We explored stories and activities about gardens during our toddler storytime.  Take a look at the books, flannel activities, songs, rhymes & video we shared.

Fun Fact:  Click here for a blog post about creating a Sensory Garden for your toddler:  Growing Minds

It doesn’t have to incorporate everything listed, but you could try a few things that work for you.  Happy reading!

Books We Shared

Up, Down and Around by Katherine Ayres teaches us that some plants grow down into ground, some grow toward the sky and some twist round and round and round as they grow.  This is a great book to teach children about how plants grow and to teach them directional concepts like up, down and around.  Plus its a lot of fun to read out loud.

Lenny in the Garden by Ken Wilson-Max is a rhyming tale about all of the creatures Lenny finds in the garden.  He sings a little song to greet each of them by name!  For example:

Mr. Ant, Mr. Ant

Where are you?

Here I am, here I am, how do you do?”  

By the end of the book he’s encountered an ant, a spider, a worm, a butterfly a caterpillar, a ladybug, a snail, a grasshopper and a bee!  Finally his mother comes out to tell him its time for lunch and she sings:

Lenny Lou,

Lenny Lou,

Where are you?

Flannel Boards We Shared

There’s Something in My Garden

There’s something in my garden,
Now what can it be?
There’s something in my garden
That I can’t really see.
Hear its funny sound….
Ribbit – Ribbit – Ribbit
A Frog is what I found!
Ribbit-Ribbit-Ribbit

Repeat with other animals, such as a crow (caw-caw-caw), mouse (squeak-squeak-squeak), rabbit (thump-thump-thump), bird (tweet-tweet-tweet) etc.  

Five Little Flowers 

(Can also be used as a fingerplay.)

Five little flowers growing by my door.

(hold up 5 fingers, 5 flowers on board)

I picked one, and then there were four.

(put one finger down, take 1 flower off board)

Four little flowers I did see.
(hold up 4 fingers, point to eye)

I picked one, and then there were three.
(put 1 finger down, remove 1 flower from board)

Three little flowers, pretty and new.

(hold up 3 fingers)

I picked one, and then there were two.

(put 1 finger down, remove 1 more flower from board)

Two little flowers out in the sun.

(hold up 2 fingers)

I picked one and that left only one.

(put 1 finger down, remove 1 flower from board)

One little flower growing in the sun.

(hold up 1 finger)

I picked it too, and then there were none.

(put last finger down, remove last flower from board)

*Source:  Our Seasons of Joy (with modification)

Action Songs & Rhymes

We share a lot of songs & rhymes during storytime!  Below you’ll find lyrics/words to these songs & rhymes.

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!

Clap Everybody and Say Hello! (see “CDs section” below to find this song in our CD collection)

Clap everybody and say hello, clap everybody and say hello, clap everybody and say hello, no matter what the weather

Stamp everybody… (stamp feet)

Wiggle everybody… (wiggle your body)

Jump everybody… (jump up and down)

Sing everybody… (open arms wide)

Roll Your Hands (see “CDs section” below to find this song in our CD collection)

Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be! (roll hands)

Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.

Clap, clap, clap your hands as loud as loud can be!  (clap hands)

Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.

Tap, tap, tap your feet as softly as can be! (quietly tap feet)

Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.

Shake, shake, shake your feet as quickly as can be!  (quickly shake feet onto the ground)

Do it now, let me see, do it now with me.

Roll, roll, roll your hands as fast as fast can be! (roll hands)

Do it now, let me see, do it now with me. (keep rolling until the end of the song)

Two Little Eyes  fingerplay rhyme)

Two little eyes to look around (point to eyes)
Two little ears to hear a sound (point to ears)
One little nose to smell what’s sweet (point to nose)
One little mouth that likes to eat! (point to mouth)

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)

This is Big

This is big, big, big (stretch hands far to sides)
This is small, small, small (cup hands together)
This is short, short, short (hold palms close vertically)
This is tall, tall, tall (hold palms far apart vertically)
This is fast, fast, fast (roll hands quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (roll hands slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (nod head)
This is no, no, no (shake head)
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.

You are My Sunshine (short version)

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 friends, 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

“Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“I’m a Little Teapot” from Toddler Favorites by Music for Little People

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

“ABC”  from Go Baby Go! Baby Loves Jazz by Baby Loves Jazz Band

“Two Little Blackbirds” from  Circle Time: songs and rhymes for the very young by Lisa Monet

“We’re Going to the Market” from I Love to Hear the Sounds by Kathy Reid-Naiman

“Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes” from Its Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

“I know a Chicken” from Whaddya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner

“Sing” from Shining Like a Star by Laura Doherty

“Time to Say Goodbye” from Shining Like a Star by Laura Doherty

Video

Planting a Rainbow (based on the picture book by Lois Ehlert)

CONTINUE THE FUN

If you want to read more books about gardens make sure to check these out from your local Pasadena Library!