Storytime Topics Available on Storytime Source Page

   A is for: 

• Alligators
• Animal Sounds
• Arctic
• Australian Animals

B is for:

• Balloons
• Balls
• Bathtime
• Bears
• Bedtime
• Bicycle
• Big
• Birthday
• Body Parts
• Books 
• Boxes
• Breakfast
• Brothers
• Bugs
• Bunnies
• Building

C is for:

• Cake
• Camels
• Cars
• Cats
• Chickens
• Chinese New Year
• Christmas
• Clothing
• Coins
• Colors
• Cooking 
• Cows
• Crocodiles

D is for:

• Daddy
• Dance
• Days of the Week
• Desert
• Dinosaurs
• Dirty/Clean
• Dogs
• Dragons
• Ducks

E is for:

• Eggs
• Egypt

F is for:

• Fall
• Farm
• Fathers
• Feelings
• Feet
• Flowers
• Food
• Forest Animals
• Friendship
• Frogs

G is for:

• Games
• Garden
• Geese
• Gingerbread
• Gorillas
• Green 
• Grandparents
• Guessing Games
• Gulp

H is for:

• Harvest
• Hats
• Hedgehogs
• Hippos
• Hugs

I is for:

• Ice Cream
• Ice Skating
• Insects
• I Spy

K is for:

• Kangaroo
• Kisses
• Kittens

L is for:

• Libraries
• Lost

M is for:

• Manners 
• Mice
• Monkeys
• Monsters
• Mothers

N is for:

• Noisy
• Nursery Rhymes

O is for:

• Ocean
• Owls

P is for:

• Parachute
• Penguin
• Picky Eaters
• Picnic
• Pizza
• Pockets
• Porcupines
• Postman
• Princesses

R is for:

• Rabbits
• Rain
• Recycling 
• Red Riding Hood
• Robin Hood
• Rock n Roll
• Royalty

S is for:

• Scare Your Socks Off
• Scary
• School
• Sheep
• Shoes
• Shopping
• Siblings
• Sick
• Skunks
• Sleepy
• Snow
• Spaghetti
• Sports
• Star Wars
• Superhero

T is for:

• Thanksgiving
• Time of Day
• Tools
• Toys
• Trains
• Trucks
• Turtles

V is for:

• Valentine's Day
• Vegetables

W is for:

• Warm Things
• Wolves

Z is for:

• Zoo

Rock n Roll Storytime

Book Options:
Barnyard Boogie by Tim McCanna
Groovy Joe: Disco Party Countdown by Eric Litwin
Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin
How to Be Cooler Than Cool by Sean Taylor
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
Lost and Found: What’s That Sound by Jonathan Ying
Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton
Petes Go Marching by James Dean
Play This Book by Jessica Young
Plinka Plinka Shake Shake by Emma Garcia
Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell
Punk Farm by Jarrett Krosoczka 

Tune: There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
A rock n roll star played on the guitar
He was convinced that he would go far - that’s how things are.

A rock n roll star played on the bass
He thought in his heart that fame was a race - a lonely case.

A rock n roll star played on the keyboard
She thought that her talent could not be ignored - she struck a chord.

A rock n roll star played on the sax
The only way he knew how to relax - stressed to the max

A rock n roll star played on the drum
She hoped in her heart that some more friends might come…

Then these five musicians all started a band
It was the best in all of the land - give them a hand (Yayyyyy!)

Instruments in the Band
(Tune: Wheels on the Bus)
The guitar in the band goes strum, strum, strum (strum an air guitar)
Strum, strum, strum. Strum, strum, strum
The guitar in the band goes strum, strum, strum
It’s time to rock and roll.

Gradually add more instruments, and end with:

The parents at the band go shhh-shhh-shhh
Shhh-shhh-shhh. Shhh-shhh-shhh.
The parents at the band go shhh-shhh-shhh
No more rock and roll.

Alternate version to the tune of Goodnight Ladies: 
Let’s start a band. Let’s start a band, Let’s start a band. What do we need?
We need a guitar. We need a guitar, We need a guitar. What else do we need?
(Repeat with other instruments, and end with: That’s all that we need.

