My library system has one central location and 9 branches. To make storytime programming easier for all involved, we use storyboxes. These are “storytimes in a box”. They contain everything a storyteller would need for a successful storytime including books, videos, fingerplays and crafts. Ideally, there should be enough variety that the box can be used for infants/toddlers, preschoolers, and lower elementary ages. The boxes are routed from branch to branch so that each week a branch has a different storytime ready to go. You don’t have to use the storyboxes, but they are there as an option when you need them.
Let’s Dance!
BOOKS:
Dancing in My Bones by Sylvia Andrews, illustrated by Ellen Mueller
How Do You Wokka-Wokka? by Elizabeth Bluemle, illustrated by Randy Cecil
Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth, illustrated by Jane Porter
Down by the Cool of the Pool by Tony Mitton, pictures by Guy Parker-Rees
Brontorina by James Howe, illustrated by Randy Cecil
Wiggle by Doreen Cronin, art by Scott Menchin
Dancing Feet! by Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown
Sailor Boy Jig by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Dan Andreasen
Giant Dance Party by Betsy Bird, illustrated by Brandon Dorman
Dance with Me by Charles R. Smith, Jr., illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
Let’s Dance Grandma! written and illustrated by Nigel McMullen
Rain Dance by Kathi Appelt, pictures by Emilie Chollat
Rupert Can Dance by Jules Feiffer
Catty Jane Who Loved to Dance by Valeri Gorbachev
Bea at Ballet by Rachel Isadora
Barn Dance! by Pat Hutchins
Deer Dancer by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont, pictures by Jennifer Plecas
Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles – Think of That! by Leo & Diane Dillon
Hilda Must Be Dancing! by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Suzanne Watts
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison
How Can You Dance? by Rick Walton and Ana López-Escrivá
My Friend Maya Loves to Dance by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Eric Valasquez
Zombelina by Kristyn Crow, illustrated by Molly Idle
FLANNELBOARDS:
5 Ballet Dancers
(I know there are 6 dancers in the picture – I made one extra in case.) I had made me a version of this flannelboard and it was colored in pellon. I didn’t want to put my originals in the storybox in case they got lost or some pieces went missing, so I color photo-copied the pieces, cut them out, laminated them, and then put felt on the back. I was suprised at how well it worked!)
Five ballet dancers
Prancing on their toes
They twirl and spin and jump
Then off the stage one goes.
4 ballet dancers…
3 ballet dancers…
2 ballet dancers…
One ballet dancer
Prancing on his/her toes
S/He twirls and spins and jumps
Then off the stage s/he goes.
No more dancers! The performance is over.
And what do we do at the end of a performance?
We applaud! (clap)
(taken from Storytimes Online http://youthliterature.com/storytimes/artslit/dancing.pdf)
(Loyal readers may recognize this set from some I had made earlier. I have my own personal version of this flannelboard that I made out of pellon and colored with crayon. I didn’t want to put my originals in the storybox in case they got lost or some pieces went missing, so I color photo-copied the pieces, cut them out, laminated them, and then put felt on the back. I was surprised at how well it worked!)
Wee Red Shoes: Dance Edition
Once there were some wee red shoes. They lived in a shoe shop. They lived there a long time. “This is no fun,” said one wee red shoe. “I want to dance,” said the other wee red shoes. So they danced out of the shoe shop. They danced down the street: tippy-tap, tippy-tap, tippy-tap.
They saw a hen. “Stop!” called Hen. “I want to wear you.” She jumped into the wee red shoes. “Now scratch!” said Hen. “We cannot scratch,” said wee red shoes. “Then I cannot wear you,” said Hen. “Dance away!” The wee red shoes danced along. They danced and danced – tippy-tap, tippy-tap, tippy-tap.
They saw a duck. “Stop!” called Duck. “I want to wear you.” She jumped into the wee red shoes. “Now swim!” said Duck. “We cannot swim,” said wee red shoes. “Then I cannot wear you,” said Hen. “Dance away!” The wee red shoes danced along. They danced and danced – tippy-tap, tippy-tap, tippy-tap.
They saw a dog. “Stop!” called Dog. “I want to wear you.” He jumped into the wee red shoes. “Now run!” said dog. “We cannot run,” said wee red shoes. “And, anyway, you need four shoes. There are only two of us!” “Then I cannot wear you,” said Dog. “Dance away!” The wee red shoes danced along. They danced and danced – tippy-tap, tippy-tap, tippy-tap.
