Today was the first Toddler Storytime of the spring session! It was wonderful seeing all of those beautiful toddlers this morning. We explored stories about bears, sang some great songs, had fun with a puppet play and a few flannel stories and watched a great video about a slumbering bear. All in a day’s work!
Listed below you’ll find the books we read and the lyrics/words to the rhymes, songs & activities we shared. That way you can practice with your wee one(s) at home!
Books We Shared
Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley is a sweet tale about Bear and his friend, Caterpillar. When Caterpillar tells Bear that he is making a cocoon, Bear is worried. Caterpillar’s cocoon is way up high in a tree and Bear fears that his friend won’t survive the cold, blustery winter weather up there! Each day Bear checks on his friend and Caterpillar tells him not to worry, but he can’t help it! The wind blows, it rains, it snows and bear worries on. When spring finally arrives Bear sees that the cocoon is empty! Where is caterpillar? Bear thinks he’ll never see his friend again. That is until a beautiful silk moth lands on his nose. I bet you can guess who that is! A beautiful story about friendship, caring, letting go and transformation. It also introduces toddlers to a bit of science as we see that the caterpillar eventually becomes a beautiful moth.
Since Bear in the book Don’t Worry Bear was worried about his friend, Caterpillar, I couldn’t resist sharing a finger puppet play about my friend Caterpillar and his transformation!
Caterpillar in a Box (Finger Puppet Play)
A fuzzy little caterpillar
Crawled up and looked at me!
He wriggled and I giggled.
Friends we soon would be.
So I put him in a box…I DID!
Don’t you crawl away I said!
But the next day, when I opened up the lid,
Out flew a butterfly instead!
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See? is a classic by Bill Martin. No one ever tires of hearing this one, especially since it has a wonderful rhyming cadence that makes for great audience participation! It is also a good primer for identifying animals and colors. Always a hit with the toddler (and adult) crowd!
Flannel Boards We Shared
Bears
(sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
Video: Grizzly Bears Are Big and Brown
Grizzly bears are big and brown,
Big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown.
They live in the woods.
Polar bears are soft and white,
Soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white.
They live where it’s cold.
Teddy bears are just my size,
Just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size,
To cuddle with at night.
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
Video: Bear Went Over the Mountain
(sung to the tune of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”)
The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain
To see what he could see
To see what he could see
To see what he could see
But all that he could see (clap twice)
But all that he could see (clap twice)
Was the other side of the mountain
The other side of the mountain
The other side of the mountain
Was all that he could see.
There were Ten in the Bed – Video: Ten in the Bed
There were ten in the bed and the little one said, roll over, roll over…
So they all rolled over and one fell out! OUCH!
There were nine in the bed and the little one said, roll over, roll over…
So they all rolled over and another one fell out! OUCH!
How many are left now? (Count remaining bears each time and repeat with eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…)
When there is only one bear in the bed sing…
Version A:
There was one in the bed and he just sang
(to the tune of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”)
I’ve got the whole bed to myself
I’ve got the whole bed to myself
I’ve got the whole bed to myself
So I’ll say night, night right now!
OR
Version B:
There was one in the bed and he just said, “I’m lonely, I’m lonely…”
So they all crawled back in…count them! 1, 2, 3, 4,….and 10!
Then sing – “There were ten in the bed and they all just said, “Night, night now, night, night now.”
Then they all rolled over and they turned out the light. (clap hands)
Shhhhhh!!!! (put finger to lips)
Action Songs & Fingerplays We Shared
We share a lot of songs, bounces & rhymes during storytime! You’ll find lyrics/words to those songs & rhymes we shared without CD accompaniment here.
Welcome, Welcome Everyone
(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle)
Welcome, welcome everyone,
Now we’re here let’s have some fun!
First we clap our hands just so,
Then we bend and touch our toes.
Welcome, welcome everyone,
Now we’re here let’s have some fun
Open Shut Them – Video: Open Shut Them
Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close hands)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (clap three times)
Open shut them, open shut them (open and close hands)
Put them in your lap, lap, lap. (place hands in lap and bounce them 3X)
Creep them, crawl them, creep them crawl them, (crawl fingers up arms)
Right up to your chinny chin chin. (place fingers on chin)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth and say ahhhhhh)
But do not put them in!! (put hands behind your back)
This is Big, Big Big – Video: This is Big
This is big big big
Hold arms out to side
This is small small small
Cup hands together
This is short short short
Hold hands with palms facing each other
This is tall tall tall
Reach one hand above head
This is fast fast fast
Circle fists quickly
This is slow slow slow
Circle fists slowly
This is yes yes yes
Nod
This is no no no
Shake head
Credit: Mel’s Desk
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Video: Twinkle Twinkle
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle Twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.
Goodbye Friends (in sign) – Video: Goodbye Friends
Goodbye babies, goodbye babies
Goodbye babies, it’s time to say goodbye.
Music from CDs We Shared
Children love to sing and dance to music. Here are some of the action songs & rhymes on CD that we used in storytime. Click onto the CD titles to find these items in our library catalog.
“Clap Everybody and Say Hello” from Sally Go Round the Sun by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel
“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Kathy Reid-Naiman
“I’m a Little Teapot” from Toddler Favorites by Music for Little People
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel
“ABC” from Go Baby Go! Baby Loves Jazz by Baby Loves Jazz Band
“Two Little Blackbirds” from Circle Time: songs and rhymes for the very young by Lisa Monet
Video We Shared
Bear Snores On (based on the picture book by Karma Wilson)
CONTINUE THE FUN
Want to read more about bears at home? Check out these books from your local Pasadena Public Library branch!