Five Guitars

One red guitar comes up to the stand

Ready to be in a rock’n’roll band

This guitar gets geared up to play

Now, we have one guitar – hooray! 

(Count up to five; then say: Now, five guitars are ready to play)

Alternate version: 

Five guitars sitting in the store

(Puppet) got the (color) one

That leaves four more.  (count down until none are left)

V-I-N-Y-L
There was a record I liked to play, so I could get my dance-on…
V-I-N-Y-L, V-I-N-Y-L, V-I-N-Y-L,
So I could get my dance on! 

Alternate version:   
I had a song stuck in my head, so I put on some music 
M-U-S-I-C, M-U-S-I-C, M-U-S-I-C, 
So I put on some music!

Robin Hood Storytime

What better way to advertise an upcoming Children's Theater production than by doing a promotional Storytime?

Pair with your favorite read-aloud about the forest, and songs like: Walking Walking, Bunny Hop and What Does the Fox Say?

Puppet Story:  

We went for a walk in the woods one day, and saw a bird along the way
And what do you think we heard him say?  Tweet-tweet…

We went for a walk in the woods one day, and saw a bear along the way
And what do you think we heard him say?  Grrrrrr…

We went for a walk in the woods one day, and saw an owl along the way
And what do you think we heard him say?  Whoo…

We went for a walk in the woods one day, and saw a wolf along the way
And what do you think we heard him say?  Arooo…

We went for a walk in the woods one day, and saw Robin Hood along the way
And what do you think we heard him say?  “Somebody took the cookies from the cookie jar!”

Click to enlarge

Who Took the Cookies From the Cookie Jar?  (Flannel Story)
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Robin Hood took the cookies from the cookie jar! Who me? Yes, you. Couldn’t be. Then who? Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Little John took the cookies from the cookie jar! Who me? Yes, you. Couldn’t be. Then who? Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Friar Tuck took the cookies from the cookie jar! Who me? Yes, you. Couldn’t be. Then who! Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Maid Marian took the cookies from the cookie jar! Who me? Yes, you. Couldn’t be. Then who! Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Prince John took the cookies from the cookie jar! Who me? Yes, you. Couldn’t be. Then who?  Prince John, it was definitely YOU!   (reveal the cookies) 

Click to enlarge

Five Little Foxes  (Flannel Story)

Version 1:
Five little foxes standing in a row
Each had a feather on their hat, just so
The first one said I cannot stay
And he waved goodbye, and he ran away
(Count down until none are left)

Version 2:
Five little foxes standing in a row
The first one said: “It’s time to go.”
He looked to the left
He looked to the right
And then that fox was out of sight!
(Count down until none are left)

Click to enlarge

Robin version of Bingo  (On Magnets)

He likes to play
Then runs away
And Robin is his name-o
R-O-B-I-N

R-O-B-I-N

R-O-B-I-N

And Robin is his name-o
Count down until no letters are left.

Ice Skating Storytime

Book:
Bunnies on Ice by Johanna Wright
Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle
Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill
We Are the Champions by Crazy Frog

Songs:
Dance, Freeze, Melt by Mr. Eric and Mr. Michael
Freeze Dance by the Kiboomers

Click to enlarge

Five Champions
Five champions skating on the ice
One took a tumble and it wasn't very nice. 
Got back up again, and said, "You'd better think twice!
"It takes more than just one fall to get me off of this ice."

While removing the skaters one by one: "He took time to rest, but he'll skate again - because he's a champion!"

In My Skates
(Tune of Laurie Berkner's Boots song)

In my red skates, in my red skates. 
I skate around in my red skates. 
In my skates. In my skates. 
I skate around in my skates.

Repeat with:

• Green skates - twirl around
• Blue skates - jump around
• Purple skates - take a bow

A-Skating We Will Go
(focusing on Winter Olympic sports)

A skating we will go, A skating we will go, 

When we’re at the Olympics, we will be a skating pro.

A sledding we will go, a sledding we will go, 

When we’re at the Olympics, we will be a sledding pro.

A skiing we will go, a skiing we will go              

When we’re at the Olympics, we will be a sledding pro.

