Leaping – Toddler & Preschool Storytime

This was a last minute storytime I put together, as I was covering for another Librarian.  But with delivering it on Leap Day, the idea of bouncing as a themed seemed like a perfect fit.

Also, knowing I had done this theme before meant it was easier to pull things together!

******
MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Roly Poly
(to the tune of: “Frere Jacques”)
Roly poly, roly poly
Up, up, up
up, up, up
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
down, down, down
down, down, down

Roly poly, roly poly
out, out, out
out, out, out
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
in, in, in
in, in, in

Roly poly, roly poly
fast, fast, fast
fast, fast, fast
Roly roly poly
roly roly poly
slow, slow, slow
slow, slow, slow

MOVEMENT: Open, Shut Them*

BOOK:
Thompson-LeapBackHomeToMe
Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Matthew Cordell

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

MOVEMENT:
We Can Jump, Jump, Jump
We can jump, jump, jump.
We can hop, hop, hop.
We can clap, clap, clap.
We can stomp, stomp, stomp.

We can nod our heads for yes
We can shake our heads for no
We can bend our knees a little bit,
And we can sit down slow.

Taken from: 1 2 3 4 More Storytimes

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Green and Speckled Frogs FiveGreenAndSpeckledFrogsFlannelboardFive green and specked frogs
Sat on a hollow log.
Eating some most delicious bugs.
Yum! Yum!
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are four green speckled frogs.
Ribbit! Ribbit!

Continue counting down until no green speckled frogs are left.

MOVEMENT: 
1.74.0-23P-F4S5EOY7O4L7OCJJBH6WKVNX4Y.0.2-1

“Jumping and Counting” by Jim Gill from Jim Gill’s Most Celebrated Songs: Music Play Volume 3

MOVEMENT:
“Two Little Blackbirds”

BOOK:
WhoHopsbyDavis
Who Hops? by Katie Davis

MOVEMENT: “If You’re Hoppy and You Know It”
(To the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump,
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump,
If you’re hoppy and you know it then you really want to show it,
If you’re hoppy and you know it give a jump.

Taken from: Verona Storytime

JUMPING / FREEZE DANCE:
JazzyAsh-BonVoyage

“Leap Frog” by Jazzy Ash from Bon Voyage

We danced and jumped and then froze when I paused the music.

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

 

Book: Jump by David McPhail
Book: I Hop by Joe Cepeda
Book: Bounce by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin
Book: Jump! by Scott M. Fischer
Book: Jump! by Tatsuhide Matsuoka
Book: Bounce by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin
Book: A Hop is Up by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Lori Richmond
Book: Fox and the Jumping Contest by Corey R. Tabor

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Verona Story Time: Jump and Bounce Storytime – Toddler 
1234 More Storytimes: Storytime: Jump! 
Jen in the Library: Bouncing – Infant Storytime 
Jen in the Library: Bouncing – Toddler Storytime

ATTENDANCE: 27 people (Children and Adults)

PRESENTED:  Thursday, February 29, 2024 at Casa Verudgo

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my
A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Bouncing – Toddler Storytime

This active theme is always a fun one to use with toddlers.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands” from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:
BouncingTimebyHubbell
Bouncing Time
by Patricia Hubbell

MOVEMENT: “Roll Your Hands” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

MOVEMENT: Itsy Bitsy Spider

COUNTING SONG:*
10Rabbits
Rabbits
(presented by our new librarian Jane)

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Green and Speckled Frogs
FiveGreenAndSpeckledFrogsFlannelboard
(Presented by our new librarian, Jane)

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

BOOK:
WhoHopsbyDavis
Who Hops? by Katie Davis

MOVEMENT: “Two Little Blackbirds” from Fingerplays and Footplays by Rosemary Hallum and Henry “Buzz” Glass

VIDEO:
LittleBearRainyDayTalesDVD
“Puddle Jumper” from Little Bear: Rainy Day Tales

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IDEAS:
KangarooAndCricketbySiomades JumpbyLavis 

Kangaroo and Cricket by Lorianne Siomades
Jump! by Steve Lavis

HOW IT WENT:
This is a fun theme that can sometimes get a little too energetic.  Luckily that didn’t happen today.  This was my first time reading Who Hops? to a group and it was so much fun.  When you say “Cows Hop” you can hear the whole audience go, “say whaaa?”.  Such a good book hook.  “Puddle Jumper” is also another favorite to show in storytime because kids like the story, and parents like that it features the Zen frog.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  42 people      11 am: 38 people

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

Bouncing – Infant Storytime

Everyone was happy as we went up and down through our bouncing storytime today.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: Peek-a-Boo*

BOUNCE: In the Toaster*

BOOK:
BouncingTimebyHubbell
Bouncing Time by Patricia Hubbell

MOVEMENT: “Clap, Tap and Bend” from It’s Toddler Time by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

FLANNELBOARD:
Five Green and Speckled Frogs
FiveGreenAndSpeckledFrogsFlannelboard

(Presented by our new Librarian Jane)

BOUNCE: “Smooth Road to London Town” from A Smooth Road to London Town: Songs from the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program by Kathy Reid-Naiman

BOOK:
BallBouncedbyTafuri
The Ball Bounced
by Nancy Tafuri

TICKLE: These are Baby’s Fingers*

SONG & MOVEMENT: “Babies Little Self” from the album Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

NURSERY RHYME:
Jack Be Nimble
Jack Be Nimble Flannelboard
Pieces from Little Folk Visuals
(Presented by our new librarian Jane)

MOVEMENT: “Itsy Bitsy Spider” from Children’s Favorite Songs Volume 3 from Walt Disney

MOVEMENT: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

BOUNCE: Ride a Little Pony*

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
LlamaLlamaHoppity-HopbyDewdney HopHopJumpbyKrosoczka
Llama Llama Hoppity-Hop by Anna Dewdney
Hop, Hop, Jump! by Lauren Thompson

HOW IT WENT:
This was a fun storytime, and an especially great theme to use with infants because you can incorporate so many bounces for the parents to do with their babies.  I was worried that Bouncing Time would be too long to use with the infants, but it seemed to work fine.  I think in the future though I might end the story after the family waves bye to the bouncing animals in the zoo.  That would shorten it a little, but still complete the story.  I love doing Jack Be Nimble as a nursery rhyme and then as a bounce, so that worked perfectly in with this storytime.

ATTENDANCE: 31 people

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