I run a weekly storytime called “Circle Time” for children between the ages of 0-5. When I plan my storytimes, I plan for toddlers, and have extra rhymes for kids younger and extra “wiggles” songs for the older. This week, I focused my storytime on “Monkeys.”

I introduced the concept of “monkeys” to the kids by asking them what sound a monkey makes. I told them that monkeys have long arms and swing from branch to branch.

Books

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Five Little Monkeys Jumping On the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Two Little Monkeys by Mem Fox

Songs

Welcome Song

We Clap and Sing Hello

We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends here at circle time,
We clap and sing hello.

We stomp and sing hello…
We wave and sing hello…

Come Along and Sing With Me (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)

Come along and sing with me,
Sing with me, sing with me,
Come along and sing with me,
Please be my friend.

Come along and clap with me..
Come along and snap with me…
Come along and roll with me…
Come along and snap with me..

Warm Up

Finger on Your Nose

Put your finger on your nose, on your nose,
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose,
Put your finger on you nose, on your nose, on your nose
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose.

Put your finger on your toes…
Put your finger on your ears…
Put your finger on your head…

Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands (Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them just like me
Clap them high, clap them low
Clap them just like me

Roll, roll, roll your arms…
Tap, tap, tap your toes..
Stretch, stretch, stretch your arms…

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground.

Teddy bear, teddy bear reach up high
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the sky.

Teddy bear, teddy bear find your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your toes.

Teddy bear, teddy bear touch your knees,
Teddy bear, teddy bear sit down please.

Getting the Wiggles Out

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Repeat: four, three, two one
Finish: Put those monkeys back to bed

 

Goodbye Songs

 The More We Get Together

 The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together the happier we’ll be
‘Cause your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends
The more we get together the happier we’ll be

 We Wave Goodbye Like This
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands for all our friends
We clap our hands like this

We stomp our feet like this…
We wave goodbye like this…