A hockey we will play, a hockey we will play                         

When we’re at the Olympics, we’ll have winter fun all day.

Skate version of Bingo
(with girl or boy puppet wearing ice skates)

There was a girl who loved to skate

She won so many medals

S-K-A-T-E, 

S-K-A-T-E, 

S-K-A-T-E, 

She won so many medals

Star Wars - May the Fourth Storytime Ideas

Songs: 

• Baby Yoda
• Walk Like An Ewok
• Rocketship Run (with scarves)

Book: 

• Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex (with laminated props)

Flannel and Prop Stories: (listed below)

a.) Baby Yoda, Baby Yoda, What Do You See?
     *Grogu, R2D2, BB8, Ewok and Porg

b.) If You're A Star Wars Character and You Know It

• If you’re Darth Vader and you know it – breath hard
• If you’re C3PO and you know it – you will worry (“oh dear, oh dear…”)
• If you’re a Storm Trooper and you know it, better march
• If you’re a Mandalorian and you know it, put on your armor
• If you’re a Jedi (Yoda) and you know it, use the force
  

c.) Five Jawa Have Been Seen
     Tune: Five Green and Speckled Frogs

Five Jawa have been seen

On planet Tatooine

Looking for ships and other scrap

One crossed the desert wide

Found a ship and climbed inside

And then he took a Jawa nap

d.) Death Stars On Sticks

Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Jedi travel very far

To a galaxy far away

Can they save the day today?

Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Jedi travel very far

e.) VADER version of BINGO

There is a spooky guy I know, and Vader is his name-o

V-A-D-E-R...

Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Daddy wore his purple tie,
purple tie, purple tie.
Daddy wore his purple tie
All day long.

(Change color of tie and repeat)

Flannels About Books and Storytime

Flannel Stories

I Took My Dragon to the Library

Bear Reads His Blue Book
(tune of Mary Wore Her Red Dress)

Bear reads his blue book              (with a capital B and lower-case b on the cover)
Blue book, blue book
Bear reads his blue book
All day long
(repeat with other colors/letters)

Find the Library Dinosaur
(Use Shea's dinosaur and hide him behind a book)

Dinosaur, Dinosaur
Do I hear your tiny roar?
Are you hiding under the (blue) book?
Noooooo....
(repeat until dinosaur is found)

There Was An Owl Who Loved to Read
(tune of BINGO)

There was an Owl who loved to read,
 And books were what he checked out
B-O-O-K-S, B-O-O-K-S, B-O-O-K-S,
 And books were what he checked out
 (put one book in the owl’s nest because he has “checked it out” and taken it home) 

 There was an Owl who loved to read, 
And books were what he checked out
(flap)-O-O-K-S, (flap)-O-O-K-S, (flap-)-O-O-K-S,
 And books were what he checked out
(continue removing the books, one by one and replacing each with a loud “Flap” until none are left) 

Now, Owl has checked out all the books, and none are left. I wonder what he’s reading about… (Discuss the cover of each book. Ask what children like to read about with their parents)

Storytime About Forest Animals

Toddlers Read Alouds

Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
I'm NOT Cute!  by Jonathan Allen
Night-Night, Forest Friends by Annie Bach
One Sleepy Night by Sebastian Braun
Tiptoe Joe by Ginger Foglesong Gibson
Who's in the Forest?  by Phillis Gershator

Preschool Read Alouds

Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson
Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
Ernest the Moose Who Doesn't Fit by Catherine Rayner
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Looking for a Moose by Phillis Root
Look Out, Suzy Goose by Petr Horacek
Ol' Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein

Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Books that Translate into Flannel and/or Puppet Stories

Chow Down, Biggety!  by Ann Ingalls (2015)
Forest Tracks by Dee Dee Duffy
Jo MacDonald Hiked in the Woods by Mary Quattlebaum
Ouch! by  Ragnhild Scamell  
Tail of the Little Skunk by Marsha Diane Arnold

Five Little Squirrels (Tune of: Five Little Ducks)

One little squirrel went out to play
Up in a tree on a sunny day
He had such enormous fun,
That he called for another little squirrel to come.

(Keep counting up until you get to five...)

Five little squirrels went out to play
Up in a tree near the end of the day
They had such enormous fun,
Then they all scurried home because the night had come

If You’re Ever in the Forest  (Tune of: Did You Ever See A Lassie?)

If you’re ever in the forest,
The forest, the forest,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see a fox.

Runs this way, and that way
And this way and that way,
If you’re ever in the forest,
You might see a fox.

 Repeat with other animals:

• bear… growls this way and that way … 
• squirrel… climbs this way and that way … 
• rabbit… hops this way and that way...

I Went for a Walk in the Woods One Day

I went for a walk in the woods one day.
I saw a (mouse) across the way!
And what do you think that (mouse) did say?
(Squeak!)

Repeat with other animals and sounds. 

Little Raccoon, Little Raccoon

Little Raccoon, Little Raccoon,
Are you under the (blue) moon?
(repeat with other colors until raccoon is found)

There’s Something in the Forest

There’s something in the forest - what can it be?
There’s something in the forest that I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound....

Repeat with other animals:

• Growl, growl – a BEAR is what I’ve found! 
• Squeak, squeak - a MOUSE is what I found!

Walking through the Forest

Walking through the forest, and what did I see?

A big brown bear was growling at me!

Walking in the forest and what did I see?
A little gray squirrel was swishing its tail at me!

Repeat with other animals:

• A little brown bunny was hopping by me
• A pretty blue bird was flying by me
• A fluffy white owl was flying by me 

Storytime About Food



Denise Fleming's Lunch as a puppet and flannel story

Toddler Read Alouds

Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
Hi, Pizza Man by Virginia Walter
Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
Lunch by Denise Fleming
Mmm... Let's Eat by Libby Kopenen -- great NEW book
Too Pickley by Jean Reidy
Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Worms for Lunch by Leonid Gore

Preschool Read Alouds

Bob and Rob and Corn on the Cob by Todd McQueen (2014)
Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Eats by Matha Jocelyn
Gobble It Up by Jim Arnosky
Go Go Grapes by April Pulley Sayre
Greedy Goat by Petr Horacek - (2018)
Hungry Bird by Jeremy Tankard (2016)
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
I'll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony (2016)
Little Apple Goat by Caroline Church
Mouse Went Out to Get a Snack by Lyn McFarland
Snack Time for Confetti by Kali Stileman
Soup for One by Ethan Long
There's a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Burach (2016)
Today is Monday by Eric Carle
Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?  by Karen Beaumont

School Age Read Alouds

Bad Apple by Edward Hemingway
Burger Boy by Alan Durant
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Little Sweet Potato by Amy Beth Bloom
Pie Went By by Carolyn Dunn
Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann
Thelonius Monster's Sky High Fly Pie by Judy Sierra
Too Many Cooks by Margaret McNamara
Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler
Wild Boars Cook by Meg Rosoff
Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Flannel, Puppet and Prop Stories

Big Carrot
Flip Flap Jack
Very Hungry Caterpillar    

Fruit Props

I like _________, how about you?
Let's eat and eat 'til the day is through!
Okay, kids, we've had enough -
It's time to eat some other stuff!
(repeat with different food props)

“Rabbit Loves Carrots”

Duck likes bread and dog likes bones… but rabbit loves carrots!
Repeat with other animals, and have Toddlers feed rabbit a carrot at the end

Five Red Strawberries Flannel

Five red strawberries, sweet to the core,
Bear came and ate one and then there were four.

Four red strawberries, growing near a tree,
Bear came and ate one and then there were three.

Three red strawberries, for you and you and you,
Bear came and ate one and then there were two.

Two red strawberries, sitting in the sun,
Bear came and ate one and then there was one.

One red strawberry, left all alone,
Bear came and ate it and then there were none.

Let’s Go and Pack a Picnic

 (Tune: Bear Went Over the Mountain)

Let’s go and pack a picnic
Let’s go and pack a picnic
Let’s go and pack a picnic
So we’ll have food to eat

Who will bring the chicken?
Who will bring the chicken?
Who will bring the chicken?
So we’ll have food to eat

Repeat with:
• Who will bring the cupcakes?
• Who will bring the watermelon?
• Who will bring the lemonade?

