If Your Clothes Have Any Color

Another great song for the beginning of the school year - or any time, really - is this one.  It incorporates thinking about your own body and clothing, color recognition, and listening and following directions.

If Your Clothes Have Any Color (to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It”)

If your clothes have any red, any red,

If your clothes have any red, any red,

If your clothes have any red,
 put your hands upon your head. If your clothes have any red, any red.

If your clothes have any blue, any blue,

If your clothes have any blue, any blue,

If your clothes have any blue,
put your fingers on your shoe. If your clothes have any blue, any blue.

If your clothes have any green, any green,

If your clothes have any green, any green,

If your clothes have any green,
wave your hands so you are seen. If your clothes have any green, any green.

If your clothes have any yellow, any yellow,

If your clothes have any yellow, any yellow,

If your clothes have any yellow,
wiggle like a bowl of jello. If your clothes have any yellow, any yellow.

If your clothes have any pink, any pink,

If your clothes have any pink, any pink,

If your clothes have any pink, close one eye and make a wink. If your clothes have any pink, any pink.

If your clothes have any white, any white,

If your clothes have any white, any white,

If your clothes have any white,
 give yourself a hug real tight. If your clothes have any white, any white.

If your clothes have any black, any black,

If your clothes have any black, any black,

If your clothes have any black,
 pat yourself right on the back. If your clothes have any black, any black.

If your clothes have any brown, any brown,

If your clothes have any brown, any brown,

If your clothes have any brown,
smile big just like a clown. If your clothes have any brown, any brown.

Where oh where is my friend?

Last week, one of our songs focused on helping children learn each other's names in a fun way at story time.

This is sung to the tune of "Michael Finnegan."

Where, Oh Where, Is My Friend?

Where, oh where, is my friend (child's name)?

Where, oh where, is my friend (child's name)?

Where, oh where, is my friend (child's name)?

Where could s/he be?

There s/he is! (pointing to child)

Everyone say hello (child's name)

Everyone say hello (child's name)

Everyone say hello (child's name)

We're so glad you're here!

(Repeat for multiple children)

This was a really sweet song that the children had a lot of fun with and I can't wait to see the children continue to enjoy it next week on the patio.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

With the beginning of the new school year upon us, I try to choose well-known songs for part of my story time plan.  I find that having a song that the children - new and returning - know makes early story times easier.  Many children find it easier to attend when they know the tune, words, and/or actions of the song.

This is such a classic, but it's one of my favorite songs that I can go to in a pinch when I need something to occupy a large group.

Everyone knows the words, but there are many other fun things you can do with this song to extend it.  Some of my favorite ways to mix it up include leaving out a word or two, modifying speed, modifying volume, and using other languages.  My top modification is attempting to sing the song in reverse, which tends to trip up the children, teachers, parents, and myself, and we all end up laughing together to end the song.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Down on Grandpa's Farm

As a farm girl, many of my favorite songs and stories that I remember from childhood incorporate that lifestyle.  This is one such song:

Down on Grandpa's Farm
Down on Grandpa's farm there is a big brown cow.
Down on Grandpa's farm there is a big brown cow.
The cow, she makes a sound like this: "Mooooooo."
The cow, she makes a sound like this: "Mooooooo."

We're on our way.
We're on our way.
On our way to Grandpa's farm.
We're on our way.
We're on our way.
On our way to Grandpa's farm.

**Repeat with other animals and sounds.  I always try to include animals that may show up in the keybook.**

Story Time - The Otter Who Loved to Hold Hands

This summer, we have been focusing our curriculum around a "water" theme, which works well since water is one of our basic materials.  In addition to having water available in multiple areas of the classroom, we have also chosen keybooks and songs that incorporate the water theme into our group story time.

I chose to read The Otter Who Loved to Hold Hands by Heidi and Daniel Howarth, a sweet book about a young otter who is afraid to let go of his parents.  This is a great book for children adapting to the new situation of being in school and separating from their parents, maybe for the first time.

With this book, I chose three songs to complete our story time.  The gathering song was "Everybody Have a Seat."  I then taught a song that incorporates rhythm and counting with several well-known nursery rhymes:  "Oleanna."  My final song was "Five Little Otters Went Out to Play," a modification of the popular "Five Little Ducks Went Out to Play."

The Old Grey Cat

Sometimes I like to incorporate games into story time.  The way I play this game gives the children another opportunity to participate, as well as an opportunity to work on self-regulation and memory.  In this game, children must remember which houses have already been checked and guess a new color.

