There are so many great picture books about birds and we read two of them during preschool storytime. And…there was even a pesky cat hanging around. We all know cats and birds don’t mix but when it comes to storytime, anything’s possible! Here are the books, songs, flannel board, story activities and video we shared.
Books We Read
Kevin Henkes picture book titled Birds is a beautiful look into the wonderful world of birds and bird behavior. The story begins with a little girl who looks out the window and dreams of flying. With a turn of the page the magic begins! We see birds of many colors, birds on a wire, birds in flight, birds creating art in the sky – there is so much to love about this book and so much to learn about birds. In the end we discover that humans may not have wings to fly but they can sing along with the birds.
Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton introduces us to Little Owl who gets lost. He starts looking for Mama Owl and runs into Squirrel who offers to help. Even though Little Owl describes his mama to a T, squirrel just can’t seem to get it right. It takes some help from frog to reunite Little Owl with his Mama!
Flannel Boards
Five Little Birds
One little bird with feathers of blue, flew beside the green one and then there were two!
Two little birds sitting in a tree, along came a pink one and then there were three!
Three little birds, looking for one more, along came an orange one and then there were four!
Four little birds glad to be alive, along came a yellow one and then there were five!
Five little birds sharing beautiful songs hoping that eventually we’ll all sing along!
Scat the Cat
CHORUS: (everyone says)
I’m Scat the Cat. I’m sassy and fat. And I can change my colors ~ (snap) ~ just like that!
One day Scat decided he was tired of being black. He wanted to be a new color so he said: CHORUS. (Remove the black sheet of paper to make the cat blue.) And he changed blue! Scat went down to the pond to look at himself in the water. Unfortunately, he fell in, and he couldn’t swim. Timmy Turtle came along and helped Scat get back on shore.
Scat decided he didn’t want to be blue any more, so he said: CHORUS. (Remove the blue sheet of paper to make the cat red.) And he changed red. He went walking down the street, and everybody started laughing at him. “Whoever heard of a red cat!” they said.
Scat decided he didn’t want to be red any more, so he said: CHORUS. (Remove the red sheet of paper to make the cat yellow.) And he changed yellow. Scat went walking in the woods, and who did he run into but his cousin Leo the lion. “Grrrrrr!” roared Leo. “I’m the only cat who can be yellow.”
Scat decided he better not be yellow any more, and he quickly said: CHORUS. (Remove the yellow sheet of paper to make the cat green.) Scat wanted to play with his brothers and sisters in the grass. He tried to play with them, but he was green like the grass, and they couldn’t see him.
Scat decided he didn’t want to be blue, or red, or yellow, or green, so he said: CHORUS. (Remove the green sheet of paper to make the cat black.) Scat knew that being himself was the best thing to be. And do you know what? Being yourself is the best thing you can be, too. Because there’s nobody else exactly like you. And I like you just the way you are!
Action Songs & Fingerplays
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
Shake My Sillies Out
I’ve gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out
And wiggle my waggles away
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out
And wiggle my waggles away
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out
And wiggle my waggles away
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out
And wiggle my waggles away
And wiggle my waggles away
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.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider
Went up the water spout
Down came the rain and
Washed the spider out
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
Now the itsy bitsy spider
Went up the spout again
You are my Sunshine
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
And I love you more every day.
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
Video We Shared
The video we watched: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Continue the Fun at Home
If you’d like to read more books about birds, check out these books from your local Pasadena Public Library!