We all went on a picnic
We all went on a picnic
We all went on a picnic
And now it’s time to eat

Picnic Time Chant with Props

Going on a picnic,
Gotta pack a lunch.
What should we bring to munch, munch, munch?

Let's bring sandwiches,
Sandwiches, sandwiches.
Let's bring sandwiches to munch, munch, munch

(repeat with other plastic food items)

Storytime About Mice

Toddler Read Alouds

If You See A Kitten by John Butler  *includes a doormouse
I Miss You, Mouse by Greg Foley
Kitty's Cuddles by Jane Cabrera
Little Mouse, Ripe Red Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood
Lunch by Denise Fleming
Maisy Goes to the Library by Lucy Cousins
Mommy, Where Are You?  by Leonid Gore
Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley
Mouse's First Day of School by  Lauren Thompson
Peek-A-Pet by Marie Torres Cimarusti
Thank You, Bear by Greg Foley
What Will Fat Cat Sit On?  by Jan Thomas

Preschool Read Alouds
Aberdeen by Stacey Previn (2016)
Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming
Bella's Best of All by Jamie Harper (2016)
Busy, Busy Mouse by Virginia Kroll
Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo by Laurel Molk (2015)
Hickory Dickory Dock by Keith Baker
Hide-and-Squeak by Heather Frederick
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Little Mouse by Alison Murray
Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake by Thomas Taylor
Mother, Mother, I Want Another by Maria Polushkin Robbins
Mouse, the Cat and Grandma's Hat by Nancy Willard
Never Too Little to Love by Jeanne Willis
New House for Mouse by Petr Horacek
Pip and Squeak by Ian Schoenherr
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Who Will Dance With Little Mouse?  by Anita Bijsterbosch (2016)

School Age Read Alouds

Cinderella's Rat by Susan Meddaugh
Hooway for Wondey Wat by Helen Lester
Just A Little Bit by Ann Tompert
Just Like You by Jan Fearnley
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett
Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton
Too Many Cooks by Margaret McNamara
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Flannels, Songs and Story Exensions

Books That Translate Into Prop Stories 

Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake by Thomas Taylor
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Books That Translate into Flannel Stories 

Mother, Mother, I Want Another by Maria Polunskin Robbins
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsch
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

Flannels to Share *scripts below 

A-Hunting We Will Go
Five Hungry Mice
Five Little Mice Went Out to Play
Hickory Dickory Dock
Little Mouse, Little Mouse
Three White Mice

A-Hunting We Will Go 
A-hunting we will go, A-hunting we will go!
We’ll catch a mouse and put him in a house
And then we’ll let him go!

Baby Mice *from Knock At the Door by Kay Chorao 

Where are the baby mice?
Squeak, squeak, squeak (Cover eyes)
I cannot see them
Peek, peek, peek (Peek-a-boo)
Here they come from a hole in the wall (Make hole with fingers)
1-2-3-4-5… That’s all! (Count fingers)

Bouncing Mouse 

Boing, boing, squeak
Boing, boing, squeak
A bouncing mouse is in my house
He's been there for a week. (chorus)
He came from out of nowhere
And quickly settled in.
I'm thankful that he came alone
I heard he had a twin.
He bounces in the kitchen
He bounces in the den
He bounces in the living room
Look, there he goes again
That mouse just keeps on bouncing every minute of the day
He bounce, bounce, bounce, bounces
But he does not bounce away

Five Hungry Mice 

Five little mice were hungry as could be
"Let's go to the kitchen and see what we can see!"
The first little mouse found a tasty cookie crumb.
 He ate it right up with a, "Yum, yum, yum!"
The second little mouse found a piece of jelly bread. "
That snack was pretty good," he said.
The third little mouse said, "For goodness sake,
Just look at that delicious chocolate cake!"
The fourth little mouse found a big piece of cheese…
When all of a sudden he started to sneeze!
The fifth little mouse said, "We'd better scat!
Here comes Tommy that big old cat!"

