,
Come along children, we're going to the zoo,
Going to the zoo today.

I see a monkey sitting in a tree,
I see a monkey sitting in a tree,
I see a monkey sitting in a tree
I see a monkey and it sees me.

I see an elephant, big and gray,
I see an elephant, big and gray,
I see an elephant, big and gray.
Big gray elephant is eating hay.

I see a lion in a cage,
I see a lion in a cage,
I see a lion in a cage.
I see a lion that roars with rage.
I see a camel with a great big hump,
I see a camel with a great big hump,
I see a camel with a great big hump.
When he walks he goes "bump, bump."

I see a zebra, black and white,
I see a zebra, black and white,
I see a zebra, black and white.
Seeing the zebra is a sight.

I see a giraffe, big and tall,
I see a giraffe, big and tall,
I see a giraffe, big and tall.
He's not hard to see at all.

We saw the animals living in the zoo,
We saw the animals living in the zoo,
We saw the animals living in the zoo.
Living in the zoo today.