Baby Storytime: Animal Sounds

It’s still Phonological Awareness Month at my library, so an Animal Sounds storytime is a good match.

OPENING SONG: Hello Song*

OPENING FINGERPLAY: Open Them Shut Them*

BOOK: I Love Animals by FLORA MCDONNELL (big book)

SONG: When Ducks Get Up in the Morning
This is a new song for me! In fact I built this whole storytime as an excuse to sing it! Thanks to my friend Miss Mary Liberry for introducing me to Seattle children’s musician Nancy Stewart, who suggests pairing it with I Love Animals.

BOUNCE: A Farmer Went Trotting

A farmer went trotting
Bounce baby on lap, facing you
Upon his gray mare
With his daughter behind him
So rosy and fair
Then a duck cried out, “Quack!”
Lift baby up
And they all tumbled down
Plop baby back into your lap
Off of the horse
And upside down!
Tip baby gently backwards!

FLANNEL SONG: A Hunting We Will Go*
Today we used mare/chair, duck/truck, hen/pen, goat/boat

BOOK: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by BILL MARTIN JR
Last week we sang this, but this week I read it, stopping at every page and asking what sound each animal made.

SONG: Where Is Brown Bear?
Sing to the tune of “Where Is Thumbkin?” Thanks to Storytime Kids for this idea! Repeat with several animals.

Where is brown bear? Where is brown bear?
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, bear?
Very well, I say, bear.
Growl, growl, growl.

LITERACY TIP: Phonological Awareness This skill is all about hearing the smaller sounds in words. Listening to and making animal noises is gives little kids lots of practice hearing some of the different sounds of English, and practice making them, too! (If you have bilingual parents in your group, it’s fun to ask them to share what roosters or pigs say in other languages.)

BOOK: I Went Walking by SUE WILLIAMS

RHYME: I Went Walking to Town One Day
I chanted this, and held up puppets for each verse. Repeat with other animals. This one came from Storytime Kids too! Thank you!

I went walking to town one day
Oh, it was a beautiful day!
As I went walking to town one day
I met a cow along the way.
And what do you think that cow did say?
Moo!

ACTION RHYME: This is Big Big Big*

CLOSING SONG: Sneeze Game*

*Check out the My Baby Storytime page for the words and/or citations for these weekly activities!