We had a blast reading stories about riding bicycles during our Preschool Storytime! Here are the books, songs, flannel board, action rhymes and video we shared.
Books We Read
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon tells the story of a Duck who inspires all his fellow farm animals to ride a bike! Well they don’t really buy into his enthusiasm for bike riding until they get a chance to see what it’s like firsthand! How did they get a hold of so many bikes? You’ll have to read the story to find out!
Everyone knows part of learning to ride a bike is learning how to STOP! In The Best Bike Ride Ever authors James Proimos and Johanna Wright introduce us to Bonnie – a young girl who gets her very first bike! She’s so excited that she hops right on even though she hasn’t learned the proper mechanics of using the brakes. Bonnie takes a wild ride downhill, over mountains, to the top of the Statue of Liberty, to the bottom of the Grand Canyon – you get the picture. What finally stops her? A toy truck on the road and OOF! She falls. Back to the drawing board as her parents comfort her and show her how to use the brakes. Then it’s ride, ride, ride until she starts thinking of her next dream – getting a pony.
New Red Bike! by James E. Ransome shows us Tom riding his new, red bike to his friend Sam’s house. He knocks on Sam’s door but there’s no answer. When he turns around – his bike is missing! Where is it? Tom looks everywhere until he finally sees Sam riding toward him. Sam apologizes for taking Tom’s bike and they both decide that sharing is the best way for both of them to enjoy riding UNTIL Tom gets his very own bike from his mom and dad. Now they can ride their bikes together!
Action Rhyme
Bicycle
I have a little bicycle (hold hands together for little)
I ride it to and fro (roll hands)
And when I see that big green light
I know it’s time to go! (pedal in air fast)
I have a little bicycle (hold hands together for little)
I took it to the shop (roll hands)
And when I see that big red light
I know it’s time to STOP (freeze)
Credit: First Steps Ann Arbor
Flannel Board
How Will We Get to the Beach?
Based on the story by Brigitte Lucianna
Roxanne is bringing 5 things to the beach: a baby, purple ball, umbrella, turtle and a big book!
The car won’t start so Roxanne decides to take a bicycle…
Oh no! Something is missing! Can you guess what it is? THE PURPLE BALL – there was no room for the purple ball!
That’s okay!
Roxanne decides to use her skateboard to get to the beach.
Oh no! Something is missing! Can you guess what it is? THE UMBRELLA! – there was no room for the umbrella!
That’s okay!
Roxanne decides to take the bus! The bus will definitely fit everyone and everything!
Oh no! Something is missing! Can you guess what it is? THE TURTLE – no animals are allowed on the bus!
That’s okay!
Roxanne decides to take her canoe to the beach!
Oh no! Something is missing! Can you guess what it is? THE BOOK! – the book may fall into the water!
That’s okay!
Roxanne decides to take the next best thing! A hot air balloon!
Oh no! Something is missing! Can you guess what it is? THE BABY! – the baby was too scared to ride in the hot air balloon!
That’s okay!
Roxanne had one more thing up her sleeve! She finally loaded everything onto a cart and pulled out her friendly horse.
The friendly horse pulled the cart (and everyone and everything in it) ALL the way to the beach where everyone enjoyed a fun and beautiful day!
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)
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 friends,
Goodbye friends, 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
“We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman [With Shaker Eggs]
“Oh Children Ring Your Bells” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman!
“Jazzy ABCs” from Go Baby Go! by Baby Loves Jazz
We used shaker eggs and some hand held percussion instruments to dance along to Jazzy ABCs and to We’re Going to the Market. It was so much fun! Take a listen to “We’re Going to the Market”…
Video We Shared
Curious George Rides a Bike
Continue the Fun at Home
If you’d like to read more books about bicycles, check these out from your local Pasadena Public Library!
