Polar Bears – Toddler Storytime

In the white cold world of the arctic, there is a lot of life. On February 7th’s toddler storytime, we shared stories about one of these lives, a giant creature of the north – the polar bear!

Books We Shared

Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson, with pictures by Stephen Savage is a quiet, beautiful story about a cub who crawls out of her den in the dark of night. She ventures across the cold snow, past the seals, walruses and whales, to discover a wonderful celestial treat. Find out what it is by reading this story that is gentle enough for bedtime.

Our second book, Polar Bear’s Underwear by tupera tupera was a little more active and started with some trouble – Polar Bear cannot find his underwear! So he, his friend mouse, and all the listeners see if they can find it. It was a lot of fun to see all the different types of underwear animals wear, and you may be surprised about Polar Bears!

Flannel Board Story

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Flannelboard from Little Folk Visuals, based on the book by Bill Martin Jr., and illustrated by Eric Carle

Polar bear, polar bear
what do you hear?
I hear a lion
roaring in my ear

Repeat with :
hippopotamus – snorting
flamingo – fluting
zebra – braying
boa constrictor – hissing
elephant – trumpeting
zookeeper – all the animals talking in my ear!

The book has more animals, so check it out to make even more fun animal sounds!

Counting Song Flannelboard

10 Snowflakes

Counting time, it’s counting time
So let’s all sing a simple rhyme

Ten little snowflakes, here we go
Let’s all count them as I put them in rows.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Ten little snowflakes, again we go
Now let’s count them nice and slow
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Ten little snowflakes, in neat rows
Let’s count them as away they go
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Video We Watched

“Little Polar Bear” from Little Bear: Winter Games

Little Bear is trying to help Hen paint her house, when the bucket of white paint falls on him. Now none of his friends can tell he’s him! What’s a Little Bear to do? Will he have to move up North where polar bears live?

Rhymes & Bounces & Songs We Shared without Music

We sing a lot of songs during storytime! You’ll find lyrics to those songs without music here.

Welcome Song
(to the tune of: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
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
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands on “clap”)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Place them in your lap, lap, lap (Pat lap with hands on “lap”)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Right up to your chin, chin, chin (tap chin with hands on “chin”)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth wide and pretend to put fingers in)
But do not let them in! (Hide hands behind your back quickly)

For a video of me (Jennifer) doing this rhyme, watch the video below

The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider (L shape with both hands. Place thumb of one hand on forefinger of the other)
went up the water spout. (“walk” your fingers up thumb to forefinger, alternating.)
Down came the rain and (wiggle fingers and bring then downward)
Washed the spider out. (make baseball “safe” motion)
Out came the sun and (hands above head in a circle)
and dried up all the rain. (hands out at side of body)
And the itsy bitsy spider (L shape with both hands. Place thumb of one hand on forefinger of the other)
went up the spout again. (“walk” your fingers up thumb to forefinger, alternating.)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle little star (open and close fingers into fist to make star)
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, (move hands up)
Like a diamond in the sky. (make a diamond shape with hands)
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are. (open and close fingers into fist to make star)

Storytime’s Over
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Now give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Our storytime’s over
So wave bye-bye (wave)