Five Little Mice Went Out to Play
Five little mice went out to play,
Gathering cheese along the way
Out comes the kitty cat nice and fat
And only four little mice came back.
(Repeat 4-3-2-1)

Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one, the mouse ran down
Hickory dickory dock

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck two, the mouse said, “Boo!”
Hickory dickory dock

Little Mouse, Little Mouse

 Little mouse, little mouse,
Are you in a red house? No...
(repeat with other colored houses until mouse is found)

OR 
 Little mouse, little mouse, come out to play
What color house are you in today?
(repeat with other colored houses until mouse is found)

Three White Mice 

Three white mice, three white mice
See how they run, see how they run
They all were chased by a farmer’s cat
They ran and hit in an old straw hat
Did you ever see such a sight as that?
Those three white mice…

When Mice Get Up in the Morning 

When mice get up in the morning, they always say, “Good day.”
When mice get up in the morning, they always say, “Good day.”
Squeak-squeak! Squeak-squeak!
That is what they say
Squeak-squeak! Squeak-squeak!
That is what they say

Where is Mousie?

(Tune of: "Where is Thumbkin?")

Where is Mousie?  Where is Mousie?
Here I am - Here I am
How are you today, Sir - Very well, I thank you
Run away - Run away

Storytime About the Zoo

Excellent craft idea, based on the book My Heart Is Like A Zoo, and shared on the Awesome Storytime Blog

Toddler Read-Alouds

1, 2, At the Zoo by Sue DiCicco
Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Hello, Baby Animals by Lorinda Bryan Cauley (2018)
Hug by Jez Alborough
Hush, Little Ones by John Butler
Little Elephant by Tana Hoban
Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Peek-A-Zoo by Marie Torres Cimarusti
Tuck Me In!  by Dean Hacohen ~ putting zoo animals to bed
Two At the Zoo by Danna Smith
Watch Us Play by Miela Ford
Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?  by Karen Beaumont
Whose Nose and Toes?  by John Butler
Zookeeper Sue by Chris Demarest
Zoo-Looking by Mem Fox

Preschool Read-Alouds

Animal Colors and More by Katie Viggers (2017)
Escape of Marvin the Ape by Caralyn Buehner
Going to the Zoo by Tom Paxton
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
I Spy With My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs - CROWD PLEASER 
Melissa's Octopus and Other Unsuitable Pets by Charlotte Voake (2015)
My Heart Is Like A Zoo by Michael Hall - also works as a storytime craft
Painting Gorilla by Michael Rex
Perfect Siesta by Pato Mena (2017)
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?  by Bill Martin
Stop Snoring, Bernard!  by Zachariah Ohora
The View At the Zoo by Kathleen Long Bostrom
We're Going On a Lion Hunt by Margery Cuyler
What's New At the Zoo?  by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Wheels On the Bus by Jeanne Willis ~ they are going to the Zoo

School Age Read-Alouds

Dumb Bunnies Go to the Zoo by Sue Denim
Gladys Goes Out to Lunch by Derek Anderson
If Anything Ever Goes Wrong At the Zoo by Mary Jean Hendrick
Never Ever Shout In A Zoo by Karma Wilson
Smile If You're Human by Neal Layton
Wild About Us!  by Karen Beaumont (2015)

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.

Go Green Storytime

Toddler Read Alouds

Big Earth, Little Me by Thom Wiley
Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry
Dig In by Cindy Jenson-Elliot (2017)
How Does A Seed Grow?  by Sue Kim
What Color Is Your Apple?  by Jerry Pallotta

Preschool Read Alouds

A Leaf Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas
Big Bear Hug by Nicolas Oldhand
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger - love this book!
If You Hold A Seed by Elly MacKay
I Love Our Earth by Bill Martin Jr. 
Love Your World by Dawn Sirett
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin - he doesn't throw out his shoes
Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson - environmentalist version of Press Here  (2017)
Tap the Magic Tree  by Christie Matheson - environmentalist version of Press Here
Things I Can Do to Help My World by Melanie Walsch
This Tree Counts by Alison Formento
We Planted A Tree by Diane Muldrow
Whole Green World by Tony Johnston