They saw a young girl. She was barefoot. She was crying. The little red shoes jumped on the girl’s feet. She looked down and saw the shoes. She stopped crying.
“Will you wear us?” asked the wee red shoes. “We will dance for you.”
“Will you dance in class?” asked the girl. “I have a lot to learn.”
“Yes!” answered the wee red shoes. “We will dance and help you learn every day.”
“Oh, thank you, thank you!” said the girl. “Now I can take dance lessons!”
The wee red shoes were happy. The young girl was happy. And away they went to dance class – tippy-tap, tippy-tap, tippy-tap.
(adapted from: Anderson, Paul S. Story Telling with the Flannel Board: Book One. Art work by Miss Irene Francis. T.S. Denison & Co: Minneapolis, Minn. 1962. Pg 67-69.)
MOVEMENT, SONGS, AND FINGERPLAYS:
Tommy Thumbs
Tommy thumbs are up, (thumbs up)
Tommy thumbs are down. (thumbs down)
Tommy thumbs are dancing, (move thumbs up and down)
All around the town.
Dance them on your shoulders, (tap thumbs on shoulders)
Dance them on your head, (tap thumbs on head)
Dance them on your knees, (tap thumbs on knee)
And tuck them into bed. (tuck thumbs under opposite arms)
Put your two arms up,
And put your two arms down.
Make your two arms do
A dance around the town.
Straighten them in front,
And straighten them in back,
Bend them to the sides,
And now you lay them flat.
(from: Northport-East Northport Public Library: http://www.nenpl.org/childrens/bibliographies/titles/rhymes.php)
Penny Thumbkin
Penny Thumbkin upstairs, (move thumbs upward)
Penny Thumbkin down, (move thumbs below shoulders)
Penny Thumbkin dancing (dance thumbs)
All around the town.
Dancing on my shoulders (dance thumbs on shoulders)
Dancing on my head (dance thumbs on head)
Dancing on my knees now (dance thumbs on knees)
Tuck them into bead (tuck thumbs under arms)
Other verses:
Pointer finger, tall finger, ring finger, pinky finger, Family (all fingers)
(From Briggs, Diane. Preschool Favorites: 35 Storytimes Kids Love. Illustrated by Thomas Briggs. American Library Association: Chicago. 2007.)
Dancing Sheep
Shhh! It’s time to go to sleep
(put finger to mouth, pretend to sleep)
But into my bedroom one sheep creeps.
(creep fingers)
“Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said.
“I would rather dance instead!”
Soon he was… (draw these words out)
Dancing on the ceiling!
(move hands above head in “dancing” motion)
He was dancing on the floor!
(move hands on floor as mentioned above)
He was dancing on the window!
(move hands to one side)
He was dancing on the door!
(move hands to other side)
He kept on…
Dancing on the ceiling!
(sing faster)
He was dancing on the floor!
He was dancing on the window!
He was dancing on the door!
(repeat several times getting faster each time through)
“Stop that dancing, silly sheep.
It is time to go to sleep!”
Soon the sheep lay on the floor.
Soon the sheep began to snore.
So I started … (draw these words out)
Dancing on the ceiling!
I was dancing on the floor!
I was dancing on the window!
I was dancing on the door!
(from: Dailey, Susan M. http://www.susanmdailey.com/fingerplays.html You can hear the song at this website: http://www.susanmdailey.com/Dancing_Sheep.mp3 )
Busy Fingers
This is the way my fingers stand,
Fingers stand, fingers stand,
This is the way my fingers stand
So early in the morning.
This is the way they dance about,
Dance about, dance about
This is the way they dance about
So early in the morning.
This is the way I fold my hands,
Fold my hands, fold my hands
This is the way I fold my hands,
So early in the morning.
This is the way they go to sleep,
Go to sleep, go to sleep
This is the way they go to sleep
So early in the morning.
(from: Canton Public Library. https://www.cantonpl.org/youth/parents/poems/fingerplays/s-z )
Dance Thumbkin Dance
Dance, thumbkin, dance!
(hold thumb upward in a closed right fist)
Dance, thumbkin, dance!
Thumbkin cannot dance alone,
So dance, my merry men, every one,
(Hold up left hand fingers in motion)
And dance, thumbkin, dance!
(Thumb joins in movement)
Dance, foreman, dance!
(Close right hand,
point pointer finger upward,
hand still remain in position)
Dance, foreman, dance!
Foreman cannot dance alone,
So dance, my merry men, ev’ry one,
(Hold up left hand fingers in motion)
Dance, Pointer, dance…
Dance, Middleman, dance…
Dance, Ringman, dance….
Dance, Littleman, dance….
(taken from Storytimes Online http://youthliterature.com/storytimes/artslit/dancing.pdf)
Dance Your Fingers Up
Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down
Dance your fingers to the side, dance them all around
Dance them on your shoulders, dance them on you head
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed
(taken from Storytime Katie: http://storytimekatie.com/songs-rhymes/master-list/ )
The Hokey Pokey
Put your right hand in, put your right hand out
Put your right hand in, and you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
Put your left hand in…
Put your right foot in…
Put your left foot in…
Put your head in…
Put your whole self in…
Who Wants to Dance?
Who wants to dance? Who wants to dance?
Let me show you how to get, get, get down.
Who wants to dance? Who wants to dance?
Let me show you how to get, get, get down.
Everybody wash the windows…
Everybody drive the car…
Everybody do the swim…
Everybody climb the rope…
(from Songs for Teaching. http://www.songsforteaching.com/specialeducation/dancetherapy/whowantstodance.htm )
Dancing Bears
In the forest, when the moon is bright,
(whump, whump, whump)
All the bears go dancing in the light,
(thump, thump, thump)
‘Round a circle they do go,
Bear-y stiff and bear-y slow,
Singing with a bearish sort of sound,
(grump, (grump, grump, grump)
In the field between the ‘tato rows,
(hush, hush, hush)
All the mice are dancing on their toes
(shush, shush, shush)
If the cat should change to roam,
They would all go running home
down their holes they’d scampler in a flash,
(mush, mush, mush).
(from: Storytimes Online http://youthliterature.com/storytimes/artist/dancing.pdf)
Boogie-Woogie Washer Woman
Way down the road (shade hand over eyes, look into distance)
Where nobody goes (shake finger “no”)
There’s a boogie-woogie washer woman washing her clothes (boogie side to side)
Scrub, scrub, here (scrub invisible clothing on one knee)
Scrub, scrub, there (scrub on other knee)
Scrub those stains right out of there (move thumb to side “outta there”)
She goes: scrub, scrub (scrub on one knee, then other, step forward each time)
A-boogie, a-woogie (do the boogie, taking two steps backward)
Scrub, scrub and a-boogie some more (repeat action of above line)
She goes: scrub, scrub, a-boogie, a-woogie (repeat action)
Just a boogie-woogie washer woman washing her clothes (boogie, turn in a circle)
Yeah! (jazz hands)
(from http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/songbook/songs3/S3_8.htm )
Leaves in the Wind
(to tune of “Ring Around the Rosy”)
Dance and twirl together
Like leaves in windy weather
Twirling, swirling
We all Fall down!
From Briggs, Diane. Preschool Favorites: 35 Storytimes Kids Love. Illustrated by Thomas Briggs. American Library Association: Chicago. 2007.
Here We Go Looby Loo
(Join hands and go around in a circle; suit actions to words)
Here we go looby loo,
Here we go looby light,
Here we go looby loo,
All on a Saturday night.
You put your right hand in
You put your right hand out
You give your hand a shake, shake shake
And turn yourself about.
Repeat with : left hand, right foot, left foot, whole self
From: Briggs, Diane. Preschool Favorites: 35 Storytimes Kids Love. Illustrated by Thomas Briggs. American Library Association: Chicago. 2007.
Dance, Children, Dance! A Rhyme from Germany
Dance, children, dance about! (dance)
Let your shoes in and out (kick feet)
If one should break than we don’t care (wrench fists apart to show breaking shoe)
The cobbler will make you another pair (mime hammering on shoe)
So dance, children, dance. (dance)
Now dance fast (repeat rhyme at a fast pace)…
Now dance slowly (repeat rhyme at a slow pace)…
From: MacMillan, Kathy and Christine Kirker. Multicultural Storytime Magic. American Library Association: Chicago. 2012.
LET’S DANCE MUSIC TRACKS:
Because this was a dancing themed storytime, it felt like I needed to include some fun music to get up and groove to. Here’s the tracks I included in the storybox on a cd.
Track 1: “Don’t Make Me Dance” by Tom Chapin from Some Assembly Required
Track 2: “Hands are for Clapping” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contageous Tunes
Track 3: “Silly Dance Contest” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contageous Tunes
Track 4: “Spaghetti Legs” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contageous Tunes
Track 5: “List of Dances” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Makes it Noisy in Boise, Idaho
Track 6: “Let’s Dance Now” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Makes it Noisy in Boise, Idaho”
Track 7: “I Changed My Mind” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Presents Music Play for Folks of All Stripes
Track 8: “If Animals Could Dance” by The Learning Station from La Di Da, La Di Di, Dance with Me
Track 9: “Jump Up, Bend Down” The Learning Station from La Di Da, La Di Di, Dance with Me
Track 10: “Here We Go Looby Loo” by Wee Sing from The Best of Wee Sing
Track 11: “The Chicken Dance”
Track 12: “Shake Your Sillies Out” by Raffi from More Singable Songs
CRAFTS:
Dancing Giraffe
Materials Needed:
- Dancing Giraffe Coloring Pages
- Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
- Scissors
- Brads
Directions:
Have children color in the giraffe any way they like. Cut out the pieces, and then assemble the giraffe using brads. Ask the children if they can make the giraffe dance by moving the different body parts.
If you want this craft to go faster, you may want to cut out the giraffe pieces beforehand.
(taken from: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/giraffescantdance.htm and http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/_files/dancinggiraffe.pdf )
Dancing Raisins Science Experiment
Who taught these raisins to dance, anyway? Go on – gather up some raisins, turn up the music, and get ready for a raisin romp.
Materials Needed:
- Clear drinking glasses
- Raisins
- Clear carbonated beverages (7Up, Tonic Water, etc.)
Additional Materials:
- Macaroni
- Spaghetti
- Lentils
- Craisins
- Corn
- Dried Blueberries
Experiment:
- Fill the glass with soda.
- Drop 10-15 raisins into the soda.
- Focus all of your attention on those raisins. Are they moving? Yes! They’re floating, they’re bobbing up and down, they’re dancing!
Dancing Raisins Variation:
- Set up your drinking glasses with different types of soda.
- See which type of soda makes the best dancing raisins.
- Try using all of the same type of soda but different kinds of “dancers.”
- Throw in macaroni, noodles, lentils, craisins, even corn!
- Which combination of soda and dancers “performs” the best show?
- Keep experimenting until you find the best combination
For more explanation of why/how this works visit the sources I used.
(Idea taken from: Steve Spangler Science http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/dancing-raisins-the-bubble-lifter and Juggling with Kids http://www.jugglingwithkids.com/2011/08/dancing-raisins.html )
Dance Wands
Materials needed:
- Popsicle Sticks
- Crepe Paper
- Glue or Glue Sticks
Directions:
To prep the craft: Have crepe paper cut.
Have children glue the crepe paper streamers (about 2 or 3 strands) to the popsicle stick.
Then dance and move and see those streamers go.
Idea taken from PreK Read and Play: https://prekreadplay.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/storytime-share-gross-motor-movement-and-coordination-1/
Dancing Finger Puppets
Materials Needed:
- Finger puppet template
- Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
- Scissors
Directions:
Have children color in the puppet or puppets of their choice.
Cut the puppet from the page, and then cut the two circles on the bottom out as well from each puppet.
Have the children put their fingers through the holes at the bottom of each puppet and make their puppet dance!
If you would like to make this craft faster, do the cutting ahead of time.
Taken from: http://www.wikipekes.com/titeres-de-dedo-recortables.html
Bell Bracelets
Materials needed:
– Chenille Stems or Pipe Cleaners
– Jingle Bells (about 3 per bracelet)
– Scissors
Have children thread 3 jingle bells through the pipe cleaner. Wrap the ends around each other to make the correct size bracelet for each child.
If the pipe cleaner is really long, use the scissors to cut to size.
If you are worried about the sharp ends of the pipe cleaner, before beginning the bracelet fold the ends (just 1/4 of an inch or so) onto itself. This will create a tip that is not quite so sharp.
Idea taken from: My Nearest and Dearest http://mynearestanddearest.com/jingle-bell-bracelets/
Bugs Dancing Coloring Page
Materials Needed:
- Coloring pages
- Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
Directions:
Have the children color in their sheets any way they like.
Extend the Learning:
Let the kids know that honeybees acutally dance to communicate! They use something called a “waggle dance”, a “shake” dance, and a “tremble” dance.
For more information on the bee dance visit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/hivecomm.html
Coloring page adapted from:
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/bees-dance-coloring-page/
Zoom, Rocket, Zoom! by Margaret Mayo, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe
Jen in the Library 