My summer storytimes have been difficult to plan because I have all ages coming! I have a couple of two month old babies and I have older siblings up to 8-9 years old all participating. I have been trying to choose books that aren’t too long, that are entertaining, and that can please this large age range. Choosing an underwear book was a perfect way to please all ages.
Books We Read
A Book for Bear by Ellen Ramsey
Pete the Kitty and the Three Bears by Kimberly and James Dean
Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera (I read this book in another storytime in 2023 and it is always a hit)
Songs We Sang
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, touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your knees
Teddy bear, teddy bear, sit down please
If You Want to Read a Book
If you want to read a book, clap your hands.
If you want to read a book, clap your hands.
If you want to read a book, listen up and take a look.
If you want to read a book, clap your hands.
If you want to read a book, stamp your feet.
If you want to read a book, stamp your feet.
If you want to read a book, listen up and take a look.
If you want to read a book, stamp your feet.
repeat with: wave to a friend, spin around, have a seat
Credit: Miss Katie’s Storytime Wiki
Where is Bear?
Where is bear? Where is bear?
Here I am. Here I am.
How are you this winter?
Very tired, thank you.
Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
(I used a bear puppet and had the kids wake him up a couple of times before we let him hibernate for winter)
Credit: Storytime Katie
Early Literacy Tip
Let kids draw and tell their own stories because this is the first step to them writing their own stories.
Flannel Board
A bear is sleeping in one of the caves and children had to guess which color cave he was hiding under. I didn’t bother creating a rhyme for this one because they all just yell out their guesses!
They loved it and took turns hiding the bear after storytime.
Craft
I created a few 8-page books from a single sheet of printer paper and put out some markers. Each child made their own book and they were all completely different. The toddlers colored and told stories to their grownups while the nine year olds drew pictures and wrote words underneath. This was the perfect all-ages craft following A Book For Bear.