Infant & Toddler Storytime – Pandas

What’s black and white and lots of fun? Storytime about Pandas, of course!

Books We Shared

In infant storytime, we began with a book about two bears that could not seem more different: Panda Big and Panda Small by Jane Cabrera. This book highlights a lot of fun opposites, but there is one thing that both pandas like — each other! We counted some furry bear friends with our second book, Five Hungry Pandas! A Count and Crunch Book by Alexis Barad-Culter, illustrated by Kyle Poling.

With toddler storytime, we shared the story of a Panda that changes his mind a lot – for good reason – in Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony. We also read about poor Chengdu who can’t find a way to get comfortable at night in Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg.

Flannelboard Stories

INFANT STORYTIME

The Panda Went Over the Mountain
Panda Went Over the Mountain Flannelboard
(to the tune of The Bear Went Over the Mountain)

The panda went over the mountain
The panda went over the mountain
The panda went over the mountain
To see what she could see.

But all that she could see
But all that she could see
Was the other side of the mountain
The other side of the mountain
The other side of the mountain
Was all that she could see.

TODDLER STORYTIME

P-A-N-D-A
P-A-N-D-A flannelboard 1 P-A-N-D-A flannelboard 2 P-A-N-D-A flannelboard 3
(to the tune of Bingo)

There is a bear that likes bamboo
and Panda is its name-o
P-A-N-D-A
P-A-N-D-A
P-A-N-D-A
and Panda is its name-o.

There is a bear that likes bamboo
and Panda is its name-o
Clap-A-N-D-A
Clap-A-N-D-A
Clap-A-N-D-A
and Panda is its name-o.

Continue until you are clapping for the whole song.

Rhymes & Songs We Shared

We had a lot of fun doing action rhymes at storytime! Here are the ones we shared without musical accompaniment.

INFANT STORYTIME

Now it’s time to Say Hello
(to tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Now it’s time to say hello, say hello, say hello
Now it’s time to say hello and start our storytime.

Peek-a-Boo
(to tune of Frere Jacques)
Peek-a-boo, Peek-a-boo (play peek-a-boo)
I see you, I see you (point at baby)
I see your little nose (touch baby’s nose)
I see your tiny toes (touch baby’s toes)
Peek-a-boo. Peek-a-boo. (play peek-a-boo again)

See a video of Peek-a-Boo.

Patty Cake
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man. (Clap your hands)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it (Roll your hands, hand over hand)
and pat it (pat baby’s legs)
And mark it with a B (write a B on baby’s tummy)
And put it in the oven for Baby and me. (point to baby, then point to you)

See the Little Mousie
See the little mousie (circle finger on baby’s hand)
Creeping up the stair. (move hands up baby’s arm)
Looking for a warm nest, (move fingers up arm)
There, oh, there! (tickle armpit)

TODDLER STORYTIME

Now it’s time to Say Hello
(to tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Now it’s time to say hello, say hello, say hello
Now it’s time to say hello and start our storytime.

Open Shut Them
Open, shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Open shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (clap hands on each clap)
Open, shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Open shut them. (hands palms out with fingers stretched, then close into fists)
Place them on your lap-lap-lap. (pat lap three times)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up from lap towards chin)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up from lap towards chin)
Right up to your chin-chin-chin (tap fingers on chin)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth wide)
BUT DO NOT LET THEM IN! (say quickly and hide hands behind back).

See a video of Open Shut Them.

Now it’s Time to Say Goodbye
(to tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Now it’s time to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye
Now it’s time to say goodbye
I’ll see you all next week.

Music We Shared

Singing is a great way to share words and rhythms with your baby. While you don’t need a music cd to do this, we do share some songs from cds in our storytimes.

INFANT STORYTIME

“Baby’s Little Self” from Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants