I filled in for our last storytime of our Summer session at the last-minute, so I just pulled this Bear storytime together quickly.

SONG: Welcome Song

MOVEMENT: “Clap Everybody and Say Hello” by Kathy Reid-Naiman from Sally Go ‘Round the Sun: Songs and rhymes from the parent-child Mother Goose program

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

Oliver Finds His Way by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Christopher Denise

MOVEMENT: “Reach for the Ceiling” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Teddy Bears

FLANNELBOARD:

Bears

(to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
Grizzly bears are big and brown,
Big and brown, big and brown.
Grizzly bears are big and brown,
And live in the woods.

Polar bears are soft and white,
Soft and white, soft and white.
Polar bears are soft and white,
And live in the cold.

Teddy bears are just my size,
Just my size, just my size.
Teddy bears are just my size,
To cuddle with at night.

MOVEMENT: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

BOOK:

Bear & Hare: Where’s Bear? by Emily Gravett

VIDEO:

“Follow the Leader” from Little Bear: Rainy Day Tales

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley (or the other Bear books by Foley
Book: Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Book: Bears on Chairs by Shirley Parenteau, illustrated by David Walker (or others in this series)
Book: Bear and Hare: Go Fishing by Emily Gravett

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:
Bear & Hare: Where’s Bear? was the reason I decided to go with this theme for storytime.  When books in the Bear & Hare series came in, I thought they would be so perfect for Toddler storytime — and it worked really well!  Especially because I had the kids join in for the hide & seek countdown.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  44 people      11 am: 30 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page