School Age Read Alouds

Earth Book by Todd Parr
Earth Day Birthday by Patti Schnetzler
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
Miss Fox's Class Goes Green by Eileen Spinelli
Mr. King's Things by Genevieve Cote
Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel
Picture A Tree by Barbara Reid
Who Will Plant A Tree?  by Jerry Pallotta

Display Books

Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals
Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong

Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Activities

Cereal Box Hopscotch
Cereal Box Food Pyramid and Bag Toss
Craft: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/earth/mcoffeefilter.htm
Five Bottles of Juice On the Wall

Creative Dramatic

Little Acorn Grows Up by Edward Gibbs

Prop Story

Joseph Had An Overcoat by Simms Taback   

If You See A Piece of Litter

(Tune: Happy and You Know It)

If you see a piece of litter pick it up (pick it up!)
If you see a piece of litter pick it up
We will make the world look better, if we pick up all the litter
If you see a piece of litter, pick it up.

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Soda Cans
One little, two little, three little soda cans
Four little, five little, six little soda cans
Seven little, eight little, nine little cans
Ten cans to recycle!

Repeat with: bottles, plastics...

This Is the Way We Turn Off the Lights

This is the way we turn off the lights,
Turn off the lights, turn off the lights.
This is the way we turn off the lights,
Because we love our world

Repeat with: turn of the water, throw out the trash, recycle the cans, plant the seeds...

Save, Save, Save the Cans

(Tune of Row Your Boat)
Save, save, save the cans, throw them in the bin
We can help to save the Earth, if we all pitch in.\

Repeat with: bottles, trash, plastics...

 

There Was An Old Woman

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe
She had so much trash, she didn’t know what to do
She piled up the plastics, the bottles, the cans,
And took them out back to the Recycling Man.

We’ve Been Working On Recycling

(Tune: Working on Railroad)

We've been working on recycling
All the trash we can,
We've been working on recycling,
It's a very simple plan,
Separate your glass and paper,
Separate your plastic and tin.

Take the trash that you’ve recycled to your recycling bin!

Parachute Play

Read-Aloud Books
Boing by Nick Bruel
Bounce by Doreen Cronin
Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by Lisa Wheeler
Emily Loves to Bounce by Stephen Michael
Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck

Songs

Glad to See You by Peter and Ellen Allard
Icky Sticky Bubble Gum by David Belafonte
Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte

Items to Bounce On Parachute

Colored puffballs ("Bubble Gum")  
White puffballs or crumbled balls of white paper ("Popcorn")
Five monkey puppets 
Five goldfish puppets

Bubble Gum Chants
Bubble gum, bubble gum, chew and blow,
Bubble gum, bubble gum, scrape your toe,
Bubble gum, bubble gum, tastes so sweet,
Get that bubble gum off your feet!

Bubblegum, bubblegum, in a dish.
How many pieces do you wish?
Bubblegum, bubblegum, tastes so sweet.
How many pieces can you eat? (1, 2, 3...)

Popcorn Chants
One little kernel, sleeping in the pot
Turn on the heat, and watch it pop!

(Add more "Popcorn" to bounce on parachute: Two little kernels sleeping in the pot…)

You put the oil in the pot and you let it get hot
You put the popcorn in and you start to grin.
Sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle
POP!

(Children begin in a crouched position, knees bent, then s-l-o-w-l-y rise until the final POP! when we jump up in the air!)

Five little popcorns sitting in a pan
One got hot and it went…. BAM!
(Catch bouncing popcorn, one by one, and remove from parachute)

Monkey Activities

One little monkey swinging in the tree,
Where's another monkey to play with me?

(Add another monkey to bounce on parachute,"Two little monkeys swinging in the tree...")

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed."

(Catch bouncing monkeys, one by one, and remove from parachute) 

Goldfish Activities

One little goldfish swimming in the sea,
"Where's another goldfish to swim with me?"

(Add another goldfish to bounce on parachute:"Two little goldfish, swimming in the sea...") 

