We read about jobs during our Preschool Storytime!   Everybody thought about the jobs they might like to do when they grow up!  We also read a book about a frog who didn’t really like the job of being a frog.  (He does change his mind in the end though.)

Here are the books, songs, guessing game, action rhymes and video we shared.


Books We Read

In Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg we meet a dog who used to love to play catch until he can no longer see the ball.  Hmmmm…time to see the eye doctor about some glasses.  A great pop up book about going to the optometrist, a boy and his dog AND the magic of glasses.

I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt introduces us to a frog who wants to be anything BUT a frog!  He’d rather be a cat, a pig or a rabbit and not a frog who is wet, slimy and eats bugs.  However, he changes his mind when he meets someone who eats everything BUT frogs!  A great book about accepting yourself.

Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do is exactly as it sounds.  Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook’s book about jobs is littered with “clues” in the form of “clothes”.  Children must try and guess the jobs that match each uniform/outfit.  Illustrator, Robert Davies creates simple, clear drawings that make it easy to identify the clothes that match specific occupations.


Guessing Game

Who am I? 

I put on a special hat, used some props and mimed a job ~ everyone had a great time guessing who I was pretending to be!  Can you guess the jobs from these photos?

Answers:  Chef, Gardener, Magician, Artist

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


Video We Shared

I Stink (based on the picture book by Kate & Jim McMullan)


Continue the Fun at Home

If you’d like to read more serious and funny books about jobs and community helpers, check these out from your local Pasadena Public Library!