The Old Grey Cat:
The old grey cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.  The old grey cat is sleeping by the house.The little mouse is hiding, hiding, hiding.  The little mouse is hiding in the house.
(Hide mouse inside one of the houses)The old grey cat is waking, waking, waking.  The old grey cat is waking by the house.

The old grey cat is looking, looking, looking.  The old grey cat is looking for the mouse.
If you think that you know, you know, you know, if you think that you know, raise a quiet hand.(Ask children which house they think the mouse is in)
The old grey cat is looking, looking, looking.  The old grey cat is looking in the _____ house.(Spoken) Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the _____ house? (Open door.  If mouse is in there, go to next part; if not, repeat "the old grey cat is looking" until the mouse is found.)The little mouse is running, running, running.  The little mouse is running away from the cat.  

(Repeat game as time allows.)

I don't always do all the verses, picking and choosing as necessary.  For example, if many children want to participate and they are self-regulating well, we go through quickly to get more guesses in and to hide the mouse several times.  If the group is new to this game or style of game, I may do more singing and only hide the mouse once.

 *I drew the mouse from the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie to use in this game, creating a nice tie from this last song/game right into the story I was reading at the time.*

Five Little Otters Went Out to Play

One of our most commonly modified songs is "Five Little Ducks Went Out to Play."  It's always a fun surprise when children realize a song they know has changed a little bit.  

This summer, I modified the song to use with a book about otters.  This added an extra component by not knowing what sound otters make.  I asked a child each day what sound they thought an otter would make, and we used that sound for the day.

Later in the week, I planned with some children for them to help me with the song.  My "helpers" came up to the front and played the part of a little otter or the Mama otter and acted out the song.

"Five Little Otters Went Out to Play"

Five little otters went out to play.

Over the waves and far away.

Mama Otter said “Eee, eee, eee, eee."

But only four little otters came back.

(Count down from four to zero.)

Sad mama otter went out to see

Where her little otters could be.

Sad mama otter said “Eee, eee, eee, eee."

And all of the little otters came back.

Oleanna

This is a really fun song that incorporates rhythm, counting, and rhyming all into one.  The chorus is very simple and the children learn it quickly.  The verses are made up of familiar nursery rhymes all sung to the same tune.

I often introduce the verses by putting up an image depicting the nursery rhyme on the felt board to give the children a chance to guess what it might be.

"Oleanna"

Chorus: 1-2-3-4

Ole, oleanna, ole, oleanna,

ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, oleanna.

(Insert nursery rhymes such as “Little Miss Muffet,” “Hickory Dickory Dock,” etc., then repeat chorus.)

Everybody Have a Seat

This is one of my favorite gathering songs.  The children enjoy the silly nature of it and the ability to provide ideas for the song, and the adults and teachers enjoy the rhythm and melody.  This song provides nice repetition and helps children know what is expected as they come in to story time.

"Everybody Have a Seat"

Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat,

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

Not on the ceiling, not on the door...

Everybody have a seat on the floor.

(Repeat with other places to not sit - window, shelf, table, etc.)

Do Re Mi

This song took a few days for the children to learn and catch on to, but once they did, they absolutely loved it and wanted to sing it over and over.  Learning solfedge early - without realizing it - will be very helpful for any children that take music classes or lessons in school.  I know it's something I will never forget!

My friend Ari made cute little cards to help cue the children as to which part we were on.  They enjoyed using the cards later on their own to re-create the song.

Do Re Mi
Doe, a deer, a female deer
Ray, a drop of golden sun
Me, a name I call myself
Far, a long, long way to run
Sew, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow Sew
Tea, a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to Do (oh-oh-oh)

Down around the corner at the bakery shop

This has become one of my favorite songs...possibly due to my love of baking and baked goods.  Regardless, I have had a lot of fun doing this song in multiple ways.  

I did it for the first time with these paper cupcakes (which have since been laminated and reused several times) and pennies made by one of my children.




The next step was my first exploration into making felts, and I ended up with these felt cupcakes and pennies with puffy paint decoration.

The only problem with these has been that the puffy paint is, well, puffy.  And puffy sprinkles look good enough to eat!  After almost losing a few sprinkles and the writing off a few pennies, I make sure to mention that it's paint. :)


Lyrics:
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
There were 5 cupcakes with sprinkles on top
Along came   (child's name)   with a penny to pay
And he/she took one cupcake and went away.

**Repeat, counting down until all cupcakes are gone.**
I ask five different children to come up, give them a "penny," and when it's their turn they buy the cupcake then return to their seat.






Alternate version:  I also used this song with the story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and sang the song with cookies with chocolate chips on top.