Five little goldfish swimming in the sea
Teasing Mr. Shark, "You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Shark, quiet as can be and -
SNAPS that goldfish out of the sea!
(Catch bouncing goldfish, one by one, and remove from parachute)

When the Parachute Goes Up

When the parachute goes up, stomp your feet
When the parachute goes up, stomp your feet
When the parachute goes high, and lifts up toward the sky
When the parachute goes up, stomp your feet
(Repeat with: bend your knees, shake your head, shout hooray!)

Storytime About Marvelous Marsupials and Other Australian Animals

Toddler Read Alouds
Can You Cuddle Like A Koala? by John Butler
Does A Kangaroo Have A Mother, Too? by Eric Carle
Grumble-Rumble! by Siobham Dodds
Jump Along by Neil Morris
Pouch! by David Ezra Stein - MY FAVORITE!
Where Wild Babies Sleep by Ann Purmell

Preschool Read Alouds
Bilby Moon by Margaret Spurling
Boing by Nick Bruel
I Love It When You Smile by Sam McBratney
Joey by Jack Kent
Kersplatypus by Susan K. Mitchell
Little New Kangaroo by Bernard Wiseman
McGillycuddy Could! by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Polly Hopper's Pouch by Louise Bonnett-Ramersaud
Snap! by Marcia Vaughan
Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in A Ball by Vicki Churchill
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields
Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? by Sylvia Blackstone

School Age Read-Alouds
Diary of A Wombat by Jackie French
Don't Laugh, Joe by Keiko Kasza
Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles
Epossumondas Plays Possum by Coleen Salley
Joey Runs Away by Jack Kent
Koala Lou by Mem Fox
Over in Australia by Marianne Burkes
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
What Do You Do With A Kangaroo? by Mercer Mayer
When Kangaroo Goes to School by Sonia Levitin

Flannels, Songs and Story Extensions

Book That Works Well As A Storytelling Script
Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan

Books That Translate Into Flannel Stories
Bilby Moon by Margaret Spurling
Jump Along by Neil Morris
Kersplatypus by Susan K. Mitchell
Little New Kangaroo by Bernard Wiseman
Snap! by Marcia Vaughan

A-Hunting We Will Go
(Australian Version)
A-hunting we will go,
A-hunting we will go
The Rainbow Snake will eat some cake,
And then we’ll let him go!

The Bandicoot will play the flute…
The fat Wombat will wear a hat…
The Platypus will dance for us…
The Cockatoo will wave at you…

Cuddly Koalas
(Tune of: “Frere Jacques”)
Cuddly koalas, cuddly koalas
Possums too, possums too
Wallabies and wombats, wallabies and wombats
Kangaroos, kangaroos

Five Little Kookaburras Sitting in a Tree
Five little kookaburras sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Crocodile quiet as can be,
SNAP! - that kookaburra out of that tree!
Countdown until none are left..

Hop, Hop, Hop Kangaroo
(Tune of "Skip to My Lou")
Hop, hop, hop, kangaroo
Hop, hop, hop, kangaroo
Hop, hop, hop, kangaroo
Hopping around Australia.

Baby in a pocket safe and snug
Baby in a pocket safe and snug
Baby in a pocket safe and snug
Hopping with her mama.

A Kangaroo, A Kangaroo
(Rhythm of A-Ram-Sam-Sam)
A Kangaroo , A Kangaroo
A Frilly Necked Lizard and a Kangaroo
A Kangaroo , A Kangaroo
A Frilly Necked Lizard and a Kangaroo
Koala, Koala
A Frilly Necked Lizard and a Kangaroo
Koala, Koala
A Frilly Necked Lizard and a Kangaroo

Kookaburra
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh kookaburra! Laugh kookaburra!
Happy as can be.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Eating all the gumdrops he can see,
Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra,
Leave some there for me.

Kookaburra flies from the old gum tree
Flapping his wings for all to see.
Laugh kookaburra! Laugh kookaburra!
Flying oh so free.

Kookaburra land in the old gum tree
Fluttering his wings for all to see.
Laugh kookaburra! Laugh kookaburra!
Happy as can be.

This is the Way The Kangaroo Hops
(Tune: "Mulberry Bush")
This is the way the kangaroo hops
The kangaroo hops, the kangaroo hops
This is the way the kangaroo hops
So early in the morning.